It’s the Folding Rock team’s turn to shout about their favourite books this season – including the year’s biggest reading highlights, and top picks for 2026…
Already we’ve arrived at that time of year: when everything is being ’rounded up’ or ‘wrapped’ (thanks for that one, Spotify). In a couple of weeks, all the ‘best books of 2025’ will be quickly replaced by ‘books to look out for in 2026’. So, seeing as it’s our turn to put together this season’s edition of Books in the Window, and seeing as the Folding Rock team have plenty to say when it comes to reading recommendations, I thought we might take this opportunity to do our own years’-end round-up. And my goodness – what a year it’s been.
(And because we’re already talking about some VERY exciting titles coming up in 2026, we’re going to go ahead and mention some of those – ‘to look out for’ – while we’re at it.)
Wild Running by Natalie Ann Holborrow (September 2025)
The multi-talented poet, runner and now non-fiction author published her prose debut with Seren this autumn, and it’s like a love letter to the landscape which inspires her. We knew Natalie Ann Holborow was a non-fiction natural when we took on her essay for Issue 002.
There She Goes, My Beautiful World by Gosia Buzzanca (October 2025)
An obvious choice, and an unforgettable debut memoir from Folding Rock contributor and 2025 Writer at Work Gosia Buzzanca. Gosia wrote about food, family and fan-girling (Taylor’s version) for our most recent issue, and meanwhile her first book has met with all the enthusiasm it deserves. We’re chuffed for her.
Truth Like Water by Carys Shannon (October 2025)
This season’s page-turner! Published by our friends at Parthian. Jade Bradford reviewed this one for us, and the feedback was positively glowing.
Witsh by Mari Ellis Dunning (October 2025)
Another multi-talented friend of Folding Rock: We all knew Mari was a brilliant poet – turns out she’s a gorgeous prose-writer too. This atmospheric historical novel, inspired by the witch-trial years, was very hard to put down. She wrote us an exclusive piece about the process of researching and writing, too – you can read that here.
Gwrachod Cymru | Welsh Witches by Efa Lois (October 2025)
A colourful, contemporary and fabulously feminist collection of Welsh Witches, with fab illustrations. Efa’s work was featured, alongside Witsh, in a special piece Rebecca Thomas wrote for us for Halloween.
Blueprints by Crystal Jeans (November 2025)
Another great Welsh writer trying their hand at a new form – and to enormous success. Crystal Jeans’ new essay collection is fantastic. And to continue our shameless plugging of collabs with all these brilliant authors (I promise this wasn’t actually my intention when making this list!) you can now read the interview with her from Issue 003 online.
Pulse by Cynan Jones (November 2025)
The much-anticipated latest offering from Welsh literary legend Cynan Jones. Our friends at Granta had been hinting at this one for a while – and we weren’t at all disappointed. And yes, there is a Folding Rock review of it – by Rhys Thomas – and yes, you can read it here.
Significant Others by frank r jagoe (November 2025)
Winner of the Prototype Prize 2024, this ‘collection of texts’ is ‘not a world of magical realism, but a different means of describing the existing world’. A truly original new voice – more on that in Joshua Jones’ picks below!
The Hill in the Dark Grove by Liam Higginson (January 2026)
An obsessive, atmospheric debut novel, embedded in the ancient mountains of north Wales – and another top pick for Joshua.
The Bloody Branch by Brigid Lowe (January 2026)
The much-awaited debut from our Issue 001 contributor Brigid Lowe! We feel so certain that this is going to be a highlight of 2026.
Whose Song to Sing by Ben Wildsmith (February 2026)
Another beautifully written memoir published by our friends at Calon Books.
Chopsy by Maya Jordan (February 2026)
In February, Issue 002 writer Maya Jordan – and alumni of A Writing Chance – finally launches her debut memoir Chopsy: Resistance Tales of a Working-Class Woman. It’s as good as it sounds.
[Psst… If you have a book coming out in 2026 that you think we should know about – or know someone who does – you can tell us about it here.]
Books we loved this year – and the one’s we’re most excited for in the year to come…
“No prizes for my most obvious choice is Anthony Shapland’s A Room Above A Shop. This book has taken the lit world by storm, but at the eye of it is a novel that gives fullness to quietness, the deafening sound of things unsaid. I also loved Significant Others by frank r jagoe, which won the 2024 Prototype Prize. Similarly focused on language and communication as A Room… the texts that make up Significant others — inspired by medieval lapidary and Welsh medical texts — seek kinship with beings reduced as resources for extraction under capitalism. I think that’s been a recurring theme in a lot of my writing this year; the intentions of language, and how we seek connection through oral, physical language and the limitations of. I’m looking forward to the publication of Liam Higginson’s The Hill in the Dark Grove, a dark and deeply unsettling gothic folktale set in the Eryri mountains.”
