August 2023

Novels set in summer, but not necessarily cosy beach reads!

June 2023

As it is Empathy Day on Thursday June 8th I thought that I would recommend some of the books that I have on my shelves in which the authors has shared someone else’s experiences, their loves, life, up, downs and everything in between. These amazing books have allowed me to imagine what it might be like to live in another person’s shoes for just a few hours and in doing so improve my empathy and remind me to be kind.

Empathy Lab have an amazing website for schools, libraries and families with oodles of ideas, resources and links to authors and illustrators, check it out on: https://www.empathylab.uk/

May 2023

I thought that I would find some royal fiction considering the Coronation of Charles III will take place this month. This was harder than I thought it would be and I have discovered many gaps. Whether you are a Republican or a Monarchist or somewhere in between, I hope that you might enjoy some of these fiction accounts of our royal past.

March 2023

What I love about March is that you can still feel the last breath of winter at the same time as seeing the fingertips of spring bringing touches of colour and warmth to the world. I also love novels that give us hope from often the darkest of places and these 12 novels gave me that. They made me sad, they often made me sob but they also made me smile and allowed me to see light in the darkness. In many cases I wanted to, and often did, hug the book when I had finished it. I hope you find them as wonderful as I did. Happy Spring x

January 2023

Starting over, new friends and places. Enjoy.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler - Post-apocalyptic LA, one woman begins a fateful journey toward a new beginning and a better future, the first of a trilogy. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North - Through 11 lives one man tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow to happen. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - A grumpy, loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. Eleanor Oliphant by Gail Honeyman - Heart wrenching yet uplifting story about the power friendship, opening your heart and starting again. Every Day by David Levithan (14+) - What if you woke up every day in a different body and then fell in love, how would you convince them that it was you? Inheritance by Balli Kaur Jaswal (14+) - Newly independent Singapore struggles to establish its identity, a father tries his hardest to keep his family intact. The Next Together by Lauren James (13+) - A boy and a girl destined to be born again and again, each time, their presence changes history for the better, falling in love, only to be tragically separated. When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle (11+) - Joseph is sent to war torn London, angry and grieving, will an old woman and a gorilla give him a new chance at happiness? Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling (10+) - Aven doesn’t lack confidence but moving to a new town has its challenges. With new friends, a mystery to solve and her can do attitude she conquers her fears. In the Key of the Code by Aimee Lucido (9+) A lonely new girl forms an unlikely friendship in Code Club where two girls start to discover their voices through Java . Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai (9+) - A heartfelt graphic novel about a family coping with bereavement, moving house, and conquering a new language. The Arrival by Shaun Tan (8+) - A man leaves his family to cross the ocean on a painful yet important journey to build a better future for his family. A wordless stunning novel.

November 2022

Curl up as the nights draw in with an indulgent series. Delve into crime with Anisha, Accidental Detective (7+), Football Detective (9+) and for older readers Thursday Next and Case Histories. If Sci-fi and Fantasy are your bag try Time Riders (10+), Arc of Scythe (12+), or Legacy of Orisha (14+), and for older readers try The Fifth Season and Rosewater. Have a dose of real life and all its ups and downs with The Spinster Club coming-of-age series (14+). Laugh out loud with the Lizzie Vogel series (older readers) and go back in time with The West Country Trilogy (older readers).

April 2022

This month’s recommendations are a selection of books recommendation by friends in 3 words. Enjoy!

Lampie by Annet Schaap 10+ : Magic, Mermaids, Monsters.

Encounters by Jason Wallace 14+: Ufo’s, Gritty, Emotional

We are Blood and Thunder by Kesia Lupio 13+: Unexpected, Fantasy, Secrets

Windrush Child by Benjamin Zephaniah 9+: Unsung story, Real, Thought-provoking

Girl out of Water by Nat Luurtsema 13+: Swimming, Funny, Friendship

Department 19 by Will Hill 13+: Explosive, Paranormal, Horror

Mrs England by Stacey Halls: Historical, Gothic, Mystery

Shadowplay by Joseph O’Connnor: Evocative, Historical, Gothic

The Anomaly by Herve le Tellier: Unique, Sci-fi, Thriller

The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth McKenzie: Magical Realism, Family, Romance

The 392 by Ashley Hickso-Lovence: Contemporary, Human, London

Good Intentions by Kasim Ali: Race, Adulthood, Truth

March 2022

The British Red Cross, has launched an appeal to help the Ukrainian Red Cross.

The UNHCR refugee agency funds emergency shelters, repairs homes, and gives emergency cash , psychological support, and warm clothing.

