Lovereading Latest: Recommended eBooks

Flight Behaviour - Barbara Kingsolver

Flight Behaviour
Barbara Kingsolver

Format: Paperback - Released: 18/04/2013
Lovereading Price: £5.99 - Saving £2.00 (25%)

May 2013 Book of the Month. Winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2010 and on the shortlist for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2013. A topical, engrossing and thought-provoking read exploring how the unexpected arrival of millions of Monarch butterflies, due to climate change, in a poor rural area of America has profound effects on a whole community and in particular a discontented woman trapped in a loveless marriage dreaming of escape. Kingsolver, winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2010 with The Lacuna and currently on the shortlist for the same prize with The Poisonwood Bible in 2013 has a real talent for getting you right inside her characters' lives and this is no exception in the poetically written and well researched Flight Behaviour.

The Dinner - Herman Koch

The Dinner
Herman Koch

Format: Paperback - Released: 02/05/2013
Lovereading Price: £5.99 - Saving £2.00 (25%)

May 2013 Book of the Month. This is one of those books like The Slap and We Need to Talk About Kevin where no one is likeable and the outcome difficult to predict. Here the family drama is related during a posh restaurant dinner as brothers and their wives partake of the sort of pretentious meal that the rich and famous revel in, only throughout this one there is a family crisis. Both couples have teenage boys who have been involved in a violent crime caught on CCTV but in such a way as to make it almost impossible to identify the boys. Their parents know who they are and now each is out to protect their own. This is shocking, with a stunning conclusion. A very clever book - dark, satirical and interestingly structured, made more complicated by an unreliable narrator. Personally I could have done with less food. Fascinating stuff. The Lovereading view... This contentious tour de force of middle class morality in the face of family disaster has, like The Slap, become a real talking point. A seemingly polite dinner in Amsterdam between friends spirals out of control as the horrors of what needs to be discussed, and what they will do to protect themselves, unfolds. Uncomfortable to read but searingly well observed. Find out what all the fuss is about - it will be worth it. In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Dinner, a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'The Dinner is full of suspense and kept me gasping all of the way through' - Michelle Russ. Scroll down to read more reviews.

Fallen Land - Patrick Flanery

Fallen Land
Patrick Flanery

Format: Hardback - Released: 01/05/2013
Lovereading Price: £9.74 - Saving £3.25 (25%)

May 2013 Book of the Month. A complex and thought-provoking psychological thriller that, through the metaphor of the characters' experiences, explores the utter failure of the American dream. A Boston family, looking for a new start, move south into a crumbling house in need of a total rebuild but the disputes that have been simmering for generations transform the dream into a nightmare. Fallen Land is Patrick Flanery's second book following on from his critically acclaimed debut Absolution. In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for Fallen Land, a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'Highly recommended with wonderful prose that is intoxicating...This is a multilayered extraordinary book where I marvelled as each layer was unfolded' - Barbara Gaskell. Scroll down to read more reviews.

Elijah's Mermaid - Essie Fox

Elijah's Mermaid
Essie Fox

Format: Paperback - Released: 09/05/2013
Lovereading Price: £5.99 - Saving £2.00 (25%)

May 2013 Book of the Month. A panoply of characters bring Victorian London’s polarised society vividly to life. The lives of two orphans brought up by their grandfather and a baby found in the Thames become dangerously bound together. This is the gloriously gothic follow up to The Somnambulist. Click here to read a Q&A with Essie Fox about this book. In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for Elijah's Mermaid a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'Elijah's Mermaid is a book that is totally different...What a marvellous eye-opener and a pure piece of escapism!' - Sallyann Spittle. Scroll down to read more reviews.

Tigers in Red Weather - Liza Klaussmann

Tigers in Red Weather
Liza Klaussmann

Format: Paperback - Released: 09/05/2013
Lovereading Price: £5.99 - Saving £2.00 (25%)

May 2013 Book of the Month. Eight publishers were fighting over this debut novel from London-based New Yorker Klaussmann and all you need to do is read the Opening Extract to see why. Magnificently told from five perspectives, Tigers in Red Weather is a simmering novel of passion, betrayal and secret violence beneath a polished and fragile facade. In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for Tigers in Red Weather a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'Tigers in Red Weather is a book that takes you over...I absolutely loved this book' - Phylyppa Smithson. Scroll down to read more reviews.

