Lovereading.co.uk

With a strong shortlist of 6 books we are looking for our readers help to let us know which they think should win this literary award.

Voting is easy – just visit the special section on Lovereading and scroll down to the poll in the right hand column of the page. 

Find out more about the prize by reading on.

Bestselling author Cecelia Ahern is one of the six authors shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year 2009, which is organised by the Romantic Novelists’ Association. The final six novels are currently being read by a panel of three judges, who will select the winner in time for the presentation at the Awards Lunch to be held on 10th February 2009 at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington. The Award was inaugurated in 1960 to recognize excellence in romantic novels and thereby enhance the standing of the genre. Any novel which is published in the UK (or simultaneously with other countries) in 2008 is eligible for the Award.

This year’s award has a truly international flavour, with authors living far afield and books set in Japan, Canada, India, Dublin and Skye.  Cecelia Ahern, whose hero is American, comes from Ireland. She is joined by Susanna Kearsley, who hails from Canada, and Linda Gillard, who lives in Glasgow. England is well represented by Lesley Downer, based in London, Judith Lennox from Cambridgeshire and Julia Gregson, whose shortlisted novel was one of Richard and Judy’s summer reads, from Monmouthshire.

Read a Free Opening Extract of all of the shortlisted novels by visiting the special section on our site.

The shortlisted novels are:

Thanks for the Memories - Cecelia Ahern (Harper Collins)

The Last Concubine - Lesley Downer (Transworld/Bantam)

Star Gazing - Linda Gillard (Little, Brown/Piatkus)

East of the Sun - Julia Gregson (Orion)

Sophia’s Secret - Susanna Kearsley (Allison & Busby)

Before the Storm - Judith Lennox (Headline Review)

The panel with the difficult task of picking a winner from this page-turning collection of romantic novels comprises Alice O’Keeffe, Books Editor at the Bookseller, Fanny Blake, Books Editor of Woman & Home, and Peter Crawshaw, who runs Lovereading.co.uk.

Peter C :: Jan.21.2009 :: General Book News :: No Comments »

Christopher Paolini was a publishing sensation when he had the first of his Inheritance cycle book, Eragon published when he was only 20. He had written it when he was just 15.

But perhaps, we can go one better. Lovereading’s new sister site Lovewriting.co.uk, created to allow previously unpublished authors or self-published authors promote their books, has just been sent a novel written by a 10 year old – we think it’s excellent and believe the author clearly has the talent when he is a little older to get a publishing deal. And we are not alone in our thinking.

The short novel is called Water Source and it’s written by Will Goddard. Top children’s writer Joe Craig, author of the Jimmy Coates books has said of the book:

‘It’s really impressive! Well done. It’s not easy to write a story that keeps the reader’s interest over that many pages, but you managed to develop the plot very well. I was totally absorbed all the way through!’

Will Goddard was born on Valentine’s Day 1998, some 17 weeks premature gaining him a Guinness Certificate for being Britain’s earliest surviving baby. Having battled through his first difficult years he showed an early love of reading, a skill he developed by reading the subtitles on television programmes. Clearly this worked as we think he will be a published novelist sometime in the near future.

So, exclusively on Loverewriting.co.uk you can read Will’s entire story – if you like it spread the word and remember the name when he is ‘found’ by a big publisher and picks up some hot literary prize.

And if you have a book you would like to publish or promote do look at www.Loverwriting.co.uk.

Peter C :: Jan.20.2009 :: General Book News :: No Comments »

While we are now used to hearing about everything being worse in the current recession we have found two things that are on the up and we thought we would share them with you. Reading books and Sex!

A recent YouGov survey found that we were switching romantic evenings out, gym memberships and spa treatments for evenings in and a bit of a romp. In fact getting passionate with a partner was the most popular recession activity for the 2,000 surveyed, ahead of gossiping with friends, going to a museum or window shopping.

Also public libraries in the US are reporting higher levels of book lending as cash strapped people stay home reading, expanding their mind rather than shrinking their wallet.

And as we know from a Lovereading poll that the favorite place to read a book is in bed – we couldn’t resist letting you know about a book that kind of kills two birds with one stone….

In Bed With… is a book that lets you slip under the covers with some humorous, wicked, and sizzling erotic stories from unusually famous authors (including Fay Weldon and Joanne Harris) writing under saucy pseudonyms. But can you tell who is Pom Pom Paradise and who is Minxy Malone?

And in keeping with the current recessionary theme you can down load and read an Opening Extract Free – just visit http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/2980 to find out more……

Happy reading

Peter C :: Jan.16.2009 :: General Book News :: No Comments »

Reading more is already a very popular New Year’s resolution, but 2009 could be the year to really put it into action. It’s great value (in a time when most people can’t afford to take up yachting). It’s incredibly, life-changingly exciting and with Lovereading here to help you plan out your year’s literary adventures you’ll have no shortage of books to choose from.