Unicef is helping to ensure families have clean water and food and that child health and protection services continue

Save the Children is providing cash, food and other support to refugees.

The Disasters Emergency Committee is an umbrella group for 15 of the UK's leading aid charities, donations will be doubled by the government up to £20m.

September 2021

This month is a real smorgasbord of fiction, I will introduce them by their genre and style. As always the age rating is purely a guide and very much depends on the reader: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (15+), Rachel Cohn & David Levithan: A sexy, contemporary YA romance. Look into My Eyes (10+), Lauren Child: A code-cracking detective/ espionage adventure mystery series. We Come Apart (13+), Sarah Crossan: A realistic, contemporary romance in free verse. Cuckoo Song (11+), Frances Hardinge: A dark and chilling gothic fairy-tale. 26A, Diana Evans: Family centred coming of age fiction with an edge of magical realism. Machines Like Me, Ian McEwan: A philosophical and provocative alternative history. The Peipheral, William Gibson: A cyberpunk, dystopian science fiction thriller. Small Pleasures, Clare Chambers: A realistic historical mystery with romance. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, Philip Pullman: A sharp religious and philosophical satire. We are All Birds of Uganda, Hafsa Zayan: Historical and cultural realistic romance. Unsettled Ground, Claire Fuller: A contemporary human and family mystery.

August 2021

This month I am recommending 12 novels that I loved but that I haven’t seen around for a while and wanted to make sure that you are all reminded how wonderful they all are! Here is a 5 word synopsis for each.

My Name is Mina by David Almond: Unique writing by a legend. The Impossible by Mark Illis: Weird prose/ comic superpower adventure. Things a Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nicholls: Historical fiction at its best. The Girl in Between by Sarah Carroll: Ghostly, human, moving and unexpected. The Boy in Black Suit by Jason Reynolds: Restores faith in people and love. Nightingale Point by Luan Goldie: Extraordinary events changing ordinary lives. The Elegance of a Hedge by Muriel Barery: Philosophy, human being and friendship. Spill Simmer Falter With by Sara Baume: Tender story, man and dog. Broadwater by Jac Shreeves-Lee: Captivating slice of working-class life. Meatspace by Nikesh Shukla: Sharp examination of online life. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng: Memory, grief, war and beauty. The Good Guy by Susan Beale: Genius portrayal of surburban sexism.

July 2021

No book blurbs this month, just browse my choices and see if any take your fancy. There are choices for everyone from 9 to 99, fantasy, historical, philosophical, mystery, thriller, funny and realistic so fill your boots!

June 2021

I start with some cracking YA fiction, in More Than This by Patrick Ness, Seth dies and is trapped in a surreal crumbling world in this examination of the afterlife and a hope for more. Neal Shusterman has managed to combine Pratchettesque humour with a dark dystopian thriller about death in Scythe, one of my favourite recent reads. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevdo is a poignant and uplifting verse novel that needs no introduction. Junk by Melvin Burgess is a much discussed novel and one of the first YA novels I read, it shocked me and reminded me of the power of the written word. Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley blew my mind, gritty, honest and uncomfortable historical fiction and one I always recommend.

General Fiction

A captivating feminist retelling of the women of the Trojan war in A Thousand Ships, a darkly comic examination of a broken life and fractured family in the brilliant May We Be Forgiven. A disappointed life is examined in Stoner, it had me sobbing one minute and angry with frustration the next. I have included The Underground Railroad not only for its devastating brilliance but also because of the new series on Prime that I need to brace myself for! Marshmallows for Breakfast is about redemption, finding love and hope, a funny, quirky, moving read. The Outcast is both dark and brilliant, a post-war story of tragedy, grief and secrets, simply brilliant. Finally I’ve gone for one of my favourite thrillers, The Ghost, the death of a writer catapults his replacement in a melting pot of the secrets that he stumbles upon.

March 2021

14/15+ There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff is a clever, funny and controversial novel imagining God as teenage boy with one thing on his mind. When Mr Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan is an utterly charming, moving and funny story of a boy with Tourette’s who thinks his life will end next March and he has got things to do. Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne sensitively and honestly handles OCD, and is a funny and moving exploration of friendship, feminism and being a teenager. We see the struggles of class, family, bullying and friendship in The Art of being Normal by Lisa Williamson, a brilliant and powerful portrayal of a trans teenager that you will fall in love with. Orangeboy by Patrice Lawrence is a fast-paced urban crime thriller where our protagonist finds himself embroiled in the unfamiliar world of drugs and street gangs. In What Was Never Said by Emma Craigie the sensitive subject of FGM, a little written about subject in YA fiction, is handled quietly yet powerfully in a tale of two very different worlds.

