NOOK BOOK OF THE WEEK
A summary of our favourite books, chosen every week...
#nookbookoftheweek
March 16th, 2024
Roman Stories - by Jhumpa Lahiri
Our Nook Book of the Week is the newly released 'Roman Stories' by Pulitzer Prize winner, Jhumpa Lahiri. Lahiri's famous quote - "That's the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet" - rings truer than ever in her new book as she transports the reader to Rome, the protagonist throughout this short story collection.
In “The Boundary,” one family vacations in the Roman countryside, though we see their lives through the eyes of the caretaker’s daughter, who nurses a wound from her family’s immigrant past. In “P’s Parties,” a Roman couple, now empty nesters, finds comfort and community with foreigners at their friend’s yearly birthday gathering—until the husband crosses a line. And in “The Steps,” on a public staircase that connects two neighborhoods and the residents who climb up and down it, we see Italy’s capital in all of its social and cultural variegations, filled with the tensions of a changing visibility and invisibility, random acts of aggression, the challenge of straddling worlds and cultures, and the meaning of home.
These are splendid, searching stories, written in Jhumpa Lahiri’s adopted language of Italian and seamlessly translated by the author and by Knopf editor Todd Portnowitz.
March 6th, 2024
Our Nook Book of the Week is a collection of stories from New York Bestselling author Jill McCorkle.
'Old Crimes' delves into the lives of characters who hold their secrets and misdeeds close, even as the past continues to reverberate over time and across generations. And despite the characters’ yearnings for connection, they can’t seem to tell the whole truth. In “Low Tones,” a woman uses her hearing impairment as a way to guard herself from her husband’s commentary. In “Lineman,” a telephone lineman strains to connect to his family even as he feels pushed aside in a digital world. In “Confessional,” a young couple buys a confessional booth for fun, only to discover the cost of honesty.
Profoundly moving and unforgettable, for fans of Alice Munro, Elizabeth Strout, and Lily King, the stories in Old Crimes reveal why McCorkle has long been considered a master of the form, probing lives full of great intensity, longing and affection, and deep regret.
“One of our wryest, warmest, wisest storytellers” —Rebecca Makkai, author of 'I Have Some Questions for You'
Feb 21st, 2024
Our Nook Book of the Week is the highly anticipated second novel from 'I Am Pilgrim' author, Terry Hayes. 'The Year of the Locust' catches up with CIA operative Kane on his latest gripping, thrilling mission...
If, like Kane, you're a Denied Access Area spy for the CIA, then boundaries have no meaning. Your function is to go in, do whatever is required, and get out again - by whatever means necessary. You know when to run, when to hide - and when to shoot.
But some places don't play by the rules. Some places are too dangerous, even for a man of Kane's experience. The badlands where the borders of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan meet are such a place - a place where violence is the only way to survive.
Kane travels there to exfiltrate a man with vital information for the safety of the West - but instead he meets an adversary who will take the world to the brink of extinction. A frightening, clever, vicious man with blood on his hands and vengeance in his heart...
"Move over Jason Bourne. CIA operative Kane redefines the smart but vulnerable bad ass super spy in this dazzling cat-and-mouse thriller where the entire globe is a chessboard, and everyone’s playing for keeps" - Lisa Gardner
Feb 14th, 2024
An appropriate Nook Book of the Week choice for Valentine's Day! 'Okay, Cupid' is a YA contemporary romance novel by bestselling author, Mason Deaver. The story of a cupid who thinks they know everything about love... until they fall in love themselves...
As a cupid, Jude thinks they understand love a little bit more than the average human. It makes sense - Jude's been studying love their whole teen life. And, yes, there have been some bumps in the road, and they're currently on probation for doing something that they absolutely, definitely shouldn't have done... but they're ready to prove they can make matches without ever getting involved.
Only... Jude's next assignment isn't about setting up two adults. No, this time Jude has to go to high school, with kids their own age. And the assignment is a tough two best friends who are meant to be more than just best friends... but who aren't currently speaking to each other after a huge falling out.
Jude thinks they've got this one all under control, and that they won't get involved whatsoever. Which proves that maybe Jude hasn't learned the first lesson of humans and love ... it’s complicated.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Feb 7th, 2024
It's a grey, rainy day here in the BVI so what better thing to do but to curl up with a cozy read! Our Nook Book of the Week is 'Good Material' by Dolly Alderton.
Alderton has achieved international acclaim for her previous non-fiction books, 'Everything I Know About Love' and 'Dear Dolly' - detailing insight she has gained while being the UK's most beloved agony aunt and columnist.
Now he is. . .
Without a home
Waiting for his stand-up career to take off
Wondering why everyone else around him seems to have grown up while he wasn't looking
Set adrift on the sea of heartbreak, Andy clings to the idea of solving the puzzle of his ruined relationship. Because if he can find the answer to that, then maybe Jen can find her way back to him. But Andy still has a lot to learn, not least his ex-girlfriend's side of the story…
In this sharply funny and exquisitely relatable story of romantic disaster and friendship, Dolly Alderton offers up a love story with two endings, demonstrating once again why she is one of the most exciting writers today, and the true voice of a generation.
Claudia Winkleman says of 'Good Material: "This is the greatest. You'll cry and laugh. I read it though the night. And I never, ever avoid sleep"
Jan 30th, 2024
Our Nook Book of the Week is 'Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity' by Peter Attia, MD. I discovered Dr. Attia while listening to an episode of the 'Diary of a CEO' podcast. I found it fascinating and eye opening so was very excited about getting this book in the shop.
A groundbreaking manifesto on living better and longer that challenges the conventional medical thinking on aging and reveals a new approach to preventing chronic disease and extending long-term health, from a visionary physician and leading longevity expert.
Wouldn’t you like to live longer? And better? In this operating manual for longevity, Dr. Peter Attia draws on the latest science to deliver innovative nutritional interventions, techniques for optimizing exercise and sleep, and tools for addressing emotional and mental health.
For all its successes, mainstream medicine has failed to make much progress against the diseases of aging that kill most people: heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and type 2 diabetes. Too often, it intervenes with treatments too late to help, prolonging lifespan at the expense of healthspan, or quality of life. Dr. Attia believes we must replace this outdated framework with a personalized, proactive strategy for longevity, one where we take action now, rather than waiting.
"Highlighters at the ready. This is jam packed with things you will wish you had known before. I devoured the audiobook and instantly bought a hard copy to keep on my desk" - Dr Julie Smith, bestselling author of 'Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before'
Jan 25th, 2024
Our Nook Book of the Week is from the living legend, Barbra Streisand. Her long awaited memoir, 'My Name is Barbra', contains anecdotes, adventures and glorious photos from her extraordinary life. This is a collectible you will want on your shelf to enjoy for decades to come!
Barbra Streisand, a woman who in a career spanning six decades, has excelled in every area of entertainment. She is among the handful of EGOT winners (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) and has one of the greatest and most recognisable voices in popular music. She has been nominated for a Grammy 46 times, and with Yentl she became the first woman to write, produce, direct, and star in a major motion picture.
In My Name Is Barbra, she tells her own story about her life and extraordinary career, from growing up in Brooklyn to her first star-making appearances in New York nightclubs to her breakout performance in Funny Girl (musical and film) to the long string of successes in every medium in the years that followed. She recounts her early struggles to become an actress, eventually turning to singing to earn a living; the recording of some of her acclaimed albums; the years of effort involved in making Yentl; her direction of The Prince of Tides; her friendships with figures ranging from Marlon Brando to Madeleine Albright; her political advocacy; and the fulfillment she's found in her marriage to James Brolin.
‘Glorious, exuberant, chatty and candid, a 970-page victory lap past all who ever doubted, diminished or dissed her . . . generous dollops of chutzpah … Nobody puts Barbra in the corner’ - New York Times
Jan 17th, 2024
Our Nook Book of the Week is 'Evil Eye', the new release from acclaimed 'New York Times' bestselling author, Etaf Rum.
Raised in a conservative and emotionally volatile Palestinian family in Brooklyn, Yara thought she would finally feel free when she married a charming entrepreneur who took her to the suburbs. She’s gotten to follow her dreams, completing an undergraduate degree in Art and landing a good job at the local college. As a traditional wife, she also raises their two school-aged daughters, takes care of the house, and has dinner ready when her husband gets home. With her family balanced with her professional ambitions, Yara knows that her life is infinitely more rewarding than her own mother’s. So why doesn’t it feel like enough?
After her dream of chaperoning a student trip to Europe evaporates and she responds to a colleague’s racist provocation, Yara is put on probation at work and must attend mandatory counseling to keep her position. Her mother blames a family curse for the trouble she’s facing, and while Yara doesn’t really believe in old superstitions, she still finds herself growing increasingly uneasy with her mother’s warning and the possibility of falling victim to the same mistakes.
Shaken to the core by these indictments of her life, Yara finds her carefully constructed world beginning to implode. To save herself, Yara must reckon with the reality that the difficulties of the childhood she thought she left behind have very real—and damaging—implications not just on her own future but that of her daughters.
“A moving meditation on motherhood, inter-generational trauma and how surface appearances often obscure a deeper truth. . . . A stunning second novel from a writer who set the bar very high with her first!”—Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of 'The Last Romantics' and 'Community Board'.
Jan 10th, 2024
Our Nook Book of the Week is a new release aimed at young readers (10-14 years old) who love mystery and adventure! 'The Jules Verne Prophecy' by Larry Schwarz and Iva-Marie Palmer is a modern-day reimagining of 'The Goonies'!
When a mysterious book by the legendary writer Jules Verne falls into the hands of three unlikely friends, it sets off a treasure hunt like no other...