The Twelve - Justin Cronin

The Twelve
Justin Cronin

Format: Paperback - Released: 25/04/2013
Lovereading Price: £5.99 - Saving £2.00 (25%)

May 2013 Book of the Month and eBook of the Month. The Passage was a huge and sweeping thriller telling the story of the end of civilisation and what happened to the survivors. This excellent sequel goes back to tell a different side of the titanic struggle as vampires take over the USA, then tells the continuation of The Passage, picking up the lives of characters we had come to love. A highly enjoyable and engrossing read with a bit more substance than your average monster apocalypse story. The Lovereading view... When the dystopian vampire epic The Passage came out in 2010 it was, deservedly, incredibly well reviewed and The Twelve is the eagerly awaited sequel. A military experiment to create humans with superior fighting capabilities goes horrifically wrong and the fate of the human race hangs in the balance. Can the remaining humans fight back? The compulsive sequel shifts back and forward in time building on the first book but also adding new characters and depth to the story. In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Twelve a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'What can I say about The Twelve except Magnificent...Justin Cronin you have one very happy new fan.' Glynis Elliott - Scroll down to read more reviews.

The Round House - Louise Erdrich

The Round House
Louise Erdrich

Format: Hardback - Released: 08/05/2013
Lovereading Price: £13.49 - Saving £4.50 (25%)

May 2013 Book of the Month. Hailed in the US as a Native American To Kill A Mockingbird and winner of the 2012 US National Book Award, this is a masterclass in compelling, emotional and magical storytelling. After an horrific rape Joe’s mother shuts herself away and even though his father is a tribal judge he is unable to uncover the culprit. Frustrated, Joe sets our with his best friends to find the truth. This literary mystery, full of stunning language will have a lasting impression on any reader. In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Round House a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'Read this book! The Round House is an incredible, rewarding and emotional whirlwind of a read' - Phyl Smithson. Scroll down to read more reviews.

Walking Home - Simon Armitage

Walking Home
Simon Armitage

Format: Paperback - Released: 04/04/2013
Lovereading Price: £6.74 - Saving £2.25 (25%)

May 2013 Travel Book of the Month. A uniquely charming, droll, moving, British narrative from writer and poet Simon Armitage as he recounts his 256 mile (North to South) walk along the Pennine Way. Particularly fascinating is that he took no money and either bartered his way through or survived on any money he made at poetry readings.

Irresistible - Liz Bankes

Irresistible
Liz Bankes

Format: Paperback - Released: 13/03/2013
Lovereading Price: £5.24 - Saving £1.75 (25%)

On seeing this book we were initially reluctant to feature it in NewGen, our teen/YA category - so we thought we would ask a handful of our teenagers in our Reader Review panel for their thoughts. As you can see from their comments it got a really positive response but please - our advice is only for 15+ readers. Holly Hughes I found Irresistible really enjoyable and entertaining to read. I would definitely recommend it to friends. It involves emotions that every girl experiences as a teenager, which is why it's easy to relate to. Click here to read the full review...Hannah Glenton The story was nicely structured and well written....I really enjoyed this book as it had mature content but not too much, which kept it from being inappropriate, whilst keeping it sassy and fresh. Click here to read the full review...Darcy Elliman Gripping and a fun read which keeps you hooked. I loved it. Click here to read the full review...Safiyah Afghan I believe that this book should be at least for 16+ because of the strong language used and the topics discussed in this book. Click here to read the full review... Gemma Bees When I began reading it I was slightly worried about the passionate nature of the book, sometimes I find it to be too much and simply embarrassing. I didn’t feel like that at all with this book. This has a genuine story to follow and these passionate scenes haven’t just been thrown in, they’re part of the story and don’t feel the slightest bit unnecessary. It is very well written too... It’s just an all-round brilliant book. Click here to read the full review...Chloe Sheehan This is a perfect read for any teenager because if you are down or have had a bad day it gives you a bit of hope, love and interest. I really recommend this book, I look forward to her next. Click here to read the full review... Eloise Greenberry Irresistible is the title of this book and that says it all; you cannot put this book down.....this book is suited for teens, it is a life guide for how not to make stupid mistakes, and to appreciate what you have, although I would recommend it for 15+ due to the passionate scenes. Click here to read the full review...

