Harrow libraries' recommended reads

Previous recommended reads

Adult fiction

 

The Last Dance
Mark Billingham

A new series from Mark Billingham – meet Detective Miller…

He's a detective, a dancer, he has no respect for authority ­- and he's the best hope Blackpool has for keeping criminals off the streets. Meet Detective Declan Miller.

A double murder in a seaside hotel sees a grieving Miller return to work to solve what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Just why were two completely unconnected men taken out?

Despite a somewhat dubious relationship with both reality and his new partner, can the eccentric, offbeat Miller find answers where his colleagues have found only an impossible puzzle?

 

Small Worlds
Caleb Azumah Nelson

The one thing that can solve Stephen's problems is dancing.

Dancing at church, with his parents and brother, the shimmer of Black hands raised in praise; he might have lost his faith, but he does believe in rhythm.

Dancing with his friends, somewhere in a basement with the drums about to drop, while the DJ spins garage cuts.

Dancing with his band, making music which speaks not just to the hardships of their lives, but the joys too.

Dancing with his best friend Adeline, two-stepping around the living room, crooning and grooving, so close their heads might touch.

Dancing alone, at home, to his father's records, uncovering parts of a man he has never truly known.

Stephen has only ever known himself in song. But what becomes of him when the music fades?

'Small Worlds' is an exhilarating and expansive novel about the worlds we build for ourselves, the worlds we live, dance and love within.


Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt             
Lucinda Riley | Harry Whittaker

1928, Paris. A boy is found, moments from death, and taken in by a kindly family. Gentle, precocious, talented, he flourishes in his new home, and the family show him a life he hadn’t dreamed possible. But he refuses to speak a word about who he really is.

As he grows into a young man, falling in love and taking classes at the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris, he can almost forget the terrors of his past, or the promise he has vowed to keep. But across Europe an evil is rising, and no-one’s safety is certain. In his heart, he knows the time will come when he must flee once more.

2008, the Aegean. The seven sisters are gathered together for the first time, on board the Titan, to say a final goodbye to the enigmatic father they loved so dearly.

To the surprise of everyone, it is the missing sister who Pa Salt has chosen to entrust with the clue to their pasts. But for every truth revealed, another question emerges. The sisters must confront the idea that their adored father was someone they barely knew. And even more shockingly: that these long-buried secrets may still have consequences for them today.


Killing Moon
Jo Nesbo

Two young women are missing, their only connection being that they attended the same party, hosted by a notorious businessman. When one of the women is found murdered, the police discover an unusual signature left by the killer, giving them reason to suspect he will strike again.

They're facing a killer unlike any other - and catching him calls for a detective like no other. But the legendary Harry Hole is gone. Struck off the force, down and out in LA, it seems nothing can entice him back to Oslo.

Until the woman who saved Harry's life is put in grave danger, and he is forced to join the hunt for the murderer.

To catch him will push Harry to the limit. He'll need to bring together a misfit team of former operatives to do what he can't do alone: stop an unstoppable killer. But as the evidence mounts, it becomes clear that there is more to this case than meets the eye.

For Harry, this just got personal.
 

Empire
Conn Iggulden

Pericles is more than a hero. He's the leader of Athens. The empire's beacon of light.

But even during times of peace, the threat of Sparta - Athens's legendary rival - looms large on the horizon. When a sudden catastrophe brings Sparta to its knees, Pericles sees a golden opportunity to forever shift the balance of power in his city's favour.

For sometimes, the only way to win lasting peace is to wage war.

Sparta may be weak, but their power is far from extinguished. Soon a ruthless young boy steps forward to lead the Spartans back to greatness.

As the drums of battle draw closer, can Pericles rise once more?

Or will the world's greatest empire fall under his watch?
 

Happy Place
Emily Henry

Two exes. One pact.
Could this holiday change everything?

Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple - they go together like bread and butter, gin and tonic, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.

Every year, they take a holiday from their lives to drink far too much wine with their favourite people in the world.

Except this year, they are lying through their teeth, because Harriet and Wyn broke up six months ago. And they still haven't told anyone.

But the cottage is for sale so this is the last time they'll all be here together. They can't bear to break their best friends' hearts so they'll fake it for one more week.

But how can you pretend to be in love - and get away with it - in front of the people who know you best?

 

Fourth Wing
Rebecca Yarros

Welcome to the brutal and elite world of Basgiath War College, where everyone has an agenda, and every night could be your last . . .

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general - also known as her tough-as-talons mother - has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you're smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away . . . because dragons don't bond to 'fragile' humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother's daughter - like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She'll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Alliances will be forged. Lives will be lost. Traitors will become allies . . . or even lovers. But sleep with one eye open because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

 

The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece: A Novel
Tom Hanks

A wildly ambitious story of the making of a colossal, star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero action film, and the humble comic book that inspired it all.

Spanning 80 years of a changing America and culminating in the opening of the film, we meet a colourful cast of characters including a troubled soldier returning from war, a young boy with an artistic gift, an inspired and eccentric director, a pompous film star on the rise, a tireless production assistant and countless film crew members that together create Hollywood magic.

Funny, touching, and wonderfully thought-provoking, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece offers an insider's take on the momentous efforts it takes to make a film. At once a reflection on America's past and present, on the world of show business and the real world we all live in.

