Annabelle Mackson - Bookseller in Manchester

She loves Gothic literary fiction, mythology, and anything by Edgar Allan Poe. She also loves children’s classics and will always have a soft spot for young adult and adult fantasy.
An excellent debut. Sophia chronicles her mid-teenagehood as a U.S. expat living in Central America in the late 1990s. Her world is shaken when she discovers that her parents don't just have vague government jobs: they work undercover for the CIA. She buries this knowledge with schoolwork, forming and ending friendships, sneaking out to parties, and experimenting with boys. This is a beautiful tale of family and friendship, as well as an exploration into how different relationships make up the definition of home. I would highly recommend this book for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Vera Brosgol. ~ Reviewed by Annabelle Mackson
A young boy and his mother are forced to remain between the Canadian and United States border when they refuse to state their citizenship as anything other than Blackfoot. His mother is steadfast in her fight for the border patrol to accept their indigenous tribe as proof of citizenship, and her son understands how important this moment is, though he grows tired of sleeping in their car each night. This was an excellent graphic novel and extremely important in today's reevaluations of the rights of indigenous and first nations people in Canada and the United States. ~ Reviewed by Annabelle Mackson
Absolutely captivating. As highlighted in the book by her editors, McNamara wrote I'll Be Gone in The Dark with all the precision and suspense of an immaculately plotted thriller—except every detail is fact, and every victim is real. McNamara died in 2016, never seeing the publication of her book, nor the apprehension of the murderer she dubbed the Golden State Killer. He was caught in April 2018, a mere three months after I'll Be Gone in the Dark was published, and nearly two years to the day after she died. This book is worth a read for McNamara's memory and legacy alone, but it is also an excellent study of human behavior and perseverance even when all hope seems lost. ~ Reviewed by Annabelle Mackson
A beautiful enmeshment of the stories of Helen of Troy and Marilyn Monroe. Though short in length, the depth it provides about violence toward and the exploitation of women is unmatched. ~ Reviewed by Annabelle Mackson
Gorgeous, gorgeous. Even in their fractured state, Sappho's poems are beautiful, compelling, and absolutely necessary. They are also incredibly accessible for poems written thousands of years ago. A must read for anyone who loves Classics and women loving women representation from the past. ~ Reviewed by Annabella Mackson