Joshua Jones, Contributing Editor
“I really enjoyed the vision behind Clear by Carys Davies which won Wales Book of the Year. It explores language, geography, and progress during the Highland Clearances, as well as the writing. I read it at about the same time as Folding Rock 002 which had many pieces on similar themes and the British Academy award winning non-fiction book Language City by Andrew Perlin which illuminates the work done in New York to support small, global languages under threat of extinction.
“I recently bought The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma, despite it being released in 2024. I hugely enjoyed his previous novel The Fishermen and both appear to share a perspective on the role of prophecy on the lives of their protagonists.”
Ben Lloyd, Advisory Board Member
“One of my favourites has to be Cling Film by Bethany Handley. In this poetry collection Handley has managed to expose the harsh realities of our ableist society with exquisite language that stayed with me long after putting it down. I also want to give a shout-out to Beyond/Tu Hwnt: anthology of Welsh Deaf and Disabled Writers, edited by Bethany Handley, Megan Angharad Hunter and Sioned Erin Hughes. I think we need more books by deaf and disabled writers out there.
“I’m excited to read (un)requited love letters by Kelly Newgreen (published by Lucent Dreaming). I think it’s gonna be really special. ‘From limerence to love to loss, this collection charts the self-love story of one poet from her mid- to late-twenties. The debut poetry collection from Kelly Newgreen.'”
Kaja Brown, Marketing Associate
“One of my favourite books from this year is no secret – it’s the first non-fiction offering from one of my favourite Welsh authors, Crystal Jeans, who I had the total pleasure of interviewing in our latest issue. Blueprints is an essay collection which lays everything bare and wins the prize for most addictive read in recent months. Not least because it’s full of writerly wisdom, too. I also loved – alongside many other readers this year – Sophie Calon’s heartfelt and beautiful memoir Long Going. Next year, I can’t wait for Maya Jordan’s Chopsy and, in fiction, our Issue 001 contributor Brigid Lowe’s debut, The Bloody Branch. Word through the grapevine is that it’s going to be absolutely worth the wait…”
Kathryn Tann, Non-fiction and Managing Editor
“I read a lot this year, so it’s a real joy to see on reflection that a number of my top books of 2025 are by Welsh authors. A prominent highlight was Anthony Shapland’s superb novella A Room Above a Shop. Gorgeously atmospheric and almost claustrophobically intimate, it really is one of the best debut novels in years – and it’s also wonderful to see Granta continuing their knack of publishing Welsh writers sensitively and to acclaim. On the non-fiction side of things, Joe Dunthorne’s Children of Radium was also an absolute treat. The way he’s able to successfully blend comic wit, intrigue and genuine emotional heft is, for me, the mark of a truly masterful writer – and he’s from Swansea, too. Some people really do have it all.
“As for 2026, I echo Kathryn in being very excited about the remarkably talented Brigid Lowe’s debut novel, The Bloody Branch, but am also eagerly awaiting Sophie Mackintosh’s by-all-accounts-spellbinding fourth, Permanence, and the first work of fiction by Japanese translator extraordinaire, Polly Barton (whose Fifty Sounds I think is one of the best non-fiction books of the last twenty years) – What Am I, A Deer?“
Robert Harries, Fiction and Production Editor
“OK so I can say, one of my books of the year and in fact Hay and Waterstone’s Wales Book of the Year is Anthony Shapland’s A Room Above a Shop. Initially reluctant to share material with me (yes, I confess I am his literary agent) Anthony’s debut has received rave reviews, reader obsession and many special plaudits. I would urge everyone to read it – and add that it is VERY short so even the most reluctant reader would love it in their stocking. And I would be remiss not to mention the brilliant Carly Reagon – ghost story writer extraordinaire – pick any one of her three very spooky, very Welsh novels for cosying up in front of the fire. Just make sure you lock the door, first. In 26 I am looking forward to the publication of Laura Evans’ Little Wild by Mantle UK and Holt US. Atonement meets Weyward… romance and witches – what’s not to like?
“Happy Christmas, Nadolig Llawen to all readers everywhere, but especially those in Wales who are the best readers in the world.”
Cathryn Summerhayes, Advisory Board Member
Non-fiction and Managing Editor
Kathryn is a writer, editor and creative producer from the south coast of Wales. She has worked with independent publishers such as Parthian and most recently as the programme and content producer for New Writing North. She is the recipient of a Rising Star award from both The Bookseller and The Printing Charity. Kathryn’s own work has been widely commended and published, including an essay collection, Seaglass, with Calon Books in May 2024 and articles for the likes of The Guardian, The Scotsman and The Bookseller. Her essay, ‘Return to Water’, was a category winner in the New Welsh Writing Awards in 2021.
Kathryn takes the lead on creative non-fiction, as well as focusing on publicity, events, partnerships and fundraising.
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