Owen Godfrey is spending his summer in Paris studying science fiction writer Jules Verne, the brilliant mind behind 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea' and 'Around the World in Eighty Days'. When Owen and his new friends find what appears to be a dusty copy of Verne’s collected works in an old bookshop, they’re intrigued by the hidden codes written inside.
As one clue leads to another, the trio gets swept up in an epic treasure hunt spanning the city—from the depths of the catacombs to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and by way of skateboard, boat, car, and even a hot air balloon! But they quickly realize they’re not the only ones searching for the hidden riches, and that there are others who will stop at nothing to get to them first. This fast-paced larger-than-life adventure is filled with action, high stakes, and three friends who are dead set on cracking the Jules Verne mystery!
Jan 5th, 2024
Our first Nook Book of the Week for 2024 is 'Tales of the Sea' by Maggie Chaing. I was drawn to this book as it reminded me of one of my all time favourites; 'The Ocean Almanac' by Robert Hendrickson (sadly now out of print). Both of these books feature collections of seafaring folktales, captivating stories and gorgeous illustrations.
A secret path leads across the water to a dragon's kingdom. A mermaid avenges the death of a human girl. A monstrous squid guards the most beautiful pearl in the world.... This collection of traditional folktales captures the mysterious and magical power of the ocean. As you sail uncharted waters from Norway to New Zealand and Ghana to Korea, you'll encounter underwater palaces, brave seafarers, and monsters of the deep.
Each story is paired with luminous contemporary art. With creamy paper, a ribbon marker, and a cover adorned with shimmering foil, this handsome hardcover is truly a book to treasure.
A prefect gift for ocean lovers of all ages!
Dec 30th, 2023
Be Useful - Seven Tools for Life - by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Our last Nook Book of the Week for 2023 and maybe one that will help shape you goals for 2024! 'Be Useful - Seven Tools for Life' contains rules to follow to realise your true purpose in life - distilled by bodybuilder, actor, businessmen, philanthropist and politician, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Arnold’s stratospheric success happened as part of a process. As the result of clear vision, big thinking, hard work, direct communication, resilient problem-solving, open-minded curiosity, and a commitment to giving back. All of it guided by the one lesson Arnold’s father hammered into him above all: be useful. As Arnold conquered every realm he entered, he kept his father’s adage close to his heart.
Written with his uniquely earnest, blunt, powerful voice, 'Be Useful' takes readers on an inspirational tour through Arnold's toolkit for a meaningful life. Arnold shows us how to put those tools to work, in service of whatever fulfilling future we can dream up for ourselves. He brings his insights to vivid life with compelling personal stories, life-changing successes and life-threatening failures alike—some of them famous, some told here for the first time ever.
Too many of us struggle to disconnect from our self-pity and connect to our purpose. At an early age, Arnold forged the mental tools to build the ladder out of the poverty and narrow-mindedness of his rural Austrian hometown, tools he used to add rung after rung from there. Now he has shared that wisdom with all of us. As he puts it, 'no one is going to come rescue you—you only have yourself. The good news, it turns out, is that you are all you need'.
Dec 23rd, 2023
Our Nook Book for this Christmas week would make a lovely gift for the animal lover on your list. This newly released collection of stories from James Herriot’s much-loved books includes insights into his life and work from his children Rosie and Jim.
With astute observations and boundless humour, country vet Herriot captures the spirit of the Yorkshire Dales and of rural communities on the cusp of change, before tractors and machines had taken over and modern medicines and antibiotics transformed veterinary work.
Along the way a beloved cast of characters emerges, from the squabbling brothers Tristan and Siegfried to Herriot’s hapless courtship and eventual family life with Helen Anderson. But it’s the animals which are at the heart of Herriot’s stories.
Dec 13th, 2023
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
Our Nook Book of the Week is the anticipated new novel by one of Barak Obama's favourite authors, James McBride.
'The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store' opens in 1972 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. When workers were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighbourhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows.
As these characters' stories overlap and deepen, it becomes clear how much the people who live on the margins struggle and what they must do to survive. When the truth is finally revealed about what happened on Chicken Hill and the part the town's white establishment played in it, McBride shows us that even in dark times, it is love and community-heaven and earth-that sustain us.
The @nytimes calls 'The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store' a "charming, smart, heart-blistering and heart-healing novel".
'The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store' opens in 1972 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. When workers were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighbourhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows.
As these characters' stories overlap and deepen, it becomes clear how much the people who live on the margins struggle and what they must do to survive. When the truth is finally revealed about what happened on Chicken Hill and the part the town's white establishment played in it, McBride shows us that even in dark times, it is love and community-heaven and earth-that sustain us.
The @nytimes calls 'The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store' a "charming, smart, heart-blistering and heart-healing novel".
Nov 29th, 2023
The Christmas Flood by Emily Kilgore
Can't resist this beautiful Christmas book for our Nook Book of the Week! 'The Christmas Flood' by Emily Kilgore is a magical book based on the real Icelandic tradition of exchanging books with loved ones on Christmas Eve.
'The northern lights dance,
snow blankets the ground,
it's the Christmas season -
so the Book Flood begins!
People plan and they dream,
and they visit the shops
for books to give loved ones
and families and friends.
When Christmas Eve comes,
they'll share magical stories,
curl up by the fire,
and read, read, read...'
'The northern lights dance,
snow blankets the ground,
it's the Christmas season -
so the Book Flood begins!
People plan and they dream,
and they visit the shops
for books to give loved ones
and families and friends.
When Christmas Eve comes,
they'll share magical stories,
curl up by the fire,
and read, read, read...'
Nov 22nd, 2023
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Anyone who loved diving into Molly Gray's world in 'The Maid' will love new instalment from Nita Prose: 'The Mystery Guest'! A new mess. A new mystery. It's up to Molly the Maid to uncover the truth, no matter how dirty....
Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J.D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tea room floor.
When Detective Stark, Molly's old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to who killed J.D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
As the case threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer's identity. But that key is buried deep in her past—because long ago, she knew J.D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery post-haste. If there's one thing Molly knows for sure, it's that dirty secrets don't stay buried forever...
Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J.D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tea room floor.
When Detective Stark, Molly's old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to who killed J.D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
As the case threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer's identity. But that key is buried deep in her past—because long ago, she knew J.D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery post-haste. If there's one thing Molly knows for sure, it's that dirty secrets don't stay buried forever...
Set in 1792, a tyrannical government is determined to make England a mighty commercial empire. In France, Napoleon Bonaparte begins his rise to power, and with dissent rife, France’s neighbours are on high alert.
Unprecedented industrial change sweeps the land, making the lives of the workers in Kingbridge’s prosperous cloth mills a misery. Rampant modernization and dangerous new machinery are rendering jobs obsolete and tearing families apart.
Now, as international conflict nears, a story of a small group of Kingsbridge people – including spinner Sal Clitheroe, weaver David Shoveller and Kit, Sal’s inventive and headstrong son – will come to define the struggle of a generation as they seek enlightenment and fight for a future free from oppression.
Unprecedented industrial change sweeps the land, making the lives of the workers in Kingbridge’s prosperous cloth mills a misery. Rampant modernization and dangerous new machinery are rendering jobs obsolete and tearing families apart.
Now, as international conflict nears, a story of a small group of Kingsbridge people – including spinner Sal Clitheroe, weaver David Shoveller and Kit, Sal’s inventive and headstrong son – will come to define the struggle of a generation as they seek enlightenment and fight for a future free from oppression.
Nov 6th, 2023
Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See
Anyone that has asked me for a recommendation recently would have received a glowing report of this book. It is so detailed, captivating and beautifully written, you are instantly transported to 15th-century China and the incredible women of that time...
According to Confucius, "an educated woman is a worthless woman," but Tan Yunxian—born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness—is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations—looking, listening, touching, and asking—something a man can never do with a female patient.
From a young age, Yunxian learns about women's illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose—despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it—and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other's joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus, they tell themselves: from adversity beauty can bloom...
“Lady Tan’s Circle of Women has everything you could want in a dramatic tale of female friendship.”
—Katie Couric Media
According to Confucius, "an educated woman is a worthless woman," but Tan Yunxian—born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness—is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations—looking, listening, touching, and asking—something a man can never do with a female patient.
From a young age, Yunxian learns about women's illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose—despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it—and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other's joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus, they tell themselves: from adversity beauty can bloom...
“Lady Tan’s Circle of Women has everything you could want in a dramatic tale of female friendship.”
—Katie Couric Media
Oct. 30th, 2023
Unruly by David Mitchell
If you've had a laugh out loud reaction to any UK TV in the last decade, the chances are you were watching the lightning-quick, acerbic, self-deprecating and very clever David Mitchell!
Here in 'Unruly', David Mitchell explores how England's monarchs, while acting as feared rulers firmly guiding their subjects' destinies, were in reality a bunch of lucky sods who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear today in their portraits.
Taking us right back to King Arthur (spoiler: he didn't exist), David tells the founding story of post-Roman England right up to the reign of Elizabeth I (spoiler: she dies). It's a tale of narcissists, inadequate self-control, excessive beheadings, middle-management insurrection, uncivil wars, and at least one total Cnut, as the population evolved from having their crops nicked by the thug with the largest armed gang to bowing and paying taxes to a divinely anointed king.
How this happened, who it happened to and why it matters in modern Britain are all questions David answers with brilliance, wit and the full erudition of a man who once studied history - and won't let it off the hook for the mess it's made.
Described as 'Horrible Histories' for grown-ups, 'Unruly' is for anyone who has ever wondered how we got here - and who is to blame!
Here in 'Unruly', David Mitchell explores how England's monarchs, while acting as feared rulers firmly guiding their subjects' destinies, were in reality a bunch of lucky sods who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear today in their portraits.
