Well, we hope, like us, you’ve been enjoying the July sunshine. We’ve had a whale of a time, basking in the sunshine with the smell of barbeques wafting on the breeze whilst selecting some terrific books for you to enjoy over the remainder of the summer. Talking of ‘whales’, you might be interested to know that August was the month in 1819 that saw the birth of Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick and, in keeping with the maritime theme, it is also the month in which Hans Christian Andersen, creator of many of the fairy tales still beloved of adults and children today, including The Little Mermaid died in 1875

The Atkinson Diet - Author of the Month – Kate Atkinson

August’s Author of the Month, Kate Atkinson, was born in York and now lives in Edinburgh. Her first novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award in 1995. She has subsequently published critically acclaimed novels such as Human Croquet, and Case Histories. Her featured work this month is Started Early Took My Dog, in which unlikely heroine - security chief, Tracy Waterhouse - makes a purchase she hadn’t bargained for. One moment of madness is all it takes for Tracy's humdrum world to be turned upside down, the tedium of everyday life replaced by fear and danger at every turn. Find out more about her superb writing today.

Books of the Month - Literary Fruit Ripe for Harvest this August.
The Complaints Ian Rankin From the creator of gritty Edinburgh sleuth, Rebus, another investigator with personal demons. This time though, Rankin’s (equally lonely) hero, Malcolm Fox, works in ‘The Complaints’ – the department of cops who police the cops. This page-turning new assignment will prove both unpredictable and extremely dangerous. £5.99 Save 25%
In the Blink of an Eye Hasso Von Bredow, Catherine Von Bredow What happens when everything changes? Father of three, Hasso von Bredow, was a successful 42 year old businessman until a massive stroke in 2000 left him ‘locked-in’ – completely paralysed. Using his eyes to communicate, he dictated this inspiring memoir before finally succumbing to his condition in 2003. £5.99 Save 25%
Muriel Spark Martin Stannard Written with full co-operation from Muriel Spark before her death in 2006, this ‘warts ‘n’ all’ biography is a wonderful testament to a life lived to the full. From her working class upbringing in Edinburgh to married life in Rhodesia - now Zimbabwe, fleeing back to Scotland, moving to New York and eventually ending her days in Tuscany, Spark’s life was an extraordinary and fulfilling one. £8.24 Save 25%
Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks: John Curran This exploration of the 73, only recently discovered notebooks of Agatha Christie is a must for die-hard fans and newbies alike. Not only containing a fascinating insight into Christie’s process, but also two previously unpublished Poirot mysteries. No crime fiction fan should miss them. £5.99 Save 25%
Room Emma Donoghue This is a profoundly affecting read, told from the perspective of a 5-year old child, born to a kidnapped sex toy, who has never left his 12’ x 12’ prison. He is happy, normal and innocent. But what happens when his world is shattered is utterly extraordinary. Recently longlisted for the Man Booker this is a must read this summer. £9.74 Save 25%
The Blue Demon David Hewson A mile-a-minute thriller in which detective Nic Costa is forced to delve into the past actions of a mysterious and murderous group, The Blue Demon, to solve a spate of recent killings. Twists, turns and intrigue abound from this master of the genre. £5.24 Save 25%

3 brilliant new books for teenagers
The Edge of Nowhere John E. Smelcer This is an astonishing tale of survival with more psychological depth than Robinson Crusoe, poignantly told and based on true events. £4.49 Save 25%
Whisper My Name Jane Eagland A rite-of-passage tale telling the story of Meriel, whose quest for independence leads her into the sinister world of séances and leaves her not knowing who she can trust. £5.24 Save 25%
The 10pm Question Kate De Goldi Tender and beautifully told, this is a quirky and clever coming of age tale of Frankie, a young boy of 12 (going on 80) and his incessant worrying. £8.24 Save 25%

First Class! – Our Debuts of the Month
Juliet Anne Fortier Juliet is an unforgettable adventure that hopes to rewrite the fate of the star-crossed lovers, and reunite them at last. Romeo and Juliet will never be the same again! £5.99 Save 25%
All the Pretty Girls J.T. Ellison For lovers of mystery fiction, a brilliant debut comprising a terrific lead character, terrific suspense and terrific twists. £5.24 Save 25%
Black Mamba Boy Nadifa Mohamed Fans of Half of a Yellow Sun will love this incredible debut novel set in 1930s Somalia spanning a decade of war and upheaval and all seen through the eyes of a small boy. £5.99 Save 25%