12/13+ Gone by Michael Grant is a thrilling blend of Lord of the Flies and The Hunger Games; all the adults simply vanish and what evolves is violent and divided. Cane Warriors by Alex Wheatle is a stunning account of the 1760 Jamaican Slave Rebellion. Wheatle tells an important story of a violent British History. The heroes who need a voice and a history that needs to be talked about.

11+: Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari is an empathetic account of bereavement for a girl beginning to grow up. Sad, moving, funny and heart wrenching, it is a beautiful read. In Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen Ambrose gets an ex-con to drive him secretly to a Scrabble club every week and tells his mum a series of lies that get out of control. Wry, funny and very human. Mud by Emily Thomas is a beautiful, funny, sad and quietly brilliant tale of two families bought together on a cramped house boat. Riverkeep by Martin Stewart is a dark, compelling and gripping fantasy about a river, corpses and sea monsters. Not a tale for those with a delicate stomach or mind!

February 2021

The Humans by Matt Haig: A funny yet moving tale of aliens, mathematics and being human. Midwinter Break by Bernard McLaverty: a gentle and heartrending exploration of marrige, life and love. My Best Friend’s Girl by Dorothy Koomson: Takes us on a rollercoaster ride with best friends and an unexpected request. Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller: A totally captivating novel with a flowing narrative, charming in places but dark and disturbing in others. This Must be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell: A story of love, family, discovery, isolation, change- complex and beautiful. Broadwater by Jac Shreeves-Lee: A stunning, contemporary collection of stories bringing together the lives of the Broadwater Estate, sad, funny, surprising. The Emperor’s Babe by Bernardine Evaristo: A unique and honest historical verse novel with a very contemporary feel. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafiq: An intriguing tale that starts at the end, builds up the life of one woman through her friends. Dark, funny and profound.

Young Adult Recommendations:

Chinglish by Sue Cheung: Laugh, cry, cringe, get angry, reminisce about the 80’s. A diary, part memoir that is hard to read in places- honest and funny. Rosie Loves Jack by Mel Darbon: I keep telling you to read it! A beautiful protagonist follows her heart into some dark places but meets some wonderful people. Gloves Off by Louisa Reid: Another one I keep telling you to read! A verse novel about identity, self confidence and how boxing encourages one young woman to confront her fears. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness: The monster is not what he seems and wants the hardest thing of all. Read the illustrated edition (Jim Kay) it is STUNNING!

January 2021

To start the year off I asked 12 of my favourite book people to recommend a novel and here they are:

Patrice Lawrence, winner of the Bookseller YA Prize, Crimefest YA Prize, The Waterstones Book Prize, shortlisted for the Costa Book Award and a Carnegie nominated author. Patrice recommends Mike Carey's Felix Castor series, saying, ‘I've made no secret of my love for Ben Aaronovitch's River of London series and I was a bit stumped about what to read next. The YA writer, Tracey Mathias, recommended Mike Carey's Felix Castor series. The storytelling was so good it kept me hooked.’

Emma Craigie, English and Creative Writing Teacher, Carnegie nominated author and Authors Club First Novel Award winner has chosen To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf and loves ‘how it cleverly slips from one person’s mind to another and how it plays with time and memory and imagination across the Time Passes gap in the middle. Not a perfect book, but deeply satisfying.’

Louisa Reid, UKYA longlisted author, and shortlisted for 3 regional book awards has recommended The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. Louisa says, ‘I loved it - such a powerful, heart-breaking and brilliant book that is incredibly clever and moving. One of my favourite reads of last year and one I'd recommend to everyone - it left a lasting impression.’

Marcus Sedgwick, winner of the Michael L. Printz Award, The Branford Boase Award, BookTrust Teenage Prize, Blue Peter Book Award and shortlisted for over 40 awards including the Carnegie Medal, 8 times. He says, ‘The best book I discovered this year would be The World of Henry Orient by Nora Johnson. It’s an American novel from the 50s, published as an adult novel but prefigures YA rather as Catcher in the Rye does. It’s totally wonderful and I think more people would like to know about it.’

Claire Fuller, author and winner of The Desmond Elliott Prize, the BBC Opening Lines Short Story Competition, the Royal Academy and Pin Drop Short Story Award, and longlisted for Dublin Literary Award, recommends one of her favourite reads in 2020, Writers & Lovers by Lily King.