The Abomination - Jonathan Holt

The Abomination
Jonathan Holt

Format: Hardback - Released: 01/05/2013
Lovereading Price: £12.74 - Saving £4.25 (25%)

May 2013 Debut of the Month. With a gripping plot and complex characters this is the first of a dazzling, multi-layered trilogy set in modern-day Venice. The discovery of a murdered woman wearing priest's robes, The Abomination, leads a tenancious young police officer into a deadly web of secrets that stretch back to The Balkan War. Don't miss the start of what we think will be the next 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' book that everyone will be talking about. In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Abomination a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!!Is the only way I can describe this book!...It had me completely gripped till the early hours before sleep forced me to stop reading.' – Sam Lewis. Scroll down to read more reviews. Click here to visit the Carnivia.com website. A piece from Jonathan Holt on how he came to write The Abomination...'I always dreamed of writing a book that everyone would read. Sometimes I thought that meant writing a thriller: sometimes it drew me towards more character-based stories. Over a period of about five years I kept trying ideas and plots out, only to abandon them because they felt too small and unambitious.Eventually I managed to have an entire novel almost finished - but something about it still felt wrong. Then one night I dreamt that I burnt it - or at least, the twenty-first century equivalent: I dreamed I deliberately deleted every single copy from my computer. In the dream, it felt strangely liberating… so I decided to do it. I put almost five year's work into my Recycle Bin and pressed 'permanently delete.' 'Are you sure?' asked the computer. Of course I wasn't sure! But afterwards I knew I'd made the right decision.' Click here to read the full comment.A Piece of Passion from the Publisher on The Abomination... 'The Abomination plunged me into its world straight away. I was hooked from the very first page, where a murdered woman is washed up onto the steps of an ancient Venice church at midnight. She is found half-in, half-out of the freezing water, and she is wearing the robes of a priest – something that is totally forbidden by the Catholic church.That was such a chilling, arresting opening scene, I didn’t think it could be bettered. But Jonathan Holt’s choice of locations just got more and more intriguing. By the time I had journeyed with his characters to an abandoned lunatic asylum on an uninhabited island, and then to Carnivia.com, an online simulation of Venice (an exact replica down to the cracks in the paving stones) where users are masked and secrets can be shared in absolute anonymity, I was already getting the tingling feeling you get with a really exciting submission. Before long, what had started as a relatively straightforward murder mystery turned into the unravelling of a deep, dark conspiracy with its roots in the Balkan war - a conspiracy so disturbingly plausible that the first thing I did when I closed the book was start looking for more information on google – and then I wrote an email to my colleagues saying “We HAVE to buy this book.” - Laura Palmer, Fiction Publisher. Click here to read the full comment.

The Deception Artist - Fayette Fox

The Deception Artist
Fayette Fox

Format: Paperback - Released: 16/05/2013
Lovereading Price: £6.74 - Saving £2.25 (25%)

In this sharp and funny literary debut set in Northern California during the 1980s recession, Fayette Fox delves deep into the dark heart of an ordinary American family - and finds out that make-believe isn't just for kids. A Piece of Passion by Fayette Fox’s editor at Myriad Editions, Vicky Blunden...'From the very first page of The Deception Artist I was completely captivated by Ivy’s voice. She narrates the story, taking us on a journey through what proves to be a tough time for her family – from the worry of her brother’s illness to the repercussions of her father losing his job. She also invites us into the wild world of her own playful imagination, into which she retreats whenever life is too tricky. I defy anyone not to fall in love with her – she's a brilliant comic creation. Fayette’s writing is pitch perfect and she has a real gift not just for getting under her characters’ skins, but for seeing the comedy and the drama in the everyday. It’s such an uplifting read, and a real joy to read a novel that has such warmth and humour crackling on every page.'

