Hi again from Lovereading! We hope you've found time between the World Cup and Wimbledon to enjoy a bit of light reading – sport for the mind if you will. According to our literary calendar some really great authors and intellectuals were born in July, including Franz Kafka, Marcel Proust and Iris Murdoch. Judging by their books they definitely didn't kill off too many brain cells by heading balls. And writers are still coming up with incredible literary feats today – there's a whole bunch of them below!

Author of the Month – the heart-stopping David Baldacci

Internationally acclaimed, Baldacci's heart-stopping thrillers have been thrilling us for years. You can find his novels right here on Lovereading, including his latest, True Blue, which sees ex firebrand cop Mason Perry trying to solve a big homicide case alone, to win her place back on the force.

Get in touch with your emotions with Guest Editor Louise Candlish

Louise has an incredible talent for capturing emotions and painting relationships that sets her way above most chick lit. As well as discovering her new title, Other People's Secrets, you can find out which books inspired her on her journey to literary stardom - she's put together a list exclusively for us!

A packed suitcase full of Books of the Month

Our Mega Book of the Month – The Passage by Justin Cronin

If there is one book you should read this summer we reckon you should give this one a serious look.  In the office the people who have read it have done so  late into the night and missed train and bus stops they were so engrossed. When a man-made viral epidemic brings America to its knees, only a curious little girl and a group of doughty survivors hold the secret to survival. The first part of a trilogy it is gripping, epic and apocalyptic story-telling and we can’t wait for the next one!

The Beach Hut Veronica Henry A tale of holiday romance, simmering passion and unrequited love – all happening on one beach! £5.24 Save 25%	Halfway to Hollywood Diaries 1980 to 1988 Michael Palin The second volume of Palin's diaries is a fantastic read and tells the story of how he reinvented himself post-Python to become the British institution he is today. The prefect holiday read. £7.49 Save 25%
Scandalous Tilly Bagshawe A racy, pacy, glamorous story about two very smart vengeful women and one extremely unlucky academic... £5.99 Save 25%	I Heart Paris Lindsey Kelk A must read for any Sex and the City fan, this story is guaranteed to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. £5.24 Save 25%
Swiss Watching: Inside Europe's Landlocked Island Diccon Bewes With affection and Bryson-like charm, Diccon gets behind stereotypes about yodeling and holey cheese to paint a picture of the real Switzerland. £9.74 Save 25%	The Dealer and the Dead Gerald Seymour A brilliant, bruising thriller about a group of Croatian villagers who seek vengeance for a terrible betrayal 18 years after the war with the Serbs that tore their communities apart. £12.74 Save 25%
Linger Maggie Stiefvater Follow up to paranormal teen read Shiver, Linger is a moving story that follows Grace, the wolves of Mercy Falls, and their shifting relationships through one long Spring. £5.99 Save 25%	The Last Warner Woman Kei Miller Adamine, with the gift of prophesy, has left the Jamaican leper colony she was born in to travel to England but her gift is seen as a sign of madness. £9.74 Save 25%
White Crow Marcus Sedgwick Packed full of suspense, this young adult book is a tingling and chilling Gothic thriller in which nothing can quite be taken for granted. £7.49 Save 25%

A book group from the comfort of your own home – join C4's TV Book Club

From 27 June – 15 August Channel 4's TV Book Club is back with 8 new selections, to be intelligently and engagingly discussed by celebrity reviewers including comedienne Jo Brand. Visit our special page on Lovereading to find out more and download FREE Opening Extracts of each title.

...Swimsuit, sun cream, passport, BOOKS! - Summer read selections

Packing for holidays is enough trouble without having to agonise over which books to take. Don't worry though, help is at hand with our perfect selection of books chosen by our fiction guru, Sarah Broadhurst, and this year we have included some great non-fiction selected by our expert in the field, Sue Baker. Sue has chosen a bevy of books from Travel to True Crime and uncovered some gems for the summer that will be the cherry on the cake of a week off work. Also don’t miss out on the chance to win a weekend break at the Hotel du Vin in Edinburgh with £200 spending money – it’s an exclusive competition linked to the perfect summer read for historical fiction lovers The King’s Daughter by Christie Dickason find out more.

Turn your teenagers into literature lovers

Cannongate and Walker, two of the very best independent publishing houses in the UK, are getting together to bring modern literary classics to a new teenage audience including Booker Prize winning The Life of Pi – giving them cool new covers, and adding extra content such as Reading Group notes. It's a bit like Harry Potter in reverse...

Straight to the top – our dazzling Debuts of the Month

Bad Things Happen Harry Dolan A hypnotic, atmospheric and richly written noir mystery about a Michigan town where bad things happen, and people die... £5.24 Save 25%	The Legacy Katherine Webb A deeply satisfying epic story which sweeps from turn of the century Oklahoma to modern day Wiltshire and follows two very different women from one remarkable family. £5.99 Save 25%
The Twelve Stuart Neville A stunning, terrifying and unbelievably good first novel about Northern Ireland's darkest heart. £5.24 Save 25%	Ties That Bind Catherine Deveney A poignant and thought-provoking book about the secrets and sadness that can haunt even the most loving of families. £5.99 Save 25%
By Midnight: A Ravenwood Mystery Mia James April Dunne has moved to a new school in Highgate where not everything is as it seems and behind the fashionistas and super-geeks something far more sinister is lurking! £6.74 Save 25%	Bad Day in Blackrock Kevin Power A stirring story about the aftermath of one tragic incident outside a Dublin nightclub. £5.99 Save 25%

Love Listening? try Whole Story audio books

We love everything about books – the stories, language and detail. Audiobooks are a great way to enjoy stories but in most cases a whopping 50-70% of the content is cut, leaving the end product different from how the author intended. Like us, Whole Story Audio believes it's better to listen to unabridged stories after all the author wrote all the words for a reason! So we've teamed up with them to bring you complete audiobooks, perfect for car journeys and commutes and much better value for money!

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird with our birthday competition!

It's been a whole half-century since this Pulitzer-prize winner became an instant classic of American literature. Packed with warmth and humour despite the serious subject matter, the book has gone on to teach millions about issues of race and tolerance. If you haven't read it yet we can't encourage you enough! Plus enter our free competition to win a beautifully cloth bound hardback limited edition.

Help is at hand for budding writers – the new Writers' and Artists' Yearbook

If you're a budding writer, this annual publication is an essential companion and overview of the publishing industry. With a wealth of practical information and articles by leading authors, illustrators and media experts, this book will answer your every question, from copyright issues to the latest trends in fiction.

Try out this month's superlative story selection by visiting Lovereading and reading some free Opening Extracts. And have fun finding a few books to whisk you away for the summer!