“You don’t need to wrack your brains trying to come up with some extraordinary way to celebrate, because sometimes it’s the little things that bring us the greatest pleasure.” ― Joanne Harris, Author.
She’s right, you know. And a book is just the “little thing” that we think she’s talking about. Make someone’s day or let your friends and family know the books you’re hoping for in your stockings this year, with our fantastic and constantly updated Christmas recommendations!
Short stories are such satisfying ways to punctuate busy schedules with stolen moments of escapism. We have
a whole section on the site filled with short form writing to please all tastes and it’s had a bit of a refresh this month.
For us, Alexander McCall Smith’s
Chance Developments has to be the ‘pick’ of them. Our editorial expert Liz said
‘charming and poignant. I absolutely adore the premise for this little book … eloquent and moving, McCall Smith has imagined a background tale to the black and white photos that appear at the beginning of each short story’.
Carrying Albert Home by Homer Hickam – Every now and then a novel comes along that is quite unlike any other. This quirky yet entirely logical love story will envelop you in an adventurous and evocative journey, so off the chart that you’ll have to remind yourself it’s a (somewhat) true story. And you’ll see no problem with anyone having a pet alligator, too!
Click here for more.
Crime guru
Maxim Jakubowski has come up trumps again, with his top tips for gripping crime and mystery books to accompany the cold, dark nights as autumn becomes winter.
His keen eye and passion for new writing steers us away from the usual suspects and introduces us to some rather more ‘off the beaten track’, top class, crime writing. His November Book of the Month is
The Mulberry Bush by Charles McCarry and he highly recommends
Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs.
See the whole collection here.
Downloaders! Get your digits poised and your eReaders charged for another collection of e-asy to find excellence! Top of the pops this month are:
Alone in the Dark by Karen Rose – A wonderful hit of escapism, taking in romance, drama and crime with a strong female character at the helm
and The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths – From acclaimed author of
The Zig Zag Girl, a chilling mystery for one of Maxim Jakubowski’s favourite female detectives.
A quick word about
The Largest Baby in Ireland After the Famine by Anne Barnett. We’re delighted that this gently paced but complex novel is back in print. It’s a book you can dip into, meandering as it does through time and stories to feel almost like a series of short stories about the same place. It has a melodious quality that will whisk you to the real streets of Ulster between 1879 and 1959.
Find it here.
Self-publishing or Independent Publishing is getting more and more profile these days. But it’s wrong to think that anyone can make it if they have the wherewithal. Good independent novels only get off the ground if they’re worth it. Let us help you discover
a small selection, published over the last year to suit a range of tastes. Perhaps you’ll find a gem? You know, it’s a bit like finding a band before everyone else gets into them. Remember that?
Songs of Praise presenter Pam Rhodes’ comfortable, entertaining series following the trials and tribulations of a rural curate has a huge following. The fourth book
Saints and Sailors is available now and is an ocean-going, coast-exploring, life-reflecting read.
A firm favourite with trick-or-treaters the world over, Frankenstein’s monster is part of the fabric of our culture. Now, a new film is set to light up the silver screen with none other than Harry Potter star, Daniel Radcliffe in the role of Igor.
Victor Frankenstein may or may not make box office history, but we can guarantee that going back to the original book will not leave you disappointed!
So, you want to get everyone a book this year? Good plan. You know what sorts of things they’re into, but you’re not sure where to look? Start here. Scroll down to see more tasters from our
hand-picked selection of the best Christmas books or GO STRAIGHT TO our
special Christmas category.
P.S. We have just got our hands on some amazing book prizes. Firstly a
signed ‘1st Edition’ copy of Get Even by Martina Cole and a gorgeous 10th anniversary
limited edition hardback edition of The Island by Victoria Hislop. Don’t miss out – enter today.
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