Guest Editor – Veronica Henry

Veronica Henry is not conventional. Having been “asked to leave” nearly every educational institution she attended in her youth, she has a view of the world that is greatly suited to her chosen path of novelist. Veronica is one of THE best script writers around having written hundreds of hours of broadcast television for numerous favourite TV shows including Heartbeat and Holby City and many. This is a great opportunity to discover her writing, especially her newest title The Beach Hut which is a brilliantly observed exposé of the comings and goings of beach hut vacationers over one long, hot summer. As always with our Guest Editors, Veronica will be sharing with us the writers and titles which have influenced and shaped her own journey as a novelist. We can’t wait!

From Beyond the Grave – John Buchan Remembered

John Buchan, author, politician, diplomat, soldier, poet and man of influence and achievements too lengthy to document here, died 70 years ago this August. His most famous literary creation was the character of Richard Hannay. But he has written so much more (thirty novels, over sixty non-fiction books and seven collections of short stories, to be precise) and some of his best books are being re-jacketed and reissued with forewords from authors, such as Christopher Hitchins and Stella Rimington. We’ve selected just 10 of his titles and we hope you’ll see this as a perfect opportunity to get better acquainted with this great man who capped his life achievement serving as Governor-General in Canada until his death in 1940.

Definitive Holiday Reading – Don’t just take our word for it – read about it in The Sunday Times Travel Magazine!

Did you know that on average people spend twice as much time reading on holiday than during their normal working week? Not only that, but an estimated 20% of us only ever read when on holiday! Also, last year Lovereading was selected as the top “online independent bookshop by The Independent”. So, when The Sunday Times Travel magazine approached us to select some perfect holiday reading for a travel section they are producing in August, we jumped at the chance and called in our editorial expert, Sarah Broadhurst (she launched the likes of Terry Pratchett, Joanna Trollope and Minette Walters, you know!). Sarah’s experience in the world of books is practically unrivalled and she has come up with a ‘top-ten’ selection of titles to satisfy the most hungry of holiday readers. Visit the special section to see Sarah’s selections, read her reviews and download free opening extracts of all the books. We also give you some tips about choosing your own holiday reading.

Film ‘Adept’ations … brilliant books that have made brilliant movies:

The book is so much better!”. It’s almost a cliché these days. Sadly, like most clichés, it’s mostly true! Try hard and you can probably think of some books that were adapted to movies that you loved just as much as the original experience. They are a rarity, we grant you! But now there is a new book imprint that celebrates just this. It’s called Vintage film. Among their selections are The French Lieutenant’s Woman and Atonement. Why not visit the website to discover some more.

Happy Birthday, Transworld! – Publisher hits 60 years old

Transworld Publishers was established in 1950. Launching with just three books, Transworld has gone on to become the publishing force behind some of the biggest authors of the last sixty years. In the '60s and '70s, they published such classics as Joseph Heller's Catch 22, Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita, Frederick Forsyth's The Day of the Jackal and John Irving's The World According to Garp in Corgi paperback. Today, Transworld is firmly established as one of the UK's leading fiction publishers. Many of the nation's biggest-selling brand name authors have been discovered and published by Transworld, including Kate Atkinson, Dan Brown, Jilly Cooper, Frederick Forsyth, Terry Pratchett, and Joanna Trollope. To celebrate this landmark birthday we're featuring 20 of Transworld's best-known authors on Lovereading and we have an exclusive competition to win all 20 books. Take a moment to peruse the list and get stuck in!

Listen Up! - Love Listening - Whole Story audiobooks

We know that we said this last month, but we really mean it. So, here’s a reminder about the fulfilling experience of Whole Story audiobooks. Audiobooks are a fantastic way to enjoy stories but in most cases, a whopping 50-70% of the content is cut, which leaves the end product quite different from how the author intended. For example, if you listen to last year's Booker winner, Wolf Hall in the abridged form you'll get only 29% of the book and Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol, only 38%. Like us, Whole Story Audio believes it's much more rewarding to listen to unabridged versions of books. That's why we've teamed up with them to bring you a spectacular array of complete audio books perfect for car journeys and commutes, on holiday or just listening to in the home, and much better value for money! Try an unabriged audio and you’ll soon realise what you’ve been missing We hope you enjoy all your Summer Reading and scroll down to see our recommendations in your favourite categories