The Light of Day by Christopher Stephens and Louise Radnofsky audiobook review – a pioneer of gay liberation

Stephens narrates his account of Roger Butler’s role in the gay rights movement before losing his sight – and their later life-changing friendship

Dreaming of Dead People by Rosalind Belben review – rivals anything by Virginia Woolf

More than 40 years on from its first publication, this exploration of one woman’s thoughts and fantasies is a gem worthy of rediscovery

When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén review – a novel anyone will take to heart

A huge hit in Sweden, this portrait of one man and his dog as the end approaches is a simple yet effective meditation on mortality, love and care

Gwyneth: The Biography by Amy Odell review – Gwyn and bear it

There’s glamour, Goop and ghosting in this an unsparing account of Paltrow’s world

The Fathers by John Niven review – class satire with grit

Two fortysomething Glaswegians from either side of the tracks form an unlikely friendship in this comic melodrama

After the Spike by Dean Spears and Michael Geruso review – the truth about population

We shouldn’t celebrate a falling population, according to this persuasive debunking of demographic myths

Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart review – is this the future for America?

Set a decade from now, this coming-of-age caper offers a child’s-eye view of family troubles in a ‘post-democracy’ USA

King of Kings by Scott Anderson review – how the last shah of Iran sealed his own fate

A clear-eyed account of a difficult, complex man and his self-inflicted fall from grace

Children and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels

A picture of patience; first days at school; a cruise ship detective; a terrible storm; time travellers; rebels in love and more

Fair by Jen Calleja review – on the magic of translation

A highly original book from the author of Goblinhood explores the art and work of translating fiction

What Kept You? by Raaza Jamshed review – an extraordinary debut full of ritual and poetry

A young woman grapples with the stories that shape her in this tightly crafted and complex portrayal of grief and growing up

Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis audiobook review – a sharp comedy about Islamic State brides

Sarah Slimani’s droll delivery is the perfect fit for this hilarious Women’s prize-shortlisted debut, in which an academic embarks on a UN mission in Iraq

Drayton and Mackenzie by Alexander Starritt review – a warmly comic saga of male friendship

This tale of two entrepreneurs dips into the perspectives of real-life tech moguls, with thrilling results

Groundwater by Thomas McMullan review – a lesson in foreboding

A sense of menace hangs over a couple’s attempt to make a fresh start in lakeside seclusion, but the tensions too often sputter out

The Lost Elms by Mandy Haggith review – cultural history of a noble tree

An enthusiastic and scholarly guide to a noble tree that has been used in herbal medicine and shipbuilding, and romanticised in poetry