 

Shanghai Immortal
A.Y. Chao

Half vampire. Half fox-spirit. All trouble.

Pawned by her mother to the King of Hell as a child, Lady Jing is half-vampire, half-hulijing fox-spirit and all sasshole. As the King's ward, she has spent the past ninety years running errands, dodging the taunts of the spiteful hulijing courtiers, and trying to control her explosive temper - with varying levels of success.

So when Jing overhears the courtiers plotting to steal a priceless dragon pearl from the King, she seizes her chance to expose them, once and for all.

With the help of a gentle mortal tasked with setting up the Central Bank of Hell, Jing embarks on a wild chase for intel, first through Hell and then mortal Shanghai. But when her hijinks put the mortal in danger, she must decide which is more important: avenging her loss of face, or letting go of her half-empty approach to life for a chance to experience tenderness - and maybe even love.

 

Yellowface
R.F. Kuang

Athena Liu is a literary darling and June Hayward is literally nobody.

White lies
When Athena dies in a freak accident, June steals her unpublished manuscript and publishes it as her own under the ambiguous name Juniper Song.

Dark humour
But as evidence threatens June’s stolen success, she will discover exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

Deadly consequences…
What happens next is entirely everyone else’s fault.

Atalanta
Jennifer Saint

The heroic story of the only female Argonaut, told by Jennifer Saint.

When a daughter is born to the King of Arcadia, she brings only disappointment. Left exposed on a mountainside, the defenceless infant Atalanta is left to the mercy of a passing mother bear and raised alongside the cubs under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis.

Swearing that she will prove her worth alongside the famed heroes of Greece, Atalanta leaves her forest to join Jason's band of Argonauts. But can she carve out her own place in the legends in a world made for men?

 

Simply Lies
David Baldacci

Former Jersey City detective and single mother of two, Mickey Gibson, now works for global investigation company, ProEye, to track down assets of the wealthy who have tried to avoid their creditors. One day she gets a call from a colleague, Arlene Robinson, asking her to visit the home of a notorious arms dealer who has cheated some of ProEye's clients in the past.

Mickey arrives at the mansion to discover the body of a man hidden in a secret room. It turns out that nothing is at it seems. The arms dealer did not exist, and nobody at ProEye knew of Arlene Robinson. Mickey had been tricked and now the cops were involved.

The body was that of Thomas Lancaster who'd been in Witness Protection having had links with the mob. Now begins a cat-and-mouse showdown between hardened ex-cop, Mickey, and a woman with sociopathic tendencies who has no name and a mysterious past. 
Nemesis                    
Wilbur Smith

Paris, 1794. Revolutionary fervour has erupted into the Reign of Terror. A young man, Paul Courtney, hides in a crowd watching as the condemned are brought to the guillotine. Among them is Constance Courtney, Paul's mother. As he watches her brutal execution, he knows he must avoid the same fate and fulfil his promise to her - to survive, no matter what. He joins Napoleon's army and is taken to Egypt, but with the world at war and traitors in every corner, just how far will Paul go to ensure his own survival?

Cape Town, 1806. Adam Courtney has spent his life in service to the navy and in the shadow of his father, the illustrious Admiral Robert Courtney. But when he returns home to Nativity Bay to find the homestead destroyed and the Courtney family murdered, Adam must accept his destiny and seek vengeance. Robert gives Adam the prized family heirloom, the Neptune sword, and makes his son swear on its blade that he will not rest until he has delivered justice. From Cape Town to Calcutta, on a quest for his family's honour, Adam discovers that the enemy he seeks may be closer to him than he realises . . .


Homecoming
Kate Morton

Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959. At the end of a scorching hot day, beside a creek in the grounds of a grand and mysterious mansion, a local delivery man makes a terrible discovery. A police investigation is called and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia.

Sixty years later, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for almost twenty years, she now finds herself laid off from her full-time job and struggling to make ends meet. A phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney, where her beloved grandmother, Nora, who raised Jess when her mother could not, has suffered a fall and been raced to the hospital.

At a loose end in Nora's house, Jess does some digging into her past. In Nora's bedroom, she discovers a true crime book, chronicling the police investigation into a long-buried tragedy: the Turner Family Tragedy of Christmas Eve, 1959. It is only when Jess skims through the book that she finds a shocking connection between her own family and this once-infamous crime – a crime that has never been truly solved. And for a journalist without a story, a cold case might be the best distraction she can find . . .

 

In A Thousand Different Ways
Cecilia Ahern

Finding your way is never a simple journey…

Alice sees the worst in people.

She also sees the best.
She sees a thousand different emotions and knows exactly what everyone around her is feeling.
Every. Single. Day.

But it’s the dark thoughts.
The sadness. The rage.
These are the things she can’t get out of her head. The things that overwhelm her.

Where will the journey to find herself begin?

Everyone loves In a Thousand Different Ways

Go As A River
Shelley Read

Nestled in the foothills of the Elk Mountains and surrounded by sprawling forests, wandering bears and porcupine, the Gunnison River rushes by the tiny town of Iola. For seventeen-year-old Victoria Nash, the day promises to be as ordinary as the porridge and fried eggs she serves the men for breakfast.