Six Years - Harlan Coben

Six Years
Harlan Coben

Format: Hardback - Released: 25/04/2013
Lovereading Price: £14.24 - Saving £4.75 (25%)

May 2013 eBook of the Month. The latest top-notch page-turner from Harlan Coben is a compelling psychological thriller exploring the power and passion of lost love. Told exclusively from the viewpoint of Jake Fisher who goes to watch the love of his life marry someone else and just after the ceremony promises to never try to find or follow her again. Now six years later he sees the obituary of the husband and sees it as a sign to get back in touch. Little does he realize the hornet’s nest he has disturbed. Six Years is the latest ‘stand alone’ thriller from one the masters of the genre. His fans will love it and for any readers new to Harlan Coben (where have you been?) it is a great introduction to his twisty-turny, addictive thrillers. Harlan Coben has recently finished a UK tour for his new book, Six Years. Scroll down to view an exclusive video of him reading from this book.

The Universe Versus Alex Woods - Gavin Extence

The Universe Versus Alex Woods
Gavin Extence

Format: Paperback - Released: 09/05/2013
Lovereading Price: £5.99 - Saving £2.00 (25%)

We meet a 17-year old Alex as he is stopped by customs at Dover with a glove compartment full of marijuana and Mr Peterson's urn of ashes on the passenger seat beside him. I'm hooked. [We then go back to the start of that unlikely friendship when a bullied 12-year Alex, escaping his tormenters, bursts into Mr Peterson's garden and appears to destroy his greenhouse. As penance his mother makes young Alex help Mr Peterson and so a wonderful friendship emerges, based initially around an introduction to Kurt Vonnegut.] Alex has had a very strange childhood and seems to collect disasters but in his deadpan narrative relates much of the extraordinary incidents of his young years as nothing to get too excited about. But I did. I got excited all the way through. Couldn't leave the book alone and certainly dub it one of my all time favourites. A wonderful tale. The Lovereading view... Sad, funny, entertaining and profound The Universe versus Alex Woods is a tale of an unexpected friendship, an unlikely hero and an improbable journey which we join as Alex is stopped at Dover customs with 113 grams of marijuana and an urn full of ashes on the passenger seat. This debut which treads the fine line between light and dark, laughter and tears has already been snapped up by lots of international publishers and could be the next ‘Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’. Click here to read Alex's recommended reads.

The Memory of Lost Senses - Judith Kinghorn

The Memory of Lost Senses
Judith Kinghorn

Format: Paperback - Released: 23/05/2013
Lovereading Price: £5.24 - Saving £1.75 (25%)

A lyrically written and wonderfully evocative, romantic historical novel that draws you into the intriguing and secret lives of the characters in the hot lazy summer of 1911. A Countess, her grandson, a famous author writing her memoir and a young village girl are brought together and as the long buried family secrets are revealed all their lives will be changed forever. After her enchanting, sweeping debut we think ‘the tricky second novel’ has been delivered with aplomb - highly recommended reading especially for reading groups. In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Memory of Lost Senses a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'A masterpiece, The Memory of Lost Senses is a tale of human emotion showing the delicate ways the veins of life run through the generations, and connect through time.' Scroll down to read more reviews.

The Colour of Milk - Nell Leyshon

The Colour of Milk
Nell Leyshon

Format: Paperback - Released: 02/05/2013
Lovereading Price: £6.74 - Saving £2.25 (25%)

Written by 15-year old Mary in her dungeon awaiting the gallows in the 1830s, with a secret she cannot tell - this is an amazing book. Her country, semi-literate voice is highly compelling, forcing you to race through the slim (only 170 pages), highly eventful book which covers only one year. From rural hardship to caring for the vicar's invalid wife, Mary's life seems to blossom until the vicar imposes his charms! Mary is doomed and she knows it. She also know she could save herself but at too high a price. Written entirely in lower case which somehow adds power, this is a remarkable read. The Colour of Milk is the colour of Mary's hair, poor girl. A 'Piece of Passion' from Juliet Annan, Publisher Fig Tree/Penguin... 'The Colour of Milk is a dark, perfectly shaped little gem of a novel. Set in rural England in the 1830s, it is beautiful, disturbing and brutal – and it really packs a punch. It's told from the point of view and in the voice of an illiterate farm girl in 1830: Mary, the girl in question, is telling her own story and, what’s more, she is writing it down with her own hand. How it came about that she can read and write, and what price she had to pay to achieve this is very much at the core of the novel. I absolutely love this book: it is immensely powerful and Mary's voice is totally convincing and everyone who reads it is blown away by the sheer power and force and beauty of Nell's writing, and by Mary's dramatic story. The ending is wonderful, and shocking, but I won't give it away...'