Taking us right back to King Arthur (spoiler: he didn't exist), David tells the founding story of post-Roman England right up to the reign of Elizabeth I (spoiler: she dies). It's a tale of narcissists, inadequate self-control, excessive beheadings, middle-management insurrection, uncivil wars, and at least one total Cnut, as the population evolved from having their crops nicked by the thug with the largest armed gang to bowing and paying taxes to a divinely anointed king.
How this happened, who it happened to and why it matters in modern Britain are all questions David answers with brilliance, wit and the full erudition of a man who once studied history - and won't let it off the hook for the mess it's made.
Described as 'Horrible Histories' for grown-ups, 'Unruly' is for anyone who has ever wondered how we got here - and who is to blame!
Oct. 23rd, 2023
Making It So by Patrick Stewart
Beam us up! The newly-released, long-awaited memoir from the ultimate gentleman, Sir Patrick Stewart!
'Making It So' is a revealing portrait of an artist whose astonishing life—from his humble beginnings in Yorkshire, England, to the heights of Hollywood and worldwide acclaim— proves a story as exuberant, definitive, and enduring as the author himself.
From his acclaimed stage triumphs to his legendary onscreen work in the Star Trek and X-Men franchises, Sir Patrick Stewart has captivated audiences around the world and across multiple generations with his indelible command of stage and screen.
“Patrick’s early life is a Dickensian tale of domestic violence and misfortune, transformed by chance and some good folk into the actor internationally admired and loved. He writes as well as he acts, with insight, truth, and passion. Another Stewart Triumph!” —Sir Ian McKellen
'Making It So' is a revealing portrait of an artist whose astonishing life—from his humble beginnings in Yorkshire, England, to the heights of Hollywood and worldwide acclaim— proves a story as exuberant, definitive, and enduring as the author himself.
From his acclaimed stage triumphs to his legendary onscreen work in the Star Trek and X-Men franchises, Sir Patrick Stewart has captivated audiences around the world and across multiple generations with his indelible command of stage and screen.
“Patrick’s early life is a Dickensian tale of domestic violence and misfortune, transformed by chance and some good folk into the actor internationally admired and loved. He writes as well as he acts, with insight, truth, and passion. Another Stewart Triumph!” —Sir Ian McKellen
Oct. 17th, 2023
The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith
If you're new to this series you're in for a treat! The first book is 'The Cuckoo's Calling' where we meet the brilliant but broken private detective, Cormoran Strike. Set in modern day London, these gritty private detective stories take us on nail-biting adventures - each book following an exciting new investigation. The ongoing personal and business relationship between Strike and his partner in (solving) crime, Robin Ellacott, runs throughout each novel and will keep you hungry for the next book in the series!
In 'The Running Grave', Strike is contacted by a worried father whose son, Will, has gone to join a religious cult in the depths of the Norfolk countryside.
The Universal Humanitarian Church is, on the surface, a peaceable organization that campaigns for a better world. Yet Strike discovers that beneath the surface there are deeply sinister undertones, and unexplained deaths.
In order to try to rescue Will, Strike's business partner, Robin Ellacott, decides to infiltrate the cult, and she travels to Norfolk to live incognito among its members. But in doing so, she is unprepared for the dangers that await her there or for the toll it will take on her. . .
"Riveting ... a tale of how the human desire for approval, validation and a sense of purpose can sometimes lead us astray ... 'The Running Grave' is testimony to Galbraith's skill as a storyteller" writes @guardian
In 'The Running Grave', Strike is contacted by a worried father whose son, Will, has gone to join a religious cult in the depths of the Norfolk countryside.
The Universal Humanitarian Church is, on the surface, a peaceable organization that campaigns for a better world. Yet Strike discovers that beneath the surface there are deeply sinister undertones, and unexplained deaths.
In order to try to rescue Will, Strike's business partner, Robin Ellacott, decides to infiltrate the cult, and she travels to Norfolk to live incognito among its members. But in doing so, she is unprepared for the dangers that await her there or for the toll it will take on her. . .
"Riveting ... a tale of how the human desire for approval, validation and a sense of purpose can sometimes lead us astray ... 'The Running Grave' is testimony to Galbraith's skill as a storyteller" writes @guardian
Oct. 9th, 2023
Normal Rules Don't Apply by Kate Atkinson
The newly released 'Normal Rules Don't Apply' is a dazzling array of eleven interconnected tales.
We meet a queen who makes a bargain she cannot keep; a secretary who watches over the life she has just left; a man whose luck changes when a horse speaks to him.
With clockwork intricacy, inventiveness and sharp social observation, Kate Atkinson conjures a feast for the imagination, a constantly changing multiverse in which nothing is quite as it seems.
"Life in all of its surreal, tragic and comic glory is perfectly captured within these pages" @redmagazine
We meet a queen who makes a bargain she cannot keep; a secretary who watches over the life she has just left; a man whose luck changes when a horse speaks to him.
With clockwork intricacy, inventiveness and sharp social observation, Kate Atkinson conjures a feast for the imagination, a constantly changing multiverse in which nothing is quite as it seems.
"Life in all of its surreal, tragic and comic glory is perfectly captured within these pages" @redmagazine
We begin with the footsteps of a family walking along a beach 950,000 years ago. From here, Montefiore takes us on an exhilarating epic journey through the families that have shaped our world: the Caesars, Medicis and Incas, Ottomans and Mughals, Bonapartes, Habsburgs and Zulus, Rothschilds, Rockefellers and Krupps, Churchills, Kennedys, Castros, Nehrus, Pahlavis and Kenyattas, Saudis, Kims and Assads.
A rich cast of complex characters form the beating heart of the story. Some are well-known leaders, from Alexander the Great, Attila, Ivan the Terrible and Genghis Khan to Hitler, Thatcher, Obama, Putin and Zelensky. Some are creative, from Socrates, Michelangelo and Shakespeare to Newton, Mozart, Balzac, Freud, Bowie and Tim Berners-Lee.
Others are lesser-known: Hongwu, who began life as a beggar and founded the Ming dynasty; Kamehameha, conqueror of Hawaii; Zenobia, Arab empress who defied Rome; King Henry of Haiti; Lady Murasaki, first female novelist; Sayyida al-Hurra, Moroccan pirate-queen. Here are not just conquerors and queens but prophets, charlatans, actors, gangsters, artists, scientists, doctors, tycoons, lovers, wives, husbands and children.
This is world history on the most grand and intimate scale - spanning centuries, continents and cultures, and linking grand themes of war, migration, plague, religion, medicine and technology to the people at the centre of the human drama.
As spellbinding as fiction, 'The World' captures the story of humankind in all its joy, sorrow, romance, ingenuity and cruelty in a ground-breaking, single narrative that will forever shift the boundaries of what history can achieve.
A rich cast of complex characters form the beating heart of the story. Some are well-known leaders, from Alexander the Great, Attila, Ivan the Terrible and Genghis Khan to Hitler, Thatcher, Obama, Putin and Zelensky. Some are creative, from Socrates, Michelangelo and Shakespeare to Newton, Mozart, Balzac, Freud, Bowie and Tim Berners-Lee.
Others are lesser-known: Hongwu, who began life as a beggar and founded the Ming dynasty; Kamehameha, conqueror of Hawaii; Zenobia, Arab empress who defied Rome; King Henry of Haiti; Lady Murasaki, first female novelist; Sayyida al-Hurra, Moroccan pirate-queen. Here are not just conquerors and queens but prophets, charlatans, actors, gangsters, artists, scientists, doctors, tycoons, lovers, wives, husbands and children.
This is world history on the most grand and intimate scale - spanning centuries, continents and cultures, and linking grand themes of war, migration, plague, religion, medicine and technology to the people at the centre of the human drama.
As spellbinding as fiction, 'The World' captures the story of humankind in all its joy, sorrow, romance, ingenuity and cruelty in a ground-breaking, single narrative that will forever shift the boundaries of what history can achieve.
Sept. 26th, 2023
The Fraud by Zadie Smith
Set in the Victorian era between Jamaica and England, 'The Fraud' is the Smith's first foray into historical fiction.
Kilburn, 1873. The 'Tichborne Trial' has captivated the widowed Scottish housekeeper Mrs Eliza Touchet and all of England. Readers are at odds over whether the defendant is who he claims to be - or an imposter.
Mrs Touchet is a woman of many interests: literature, justice, abolitionism, class, her novelist cousin and his wives, this life and the next. But she is also sceptical. She suspects England of being a land of façades, in which nothing is quite what it seems.
Andrew Bogle meanwhile finds himself the star witness, his future depending on telling the right story. Growing up enslaved on the Hope Plantation, Jamaica, he knows every lump of sugar comes at a human cost. That the rich deceive the poor. And that people are more easily manipulated than they realise.
Based on real historical events, The Fraud is a dazzling novel about how in a world of hypocrisy and self-deception, deciding what's true can prove a complicated task.
"Smith’s dazzling historical novel combines deft writing and strenuous construction in a tale of literary London and the horrors of slavery" writes The Guardian
Kilburn, 1873. The 'Tichborne Trial' has captivated the widowed Scottish housekeeper Mrs Eliza Touchet and all of England. Readers are at odds over whether the defendant is who he claims to be - or an imposter.
Mrs Touchet is a woman of many interests: literature, justice, abolitionism, class, her novelist cousin and his wives, this life and the next. But she is also sceptical. She suspects England of being a land of façades, in which nothing is quite what it seems.
Andrew Bogle meanwhile finds himself the star witness, his future depending on telling the right story. Growing up enslaved on the Hope Plantation, Jamaica, he knows every lump of sugar comes at a human cost. That the rich deceive the poor. And that people are more easily manipulated than they realise.