But just as a single rainstorm can erode the banks and change the course of a river, so can a chance encounter in a young woman's life upturn her world and erase everything she was before. The mysterious drifter who crosses Victoria's path that afternoon will put into motion an unstoppable chain of events.

Soon, she will be forced to run for the forest, leaving her life - and her most precious possession - behind.
 

Shy
Max Porter

Things keep slipping up for Shy. All he wants is sex, spliffs and his own turntables, and for all the red noise in his mind to disappear. But again and again he spirals past his senses and ends up with his head in his hands and carnage around him.

You mustn't do that to yourself Shy. You mustn't hurt yourself like that. He's been kicked out of two schools, been cautioned, arrested, stabbed his stepdad in the finger and bottled a former Tumble Tots playmate, but it's the taunts and teasing of his new schoolmates that haunt Shy.

At Last Chance - a home for 'very disturbed young men' - he is surrounded by people who want to help him, but his night terrors aren't getting any better. The night is huge and it hurts. So tonight he's stepping into it, with the haunted beginnings of a plan.

 

 

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Adult non-fiction

 

The Extra Mile
Kevin Sinfield | Paul Hayward

The Extra Mile is no ordinary sports memoir. But Kevin Sinfield is no ordinary sportsman. A one-club legend of Leeds Rhinos, who has now crossed codes as a defence coach for the England national rugby union team, Kevin Sinfield is a rugby icon. But in recent years has shown heroism of a very different kind through his selfless and extraordinary fundraising for motor neurone disease (MND), the terminal illness that has affected his best mate and former teammate Rob Burrow.

Sinfield's epic challenges have included running 7 ultra marathons in 7 days, and running over 101 miles in 24 hours. In the process, Sinfield has captured the hearts of the nation and over £7 million for MND. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday honours for his efforts, along with the Freedom of Leeds and a special BBC Award for his fundraising.

Told with Sinfield's characteristic warmth, dry wit and inspirational leadership, The Extra Mile is the story of an astonishing life, of an enduring friendship, of perseverance against the most difficult of challenges, and of a remarkable, humble human being who has defied the odds. The book equips readers with the tools and the mindset to embrace togetherness and to overcome their own challenges. It leaves the reader with the urgent question: Who would you go the extra mile for to help in life?

 

Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Air Fryer Book
Nathan Anthony

Whether you're an air fryer fanatic or new to these time- and money-saving appliances, hugely popular healthy-eating platform, Bored of Lunch, will revolutionise your cooking packed with recipes that are quick, healthy and completely delicious.

Air fryers are becoming the go-to kitchen gadget for making super tasty fuss-free food.

As a lower energy alternative to a conventional oven, air fryers are a cost efficient way to make all your favourite dishes and save on your household bill. And, as a low-oil cooking method, they're ideal if you're keeping an eye on your calories, too.

With a photo for every recipe, this book features fan-favourites such as Honey Chilli Beef and Cream Egg Croissant Balls as well as brand new recipes such as Sweet Potato Katsu Curry, Fish Tacos and Buffalo Chicken and Cheese Taquitos. Chapters include Starters and Snacks, Speedy Lunches, Fakeaways, Weekday Dinners and Sweet Treats; making this food for every day and every occasion.

 

Eject! Eject!: Escape from the Aircraft is Just the Beginning
John Nichol

When Jo Lancaster, the first British pilot to eject in an emergency, triggered his ejection seat in 1949, it took thirty seconds before he was safely away from the aircraft and under his parachute. Since those first post-Second World War ejections, many tens of thousands of lives have been saved by increasingly sophisticated escape systems. When John Nichol’s Tornado was blasted out of the sky during the 1991 Gulf War, a mere 2.5 seconds elapsed between pulling the ejection handle and his parachute opening. Today, the newest seats can automatically initiate ejection if the system decides the pilot faces mortal danger and cannot react quickly enough.

Now, Nichol tells the incredible story of the ejection seat in war and in peace – of the pioneers who risked everything during the early days of development in the 1940s and 50s, of the designers who went head to head with the authorities in order to realise their vision, and of the extraordinary men and women who were given a second chance at life after facing disaster.

We see how the technology was adapted when the prospect of crashing in North Vietnam was sometimes preferable to ejecting and risking capture; what happens to the body when it is catapulted from an aircraft under great force; how an ejectee can be rescued from enemy territory.

 

Unbreakable
Ronnie O’Sullivan

A teenage snooker prodigy, Ronnie turned professional with the highest of expectations. This pressure, together with a challenging personal life, catapulted Ronnie into a life of excess and addiction. He was winning titles - his first within a year of turning professional - but losing himself and his game as he tried to block out the mental pain and misery. Whilst Ronnie appeared at the height of the game to spectators, these were the moments when he felt at his lowest.

In the year 2000 Ronnie started rehab and began the journey to get his life back, addressing his demons and working on developing a stronger and more resilient mindset. More than twenty years on, Ronnie is still obsessed with delivering his peak performance and never happier than when in a snooker hall, but success has now taken on a new meaning for the record-equalling world champion.

Framed around the many lessons Ronnie has learned from his extraordinary career, Unbreakable takes us beyond the success and record-breaking achievements to share the reality - and brutality - of making it to the very top, whatever your field. Ronnie is the first to say he doesn't have all the answers, but in sharing the experiences that have shaped him and mistakes that have made him, he hopes to help readers navigate their own personal challenges and obstacles, and in turn reach their maximum potential.


