You only get one life on earth, but read and you can live a thousand lives; venturing into the bodies and minds of all kinds of fascinating people. Take a look at this month's books, and discover what it's like to be a washed up wine connoisseur, a rare book expert, or a boarding school teacher with a secret.

Books of the Month:

The People of the BookThe Irresistible Inheritance of WilberforceThe People of the Book is by Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brook. This adventure story traces the amazing journey of an ancient Hebrew manuscript across five centuries of European history. The Irresistible Inheritance of Wilberforce is by Paul Torday, author of the bestselling Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. But this is a much darker affair, told back-to-front, in which we find out how a hopeful young man grew up to be a delusional alcoholic.

Debut of the Month:

ClassClass: The secret diary of a teacher in turmoil, by Jane Beaton. Dubbed a 'Mallory Towers for grown-ups', this hilarious first novel follows the life of a teacher at a girl's boarding school who is just as angst-ridden as her teenage students.

 

Doors OpenLife after Rebus

Doors Open is Ian Rankin's first stand-alone thriller for over a decade - something of a literary event for his millions of fans. Mike Mackenzie is a self-made man with too much time on his hands. He begins to plan the 'perfect crime' as an amusement, but finds himself sucked inextricably into the criminal underworld....   Author of the Month - <b>Stephenie Meyer</b>And finally, if you want to stay up to speed with all the inspiring goings on in the book world, make sure you pay regular visits to the new Lovereading Blog. We'll be posting as often as possible to let you know about the most popular new books and exciting book-related news and events.

 

This Month's Featured 'Literary / Contemporary' Books
Mister Teacher Jack Sheffield This is Jack Sheffield’s second novel after, ‘Teacher, Teacher!’, revolving around the head-teacher of a village school in Yorkshire. There are lots of great characters and stories along the way in this gentle, humorous, touching series. It will give... £5.99 Save 25%
The Irresistible Inheritance Of Wilberforce Paul Torday   September 2008 Book of the Month.   The slow decline of a wine collector told backwards. We meet Wilberforce as he ascends into alcoholism and then... £5.99 Save 25%
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Rebecca Miller Reviewed on Richard & Judy on Wednesday 30 July 2008.   Wise, inspiring and brilliantly compelling, this is an unforgettable debut novel that will pull on the heart strings. There’s a real quality about the writing, which is spare with not a... £5.99 Save 25%
The Book Club Bible A comprehensive reading guide packed with 100 recommended titles from classics to current bestsellers … in fact a rival to me! But joking apart, it’s an excellent little book giving you a synopsis, background information, discussion points and reviews to... £5.99 Save 25%

This Month's Featured 'Relationship Tales' Books
One Fifth Avenue Candace Bushnell Please note that an extract from this title will not be available to download until 23 September 2008.   Lovereading view to appear soon... £9.74 Save 25%
Filthy Rich Wendy Holden A delicious tale of love, mud, money and mayhem; her best yet in my opinion. This author has a wonderful knack of gently ridiculing the middle-classes and the rich, of turning ordinary situations into escapades of total madness and of... £5.24 Save 25%
Class Jane Beaton   September 2008 Debut of the Month.   This is really good fun and full of great characters to make each page a delight to read. As Sophie Kinsella says it’s “like Malory Towers for grown-ups”, it’s... £5.24 Save 25%
Tales from a Wedding Day Olivia Ryan With each chapter charting a small segment of time, in the wedding day of the title, you will race through this new book from Olivia Ryan, eager to get on the next half hour of mishaps and mayhem. Full of... £5.24 Save 25%

This Month's Featured 'Mystery / Thriller' Books
The Night Climbers Ivo Stourton Beautifully and elegantly written. James’s aim is to gain a “prominent reputation” at university. He makes friends with a group led by the rich, but damaged Francis, spending most of his time eminently grateful that he can enjoy their company... £5.24 Save 25%
The First Apostle James Becker A change of style for this author, who usually writes under the name James Barrington. Moving in to the realms of the conspiracy theory novel this is as good if not better than any of the Dan Brown-esque novels out... £5.24 Save 25%
Trial By Blood John Macken A futuristic tale where DNA samples can actually produce a picture of the individual. The new technology is developed in a police forensic laboratory, the lead scientist sacked … so he sets up on his own … and now the... £5.24 Save 25%
Undersea Prison Duncan Falconer An ex-member of the elite Special Services has, up until now, been writing very much in Andy McNab vein but here turns tack a little into the adventure area. This is his fourth thriller. Comparison: Clive Cussler, Matthew... £5.24 Save 25%
Doors Open Ian Rankin This is the first book since we said a sad farewell to Rebus and is Ian Rankin’s first stand alone novel for a decade. Don’t worry you will not be disappointed as all of Rankin’s skill, imagination and clever plotting... £14.24 Save 25%
Savage Moon Chris Simms Chris Simms is getting better and better. A chilling thriller, this will have you leaving the light on when you climb in to bed. When a woman’s body is found on Saddleworth Moor it is assumed she has been killed... £7.49 Save 25%