Mel Darbon, winner of The Leeds Book Award, shortlisted for both The Branford Boase Award and The CrimeFest Awards, chose Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. She recalls that, ‘As I grew up there weren’t any books that represented someone with a learning disability, so when I was given this at 12, many years ago now, it was a revelation. I remember feeling, despite the desperately sad story, a joy at seeing someone like my brother in a book and not completely erased from our lives.’

Chris Vick, Carnegie shortlisted author and part of Authors4oceans, write books for young people about the sea, danger and the wonder of magic and stories. Chris recommends, Julia Green’s The House of Light, a children’s book for 9+, and says, ‘It has a light touch, but it actually goes into the depths of its subject matter. And the ending genuinely moved me.’

Ruth Estevez, writer of novels for adults and young adults, Script Writer for children's television, including Bob the Builder, and the first author to send me a book, Jiddy Vardy, her amazing smuggling adventure novel set in Robin Hood’s Bay, recommends, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Liz Hyder, winner of the Branford Boase Award and Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, Bearmouth was named The Times Children’s Book of the Year 2019, and was longlisted for the UKLA awards. Liz has nominated Pandora’s Jar by Natalie Haynes which she says she just devoured, and ‘absolutely loved it!’

Books on the Hill, a beautiful independent bookshop situated in the Victorian seaside town of Clevedon, North Somerset, has recommended, Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings. They say, ‘Such a great introduction to the wonderful world of fantasy fiction.’

Stephanie Scott, a debut novelist in 2020, Stephanie has won the A.M. Heath Prize, the Jerwood Arvon Prize for Prose Fiction, was runner up in the Bridport Prize Peggy Chapman-Andrews Award and was recently selected as one of The Observer’s Ten Best New Voices of 2020. The book she would like to recommend for next year is Fragile Monsters by Catherine Menon, which will be published in 2021.

Antipodeanbookclub, a Bookstagram account I love, and the very first one to click like on my Readingjackdaw account. We discuss book storage ideas so that she can hide the amount of books she buys, and we have read some great books together, and swapped books across the world. She recommends Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge, a fantasy adventure for 10+ by an amazing writer.

October 2020

10+ A Pocketful of Stars by Aisha Bushby is a beautiful, sad, magical story about death and grief and letting go, a must read for young world builders.

12+ Brilliantly balanced and funny, India Smythe Stands Up by Sarah Govett is a tonic about being a teenager in the modern world. A stunning verse, dual narrative novel about star-crossed lovers in We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan.

14+ How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff is a powerful, violent, and controversial novel exploring love and war, honest yet sometimes funny, dystopian/apocalyptic story. Try a wonderful and fantastical adventure in Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, where magic has vanished from Orisha and Zelie has the chance to bring it back.

Adult: Homecoming by Luan Goldie is set over 20 years and in 2 continents, a refreshing read, with real depth of character and sense of place. Us by David Nicholls, recently televised, is funny, moving, and gentle, this novel reaches into what makes us human. Try some Speculative Fiction with Terra Nullius by Claire G. Coleman, through an imagined future world she manages to get to the core of colonisation. Sticking with the fantastical read Rotherweird by Andrew Caldecott, the first of a historical fantasy trilogy; a funny, bold, compelling, page turning mystery. Slade House by David Mitchell, seamlessly combines the real with the supernatural. A house appears every nine years when a guest is summoned. Back to reality in Golden Hill by Frances Spufford, an historical novel that could have been written in the 18th Century. A story about surviving, identity and trust set in the new and dangerous New York of 1746. Finally, one of my favourites, The Universe versus Alex Woods; a funny, poignant and heart breaking novel about a boy, an unlikely friendship and a life changing journey.

September 2020 Picks

12+ Solo by Kwame Alexander is a beautiful free verse novel, a rock star’s son finds himself, lyrical and engrossing.

14+ How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff is a gritty and dark dystopian novel about the chaos of war in a modern world. Fracture by Megan Miranda is a fast pace chilling read about death, and what it can teach us.

Adult: Jasper Fforde and Mark Haddon bring some humour into the month for you, A Spot of Bother was a real tonic, about family, middle age and mental health, laugh out loud and darkly funny as well as moving. The Eyre Affair is a detective novel wth a twist, Jane Eyre has been kidnapped, can Thursday Next solve the mystery? Be thrilled with The Ghost by Robert Harris, a political thriller I loved, and a slow build, creepy nd chilling read set in the Arctic in Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. A gentle but brilliant debut by Susan Beale, The Good Guy is one of my favourite books ever, an evocative and beautifully written book set in 1960’s suburban USA. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is just stunning, read my 50 word review to get a fuller examination. The History of Bees by Maja Lunde was an interesting and unique environmental dystopia set in multiple time frames, as is Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, a study of race, identity and slavery, a Sci-fi/ time travel novel. Finally Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles, an historical novel set in the US Civil War, stunning, intriguing and page turning. Happy Reading!