Ultra-Processed People
Chris Van Tulleken

An eye-opening investigation into the science, economics, history and production of ultra-processed food.

It's not you, it's the food.

We have entered a new 'age of eating' where most of our calories come from an entirely novel set of substances called Ultra-Processed Food, food which is industrially processed and designed and marketed to be addictive. But do we really know what it's doing to our bodies?

Join Chris in his travels through the world of food science and a UPF diet to discover what's really going on. Find out why exercise and willpower can't save us, and what UPF is really doing to our bodies, our health, our weight, and the planet (hint: nothing good).

For too long we've been told we just need to make different choices, when really we're living in a food environment that makes it nigh-on impossible. So this is a book about our rights. The right to know what we eat and what it does to our bodies and the right to good, affordable food.

 

The Future of Geography
Tim Marshall

This isn’t science fiction. It’s astropolitics.

We’re entering a new space race – and it could revolutionise life on Earth.

Space: the new frontier, a wild and lawless place. It is already central to communication, economics, military strategy and international relations on Earth. Now, it is the latest arena for human exploration, exploitation – and, possibly, conquest. We’re heading up and out, and we’re taking our power struggles with us. China, the USA and Russia are leading the way.

From physical territory and resources to satellites, weaponry and strategic choke points, geopolitics is as important in the skies above us as it is down below. If you’ve ever wondered if humans are going back to the Moon, who will benefit from exploration or what space wars might look like, the answers are here.

With all the insight and wit that have made Tim Marshall the UK’s most popular writer on geopolitics, this gripping book shows how we got here and where we’re going, covering great-power rivalry; technology; commerce; combat in space; and what it means for all of us down here on Earth. This is essential reading on power, politics and the future of humanity.

 

SAS Great Escapes Two
Damien Lewis

SAS Great Escapes Two recounts the hitherto untold stories of six of the most dramatic and daring escapes executed by the world's most famous fighting force during WWII. From the very earliest SAS missions to the push into Nazi-occupied Europe, they cover some of the key figures in the Regiment, including its founder, David Stirling, plus other lesser-known heroes.

With each story comes an edge-of-the-seat, rollercoaster ride in classic Damien Lewis fashion, as readers are plunged into the escapees' experiences - sharing their most terrifying yet inspiring moments. These stunning accounts of survival beggar belief, revealing nerve-racking bluff and deception, knife-edge encounters with enemy hunter forces hellbent on wreaking vengeance and murder, but also incredible acts of mercy and kindness from those who risk all to help the escapees on their way.

Each tale of breath-taking derring-do reveals how necessity really is the mother of all invention, as with every step and at every juncture these fugitives defied fate, snatching survival and freedom from the jaws of the enemy, and all the horrors that would have followed capture.

Damien Lewis has worked closely with the families of those portrayed, accessing wartime diaries, letters, mission reports, interrogation transcripts and more, to relate how the men of the SAS crossed blazing deserts, evaded enemy hunter forces and escaped through hostile lands, battling against seemingly insurmountable odds. But most of all, these uplifting tales of endurance beyond measure showcase the triumph of the human spirit and the will to survive.

 

Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad: A Family Memoir of Miraculous Survival
Daniel Finkelstein

Daniel’s mother Mirjam Wiener was the youngest of three daughters born in Germany to Alfred and Margarete Wiener. Alfred, a decorated hero from the Great War, is now widely acknowledged to have been the first person to recognise the existential danger Hitler posed to the Jews and began, in 1933, to catalogue in detail Nazi crimes. After moving his family to Amsterdam, he relocated his library to London and was preparing to bring over his wife and children when Germany invaded the Netherlands. Before long, the family was rounded up, robbed and sent to starve in Bergen-Belsen.

Daniel’s father Ludwik was born in Lwów, the only child of a prosperous Jewish family. In 1939, after Hitler and Stalin carved up Poland, Ludwik’s father was arrested and sentenced to hard labour in the Gulag. Meanwhile, deported to Siberia and working as a slave labourer on a collective farm, Ludwik survived the freezing winters in a tiny house he built from cow dung.

Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad is a deeply moving, personal and at times horrifying memoir about Finkelstein’s parents’ experiences at the hands of the two genocidal dictators of the twentieth century. It is a story of persecution; survival; and the consequences of totalitarianism told with the almost unimaginable bravery of two ordinary families shining through.

 

Surviving to Drive
Guenther Steiner

'People talk about football managers being under pressure. Trust me, that's nothing. Pressure is watching one of your drivers hit a barrier at 190mph and exploding before your eyes...'

Guenther Steiner is one of motor racing's biggest and most celebrated characters, known to millions for his show-stealing appearances on Netflix's hugely popular fly on the wall series, Drive to Survive.

In Surviving to Drive, the Haas team principal takes readers inside his Formula 1 team for the entirety of the 2022 season, giving an unobstructed view of what really takes place behind the scenes. Through this unique lens, Guenther takes us on the thrilling rollercoaster of life at the heart of high stakes motor racing.

Packed full of twists and turns, from hiring and firing drivers, balancing books, pre-season preparations, the design, launch and testing of a car - and of course, the race calendar itself - this is the first time that an F1 team has allowed an acting team principal to tell the full story of a whole season.

