Welcome to our mid-month update on what’s hot, noteworthy and frankly unputdownable in the world of books … Why not start with our TOP READ in the month, That Girl from Nowhere by Dorothy Koomson – as one of our reader review panel members said: ‘I’ve never read Dorothy Koomson before and, if this book is anything to go by, I’ve been missing out.’

Get a Sneak Peek – Pre-publication exclusives

 

The Power of Three – Ibis Trilogy by Amitav Ghosh

Amitav Ghosh’s sweeping and breathtaking history of the opium wars is a must-read series of novels. Rich and vivid, accessible and alien, this is writing at its very best. An epic saga that begins in the 1830’s, a time of colonial upheaval, with Sea of Poppies  and takes you on an epic journey through two further novels, River of Smoke and, coming soon, Flood of Fire. Fascinating in detail, rich in history and filled with absorbing characters you won’t be sorry you picked this trilogy up. But your friends may wonder where you’ve got to.

Big up the Download! – eBooks of the Month

With more and more people getting to grips with the growing eReader market, we have the largest selection of A-list eBooks around. Why not try: The Secrets We Share by Emma Hannigan – “A captivating novel … enveloped me in a warm hug whilst taking me on an emotional rollercoaster” (Emily Wright – Reader Reviewer). Or The Art of Waiting by Christopher Jory – “A gritty read at times, with a smattering of magical realism, this is a novel which I will be recommending to my friends.” (Jillian McFrederick– Reader Reviewer).

Take it from ‘The Max’ – Maxim Jakubowski Recommends

For the first time since he began his regular round-up, Maxim was unable to settle on a book of the month! – so he has chosen two titles that stood out so sharply and left an indelible impression on him (no mean feat). Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel and The Death House by Sarah Pinborough. Both titles work on the fringes of genre and could actually be described as unclassifiable and both are powerful demonstrations of how popular fiction traditions can feed innovative streams of writing that challenge both the imagination and the heart.

The Cream of Women’s writing from Baileys

Launched in 1996, the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction is awarded annually and celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in women’s writing from throughout the world. See the shortlist below and our favourite has to be the stunningly original The Bees by Laline Paull.

Something for Everyone - 3 Titles from Alexander McCall Smith

Prolific, versatile and loved by millions of readers, Alexander McCall Smith has had three titles published recently. Multi award-winning author of The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and the Scotland Street series has turned his talent to reworking the Austen classic Emma in his own reassuringly brilliant way. He has also penned Fatty O’Leary’s Dinner Party – a hilarious, charming gem of a book and Forever Girl – a glorious and sensitive story of true love.

Super Grouper Discount! - Reading Groups get the extra 5%

Sometimes reading is very personal. Your own headspace. Your favourite place. Your own journey. But sometimes you want to share the experience with others. We are big supporters of Reading Groups at Lovereading and, as well as monthly suggestions for your next discussion piece, we are offering a 5% discount on all orders of 5 or more copies of the same book, to keep your momentum going! This month we love: The Secret Place by Tana French – April Book of the Month. Unique, intense, intricate, supernatural and captivating.

A Real Crime Syndicate - The Detection Collection

You know about the Detection Club, right? No? It’s only a group of the most prestigious Crime Writers in the world, which for the last 85 years has been headed up by the likes of: Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, Colin Dexter and P.D. James. Featuring short stories by the best of British crime-writing, The Detection Collection was first published 10 years ago to celebrate the club’s 75^th anniversary. Now it’s in paperback and we think everyone should snap one up! Read more here. And that’s it for April. We may be back in May. We may. Maybe. Happy Reading!