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Iris

Born on the lush, green island of Texel, Iris left home to study English in Leiden, which led her to discover ABC. She joined the company as an intern in 2015 and simply refused to leave, becoming a fully-fledged bookseller in 2016.

Iris is currently the buyer for the Horror, Poetry, New Age, and Language, Reading & Writing sections in The Hague, and the Poetry and Horror sections in Leidschendam. She also creates the majority of Blind Book Dates in The Hague, writes the ABC newsletter, and runs the Instagram account for ABC The Hague.

Book review: To Be Taught, If Fortunate

At the turn of the twenty-second century, scientists make a breakthrough in human spaceflight. Through a revolutionary method known as somaforming, astronauts can survive in hostile environments off Earth using synthetic biological supplementations. They can produce antifreeze in sub-zero temperatures, absorb radiation and convert it for food, and conveniently adjust to the pull of different gravitational forces. With the fragility of the body no longer a limiting factor, human beings are at last able to explore neighbouring exoplanets long suspected to harbour life.

2026-08-14T22:14:57+02:00Tags: , , , , , |

Book review: A Deadly Education

Enter a school of magic unlike any you have ever encountered. There are no teachers, no holidays, friendships are purely strategic, and the odds of survival are never equal. Once you're inside, there are only two ways out: you graduate, or you die. El Higgins is uniquely prepared for the schools many dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out untold millions -- never mind easily destroy the countless monsters that prowl the school. Except, she might accidentally kill all the other students too. So El is trying her hardest not to use it . . . that is, unless she has no other choice.

2026-08-15T20:46:42+02:00Tags: , , , , , |

Book review: Some Desperate Glory

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet meets Ender's Game in this gripping science fiction debut from an award-winning voice in SFF. While we live, the enemy shall fear us. Since she was born, Kyr has trained for the day she can avenge the murder of planet Earth. Raised in the bowels of Gaea Station alongside the last scraps of humanity, she readies herself to face the Wisdom, the powerful, reality-shaping weapon that gave the majoda their victory over humanity.

2026-08-14T22:14:44+02:00Tags: , , , , , |

Book review: Nothing But the Rain

A sleepy little town discovers its memories have become part of the water cycle in Naomi Salman's debut novella, Nothing but the Rain. The rain in Aloisville is never-ending, and no one can remember when it started. There’s not much they can remember. With every drop that hits their skin, a bit of memory is washed away. Stay too long in the wet, and you’ll lose everything you used to be.

2026-08-14T22:14:37+02:00Tags: , , , , , , |

ABC Staff Picks: May 2024

by Lília All good things must come to an end. So with this latest episode, we say goodbye to our ABC Staff Picks on YouTube. Thanks to everyone who watched us over the years,  thanks to all our expert booksellers who have given their recommendations so consistently, [...]

2026-08-15T17:53:15+02:00Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Book review: Loveless

Georgia has never been in love, never kissed anyone, never even had a crush -- but as a fanfic-obsessed romantic she's sure she'll find her person one day. As she starts university with her best friends, Pip and Jason, Georgia is ready to find romance, and with her outgoing roommate on her side and a place in the Shakespeare Society, her "teenage dream" is in sight. But when her romance plan wreaks havoc amongst her friends, Georgia ends up in her own comedy of errors, and she starts to question why love seems so easy for other people but not for her. With new terms thrown at her - asexual, aromantic - Georgia is more uncertain about her feelings than ever. Is she destined to remain loveless? Or has she been looking for the wrong thing all along?

2026-08-13T21:08:56+02:00Tags: , , , , , , |

Summery Reads recommended by us!

by Sophie After a year and a half of autumn, the sun and the warmth are beginning to show their faces, and I, for one, couldn't be happier! For me, summer is the ultimate reading time: the sunlight, the long days, the birdsong - it all whispers "find a shady spot, [...]

2026-08-16T15:53:46+02:00Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

ABC Staff Picks: April 2024

by Lília Continuing with the celebration of our 52 years of existence, our Iris and Luke asked colleagues for their book recommendations for the occasion. Most of them revolved around the lives of normal people in somewhat exceptional settings (reminiscent of ABC!), with overcoming adversity a prominent theme. No one chose [...]

2026-08-15T17:52:55+02:00Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Book review: The Last Firefox

A heartwarming story about family, friendship and finding your inner fire. Between bullies at school and changes at home, Charlie Challinor finds life a bit scary. And when he's made guardian of a furry fox cub called Cadno, things get a whole lot scarier. Because Cadno isn't just any fox: he's a firefox -- the only one of his kind -- and a sinister hunter from another world is on his trail. Swept up into an unexpected adventure to protect his flammable friend, Charlie's going to need to find the bravery he never thought he had, if he's going to save the last firefox .

2026-08-14T22:14:24+02:00Tags: , , , , , |
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