 

Our King: The Man and the Monarch Revealed
Robert Jobson

'To Charles, being monarch has nothing to do with power - he believes his role is to lead. It is up to others whether they choose to follow.'

When Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, it sent shockwaves around the world. The longest reigning and oldest monarch, at ninety-six years of age, she had just publicly celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. The Queen's death meant the passing of the Crown to her son, HRH Charles, Prince of Wales, her controversial, earnest, and outspoken heir, who had long lived in the shadow of her mystique.

King Charles III's own life has been marred by scandal and myth, but who is the real man behind the Crown? In this revelatory book, renowned royal correspondent and author Robert Jobson examines the life of our new King, and his passions, purpose, and motivations. On the eve of his landmark coronation, Our King considers the life of the man and the monarch, reflecting on how his values and beliefs will shape him as he takes on this monumental role.

 

The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook
Clare Andrews

With energy bills spiralling and the cost of living creeping ever up, more and more people are seeking out lower-energy alternatives for preparing their food. Air fryers have been proven to be quicker, healthier and up to 80% cheaper to run than a traditional oven and can be used to prepare everything from simple midweek meals to whole joints of meat, hearty breakfasts, and even desserts and cakes.

This is the ultimate guide to cooking easy and delicious meals using the most valuable kitchen item. From simple midweek meals to whole joints of meat, hearty breakfasts to desserts and cakes, The Ultimate Air-Fryer Cookbook will teach you how to bring the magic of air-frying into every meal.

This book, from air fryer expert Clare Andrews, with metric measurements for UK kitchens will show you how to make the most of your air fryer, from choosing the right model to suit the needs of your household and how to use your air fryer for the best results to practical advice on cleaning and maintenance.

 

How Westminster Works… and Why It Doesn’t
Ian Dunt

British politics is broken.

Anyone sitting down to watch the news will get the sense that something has gone terribly wrong. We have prime ministers who detonate the economy, secretaries of state who are intellectually incapable of doing the job and MPs who seem temperamentally unsuited to the role. Expertise is denigrated. Lies are rewarded. And deep-seated, long-lasting national problems go permanently unresolved. Most of us have a sense that the system doesn't work, but we struggle to articulate exactly why. Our political and financial system is cloaked in secrecy, archaic terminology, ancient custom and impenetrable technical jargon.

Lifting the lid on British politics, How Westminster Works . . . and Why It Doesn't exposes every aspect of the system in a way that can be understood and challenged, from the heights of Downing Street to the depths of the nation's newsrooms, from the hallways of the civil service to the green benches of the Commons.

Based on interviews with some of the leading voices in politics, from former occupants of No.10 to key figures in Whitehall, Westminster and Fleet Street, Ian Dunt provides exactly what people in power have always tried to avoid: a full description of the mechanisms of British government. And a vision of how we can fix it.

 

The God Desire
David Baddiel

David Baddiel would love there to be a God. He has spent a lot of time fantasising about how much better life would be if there actually was such a thing as a Superhero Dad who chased off Death. Unfortunately for him, there isn’t. Or at least, that is Baddiel’s view in this book, which argues that it is indeed the very intensity of his, and everyone else’s, desire for God to exist that proves His non-existence. Anything so deeply wished-for we will, considers Baddiel, make real.

The admission of his own divine yearnings makes for a book that is more vulnerable – and more understanding of the value and power of religion – than most atheist polemics. A philosophical essay that utilises Baddiel’s trademarks of comedy, storytelling and personal asides, The God Desire offers a highly readable new perspective on the most ancient of debates.

 

Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity
Peter Attia | Bill Gifford

This is the ultimate manual for living better and longer.

For all its successes, mainstream medicine has failed to make much progress against the diseases of ageing that kill most people: heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and type 2 diabetes. Too often, it intervenes with treatments too late, prolonging lifespan at the expense of quality of life. Dr Peter Attia, the world's top longevity expert who is featured on Chris Hemsworth's National Geographic documentary LIMITLESS, believes we must replace this outdated framework with a personalised, proactive strategy for longevity.

This isn't 'biohacking,' it's science: a well-founded strategic approach to extending lifespan while improving our physical, cognitive and emotional health, making each decade better than the one before. With Outlive's practical advice and roadmap, you can plot a different path for your life, one that lets you outlive your genes to make each decade better than the one before.

 

Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait
Gyles Daubeney Brandreth

The No. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller

A personal account of the life and character of Britain's longest-reigning monarch, from the writer who knew her family best.

Gyles Brandreth first met the Queen in 1968, when he was twenty.

Over the next fifty years he met her many times, both at public and at private events. Through his friendship with the Duke of Edinburgh, he was given privileged access to Elizabeth II.

He kept a record of all those encounters, and his conversations with the Queen over the years, his meetings with her family and friends, and his observations of her at close quarters are what make this very personal account of her extraordinary life uniquely fascinating.

From her childhood in the 1920s to the era of Harry and Meghan in the 2020s, from her war years at Windsor Castle to her death at Balmoral, this is both a record of a tumultuous century of royal history and a truly intimate portrait of a remarkable woman.

 

The Light We Carry
Michelle Obama

Her life. Her learnings. Her toolkit to live boldly.

