Helly Acton

***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 about our obsession with coupling up, settling down and the battle we all have with accepting ourselves, The Shelf introduces the freshest new voice in women's fiction. 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 summer 2021***

'Utter perfection' Marian Keyes

The Shelf

Bria

i love calling out the problems with traditionalism and the societal view but did it have to be every 3 pages?

Joana da Silva

I had high expectations for this one, the plot sounded amazing, but overall it was just an OK book. Don't get me wrong, there are important things featured in this book, such as gender and racial issues, stereotypes, etc., but the story was just a bit too predictable for me (I KNOW I only read Rom-Coms and all endings are predictable, but this one was a bit too much). I enjoy reading british novels because the jokes are always spot on. To end this review, it's an OK book, it will keep you entertained but that's about it.

Lydia Ford

Julie Viravaux

This was the read that I needed after all this time. I'm at lost for words really, which is weird because now is the time to actually put my thoughts down and recommend this book. And yet, my brain is just floating through these pink happy clouds.

I picked up The Shelf because I love Chick Lit; it's easy to get into, it makes you feel things (good, sad, hope, pure joy and more). But The Shelf was more than that. 
I've had my fair share of bad partners and good but not long term partners. And every break-up gave me my share of anxiety and depression about the future, about whether or not I'm actually loveable or pretty enough to find The One: the woman or man that'll make me happy for the rest of my life.

If you ever thought this way, you need to read this book. Amy didn't just grow up from staying in an abusive relationship to learning to love herself and other women around her. She found her happily ever after, her "The One": herself. 
Like so many others, I have so much in common with Amy: I worry about relationships, about finding a purpose, about my weight or whether I'm actually living my best life or procrastinating enough that it'll just pass me by. 
The Shelf isn't just a feel-good read about shitty exes and reality TV. It's about female empowerment, self-care, self-love and the importance of listening to your heart and brain.

I cried, I drank wine, I read pages throughout the night, and I'm sure I'll reread it in a few years with the same love and joy in my heart. 

I fell in love today, I'm smiling from ear to ear and I feel happy. What can you ask more from a book?

Deia Scarpa

Look don‘t get the rating wrong it‘s a good book. It had me hooked, it‘s juicy, it handles the reality tv show really realistically BUT IT MADE ME SO MAD AND SOME CHARACTERS MADE ME FUMEEEEEEE so sorry but 3.5 out of 5 stars

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.

Bethers

Very interesting premise and commentary on today's society and the fascination around reality TV. I liked also how the show was not about fixing yourself for the purpose of a partner (even though that is what the show's experts are pushing for), but learning to love and accept yourself. Overall, a strong message that is very much needed in today's society.

Alicia Reynolds

It was okay, I only finished the book because I cannot DNF, it had a good story line but it was very slow paced and just seemed to drag a lot. By Week 2 I was bored and I still had over half the book left.

taryn

Perfect summer read! The empowering message of this book is incredible and so well mixed into the hilarious setting of reality TV.

Abbie Laura

By far the best book of the year so far! I can’t recommend this enough!!

Samantha King

I loved every second of this book. I got angry but for good reasons and I laughed. Every character was written so well. Especially the host.
I love every character and I loved learning about every one of them. I found myself gasping at parts in shock and felt as if I was watching an actual reality TV show. I could not put this down and would 100 percent read it again.
I adored the ending so much I was so happy with the epilogue. It was brilliant in so many ways.
I recclmend this book to anyone its something different and just pure magic

Anika | @chaptersofmay

The Shelf is a relevant story with an important message: accept yourself first.

Amy faces the challenge many women face today. She feels left behind. Everyone around her is either having babies, getting married or renovating their kitchen. There’s no escaping it. Meanwhile, 32-year-old Amy is feeling tangled in her standstill relationship with her boyfriend of two years, Jamie. This man merely had to say two words for me to dislike him, if that was the author’s goal she succeeded magnificently. Seeking to move forward in their relationship, Amy is thrilled when Jamie surprises her with a secret holiday. Only to be devastated when she realises he has dumped her on a reality TV show for the next month. Think Love Island meets Big Brother meets The Circle.

She’s not alone, there are five other women going through the same thing. Jackie, Gemma, Kathy, Amy, Hattie and Lauren. I absolutely love how their journey is the foundation of the story. A good majority of the book is banter between the characters, so it took a few chapters of me to really get into the dialogue. Still, this doesn’t take away from my appreciation for the female friendship that begins to build and the author’s flair for writing witty conversation.

The basis of the reality television show is simple. The women live together for four weeks and take part in ridiculous challenges to learn how to be more desirable to men. At the end, the winner is crowned ‘The Keeper’. The one thing I really admire about the Acton’s intention with this show is that it highlights the poisonousness in misogynistic society. The feminism is not preachy or contentious, but humorous and engaging. However, the male characters in this show take obnoxiousness to the point of no return. At first, it was the funny kind of irritating. But after a few pages of questionable phrases, it grew tiresome. A respectable male character would have balanced this out.

There’s one aspect that really disappointed me in this book: Jackie’s character. As the only black girl, she’s a walking stereotype – braids, gold jewellery and all. She is essentially a parody which is really frustrating to read. In comparison to the other women, Jackie was the loudest, the most outspoken, and the only one to come across as a mean girl. My issue is that Gemma is just as brazen and extroverted as Jackie, but she is perceived as heroic and relatable. 

Jackie’s personality feels like it is constructed to appear off-putting. Her battle against sexism and racism in her career is briefly discussed, but not enough to make me as a reader feel sorry for her. When in a group of six other upbeat white women, her confidence is painted as aggressive and uninviting. Her character is endlessly seen to be hollering indecently in one way or another. It would have been nice to see a black girl who didn’t fit that caricature of being the sassy comedic relief. As a black female reader, that would have been much more relatable. 

The character development in this novel wins the stars for this book. Amy undergoes a transformative shift in her way of thinking. The reader gets to experience Amy’s change into a new personality as she rebuilds the amazing woman she is. The self-love journey each of the women go on is really heart-warming and made the book an enjoyable read.

And I really like the message the Acton conveys through the story. Keeping track of social norms doesn’t help us move forward, if anything, it holds us back. We must learn to love ourselves first, and then go from there.

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Catalina Petre

This was such a fun book, with a very important message. You are enough just the way you are. 
Initially I thought the book was sexist, but not at all. It was full of amazing women who fought for what they thought was right, but also who improved themselves and became stronger and found friendship in the unexpected world of 'The Shelf'. Absolutely loved it.

The Shelf 'Utter perfection' Marian Keyes

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