The Shelf
'Utter PERFECTION' Marian Keyes, perfect for fans of 'Love is Blind'
Published on 9. July 2020
Book
Hardback
416 pages
978-1-83877-087-7 (ISBN)
Description
***A Radio 2 Book Club Pick***
'Utter PERFECTION!' Marian Keyes
'Fun, fresh and thought-provoking' Lindsey Kelk
'A witty, life-affirming page-turner' Woman & Home
'Fun, thought-provoking and unapologetically feminist' Daisy Edgar-Jones
'This brilliant novel is a really fun read. Very entertaining!' Jo Whiley
A funny, feminist and all-too-relatable novel set on reality TV show, highlighting our obsession with coupling up, settling down and the battle we all have with accepting ourselves.
Ever feel like you're losing a race you never signed up for?
Everyone in Amy's life seems to be getting married, having children and settling down (or so Instagram tells her), and she feels like she's falling behind.
So, when her long-term boyfriend surprises her with a dream holiday, she thinks he's going to finally pop the Big Question. But the dream turns into a nightmare when, instead, she finds herself on the set of a Big Brother-style reality television show, The Shelf.
Along with five other women, Amy is brutally dumped live on TV and must compete in a series of humiliating and obnoxious tasks in the hope of being crowned 'The Keeper'.
While inside the house, will Amy learn that there are worse things than being 'left on the shelf'?
***Look out for Helly Acton's next novel, The Couple, out May 2021. Search 9781838773847***
'Utter PERFECTION!' Marian Keyes
'Fun, fresh and thought-provoking' Lindsey Kelk
'A witty, life-affirming page-turner' Woman & Home
'Fun, thought-provoking and unapologetically feminist' Daisy Edgar-Jones
'This brilliant novel is a really fun read. Very entertaining!' Jo Whiley
A funny, feminist and all-too-relatable novel set on reality TV show, highlighting our obsession with coupling up, settling down and the battle we all have with accepting ourselves.
Ever feel like you're losing a race you never signed up for?
Everyone in Amy's life seems to be getting married, having children and settling down (or so Instagram tells her), and she feels like she's falling behind.
So, when her long-term boyfriend surprises her with a dream holiday, she thinks he's going to finally pop the Big Question. But the dream turns into a nightmare when, instead, she finds herself on the set of a Big Brother-style reality television show, The Shelf.
Along with five other women, Amy is brutally dumped live on TV and must compete in a series of humiliating and obnoxious tasks in the hope of being crowned 'The Keeper'.
While inside the house, will Amy learn that there are worse things than being 'left on the shelf'?
***Look out for Helly Acton's next novel, The Couple, out May 2021. Search 9781838773847***
Reviews / Votes
I absolutely LOVED The Shelf. One of those delicious books you just can't put down. So many gorgeous witty one-liners. Utter PERFECTION! * Marian Keyes * Fun, fresh and thought-provoking * Lindsey Kelk * I haven't been so immediately sucked in by a novel IN YEARS. Not only is the idea brilliant and original, but Helly's writing is also compelling and hilarious. The Shelf is a must-read and I cannot recommend it highly enough * Lucy Vine * [One of] the hottest summer reads ... a plot that shouldn't work on paper, but really does. * Cosmopolitan * The Shelf is just as addictive as reality TV but twice as juicy! Shocking and hilarious, I devoured it and I just want more * Carrie Hope Fletcher * Fun, thought-provoking and unapologetically feminist . . . the perfect antidote to lockdown life * Daisy Edgar-Jones * Couldn't put it down once I started! Fell in love with the characters and how they each challenge the idea of what a "perfect" woman should be! * Michelle Elman AKA @Scarrednotscared * I really loved it! Subversive, feminist and a real breath of fresh air. I inhaled this! * Laura Jane Williams * I absolutely loved it - such a clever concept, so well executed and with a perfect ending! Such a clever, brilliant book! * Katie Fforde * You know when you put your whole life on hold, because you're so absorbed in a book? That. So original and sparkly, the freshest, funniest book, I adored it!! It made me feel strong and empowered and wonderful * Claudia Carroll * As