November always starts with a bang! And here at Lovereading, the fireworks continue as we look forward to Christmas. After all … Christmas is a story! For many though, the "Story of Christmas" is last minute panics, packed high-streets, blown budgets, family feuding and soggy sprouts. We're here to help your Christmas run as smoothly as Santa's sack-strings with pre-selected gift ideas, whopping discounts and FREE postage to boot! Feeling festive yet?

November Books of the Month

… but it's not Christmas yet! There's still time for some good ol' fashioned escapism. There is something for every taste but why not be brave and try something different. It's easy, just check out our Books of the Month and put your feet up for a bit:

Funny Girl by Nick Hornby – MEGA Book of the Month - A cracklingly comic, character led crash-landing into an era of youthful exuberance and political incorrectness. There's not been a Hornby novel for a while and this one absolutely hits the spot. And Emma by Alexander McCall Smith – Jane Austen given a bright breath of new life as part of the bicentenary celebrations by a wry, witty and world-renowned word-master and well worth a look.

The Woman Who Stole My Life by Marian Keyes - New beginnings, courage to face life's obstacles and humour in a thought-provoking tale of an extraordinary life. Take a peek at some truly awesome reviews by members of our reader review panel. Along with Closer Than You Think by Karen Rose - Our readers called it: 'enthralling', 'gripping', 'full of intrigue & horror'. And The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty - Astute, amusing, mysterious family history that's both alien and very close to home.

And later in the month…

Daisy Waugh's Honeyville will be published on 20 November and will be one of our Books of the Month. 'Imaginative, fascinating and cleverly plotted' 'Engrossing' and 'an absolute must-read' were just some of the comments from our Reader Review Panel. We have an exclusive free Opening Extract you can read today… find out more.

First things First - Debuts of the Month

It's wonderful to see so many debut writers published every month, but where do you find the right one for you? Well, here actually. We know you all love trying out debuts too as many of Lovereading's most popular titles are from first timers.

This month, we love one that possibly wins the award for the quirkiest title of the year and definitely for the longest title of the year. If I Knew You Were Going To Be This Beautiful, I Never Would Have Let You Go by Judy Chicurel – Exquisitely written story of a generation facing lost hope and shifting worlds in 1970s America. And Amber Fury by Natalie Hayes - A dark and moody psychological teaser which combines both menace and tension in equal measures.

Going Going … Gong! – Book Awards

There are four big book awards announced recently. Award shortlists are a great place to find your next read or a gift for someone else:

The Goldsmiths Prize – Six works of "boldly original fiction" vying for the top prize. 119 authors were considered for a prize becoming synonymous with inventive and original writing. The winner will be announced on 12 November… The Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards – When it comes to choosing great crime writing, the Specsavers Award's vision is 20/20.

And The Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books – A prize celebrating outstanding popular science writing, in a world where science is (arguably) the new rock n' roll. The winner follows in the footsteps of 2013 star Sean Carroll, whose Particle at the End of the Universe charts the hunt for the Higgs boson. Also Author Helen Macdonald has just won the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction for her book H is for Hawk. The first memoir to win it, is about how becoming a falconer helped her deal with grief.

The Pages of History – World War One Category

One hundred years ago fierce fighting raged across Europe and death-tolls rose. Out of this quagmire, incredible stories emerged. In tribute, we've put them together into one category.

An essential this month is The War Behind the Wire: The Life, Death and Glory of British Prisoners of War 1914-1918 by John Lewis-Stempel – Sad, significant and epic portrayal of a life few can imagine.

Red & Yellow and Blue & Green

Colourful in more than name, Christopher Bowden's 4-part series transports the reader to a world of mystery and intrigue. Each novel is a stand-alone journey, but all contain the same deliciously tempting premise: an unexpected discovery begins an adventure into the unknown. It is classic storytelling. The 4^th title, The Green Door, is out now but also available are: The Red House, The Yellow Room and The Blue Book. The whole lot would look very good all wrapped up under a Christmas tree … just saying.

A Not So Famished Road - The Age of Magic by Ben Okri

Heralded as an author "incapable of writing a boring sentence", Ben Okri has set his latest thought-provoking and immersive magical journey in the twinkling surreality of a Swiss mountain. A truly transformative read that fans of Jim Crace, Gabriel Garcia Marquez or David Malouf will love. Click here to find out more.

Could you be the next star of Romantic Fiction?

Indie women's fiction publisher Choc Lit and Whole Story Audiobooks, the UK's leading audiobook publisher, have teamed up to find a next new star of romantic fiction. The competition is open to debuts and self-published authors with less than 15 reviews on Amazon. The winner of the prize will be offered a publishing contract with Choc Lit and Whole Story Audiobooks. Competition entries must be received by 30 November 2014 with the shortlist announced 14 February 2015.

Scroll down for more hand-picked recommendations in the genres you have told us you want to be kept up to date on. Click here to check or change any.

Happy Reading

P.S. If you live in London don't forget to keep your eyes peeled for the Marian Keyes taxis as you could win a signed deluxe edition of her new book, The Woman Who Stole My Life.