Based on real historical events, The Fraud is a dazzling novel about how in a world of hypocrisy and self-deception, deciding what's true can prove a complicated task.
"Smith’s dazzling historical novel combines deft writing and strenuous construction in a tale of literary London and the horrors of slavery" writes The Guardian
Sept. 18th, 2023
The Dominican Kitchen by Vanessa Mona
Mota brings the everyday dishes she grew up with in the Dominican Republic to your busy life. Made with easy-to-find ingredients and featuring traditional comfort foods, the 80 recipes incorporate the delicious flavors of la comida criolla dominicana (Creole food), with influences from the Taino, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and China.
Enjoy snacks, sandwiches, salads, sides, mains, desserts, and drinks, including: Arepitas Chulitos Chimi burgers Platanos fritos Sancocho Pollo guisado Empaguetadas Flan de coco Morir sonando and more.
Complete with step-by-step instructions, stunning photos, stories from the DR, and information for stocking your pantry, The Dominican Kitchen will have you enjoying this exciting cuisine right in your own home.
Enjoy snacks, sandwiches, salads, sides, mains, desserts, and drinks, including: Arepitas Chulitos Chimi burgers Platanos fritos Sancocho Pollo guisado Empaguetadas Flan de coco Morir sonando and more.
Complete with step-by-step instructions, stunning photos, stories from the DR, and information for stocking your pantry, The Dominican Kitchen will have you enjoying this exciting cuisine right in your own home.
Sept. 11th, 2023
A Rover's Story by Jasmine Ware
Meet Resilience, a Mars rover determined to live up to his name.
Res was built to explore Mars. He was not built to have human emotions. But as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop human-like feelings. Maybe there's a problem with his programming....
Human emotions or not, launch day comes, and Res blasts off to Mars, accompanied by a friendly drone helicopter named Fly. But Res quickly discovers that Mars is a dangerous place filled with dust storms and giant cliffs. As he navigates Mars’s difficult landscape, Res is tested in ways that go beyond space exploration.
As millions of people back on Earth follow his progress, will Res have the determination, courage, and resilience to succeed… and survive?
Recommended for kids 8-12 years.
Res was built to explore Mars. He was not built to have human emotions. But as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop human-like feelings. Maybe there's a problem with his programming....
Human emotions or not, launch day comes, and Res blasts off to Mars, accompanied by a friendly drone helicopter named Fly. But Res quickly discovers that Mars is a dangerous place filled with dust storms and giant cliffs. As he navigates Mars’s difficult landscape, Res is tested in ways that go beyond space exploration.
As millions of people back on Earth follow his progress, will Res have the determination, courage, and resilience to succeed… and survive?
Recommended for kids 8-12 years.
Sept. 4th, 2023
The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
The explosive new novel from the @nytimes and @thetimes bestselling author of 'The Push'.
The whispers started long before the accident on Harlow Street . . .
Was it at the party, when Whitney screamed blue murder at her son?
Or after neighbour Blair started prowling Whitney's house, uninvited?
Or once Rebecca and Ben's childlessness finally puts a crack in their marriage?
But on the terrible night of the accident, the whispers grow louder, more insistent.
Neighbours gather round. Questions are asked. Secrets are spilled. And the gloss on everything begins to rub off. Everyone is drawn into the darkness.
Because there's no smoke without fire.
No friendship without envy.
And no lie that does not conceal a devastating truth . . .
"Spellbinding, a shimmering, visceral ride through the dark side of family" - Lisa Jewell.
The whispers started long before the accident on Harlow Street . . .
Was it at the party, when Whitney screamed blue murder at her son?
Or after neighbour Blair started prowling Whitney's house, uninvited?
Or once Rebecca and Ben's childlessness finally puts a crack in their marriage?
But on the terrible night of the accident, the whispers grow louder, more insistent.
Neighbours gather round. Questions are asked. Secrets are spilled. And the gloss on everything begins to rub off. Everyone is drawn into the darkness.
Because there's no smoke without fire.
No friendship without envy.
And no lie that does not conceal a devastating truth . . .
"Spellbinding, a shimmering, visceral ride through the dark side of family" - Lisa Jewell.
Aug 26th, 2023
The Bookbinder by Pip Williams
We chose Williams' previous novel 'The Dictionary of Lost Words' for our book club last year and everyone loved it - so well researched and beautifully written. 'The Bookbinder' has been receiving international acclaim since it was released last week so we are super excited to have it in the shop!
It is 1914, and as the war draws the young men of Britain away to fight, women must keep the nation running. Two of those women are Peggy and Maude, twin sisters who live on a narrow boat in Oxford and work in the bindery at the university press. Ambitious, intelligent Peggy has been told for most of her life that her job is to bind the books, not read them—but as she folds and gathers pages, her mind wanders to the opposite side of Walton Street, where the female students of Oxford’s Somerville College have a whole library at their fingertips. Maude, meanwhile, wants nothing more than what she has: to spend her days folding the pages of books in the company of the other bindery girls. She is extraordinary but vulnerable, and Peggy feels compelled to watch over her.
Then refugees arrive from the war-torn cities of Belgium, sending ripples through the Oxford community and the sisters’ lives. Peggy begins to see the possibility of another future where she can educate herself and use her intellect, not just her hands. But as war and illness reshape her world, her love for a Belgian soldier—and the responsibility that comes with it—threaten to hold her back.
The Bookbinder is a story about knowledge—who creates it, who can access it, and what truths get lost in the process. Much as she did in 'The Dictionary of Lost Words', Pip Williams thoughtfully explores another rarely seen slice of history through women’s eyes.
It is 1914, and as the war draws the young men of Britain away to fight, women must keep the nation running. Two of those women are Peggy and Maude, twin sisters who live on a narrow boat in Oxford and work in the bindery at the university press. Ambitious, intelligent Peggy has been told for most of her life that her job is to bind the books, not read them—but as she folds and gathers pages, her mind wanders to the opposite side of Walton Street, where the female students of Oxford’s Somerville College have a whole library at their fingertips. Maude, meanwhile, wants nothing more than what she has: to spend her days folding the pages of books in the company of the other bindery girls. She is extraordinary but vulnerable, and Peggy feels compelled to watch over her.
Then refugees arrive from the war-torn cities of Belgium, sending ripples through the Oxford community and the sisters’ lives. Peggy begins to see the possibility of another future where she can educate herself and use her intellect, not just her hands. But as war and illness reshape her world, her love for a Belgian soldier—and the responsibility that comes with it—threaten to hold her back.
The Bookbinder is a story about knowledge—who creates it, who can access it, and what truths get lost in the process. Much as she did in 'The Dictionary of Lost Words', Pip Williams thoughtfully explores another rarely seen slice of history through women’s eyes.
Aug 16th, 2023
Vintage Norman Island by Valerie Sims
The pursuit of buried treasure is the stuff of legends and has fascinated people for centuries with its promise of gleaming gold doubloons and pieces-of-eight. When a prominent St. Thomas merchant accumulates 1,500 acres in the Virgin Islands, members of his community suspect he has found his wealth in a bat-filled cave on Norman Island in the British Virgin Islands.The island, after all, was the secret hiding place for Captain Owen Lloyd in 1750, when he and ten pirates buried 44 wooden chests of stolen silver, but Henry O. Creque stayed silent as the rumours swirled around town. Join the author, who is one of Creque’s great-great-grandaughters, on this exciting adventure as she unravels the cryptic clues passed down in her family.
They may reveal the closely guarded secret her ancestor was trying to keep!
Norman Island is thought to be the inspiration behind Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, Treasure Island. Vintage Norman Island is a collection of fascinating stories about the hunt for hidden treasure...
'Happy Place' by Emily Henry - the perfect juicy beach read to enjoy over the August festival break! Two exes. One pact. Could this holiday change everything?
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?
"...hilarious and wise, another knockout from the champ" Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of 'Daisy Jones and the Six'
A ballerina at the height of her powers becomes consumed with finding her missing brother in this “striking debut” (@oprahdaily). At twenty-two years old, Cece Cordell reaches the pinnacle of her career as a ballet dancer when she’s promoted to principal at the New York City Ballet. She’s instantly catapulted into celebrity, heralded for her “inspirational” role as the first Black ballerina in the famed company’s history. Even as she celebrates the achievement of a lifelong dream, Cece remains haunted by the feeling that she doesn’t belong. As she waits for some feeling of rightness that doesn’t arrive, she begins to unravel the loose threads of her past—an absent father, a pragmatic mother who dismisses Cece’s ambitions, and a missing older brother who stoked her childhood love of ballet but disappeared to deal with his own demons. Soon after her promotion, Cece is faced with a choice that has the potential to derail her career and shatter the life she’s cultivated for herself, sending her on a pilgrimage to both find her brother and reclaim the parts of herself lost in the grinding machinery of the traditional ballet world.Written with spellbinding beauty and ballet’s precise structure, 'Dances' centres around women, art, and power, and how we come to define freedom for ourselves.
July 19th, 2023
Pageboy by Elliot Page
The acclaimed actor and noted trans activist reflects on gender, mental health, Hollywood and much more in this thoughtful, passionate memoir. With Juno’s massive success, Elliot became one of the world’s most beloved actors. His dreams were coming true, but the pressure to perform suffocated him. He was forced to play the part of the glossy young starlet, a role that made his skin crawl, on and off set. The career that had been an escape out of his reality and into a world of imagination was suddenly a nightmare. As he navigated criticism and abuse from some of the most powerful people in Hollywood, a past that snapped at his heels, and a society dead set on forcing him into a binary, Elliot often stayed silent, unsure of what to do, until enough was enough. He writes: 'Even in my lowest moments, a piece of me, ever so small, becomes clearer and clearer. An opening, fragile and elusive. Instantly it comes flooding in. It's fleeting. Seize it. A whisper that sits waiting. Close your eyes and step through.' Full of behind the scenes details and intimate interrogations on sex, love, trauma, and Hollywood, 'Pageboy' is the story of a life pushed to the brink. But at its core, this beautifully written, winding journey of what it means to untangle ourselves from the expectations of others is an ode to stepping into who we truly are with defiance, strength, and joy.