How do we build enduring and honest relationships?
How can we discover strength and community inside our differences?
What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?

Michelle Obama believes that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress.

In The Light We Carry, the former First Lady shares her practical wisdom and powerful strategies for staying hopeful and balanced in today's highly uncertain world. A mother, daughter, spouse and friend, she shares fresh stories, her insightful reflections on change and the earned wisdom that helps her continue to "become." With her trademark humour, candour, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.

The Light We Carry will inspire readers to examine their own lives, identify their sources of gladness, and connect meaningfully in a turbulent world.

 

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Children and young adults

 

Mean Green Time Machine
Sue Hendra
Suitable for ages 0-5

It's night-time in the supermarket, and the veggies are trying DESPERATELY... not to laugh at Supertato's baby photos!

Supertato looks SUPER cute, but just as he's telling Carrot that he hasn't always been super, a certain mean, green character overhears him. If ONLY Evil Pea could have got rid of Supertato BEFORE he had his superpowers! But that would mean he'd need a time machine...wouldn't it?

Time travel THRILLS in the latest Supertato story.


Winnie-the-Pooh Meets The King
Jane Riordan
Suitable for ages 0-5

‘Kings and crowns and whatnot? It sounds like something out of a dream or a fairy tale,’ said Eeyore.

When Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends go on an expedition to a Royal London Park they don’t expect to find themselves in the middle of a royal adventure.

This charming story takes place at a very special Royal Coronation. When Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet lose Eeyore in the crowd, they come up with a plan to find their friend. Along the way they meet a Very Important Person and learn about the importance of kindness, helping others and new beginnings.


The Ghoul in the School
Marcus Rashford | Alex Falase-Koya
Suitable for ages 7-9

There’s something strange going on at school . . .

The Breakfast Club Investigators haven't managed to solve a mystery in months and Marcus is worried that the group is going to break up! So when Gbenga, the captain of the school basketball team, comes to ask for their help Marcus knows this might just be the Investigator's last chance to prove themselves.

The basketball team have had a streak of bad luck, and Marcus and his mates are sure there's more going on than meets the eye. As the mystery deepens and they uncover one surprising clue after another, they discover that someone – or something – has cursed the basketball team! Can Marcus and his friends solve the mystery in time?


50 Times Football Changed The World
Gary Lineker | Ivor Baddiel
Suitable for ages 7-9

From football legend, Gary Lineker, comes a collection of truly uplifting, empowering and extraordinary football stories that have inspired him throughout his career.

Have you heard about the most controversial goal in world cup history?

Or about the women's team who showed the world that football truly is for everyone?

And I bet you didn't know about the team that won a match without scoring a single goal?

Written with author and TV writer Ivor Baddiel, in this fun and fact-packed book, Gary Lineker shares 50 of his favourite football moments that highlight the many awe-inspiring, heart-warming and eye-opening moments that have changed the game - and sometimes the world - forever.

From pioneering players, trailblazing managers, and incredible tales both on and off the pitch, this book contains everything you ever wanted to know about the beautiful game. And with Gamechanger Awards presented by Gary to incredible teams and players throughout, this is the ultimate gift for young footie fans everywhere.

 

The Night We Got Stuck in a Story
Ben Miller
Suitable for ages 7-9

Lana and Harrison are staying with their grandparents, when they discover their favourite tree to play in is under threat. That night, a magical golden thread leads them up through the hollow of the tree into a storybook land, where wind and rain rage and a fearsome beast terrifies all who live there.
 
When Harrison is kidnapped by the evil Queen, Lana must do whatever it takes to find him, save the villagers and restore the balance of the storybook world, before the night is out.


You Grow Girl!: The Complete No Worries Guide to Growing UP
Zoe Williams
Suitable for ages 9-11

Growing up is exciting, but it can also be a strange and confusing time. This book will help you can ride your rollercoaster more smoothly!

We'll cover the usual things such as periods and body changes, but also equip you with the knowledge you need to flourish and thrive in today's world, from self-care and recognising healthy relationships to talking about your mental health with confidence.

Packed with easy-to-understand information, myth-busting advice and fun illustrations, this is the ultimate growing-up guide for girls aged 9+ who want to feel empowered, informed and positive about becoming the very best version of themselves.

 

Skandar and the Phantom Rider
A.F. Steadman
Suitable for ages 9-11

The Island shall have its revenge . . .

Skandar Smith has achieved his dream to train as a unicorn rider.

But as Skandar and his friends enter their second year at the Eyrie, a new threat arises. Immortal wild unicorns are somehow being killed, a prophecy warns of terrible danger, and elemental destruction begins to ravage the Island. 

Meanwhile, Skandar’s sister, Kenna, longs to join him – and Skandar is determined to help her, no matter what. As the storm gathers, can Skandar discover how to stop the Island tearing itself apart – before it’s too late for them all? 

 

Ellie Pillai is Brown
Christine Pillainayagam
Suitable for ages 11-14

My name is Ellie. Ellie Pillai . . . And I suppose I am a little bit weird, but then, aren't we all, just a little bit?

