It’s another round of Very Novel — and Ryan and Callum are snapping into the spines of some fresh book chat.   This week, we revel in the joy of a thriving independent bookshop scene, and contemplate the pitfalls of online reading challenges and book tracking. We pay our respects to Martin Amis — a dude we know virtually nothing about — while the Bradford Literature Festival is washing its hands clean of their AI artwork controversy.

And did Ryan finish the 'Count of Monte Cristo?' Did Callum finish 'Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow?' You can only go and find out today.