July 14th, 2023
Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn/Shonda Rhimes
“We are one crown. His weight is mine, and mine is his…”
In 1761, on a sunny day in September, a King and Queen met for the very first time. They were married within hours. Born a German Princess, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was beautiful, headstrong, and fiercely intelligent… not precisely the attributes the British Court had been seeking in a spouse for the young King George III. But her fire and independence were exactly what she needed, because George had secrets… secrets with the potential to shake the very foundations of the monarchy. Thrust into her new role as a royal, Charlotte must learn to navigate the intricate politics of the court… all the while guarding her heart, because she is falling in love with the King, even as he pushes her away. Above all she must learn to rule, and to understand that she has been given the power to remake society. She must fight—for herself, for her husband, and for all her new subjects who look to her for guidance and grace. For she will never be just Charlotte again. She must instead fulfill her destiny… as Queen.
A perfect, cozy mystery for readers that are also fans of 'The Great British Bake Off'! For six amateur bakers, competing in Bake Week is a dream come true. But for the show's famous host, Betsy Martin, it's more than a competition. It's her legacy.
Quickly, though, things start to go wrong. The contestants are jittery - they've heard strange noises in the manor at night. Betsy is irate - a new co-host has arrived, and he's out for her spotlight. Then, the sabotage begins. At first, it's small. Sugar switched for salt. A hob turned too high. But when a body is discovered, everyone is a suspect...
Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl—and future matriarch, known as Big Ammachi—will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants. A shimmering evocation of a bygone India and of the passage of time itself, The Covenant of Water is a hymn to progress in medicine and to human understanding, and a humbling testament to the difficulties undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today.
Five years ago, Mira Bunting founded a guerrilla gardening group: Birnam Wood. An undeclared, unregulated, sometimes-criminal, sometimes-philanthropic gathering of friends, this activist collective plants crops wherever no one will notice: on the sides of roads, in forgotten parks, and neglected backyards. For years, the group has struggled to break even. Then Mira stumbles on an answer, a way to finally set the group up for the long term: a landslide has closed the Korowai Pass, cutting off the town of Thorndike. Natural disaster has created an opportunity, a sizable farm seemingly abandoned. But Mira is not the only one interested in Thorndike. Robert Lemoine, the enigmatic American billionaire, has snatched it up to build his end-times bunker--or so he tells Mira when he catches her on the property. Intrigued by Mira, Birnam Wood, and their entrepreneurial spirit, he suggests they work this land. But can they trust him? And, as their ideals and ideologies are tested, can they trust each other? "A filmic and page-turning thriller. Hubris and ambition, vanity and greed, principle and expediency, courage and hope - all are here, but not necessarily where you expect to find them" - Carys Davies, author of 'The Mission House'
June 10th, 2023
Women and Water
You'll want this stunning coffee table collectible close at hand to inspire you to dive headfirst into your next adventure! A perfect gift!
With a series of heartbreaks under her belt, Sally Milz - successful TV script writer for a legendary late-night TV comedy show - has long abandoned the search for love. But when her friend and fellow writer begins to date a glamorous actress, he joins the growing club of interesting but average-looking men who get to date accomplished, beautiful women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch, poking fun at this 'social rule'. The reverse never happens for a woman.
Then Sally meets Noah, a pop idol with a reputation for dating models. But this isn't a romantic comedy - it's real life. Would someone like him ever date someone like her? Skewering all our certainties about why we fall in love, Romantic Comedy is a witty and probing tale of how the heart will follow itself, no matter what anyone says. It is Curtis Sittenfeld at her most sharp, daring and compassionate best...
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people. So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, muddle Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her. But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones—the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart...
A lovely heart-warming read for all the animal lovers and pet owners out there. I devoured this in a weekend but I can see how it's a book you would want to revisit again and again. 'The Other Family Doctor' by veterinarian Karen Fine, explores what animals can teach us about love, life and mortality. From the story of the feral cat who puts his trust in a young vet to heal his injured paw; to the potbellied pig who grows too big to fit in the car but remains a cherished part of her family: and the dog who save his owner's life in the most unexpected way. 'All Creatures Great and Small' meets 'Being Mortal', this is a compelling memoir of a life working with, and learning from, animals.
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him—so when he meets the spirited and ambitious Julia Padavano in his freshman year of college, it’s as if the world has lit up around him. With Julia comes her family, as she and her three sisters are inseparable: Sylvie, the family’s dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book; Cecelia is a free-spirited artist; and Emeline patiently takes care of them all. With the Padavanos, William experiences a newfound contentment; every moment in their house is filled with loving chaos. But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable devotion to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?
An exquisite homage to Louisa May Alcott’s timeless classic, Little Women, Hello Beautiful is a profoundly moving portrait of what is possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it. "I'm telling you," Oprah says of the novel, "once you start, you won't want it to end... and be prepared for tears."
A deliciously funny, sharply observed debut of family, love, and class - this zeitgeisty novel follows three women in one wealthy Brooklyn clan. I really enjoyed the very diverse selection of characters and diving into a completely different world. It's light-hearted and fun - I would definitely recommend as a great beach/rainy weekend read!"
Feb 24th, 2023
Managing Expectations by Minnie Driver
A little late to the party, I finally got around to reading this memoir after it being high on my TBR list since it was released last year. I loved it! Driver writes with disarming charm and candor about her bohemian upbringing between England and Barbados; her post-university travails and triumphs—from being the only student in her acting school not taken on by an agent to being discovered at a rave in a muddy field in the English countryside; shooting to fame in one of the most influential films of the 1990s and being nominated for an Academy Award; and finding the true light of her life, her son. She chronicles her unconventional career path, including the time she gave up on acting to sell jeans in Uruguay, her journey as a single parent, and the heartbreaking loss of her mother. It's honest, and full of humour and brilliant story telling. A real triumph!
Feb 14th, 2023
Lighter by yung pueblo
It's Valentine's Day but instead of the traditional romance, our Nook Book of the Week is all about self love. 'Lighter' by yung pueblo, teaches us to let go of the past, connect with the present, and expand the future. yung pueblo demonstrates how we can all move forward in our healing, from learning self-compassion to letting go to becoming emotionally mature. Give yourself a gift of healing and wellness this Valentine's Day...
Feb 8th, 2023
Someone Else's Shoes by JoJo Moyes
Our Nook Book of the week is hot off the boat! 'Someone Else's Shoes' by JoJo Moyes is a story of mix-ups, mess-ups and making the most of second chances. When two very different women, Nisha and Sam, accidentally swap bags at the gym, they are forced to literally walk in the other's shoes... Full of Moyes' signature humor, brilliant storytelling, and warmth.
Feb 3rd, 2023
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
From the legendary music producer, Rick Rubin, a master at helping people connect with the wellsprings of their creativity, comes a beautifully crafted book many years in the making that offers that same deep wisdom to all of us. Internationally bestselling author Matt Haig recently posted on his Instagram page that this book is 'a self-help book for creatives by an absolute hero... for those wanting to feel some new life and confidence in their creative bones this book is a godsend'
Jan 25th, 2023
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Fans of 'A Man Called Ove' and 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' will love this charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.
Jan 18th, 2023
One by Jamie Oliver
'I LOVE washing dishes!' - said no one ever! Which is why this new book from chef extraordinaire Jamie Oliver is pure genius! One pan, less mess, quick and easy recipes, tasty food, every time - what's not to love! This is Jamie's ultimate homage to making your life simpler. Over 120 simple recipes - all cooked in just one pan, so is perfect for getting good food on the table fast. Stop by and get inspired today!
Jan 11th, 2023
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Meet the residents of Number 12, Rue Des Aments, a beautiful old apartment in the City of Light... The socialite, the nice guy, the alcoholic, the girl on the verge, the concierge. Everyone's a neighbour. Everyone's a suspect... 'The Paris Apartment' is a "Tilt-A-Whirl of a novel [brimming] with jangly tension – an undeniably engrossing guessing game." - Vogue
Jan 6th, 2023
Our Nook Book of the Week is actually two books! After reading Jessie Burton's 2014 masterpiece 'The Miniaturist', you will immediately want to continue the story with her 2022 follow up, 'The House of Fortune'. Burton immerses us in the sights, smells, customs and curiosities of seventeenth-century Amsterdam. 'The Miniaturist' opens with eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman, who arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her splendid new home is not welcoming, secrets are everywhere and Johannes' sister Marin makes Nella's life unbearable... 'The House of Fortune' centres on young Thea Brandt who escapes her Aunt Nella's turbulent household to find refuge in Amsterdam's playhouses... and her secret lover, Walter. Jessie Burton paints a historically accurate, yet fantastical and seductive world and the characters, although flawed and complicated, will leave you wanting to spend more time with them long after the books are finished... 'Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful...'
Dec 28th, 2022
Bliss on Toast by Prue Leith
The Great British Bake Off judge Dame Prue Leith, shares 75 incredible recipes all celebrating one of life's most comforting and versatile foods - toast! Sourdoughs, focaccias, baguettes, flatbreads are toasted and then paired with everything from seasonal vegetables to meat and fish. The collection spans healthy, hearty, salty, and sometimes sweet.