Most days, Ellie Pillai is somewhere between invisible, and not very cool - and usually she's okay with that. But suddenly, Ellie feels different. Maybe it's the new boy at school who makes her brain explode into rainbows every time she sees him (and also happens to be going out with her best friend), or maybe it's her new drama teacher, the one who seems to have noticed she exists. Suddenly, her misfit style, her skin colour, her songwriting and all that getting lost in the music in her head seem to be okay too. Because maybe standing out isn't a bad thing after all.

Crab in a Lab
Russell Punter
Suitable for ages 0-5

Sam the crab loves trying out experiments in her lab, but they don't always go to plan. Can she use her science skills to save her friends from some greedy gannets? A QR code on the back cover provides a link to an audio recording of the story.


The Girl Who Loves Bugs
Lily Murray
Suitable for ages 0-5

Evie loves bugs. And she's fed up of having to keep up with her mums and brother on walks when she'd rather be peering under logs and examining snails. So, one day, she decides to bring the bugs inside, so she can be with them all the time. The problem is, the family is coming to stay, even fearsome Great Gran, who doesn't stand for any nonsense. And on the day of their arrival, Evie wakes up to find her bugs have escaped . . . all over the house! What is Great Gran going to say?

A beautiful, bug-filled story about following your dreams, and the unconditional love of family. With ideas and tips at the back for looking after some of your own bugs (outside!).


Robodog
David Walliams
Suitable for ages 7-9

Welcome to the city of Bedlam. Enter if you dare!

Bedlam is one of the most dangerous places on Earth – home to a host of wicked villains. Nothing and nobody is safe from these evil criminals. The city needs its own superhero to defeat the supervillains. But who?

Robodog!

He’s the newest recruit at the Police Dog School, and supercharged for adventure. But can he stop the most feared duo in Bedlam, and their evil plans to ruin the city . . .?

 

Billy and the Giant Adventure
Jamie Oliver
Suitable for ages 7-9

One pinch of adventure, a dash of friendship, a sprinkle of mystery and a HUGE spoonful of magic . . . Jamie Oliver, bestselling author and internationally renowned chef, delivers the perfect recipe for a page-turning children's fiction debut!

Billy and his friends know that Waterfall Woods is out of bounds; strange things are rumoured to have happened there and no one in their village has ventured past its walls for decades...

But when they discover a secret way in, Billy and his best friends, Anna, Jimmy and Andy, can't resist the temptation to explore! Only to quickly discover that the woods are brimming with magic and inhabited by all sorts of unusual creatures, including a whole community of sprites who need the childrens' help!

With magical battles, a long-lost mythical city, fantastical flying machines, epic feasts and one GIANT rescue, get ready for an adventure you'll never forget!


You Have the Power
Leah Williamson
Suitable for ages 9-11

Join Leah Williamson, captain of the England women’s football team, as she shows you that you can be a leader at any age, and that huge things can happen when you believe in yourself!

In the summer of 2022 Leah led the Lionesses to victory in the European Championships – now she wants to show you that you can achieve anything you put your mind to, both on and off the pitch, no matter what other people say. This positive guide for life will inspire you to lead like a pro, and motivate you to do what you love.

Written with journalist Suzanne Wrack, You Have the Power is filled with stories from Leah’s own life and tons of brilliant advice, to show young girls how to find their strength and empower them to follow their dreams.

 

I Send You A Hug
Anne Booth
Suitable for ages 0-5

A lyrical, heart-warming message of love from someone far away

When Big Bear and Little Bear have to say goodbye, Big Bear tells Little Bear about all the ways she'll send a hug from afar:

I can change my hug into bird song early in the morning,
or into the sea so I can wave at you when you are on the beach.

Join Little Bear on his adventure to discover all the many different ways to feel a hug from a loved one, even when apart.

A soothing and uplifting story for every child who is missing someone.


What Do You See When You Look At A Tree
Emma Carlisle
Suitable for ages 0-5

What do you see when you look at a tree? Leaves and twigs and branches?
Or do you see a real, living thing, That moves, and breathes and dances?

Immerse yourself in this gentle picture book that encourages us to explore our connection with nature.

In association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this wonderful picture book explores themes of empathy, mindfulness and personal growth through the eyes of a child. Beautifully written and illustrated by the award-winning artist Emma Carlisle, What Do You See When You Look At a Tree? urges readers to reconnect with nature by asking questions that encourage critical thinking and reflection on their own development, as well as helping to establish a deeper appreciation for the environment and their place within it.

 

The Bedtime Book of Impossible Questions
Isabel Thomas
Suitable for ages 7-9

Why are bubbles always round? Could I ever touch a rainbow? Why can't I remember being a baby?
Have you ever not been able to concentrate because there are SO many questions buzzing round your brain? The Bedtime Book of Impossible Questions will offer answers to the most bamboozling questions and curious queries that you can think of.

How many stars are in the night sky? Why don't animals wear clothes? Do plants have feelings? This book will define, debunk and demystify the trickiest of questions and even open your eyes to questions you have never even thought of!

With engaging and accessible text and accompanied by exciting, inviting illustrations, The Bedtime Book of Impossible Questions is the perfect bedside companion to delve into when you are wondering if there really is an answer to everything.


The Cosmic Diary of our Incredible Universe
Tim Peake
Suitable for ages 9-11

Are you bursting to know the answers to REALLY BIG questions?
Like, how are stars made?
What will we find in a black hole?
Which fruit can create antimatter?
What even IS antimatter?