If you’re feeling like a complete New Year makeover, have a look at our New Year, New You? section. We’ve chosen some fantastic books to help you change your life – physically, intellectually, and emotionally.

On 6 January the category winners of the prestigious Costa Book Awards were announced, making up the shortlist for the overall prize. We’ve got Opening Extracts of all the books, so take a look and do a bit of judging yourself and vote for your favourite in our on site poll.

Our two Authors of the Month share a preoccupation with crime and heart-racing thrills:

Mary Higgins Clark is known as ‘America’s Queen of Suspense’, so the only predictable thing about her new book is that it’s incredibly exciting. Where Are You Now? sees young law-graduate, Carolyn, set out to find her missing brother, a suspected serial killer who refuses to come out of hiding. It’s a quest with terrifying repercussions…

And Tess Stimson’s new book The Cradle Snatcher tells a story about the deadly psychological ‘nursery rivalry’ between a new mother and her hired nanny.

We’ve got three great Books of the Month:

Burial by Neil Cross is a, superlative, dark thriller about what happens when a celebrity party turns lethal.

The Paper Moon, by Andrea Camilleri, is another brilliantly moody and sophisticated Inspector Salvo Montalbano mystery.

The Girl Who Played With Fire, by Stieg Larsson is a complex, fascinating and highly addictive thriller.

There are also four great Debuts of the Month, but all from very different genres:

Birthing House, by Christopher Ransom, is a tale of domestic ‘horrors’ – infidelity, imminent parenthood, human desire – and of one man’s descent into madness because of them. The Other Side of the Stars is an unforgettable story by Clemency Burton-Hill about a young actress struggling to find herself amid the glitz of London’s West End. And With My Lazy Eye, by Julia Kelly, is a fascinating novel by the daughter of the late John Kelly, former government minister, Attorney General and senior Irish politician. Finally Skin and Bones by Tom Bale has one of the best openings to a crime novel we have ever come across. This book grabs you from the opening line with it’s unrelenting pace and action.

In Bed With… is a book that lets you slip under the covers with some humorous, wicked, and sizzling erotic stories from unusually famous authors (including Fay Weldon and Joanne Harris) writing under saucy pseudonyms. But can you tell who is Pom Pom Paradise and who is Minxy Malone?

Finally if you have teenage children don’t forget our ‘New Gen’ category for teen readers. Here you’ll find writers like Melvin Burgess and Kevin Brooks, whose addictive stories are woven around real world issues. The lead characters tend to be teenagers too, making them easy to identify with. If you’re 14+ and want to find out a few things about the wild world you’re growing up in, give these a try!

So, put reading at the top of your list of 2009 resolutions and find out how easy it is to become a bookworm when you’ve got Lovereading’s tools to help you find your next book. And don’t forget you can order all your books from us the vast majority with a flat rate 25% discount off the RRP.

Peter C :: Jan.15.2009 :: Newsletters :: No Comments »

CECELIA AHERN AMONG SHORTLIST AUTHORS

FOR ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR

Bestselling author Cecelia Ahern is one of the six authors shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year 2009, which is organised by the Romantic Novelists’ Association. The final six novels are currently being read by a panel of three judges, who will select the winner in time for the presentation at the Awards Lunch to be held on 10th February 2009 at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington. The Award was inaugurated in 1960 to recognize excellence in romantic novels and thereby enhance the standing of the genre. Any novel which is published in the UK (or simultaneously with other countries) in 2008 is eligible for the Award.

This year’s award has a truly international flavour, with authors living far afield and books set in Japan, Canada, India, Dublin and Skye.  Cecelia Ahern, whose hero is American, comes from Ireland. She is joined by Susanna Kearsley, who hails from Canada, and Linda Gillard, who lives in Glasgow. England is well represented by Lesley Downer, based in London, Judith Lennox from Cambridgeshire and Julia Gregson, whose shortlisted novel was one of Richard and Judy’s summer reads, from Monmouthshire.

Read a Free Opening Extract of all of the shortlisted novels by visiting the special section on our site.

The shortlisted novels are:

Thanks for the Memories – Cecelia Ahern (Harper Collins)

The Last Concubine – Lesley Downer (Transworld/Bantam)

Star Gazing - Linda Gillard (Little, Brown/Piatkus)

East of the Sun – Julia Gregson (Orion)

Sophia’s Secret - Susanna Kearsley (Allison & Busby)

Before the Storm – Judith Lennox (Headline Review)

The panel with the difficult task of picking a winner from this page-turning collection of romantic novels comprises Alice O’Keeffe, Books Editor at the Bookseller, Fanny Blake, Books Editor of Woman & Home, and Peter Crawshaw, who runs Lovereading.co.uk.