Dec 14th, 2022
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
'Demon Copperhead', by the inimitable Barbara Kingsolver, is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice (of which Kingsolver takes inspiration from Dickens' 'David Copperfield') Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Oprah says this novel "grabbed me from its opening lines... [it] speaks to so many of our country's relevant issues, but most importantly, it's absolutely riveting."
Dec 8th, 2022
The Winners by Fedrik Backman
'The Winners' is the latest instalment in his Beartown series, and readers of the first two books in the series will love the references, but newcomers will enjoy 'The Winners' as a standalone story. Maya Andersson and Benji Ovich, two young people who left in search of a life far from the forest town, come home and joyfully reunite with their closest childhood friends. There is a new sense of optimism and purpose in the town, embodied in the impressive new ice rink that has been built down by the lake. Over the course of two weeks, everything in Beartown will change... 'A story about first loves, second chances, and last goodbyes...'.
Nov 24th, 2022
The Rise of the Dragon by George R.R Martin
'The Rise of the Dragon' by fantasy genius George R. R. Martin is a hefty, stunningly beautiful collectible. This lavish visual history—featuring more than 180 all-new illustrations—is a introduction to the House Targaryen, the iconic family that sat at the Iron Throne of Westeros for hundreds of years, while their dragons ruled the skies.
Nov 8th, 2022
Manifest by Roxie Nafousi
This year's most hotly anticipated title in self-development. 'Queen of Manifestation', Roxie Nafousi, will empower you to change your life with this practical guide: 'Manifest - 7 Steps To Living Your Best Life'. “The misconception about manifesting is that it’s just about visualisation, or that it’s a passive thing, or a ritual, or something you can just do 20 minutes before bed each day,” @roxienafousi told @britishvogue “but manifesting is a self-development practice. It’s a way of living and it empowers every single element of your life...”
Nov 3rd, 2022
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
An electrifying new novel set in Renaissance Italy, and centering on the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de Medici. When her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding, Lucrezia, barely more than a girl, is thrust unwittingly into the limelight. A duke is quick to request her hand in marriage, and her father just as quick to accept on her behalf. Lucrezia must now make her way in a troubled court whose customs are opaque and perhaps most mystifying of all is her new husband himself...
Oct 26th, 2022
White Bird by R.J Palacio
Readers of the worldwide phenomenon ‘Wonder’ were introduced to Julian's (Auggie Pullman’s classroom bully) grandmother, Grandmère. Here, Palacio makes her graphic novel debut with Grandmère's heartrending story: how she, a young Jewish girl, was hidden by a family in a Nazi-occupied French village during World War II; how the boy she and her classmates once shunned became her savior and best friend. The much anticipated movie adaptation, starring Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson, is released in cinemas this month so now is the perfect time to discover this incredible book about ‘the power of kindness and the unrelenting courage in a time of war’.
Oct 21st, 2022
This Is Your Mind On Plants by Michael Pollen
A podcast interview peaked my interest about this @nytimes bestseller, in which Pollan dives deep into the history, social impact and science of three plant drugs - opium, caffeine and mescaline. Part memoir, part participatory journalism, Pollan
holds up a mirror to our fundamental human needs and aspirations, the operations of our minds, and our entanglement with the natural world. “Expert storytelling . . . [Pollan] masterfully elevates a series of big questions about drugs, plants and humans that are likely to leave readers thinking in new ways"...
Oct 14th, 2022
A Visible Man by Edward Enninful
Everyone is talking about this one and we can see why! A deeply intimate, honest and inspirational journey through Enninful’s extraordinary life; from a young, gay, black refugee from Ghana, to the hallowed offices of Condé Nast, and then becoming the current editor-in-chief of British Vogue. Enniful‘s lifelong agenda to break barriers and change conventional fashion and beauty standards has earned him the title as culture’s most important change makers. Full of incredible anecdotes, stories of his famous friends and stunning photos - you won’t want to miss this one.
Oct 7th, 2022
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement in an attempt to reclaim her record…. As with lots of Jenkins Reid’s novels, the characters of her novels are curiously intertwined and ‘Malibu Rising’ fans will have met Carrie already and will be curious to know more about her story.
Sept 30th, 2022
Soundings by Doreen Cunningham
In this memoir of motherhood, love, and resilience, a woman and her toddler son follow the grey whale migration from Mexico to northernmost Alaska. Throughout the journey she explores the stories of the whales and their young calves—their history, their habits, and their attempts to survive the changes humans have brought to the ocean. 'Lyrical, brave, and fearlessly honest, 'Soundings' is an unforgettable journey'....
Sept 22nd, 2022
Everything and Everywhere by Marc Martin
'Everything and Everywhere' is definitely deserving of its title! Every page is packed to the gills with fun facts and stunning illustrations about the worlds most fascinating cities from Hong Kong to Reykjavik, Ulaanbaatar to New York City. A perfect gift for all those future world travellers out there! Recommended for kids 5 years old and up.
Sept 14th 2022
The House of Fortune by Jessie Burton
The much anticipated sequel to the internationally bestselling novel, 'The Miniaturist', is a 'sweeping, magical story about love and obsession, family and loyalty, and the fantastic power of secrets'. In 1705 Amsterdam, Thea Brandt is coming of age, trying to grapple with her family's secrets and her own identity as a young Dutch-African woman. She's drawn to the theatre and an artistic life, but with her family in serious financial decline, pressure is on Thea to marry up in society.... Although the 'The House of Fortune' is a clever echo to Burton's debut novel, the story stands alone and can be enjoyed without reading 'The Miniaturist'.
Sept 7th 2022
Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
There is a lot of buzz about this Young Adult novel, after the success of the movie adaptation released by Netflix last month. Following her mother's dying request, Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany to get to know her absent father. All she wants to do is go back home until she finds her mother's journal, uncovering a world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries... Recommended for ages 12 and up.
A big fan of her podcast 'How to Fail with Elizabeth Day', I was keen to dive into this twisty turny psychological thriller and I couldn't put it down! Even after a few short months, Marisa is sure she has found a perfect partner in Jake, but their relationship is tested with the arrival of their lodger, Kate. Something about Kate just isn't right and her growing obsession with the couple rings Marisa's alarm bells. Her determination to find the answers about Kate threatens to destroy everything Marisa holds dear... 'A dark, sleek, ever-tightening spiral ...Completely, terrifyingly BRILLIANT' - Marian Keyes
A summer house party turns into a thrilling whodunit when Jane Austen’s Mr. Wickham—one of literature’s most notorious villains—meets a sudden and suspicious end...
“Immense fun and beautifully observered. Delicious!” —Alexander McCall Smith
“Immense fun and beautifully observered. Delicious!” —Alexander McCall Smith
An instant New York Bestseller from the author of the globally renowned 'My Year of Rest and Relaxation'. In a medieval village buffeted by natural disasters, a motherless shepherd boy finds himself the unlikely pivot of a power struggle that puts all manner of faith to a savage test... 'Spellbinding...darkly philosophical and darkly funny. Through a mix of witchery, deception, murder, abuse, grand delusion, ludicrous conversations, and cringeworthy moments of bodily disgust, Moshfegh creates a world that you definitely don’t want to live in, but from which you can’t look away'.
Mottley has taken the world by storm with her incredible debut. It was chosen for Oprah's Book Club last month and she has just become the youngest ever Booker Prize nominee! 'Nightcrawling' follows the story of Kiara and her brother Marcus, scraping by in an East Oakland apartment complex. Desperate to pay the rent, Kiara falls into sex work ('nightcrawling'). Her world breaks open further when she becomes a key witness in a massive scandal within the Oakland Police Department... The Guardian writes: 'a dazzling debut... a chilling tale of power and corruption, based on a true crime...'
In her own words, Davis details her journey from a crumbling apartment in Rhode Island to the stage in New York and beyond... A story of hope, survival and acceptance of oneself. An @oprahsbookclub choice: "There are so many lessons to be learned from this breathtaking memoir about triumphing over adversity and trauma. I was so moved by this book that I just had to share it with our entire OBC audience."
July 15th, 2022
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Our Nook Book of the Week was released in 2018 but is getting renewed interest and acclaim with the much anticipated movie release today! 'Where The Crawdads Sing' by Delia Owens is a stunner and a must read if you haven't got your hands on it yet. A beautifully told story of Kya who grows up isolated in the North Carolina marsh. Her life is turned upside down when she becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation... Owens has created an exquisite ode to the natural world, a beautiful coming of age story and a haunting mystery.
Perfect for young adults (and adult adults!) to while away a long flight or to fill the slower summer days. 'Murder Most Puzzling' is a sumptuously illustrated book, filled with twenty uniquely mysterious cases that will test your deductive powers and puzzle-solving skills!
June 30th, 2022
Call Us What You Carry by Amanda Gorman
Young American poet and activist Gorman blew us away at the Biden inauguration last year when she passionately recited her poem 'The Hill We Climb'. Her poems are powerful, contemporary and accessible and it's no wonder she was named the first National Youth Poet Laureate in the US. 'Call Us What We Carry' explores history, language, identity, and erasure through an imaginative and intimate collage. Harnessing the collective grief of a global pandemic, this beautifully designed volume features poems in many inventive styles and structures and shines a light on a moment of reckoning.
June 25th, 2022
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons by Raymon Blanc
This book was a special request from a customer but it was so gorgeous we had to get some copies for the shop! Stunning recipes and photos from Raymond Blanc’s restaurant and hotel in Oxford. Includes over 120 drool-worthy recipes, incredible photography of the house and grounds, and specially commissioned artwork - this gorgeous book would be equally at home in the kitchen or on the coffee table.