August 2020 Picks

10+ Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens is the first in a delicious murder mystery series set in a 1930’s boarding school, perfectly blends old fashioned spirit with modern taste. A must for all ages! Number 10 out soon!

13+ A glimpse of a possible future in the US. Internment by Samira Ahmed is a chilling and powerful story that will make you consider modern society. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon is a heart-wrenching, powerful novel about first love, lies and life. A twisty turny, intelligent read.

14+ Buffalo Soldier by Tanya Landman tells the desperate and dangerous tale of a ’freed’ slave and her journey to safety. A stunning, gritty read that is hard on the heart.

Adult: In true David Mitchell style, The Bone Clocks is a compelling blend of the supernatural, sci-fi and fantasy embedded in solid reality. Different lives and stories coming together in a brilliant read. Less by Andrew Sean Greer is a love story, a satire and a muse on the human heart, funny, moving and lyrical. Arlington Park by Rachel Cusk is an intellegiant, beautifully written, captivating interpretation of domestic life, taking place over a single day. If you want a dark, gritty, shockingly funny novel about obsession and loneliness then read Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh, it’s stunning. The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty is an unputdownable, addictive taste of blame, guilt, love and loyalty. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton is a mind blowing murder mystery with a difference. Enter a young boy’s world of identity, loss and family in Leon by Kit de Vaal, one of the most beautiful and tender novels I have read. Finally, a provoking tale of Jesus in a retelling of the most famous story of all in The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman.

July 2020 Picks

7+ Barnaby Brocket, an uplifting novel by John Boyne, a joy to read for all ages. A charming adventure about accepting your normal and being free.

11+ Another stonking success by Sarah Crossan. Apple & Rain is a unique story about growing up and family, friends and love. Blends prose and poetry to perfection.

13+ Three crackers for you this month, starting with Saint Death by Marcus Sedgwick. A gritty, tough thriller about living in a world dominated by the drug trade in Mexico. Poetic, desperate and devastating. Next is The Astonishing Colour of After by Emily X.R. Pan, a slice of magical realism about love and grief, and a search for truth to find peace, which uncovers family and the past. Heart wrenching and beautiful. Finally The Jungle by Pooja Poori, an imagined life in the infamous refugee camp. A powerful story that brings the thousands of refugees a human and individual story.

Adult: Float along on a river of prose in Everything Under by Daisy Johnson, a stunning story of family secrets that will pull you under and keep you there. Follow the lives of two branches of a family over generations, from slavery to modern day, in Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. A stunner from Madeline Miller as she reimagines the lives and love of Achilles and Patroclus in The Song of Achilles. Enter the magical world of an unknown branch of the Met in the brilliant Rivers of London by Ben Aaronvitch. Read more about Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver in my 50 Word Reviews, an absolute favourite now! Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller is how I would write in an imagined world, a literary smorgasbord of emotion; loneliness, belonging, memory, love, envy, guilt, fear and yearning for another life. Finally The Sellout by Paul Beatty, a satire about race that will have you laughing, then hiding in shame, simply brilliant!

June 2020 Picks

10+: Jamila Gavin’s refreshing and magical collection of fairy tales, Blackberry Blue, has been written so that every reader can see themselves stepping into a magical world. Emma Carroll’s thrilling historical adventure, The Somerset Tsunami, is full of secrets, suspicions and disaster, and a plucky protagonist tops it off beautifully!

13+: Two superb verse novels; Dean Atta’s powerful, fierce, moving tale, The Black Flamingo, about finding yourself, and being what you want to be, is beautiful. Sarah Crossan’s novel, Moonrise, is a heart wrenching examination of the death penalty, and saying goodbye forever. Both are astonishing. Penny Joelson’s unique thriller, I Have no Secrets, has a protagonist who cannot move or speak, but knows who dunnit! Finally Jason Reynolds’ quiet and gentle examination of grief and friendship, The Boy in the Black Suit, is perfectly paced.

Adult: The Pier Falls is wonderful collection of short stories by Mark Haddon, and one I couldn’t put down. The African Speculative fiction of Rosewater is a clever slice of African Sci-fi by Tade Thompson. Nightingale Point by Luan Goldie, is a very real story of how an extraordinary event changes ordinary lives; a fresh, human and devastating read. Meatspace, by Nikesh Shukla, is a brilliant examination of modern life and the isolation it can bring. Finally Meg Rosoff serves up a beautiful, cosy and heartwarming slice of life in Jonathan Unleashed.