addictive as they come ... a witty, life-affirming page-turner. A breath of fresh air. * Woman & Home * Will keep you laughing page after page - Helly's sharp, funny and fast-paced prose is a delight to read. * My Weekly * The Shelf is honestly such a delight. The concept in itself is genius, but the execution is even better - both laugh-out-loud funny and full of heart. I loved it! * Katie Lowe * This is the kind of book that can be swallowed in a day. It is an astute and entertaining analysis of the ways in which women live under society's microscope and a moving depiction of the sisterhood. It made me laugh and made my blood boil - definitely the signs of a successful book! * Sara-Ella Ozbek * On the surface, this book has massive appeal for anyone who loves reality shows and dreams of their fifteen minutes of fame, but it goes much further than that ... an uplifting book which flips the tables and shows the women in an empowering way * The Bookbag * Fascinating, funny, gut wrenching and not just a rollicking read but belongs on the school curriculum * Anna McPartlin * A fabulous romp of a novel * Clare Pooley * An all-too-relatable feminist novel about accepting ourselves and not leading a life we THINK we should based on what society is telling us * @OurWomensWrites * Fun, light-hearted and genuinely warming read . . . an ideal summer lockdown read * Candid Book Club * Really entertaining read ... a feminist takedown of reality TV * STYLIST * Fascinating! * Daily Mail * A story of friendship, feminism and solidarity * Prima * EDITOR'S CHOICE: An entertaining take on the obsession with coupling up and settling down. * The Bookseller * If you're ready for a slice of exhilarating entertainment to ease the darkness of a year of crisis then feast your reading eyes on this funny, feminist and wonderfully original tale of self-discovery from a fresh new voice in women's fiction. * Lancashire Evening Post * A brilliant read * Bella * A fresh, funny read ... there's a satisfying bite behind the satire here. * Wiltshire Living * Witty, compelling and great fun * Surrey Life * A hoot of a novel * Pat Kenny, Newstalk FM * A gripping, eye-opening and clever read that will have you hooked from page one ... witty and heartwarming * Shemazing.net * Funny, feminist and utterly addictive,... the kind of novel you will race through in one sitting ... Love Island meets Bridget Jones ... original and fresh ... A perfect heart-warming read for this summer. * Press Association, Book of the Week * This summer's hottest read ... [a] feminist page-turner * Irish Mail on Sunday * This brilliant novel is a really fun read. Very entertaining! * Jo Whiley, BBC Radio 2 * A smart takedown of reality TV, with satirical bite. * Sunday Mirror * Fresh and funny, with satirical bite and a feminist message. * Best * With moments of hilarity and endearment, this book takes a satirical look at modern culture and car-crash TV. * Candis * Acton's debut turns an acerbic eye on Love Island-style shenanigans with a fresh, feminist tale of a reality show gone wrong. * The i newspaper * A light-hearted read ... will have you chuckling in your sun lounger ... a relatable story [with] a group of highly engaging female characters. * Press Association, 12 Best New Summer Reads * Brilliantly imagined, so addictive * Phil Williams, Times Radio * A gripping, original concept that is both hilarious and truthful - it lingers with a touch Orwell and Atwood! * Helen Lederer * AUDIO BOOK OF THE WEEK: Brilliantly current and original, this is a must-listen this summer. * The Sun *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 162 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Weight
611 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83877-087-7 (9781838770877)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Helly Acton is a copywriter from London with past lives in Zimbabwe, the Middle East and Australia. She studied Law at King's College London before working in advertising. She is the author of The Shelf (2020) which was a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick and The Couple (2021). Her latest novel is Begin Again. Helly currently lives in Berkshire with her husband, Chris, their two young boys, Arlo and Jack and their little dog, Milo.