June 17th, 2022
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
On the eve of Alice’s 40th birthday, her life isn’t terrible, and she’s adequately happy but she isn’t exactly where she expected to be. When she wakes up the next morning she’s in 1996, reliving her 16th birthday… Armed with a new perspective on her own life, some past events take on new meaning and is there anything she would change if she could? Anna Pratchett says “the pages brim with tenderness and appreciation…I could not have loved it more”.
June 8th, 2022
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
Motherless and insatiably curious Esmé spends her childhood in the ‘Scriptorium’, a garden shed in Oxford, where her father and a team of dedicated lexicographers are collecting words for the very first ‘Oxford English Dictionary’. Over time, Esmé realizes that some words are considered more important than others and many that relate to women’s experience are going unrecorded. So begins her lifelong dedication to exploring, discovering and collecting words for her ‘Dictionary of Lost Words’. We recently chose this book for book club and loved delving into the heartwarming characters and discussion-provoking themes of female friendship, feminism and the power of words and language.
May 26th, 2022
Our Nook Book of the Week is from the creators of the wildly popular Little People, Big Dreams series. The ‘Treasury’ is beautiful hard cover book with gold edged pages. A collection of life stories from 50 of the world most inspiring people, from Elton John to Greta Thurnberg. A perfect gift for kids of all ages!
May 19th, 2022
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
Our Nook Book of the Week is the latest from bestselling author, Kate Quinn. Based on a true story ‘The Diamond Eye’ is an unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet bookworm who becomes history’s deadliest female sniper. “Sharply observed, multi-faceted and brilliantly alive—historical fiction at its best!"
May 11th, 2022
French Braid by Anne Tyler
Our Nook Book of the Week is the newly released bestseller from Anne Tyler, ‘French Braid’. A funny, joyful, brilliantly perceptive journey deep in one family’s foibles, from a boyfriend with a red Chevy in the 1950’s up to a longed-for reunion with a grandchild in our pandemic present. The Pulitzer Prize winning author has brought us ‘a stirring, uncannily insightful novel of tremendous warmth and humour’….
May 6th, 2022
Lessons on Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
There is a lot of buzz about this week’s Nook Book of the Week. It took me two days cover to cover which is an indication of what a joy it is to read! ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ by Bonnie Garmus, follows the life of Elizabeth Zott, a bright, brilliant young chemist who doesn’t get to shine to her full potential in a 1960’s, male dominated world. However, she is determined to live and love on her own terms and, despite constant resistance, dares to change the status quo. ‘A fun, feminist charmer’. Oh, and there is an amazing dog in the story too! 🐶 Come and grab your copy today for the perfect weekend read.
April 29th, 2022
Our Nook Book of the Week is this coffee table beauty from Gestalten. A compelling collection of work by a new generation of original and sought-after designers, illustrators, and mapmakers. Packed with incredible images ranging from accurate and detailed to personal, naive and modernistic.
April 20th, 2022
When We Were Birds by Ayana Lloyd Banwo
A mythic love story set in Trinidad, Ayanna Lloyd Banwo’s radiant debut introduces two unforgettable outsiders brought together by their connection with the dead. This is Banwo’s debut novel and is a ‘masterwork of lush imagination and exuberant storytelling’.
March 30th, 2022
The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck
Our Nook Book of the Week is also Oprah's Book Club current choice. In her book ‘The Way Of Integrity’, bestselling author and life coach Martha Beck explains why ‘integrity’ is the key to a meaningful and joyful life. With techniques tested on hundreds of her clients, she takes us on a spiritual adventure that will change the direction of our lives and brings us to a place of genuine happiness. “Martha Beck’s genius is that her writing is equal parts comforting and challenging” - Glennon Doyle.
March 25th, 2022
The Wit and Wisdom of Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
The hotly anticipated return of the Shondaland/Netflix series Bridgerton hits our screens this month, and our Nook Book of the Week ‘The Wit and Wisdom of Bridgerton: Lady Whistledown’s Official Guide’ is the perfect companion! A collection of the most dramatic, romantic, and memorable quotes from the charming characters told by the familiar and trusted voice of Lady Whistledown. Can’t get enough of the Bridgerton characters? We also have all the novels in the shop.
March 16th, 2022
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
Our Nook Book of the Week is ‘The Island of Missing Trees’ by Elif Shafak. This rich and magical new novel delves into themes of belonging and identity, love and trauma and nature and renewal. When two teenagers, one a Greek Cypriot and one a Turkish Cypriot meet in a taverna their secret love grows alongside a fig tree. Separated during the war, the teenagers later reunite with that same fig tree running central through their new lives together… ‘A moving, beautifully written and delicately constructed love story…’
March 12th, 2022
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This week we’ve ignored all the fab new arrivals in the shop and gone for a beautiful classic, because it’s still as poignant and relevant today as it was when it was published in 1960. In fact ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ was recently voted the best novel of the 20th century. Following the life of our unconventional hero, Atticus Finch, and told through the eyes of adventurous, innocent and often cheeky nine-year-old Scout Finch, this novel explores racial injustice, love, friendship and coming of age. Whether you are re-reading or discovering for the first time, this incredible book is definitely one you’ll permanently keep on your bedside table!
March 2nd, 2022
The Magician by Colm Tóibín
This critically acclaimed new release is a ‘dazzling, epic family saga set across half a century’. Following the intimate, astonishingly complex life of Thomas Mann, his magnificent wife, Katia, and the times in which they lived - the First World War, the rise of Hitler and World War 2, the Cold War and exile. The Guardian calls it ‘audacious, profound and wonderfully intelligent’.
Feb 24th, 2022
Never by Ken Follett
The new ‘must-read epic’ from master storyteller Ken Follett. ‘Never’ is a globe-spanning, action-packed drama set in the present day. Struggling to prevent the outbreak of world war are a young woman intelligence officer, an undercover spy, a brilliant Chinese spymaster and the president of the United States… ‘A compelling story, and only too realistic’.
Feb 3rd, 2022
Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
The hotly anticipated ‘Atlas of the Heart’ by Brené Brown is our Nook Book of the Week. Brené takes us on a journey of eighty-seven emotions and experiences that defines what it means to be human. She writes: ‘If we want to find the way back to ourselves and one another, we need language and grounded confidence to both tell our stories and be stewards of the stories that we hear. This is the framework for meaningful connection’
Jan 22nd, 2022
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
Author of the hugely popular ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ the ‘master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction’ returns with this incredible story of Emmett Watson. Released from a juvenile facility where he served time for manslaughter, eighteen year old Emmett is driven home to Nebraska by the warden. Leaving his bankrupt family farm behind, Emmett plans to drive to California with his eight year old brother to start a new life. His plans change, however, when he discovers two of his fellow inmates have hidden themselves in the trunk of wardens car…
Jan 13th, 2022
One Pan Perfect by Donna Hay
On the back of using every pot and pan and the endless mounds of washing up over the Christmas holidays, Donna Hay’s new book ‘One Pan Perfect’ offers ‘fresh, fast, no-fuss deliciousness’ all from one pan! As usual with Donna Hay cookbooks, the photography is beautiful and inspiring. Confession: even though my cookbook shelf at home is groaning under the current load, one of these is definitely coming home with me!
Jan 4th, 2022
Storyteller by Dave Grohl
I was lucky enough to get a preview copy of this and LOVED every page. Grohl takes you on an endearing and heartwarming trip down memory lane, from being a young aspiring musician, the heady days of Nirvana, realizing his dreams and finding his tribe with the wildly successful ‘Foo Fighters’, to slowing down (a little!) and raising a family. Full of life lessons and proving that Grohl really is the nicest man in rock and roll, you’ll want to dip into this one again and again!
Dec 15th, 2021
Still Life by Sarah Winman
The celebrated author of ‘Tin Man’ released this incredible novel last month. It’s the story of a chance encounter and friendship between young English soldier, Ulysses and a middle aged, art historian Evelyn, in Tuscany, 1944. A captivating, big-hearted story of people bought together by love, war and art. Goodreads gives it ‘an easy five stars’ and Graham Norton calls it ‘sheer joy’.
Dec 8th, 2021
Fine Dining Made Easy by Lisa Mead
Thrilled to stock this gorgeous cookbook! Lisa has been working on luxury yachts, primarily in the BVI, for the past decade. She has also hosted the TV show ‘Galley Gourmet with Chef Lisa’ and has a fabulous podcast! Her global cuisine recipes are easy to follow and will wow your guests and family!
Nov 25th, 2021
Taste by Stanley Tucci
Anyone who enjoyed watching the video of Tucci making the perfect Negroni during lockdown (and who didn’t 😉) will know his infectious passion and enthusiasm for food and drink. In this intimate and charming memoir, he reflects on his life in and out of the kitchen. ‘Filled with nostalgia and humour…completely heart warming’.
Nov 20th, 2021
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The novel follows four famous siblings growing up in 1980’s Malibu and the events of a life-altering 24 hours. Their story weaves in amongst chapters detailing their parents as a young couple in love and how their own story is a complicated tale of excitement, secrets and heartbreak. The author of bestselling book ‘Daisy Jones and The Six’, has created an ‘irresistible’ read - perfect to snuggle up with this weekend!
Nov 11th, 2021
Oct 26th, 2021
Renegades by Bruce Springsteen and Barack Obama
Two legends and longtime friends, Bruce Springsteen and Barack Obama, share candid, revealing and entertaining conversations about life, music and their love of America. Includes exclusive photos, historical documents, handwritten lyrics and never before seen annotated speeches. This stunning hardcover book would be a fantastic gift for anyone on your Christmas list.
Oct 21st, 2021
Pinch of Nom by Kate Allinson and Kay Featherstone
From the creators of the most visited food blog in the UK. Over 100 incredible recipes that focus on weight management and good health. Create easy to make, mouthwatering meals that will inspire you reach and maintain any goal orientated eating program.