Peter C :: Jan.13.2009 :: General Book News :: No Comments »

Lovereading.co.uk Top 10 

1		Twilight (Twilight Saga Book 1) Stephenie Meyer Deeply seductive and irresistibly compelling, this is an extraordinary love story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it. It’s the first in the Twilight series and is a captivating sage of vampire romance. … Download free opening extract
2		The Outcast Sadie Jones   Winner of the Costa First Novel Award 2008.   Shortlisted for the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction 2008. Costa Book Awards 2008 Judges’ comment: “The repressive society of ordinary people is elegantly portrayed … Download free opening extract
3		The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher Kate Summerscale   Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 4 December 2008.This reads like a first rate crime novel but is in fact an analysis of real life events. It’s so good it won the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction … Download free opening extract
4		Past-it Notes Maureen Lipman  Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 27 November 2008.   This is a collection of some of Maureen Lipman’s best writing, taken from previous books along with new stories and anecdotes. Some of the old stories are reworked here … Download free opening extract
5		Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Stars Gervase Phinn  Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 4 December 2008.A delightful anthology with stories taken from Phinn’s books about his teaching in the Dales but also some of his poems from his popular poetry books for kids. We … Download free opening extract
6		A Scandalous Man Gavin Esler  Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 11 December 2008.An excellent debut with the perfect combination of politics, sex and scandal. The narrative gives a fast pace to the story and the reader gets a real sense of … Download free opening extract
7		Frank Skinner on the Road Frank Skinner Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 11 December 2008.  One of the UK’s best loved and funniest comedians tells us about going back on the road touring after 10 years away from stand up. As you would expect …Download free opening extract
8		The Stepmother’s Diary Fay Weldon Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 11 December 2008.A story not of a wicked stepmother but more a wicked stepdaughter. Fay Weldon gets right to the heart of this dysfunctional family, making the hairs stand up on … Download free opening extract
9		Florence Nightingale : The Woman and Her Legend Mark Bostridge Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 27 November 2008.A very absorbing book on the life of Florence Nightingale. Probably nothing else out there as in depth or as interestingly written.   Download free opening extract
10		Testimony Anita Shreve October 2008 Book of the Month.  Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 30 October 2008. A sex scandal rocks the sheltered world of a private Vermont school, affecting students, parents and teachers alike. The story moves quickly as Shreve … Download free opening extract

KIDS SITE TOP 10

1		Revolting Rhymes Roald Dahl Age 6+ A brilliant collection of comic and often gory versions of popular fairy tales. … Download free opening extract
2		Twilight Stephenie Meyer Deeply seductive and irresistibly compelling, this is an extraordinary love story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it. It’s the first in the Twilight series and is a captivating sage of vampire romance. The 2nd … Download free opening extract
3		The Birthday Book Michael Morpurgo This is a sumptuous collection of stories and verse compiled by Michael Morpurgo, beautifully illustrated by Quentin Blake and published in aid of The Prince’s Foundation for Children and Arts and to celebrate the Prince of Wales’s 60th birthday. It’s … Download free opening extract
4		Alice In Wonderland (slipcase edition) Lewis Carroll, Rodney Matthews The story is timeless and can be read at so many different levels, but this lavish slipcased edition is quite simply stunning and will bring to the reader a very different Wonderland – even more fantastical and a little darker … Download free opening extract
5		Coraline (film tie-in edition) Neil Gaiman This edition is due to coincide with the film version of Coraline which will be released in February 2009.  When Coraline’s family move into a new home, she steps through a door into another house which seems strangely familiar.  It has … Download free opening extract
6		New Moon Stephenie Meyer The road for Bella and Edward is never going to be a smooth one and after an incident that puts Bella’s life in danger Edward decides he must leave her “as if he had never existed”. In the following months … Download free opening extract
7		The Knife of Never Letting Go Patrick Ness Winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize 2008 and Booktrust Teenage Prize 2008. The electrifying and unflinching young adult debut novel about the impossible choices of growing up by award-winning fiction writer Patrick Ness. This title is part of Walker Books’ … Download free opening extract
8		Gorilla Anthony Browne Greenaway winner in 1983.Wonderfully inventive story and almost tear-jerking at times but with a happy ending.  The illustrations are both detailed and colourful and children will delight in them. I’m sure for some parents it really touches a nerve as … Download free opening extract
9		The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Basil Wiley Miller A wonderful debut from an incredibly talented wordsmith and illustrator. Fans of The Wizard of Oz and James and the Giant Peach will love Basil and his erstwhile adventures. Basil is an ordinary boy living a very ordinary life in a lighthouse, … Download free opening extract
10		Before I Die Jenny Downham Winner of the Branford Boase Award 2008. This is a haunting yet truly amazing read but don’t read it too young. Definitely not for someone less than 14 years old. If you knew you were going to die what would … Download free opening extract

butchik :: Jan.07.2009 :: Most Popular Books :: No Comments »