This Month's Featured 'Historical Fiction' Books
A Small Part of History Peggy Elliott Written in an unembellished, reportive style, spotted with journal entries, this is the story of a family seen through the eyes of the women as they cross the vast hostile territories of America on the Oregan Trail in 1845. I... £5.99 Save 25%
The Septembers of Shiraz Dalia Sofer The plight of a family during the Iranian Revolution. This is very much in The Kite Runner territory, a brave and frightening book of loss, prejudice, prison life, civilian hardship and a lad with his own, very different problems,... £5.99 Save 25%
The Things We Do For Love Imogen Parker Absorbing, romantic and very well written, this is the second novel chronicling the stories of two families, in the seaside town of Kingshaven, whose lives have become intertwined. This novel moves on to 1969 and follows the lives of two... £5.24 Save 25%
People of the Book Geraldine Brooks   September 2008 Book of the Month.     A book you can’t rush but must sit back and become totally absorbed in. Convoluted with fascinating detail and... £5.99 Save 25%

This Month's Featured 'Family Drama' Books
A House by the Sea Elvi Rhodes After her husband's death, Caroline leaves her home in Bath to buy a dilapidated old house in Brighton. Will this be the place she finds new love and will her family and friends be supportive in the new changes in... £5.24 Save 25%
The Sisterhood Emily Barr I absolutely loved this. A story of two women whose lives become connected after the younger one, Helen, decides that Liz is her half sister, abandoned by Helens mother some thirty years before and sets out to reunite the family.... £5.24 Save 25%
The Village Green Affair Rebecca Shaw More village life in Turnham Malpas with familiar characters and a surprise new one … plus plenty of trouble. Comparison: Miss Read, Erica James. £5.24 Save 25%
This Year It Will Be Different Maeve Binchy A collection of short stories relating to Christmas which would make a good stocking filler for someone who hasn’t really read Maeve Binchy before. If you are a fan you may have read some of the stories before in other... £5.99 Save 25%

This Month's Featured 'Biography / Autobiography' Books
Killing My Own Snakes Ann Leslie Ann Leslie has been one of our top journalists for over three decades and has come across a myriad of people in her time. This is the sort of memoir you really want to read as she has a multitude... £15 Save 25%
I Think There's Something Wrong With Me Nigel Smith An incredibly funny account of Nigel Smith’s illness, and near death, told in a very frank, almost brutal way. As you ride along on Nigel’s journey you will be mentally exhausted from reading about everything he had to go through... £5.99 Save 25%
My Life, My Way Cliff Richard, Penny Junor   Cliff Richard has been part of the British music scene for 50 year and in this story of his life so far we find out how he has endured when many others have fallen by the way side. This will... £15 Save 25%
My England Years Sir Bobby Charlton After the success of the first part of his fascinating autobiography following his Manchester United years Bobby Charlton is back with the next phase of his phenomenal career. For 22 years he played for his country and was involved in... £15 Save 25%

This Month's Featured 'The Real World' Books
Safe Passage Ida Cook The pre-wartime exploits of two remarkable sisters who smuggled Jews out of Germany from 1934 on, posing as eccentric opera fans and financing the operations themselves. £5.99 Save 25%
An Ocean Away Dave Clarke An inspiring book in many ways, Dave Clarke’s story of sailing across the Atlantic in a renovated 18 foot yacht is a joy to read. This book is about a chap with a lot of determination and enthusiasm who wanted... £12.74 Save 25%
Great British Journeys Nicholas Crane This book chronicles some of the most interesting and intrepid explorer’s of recent history and their journeys around the British Isles. Crane tells their stories in an amusing and highly entertaining way bringing these long gone travellers very much alive... £6.74 Save 25%
The World Without Us Alan Weisman This is probably more about the impact we are having on the planet than what would actually happen to it without us, although it does provide a fascinating and informative scenario of how the world would be. Generally the planet... £6.74 Save 25%

So download some free Opening Extracts from the selection above, or visit our site to find thousands more interesting characters whose minds you can delve inside.