Well, put on your seatbelts and blast into space with your guide, astronaut Tim Peake, and a host of space experts in this fascinating adventure through space, time and the diary of our truly incredible universe.

 

You’ve Reached Sam
Dustin Thao
Suitable for ages 11-14

Filled with a diverse cast of characters, the heartache of first love and loss, plus a touch of magic, Dustin Thao's You've Reached Sam will make an instant connection with anyone looking for a big emotional romance of a read.

Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out: move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s phone just to listen to his voicemail. And Sam picks up the phone . . .

What would you do if you had a second chance at goodbye?

The Ones We Burn
Rebecca Mix
Suitable for ages 14+

I am the monster. I am the shield. I am the knife in the dark.


Ranka is tired of death. All she wants now is to be left alone, living out her days in Witchik's wild north with the coven that raised her, attempting to forget the horrors of her past. But when she is named Bloodwinn, the next treaty bride to the human kingdom of Isodal, her coven sends her south with a single directive: kill him. Easy enough, for a blood-witch whose magic compels her to kill.

Except the prince is gentle, kind, and terrified of her. He doesn't want to marry Ranka; he doesn't want to be king at all. And it's his sister - the wickedly smart, infuriatingly beautiful Princess Aramis - who seems to be real threat.

But when witches start turning up dead, murdered by a mysterious, magical plague, Aramis makes Ranka an offer: help her develop a cure, and in return, she'll teach Ranka to contain her deadly magic. But as the coup draws nearer and the plague spreads, Ranka is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her power, her past, and who she's meant to fight for. Soon, she will have choose between the coven that raised her - and the princess who sees beyond the monster they shaped her to be. But as the bodies pile up, a monster may be exactly what they need.

Little Monsters
David Walliams
Suitable for ages 0-5

Howler is a small werewolf with a big problem. He is just not scary! And that makes him the odd one out at Monster School.

But when Howler finds some new friends, he discovers that being the odd one out might just make him the coolest one of all.


Max Magic
Stephen Mulhern
Suitable for ages 7-9

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Max Mullers loves doing magic tricks - his gran has taught him everything he knows! But his tricks aren't enough to keep Bottley the Bully off his back.

Then a run-in with Bottley at his parents' market stall gets Max into even bigger trouble - now the notorious East End gangsters the Crayfish Twins are after him! If Max is going to get out of this one, he'll need A MIRACLE. Fortunately for Max, with magic . . . anything is possible!

An unforgettable adventure celebrating friendship, family and . . . MAGIC!


Spaceboy
David Walliams
Suitable for ages 7-9

America. The 1960s

Ruth loves climbing trees, making a mess and throwing stones. But the thing she loves most is SPACE.

The girl is OBSESSED. She spends her days reading comics about alien invasions, doodling UFOs, watching B-movies about Earth being invaded by creatures from Mars… and gazing at the stars through her old, battered telescope.

Until one night, Ruth creeps out of bed in the attic room of her rickety old farmhouse to watch the stars – and is just dozing off when she spots something blazing across the sky. Something that looks like a flying saucer! Is she dreaming? No! And the flying saucer is on fire…

But when the UFO crash-lands in the cornfield, and Ruth rushes to help, she finds a mystery – and an adventure – beyond her wildest dreams…

 

Happy To Help (Eventually)
Liz Pichon
Suitable for ages 9-11

It's TIDY UP Saturday, but Tom is VERY busy relaxing and not helping out much.

Until he spots the art box of his dreams in a shop window and everything changes. He's suddenly focused on earning extra pocket money and helping with EVERYTHING.

But nothing quite goes to plan. Washing and shrinking Delia's clothes isn't a good start. And the hours spent carefully cleaning cars with Derek are ruined overnight when a storm hits Oakfield Town, causing even MORE chaos.

At this rate it's going to take a MILLION years for Tom to get the art box of his dreams - or will it?


Cruel Illusions
Margie Fuston
Suitable for ages 14+

Ever since a vampire murdered her mother, Ava has been determined to get revenge. This all-encompassing drive has given her the fuel she needed to survive foster home after foster home.

But it's been ten years since anyone's seen a vampire, and Ava has lost hope that she'll ever find one . . . until she stumbles across a hidden magic show where she witnesses impossible illusions. The magicians may not be the bloodsuckers she's hunting, but Ava is convinced something supernatural is at play, so she sneaks backstage and catches them in acts they can't explain.

But they've been waiting for her.

The magicians reveal they're part of an ancient secret society with true magic, and Ava has the same power in her blood that they do. If she joins them, they promise to teach her the skills she needs to hunt vampires and avenge her mother. But there's a catch: if she wants to keep the power they offer, she needs to prove she's worthy of it. And to do so, she must put on the performance of her life in a sinister and dangerous competition where illusion and reality blur, and the stakes are deadly.

 

Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories
Jeff Kinney
Suitable for ages 9-11

Scare yourself silly with Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories by Jeff Kinney, the #1 international bestselling author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

Grab a flashlight, crawl under the covers, and dive into the twisted, unexpectedly hilarious world of Rowley Jefferson's imagination. You'll meet zombies, vampires, ghosts, and much more in these comically terrifying tales.

Rowley's spooky stories might leave you laughing, but beware-you could end up sleeping with the lights on!

 

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