Oct. 14th, 2021
Songbirds by Christy Lefteri
From the prize winning author of ‘The Beekeeper of Aleppo’, Christy Lefteri. Her new novel ‘Songbirds’ is about the disappearance of a Sri Lankan domestic worker on the island of Cyprus. When the police refuse to pursue the case, the family who employ her take on the investigation. They discover the darker side of a migrant’s life, where impossible choices leave them vulnerable and voiceless. Inspired by true events, this story is ‘beautifully crafted’ and ‘puts a poignantly human face on often invisible migrant workers’
Everyone in Popisho was born with a little something extra. Magic, but more than magic… The New York Times Book Review describes this novel as ‘Dazzling and shocking… [Jamaican author] Ross’s lyrical, rhythmic writing is something to be savored.
Oct. 1st, 2021
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
This newly released novel by the ‘Normal People’ author, follows the lives of Alice, Felix, Eileen and Simon as they grapple with desire, worries, friendships and the world they live in. The @nytimes described this book as ‘funny, smart, full of sex and love and people doing their best to connect’
Sept. 22nd, 2021
The Queer Bible edited by Jack Guiness
Gorgeously illustrated collection of essays written by today’s LGBTQ+ heroes, about their own queer heroes from history. ‘The Queer Bible’ has been heralded as ‘changing the literary landscape’. Edited by Jack Guinness and including essays from Elton John, Tan France, Graham Norton, Paris Lees and many more
Sept. 15th, 2021
Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
This contemporary novel is long listed for the 2021 Booker Prize, and last month, became Oprah’s 91st choice for her Book Club. Set in a fictional town at the end of the Civil War, when President Lincoln has just issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the enslaved. Two brothers are the last to leave the plantation where they’ve spent their entire lives, and grapple with what will come next…. Oprah says: ‘as the best writers can do, Nathan takes us back in time, and helps us to feel we are right there with (the brothers) as they get their first taste of freedom. I rooted for them, and feared for them too’.
Sept. 8th, 2021
Just Like You by Nick Hornby
The ‘High Fidelity’ and ‘About A Boy’ author brings us a warm, wise, highly entertaining 21st century love story of what happens when the person that makes you the happiest is someone you never expected. ‘Brilliant observed, tender but also brutally funny!’
August 28th, 2021
Who run the world…? Well, the brilliant women in this book! Highlighting titans of change including Michelle Obama, Billie Jean King, Malala Yousafzai and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Enjoy their incredible stories and achievements, and how these women have shifted the needle and created global change
July 28th, 2021
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
We know you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover but this one is stunning! This New York Bestseller is a literary adventure exploring seven classic Russian short stories. Saunders was a creative writing professor for two decades and approaches these stories in a technical yet accessible way, and shows why they are more relevant than ever in these turbulent times.
July 8th, 2021
The Push by Ashley Audrain
Described as ‘utterly addictive’, this tense, page-turning psychological drama focuses on Blythe Connor, whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for - and everything she feared. ‘Gripping, clever, vividly realized…the ending will leave you flabbergasted’!
June 30th, 2021
The Comfort Book by Matt Haig
Described as Haig’s ‘life raft’, it’s a collections of notes, lists and stories written over the span of several years which originally served as gentle reminders to Haig’s future self that things are not always as dark as they seem. ‘It’s a strange paradox, that many of the clearest, most comforting life lessons are learnt while we are at our lowest’. One to keep on the bedside table indefinitely.
June 25th, 2021
Nightcap by Kara Newman
The perfect weekend companion! Featuring more than 40 cocktail recipes that double as dessert, keep the night going, ease you to sleep or soothe the stomach after a hearty meal. Beautifully photographed, the recipes are easy to follow including useful tips of the trade
June 16th, 2021
Code Name Bananas by David Walliams
The latest from the wacky and wonderful David Walliams, ‘Code Name Bananas’ is set 1940 Britain at war with Germany. As bombs rain down, orphan Eric forms an extraordinary friendship with a remarkable gorilla: Gertrude… Walliams describes this books as ‘epic comedy adventure…there is plenty of humour, action and excitement to delight even the most reluctant reader’.
June 9th, 2021
The Mermaid of Black Pearl by Monique Roffey
Winner of the 2020 Costa Book of the Year award, Roffey draws on her Trinidadian roots to create the world of Black Conch island. A beautiful young woman has been cursed by jealous wives to live as a mermaid, and has been swimming the Caribbean Sea for centuries. She is caught in an annual fishing competition and becomes a trophy and tourist attraction. But a young man rescues her and may just be able to break the curse... Full of imaginative and colourful characters, this ‘utterly original’ novel will take you on an unforgettable journey.
June 2nd, 2021
Dark Tides by Philippa Gregory
The newly released second book in the ‘The Fairmile Series’, tracks the rise of the Tidelands family in London, Venice and New England. This is a novel of ‘greed and desire: for love, for wealth, for a child and for home’. The Times describes Gregory’s writing as ‘popular historical fiction at its finest, immaculately researched and superbly told’. New to this series? The first book, ‘Tidelands’, is also available at Nook.
May 27th, 2021
How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones
The debut novel is set in the authors home island of Barbados, but this is not a depiction of the paradise tourist destination you may expect. The Guardian describes this novel as a ‘claustrophobic story of murder, abuse and a violent marriage...intensely compelling’. One of 2021’s most anticipated new fictional books, pick up your copy today!
May 13th, 2021
The Gilead Series by Marilynne Robinson
Oprah’s 2021 Book Club pick, this collection of four books is an inter-generational story about faith, race and love. Oprah says the series is ‘a quartet of masterpieces. The more closely I read them, the more I find to appreciate, and the more they show the way in seeing the beauty in the ordinary.’
May 6th, 2021
That Way Madness Lies edited by Dahlia Adler
A collection of creative retellings of William Shakespeare’s celebrated classics. Fifteen acclaimed writers put their original spin on everything from ‘Romeo and Juliet’ to ‘Macbeth’, to include modern twists relevant to today’s teen. Released in March 2021. Suitable for Grade 7 and above.
April 28th, 2021
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafrón
An oldie but goldie (how strange that a release from 2005 is now considered an ‘oldie’?!?) for our Nook Book of the Week. ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ by Carlos Ruiz Zafrón, is a beautifully written narrative from the eyes of young Daniel, set in a post-war Barcelona. Daniel discovers a mysterious book in a secret library, and is compelled to find out more about the author. He is launched into a quest, unearthing old secrets, dark discoveries and shocking plot twists. ‘An epic story of murder, madness and doomed love...’
April 21st, 2021
Eat Cool by Vanessa Seder
the perfect companion for hotter days as we creep closer to summer. Includes heat beating recipes for energy-rich breakfasts, wholesome bowls, vibrant salads, crowd-pleasing main courses and summertime desserts. All beautifully photographed and presented.
April 14th, 2021
Life in Pieces by Dawn O' Porter
Sometimes you just need an easy read that will make you laugh out loud! Reflections from life in lockdown on grief and identity, bad hair and parenting, sleep and spirituality and everything in between... ‘Heartbreaking, hilarious and comforting’
April 8th, 2021
The Ickabog by J. K Rowling
The ‘Harry Potter’ author brings us a fast paced, funny fairy tale about a tiny kingdom famous for happiness, gold and food. However, a monster lurks... but is it just a myth? Two best friends set off on an adventure to discover the truth. Suitable for readers 8 years old and above.
April 6th, 2021
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Nobel Laureate and Booker Prize winner, Kazuo Ishiguro, has bought us a story that couldn’t differ more from his famous novel ‘The Remains of the Day’. This is a story about Klara, an artificial intelligence ‘friend’ designed to provide companionship and prevent loneliness in teenagers. ‘A deft dystopian fable about the innocence of a robot that asks big questions about existence’...
March 24th, 2021
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
This book has taken the world by storm, providing joy and humour at a time we need it most! A very cleverly written tale, with characters you’ll want to have a cup of tea with (even the ‘baddies’!). ‘Witty, endearing and greatly entertaining’.
March 17th, 2021
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
This unconventional memoir from the Academy Award winning actor, is filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom and lessons learned the hard way. ‘It’s a love letter. To life. It’s also a guide to catching more greenlights - and to realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too...’
March 11th, 2021Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
The very well deserved 2020 Booker Prize winner, this is the unforgettable story of a sweet and lonely boy, growing up in 1980’s Glasgow. Although fiction, there are parallels with Douglas’s own upbringing, which makes this heartbreaking story all the more poignant.
March 4th, 2021
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Between life and death, there is a library with infinite shelves full of books of lives you could have lived. Nora Seed is racked with regrets and self doubt when she arrives at the Midnight Library, and is able to sample snippets of her alternate realities, where different life choices create endless possibilities. Would she have done anything differently? Are any of these lives really any better?
February 23rd, 2021
The Last Days of John Lennon by James Patterson
Detailing the ‘greatest true-crime story in music history’ and enriched with exclusive interviews with Lennon’s friends and associates, this is a story that only James Patterson can tell. ‘The thrilling story of two men who changed history: One whose indelible songs enliven the world to this day - and the other who ended the beautiful music with five pulls of the trigger...’
February 17th, 2021
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
This beautifully illustrated book explores life’s universal lessons: vulnerability, kindness, hope, friendship and love. A must read for ages, this book ‘offers inspiration and hope in uncertain times...’.
February 11th, 2021
The New Wilderness by Diane Cook
Likened to Margaret Atwood, Diane Cook takes us to a dystopian world ravaged by climate change. In a bid to save her sick daughter from the smog and pollution, Bea agrees for them to become part of an experimental program of volunteers to live in the ‘Wilderness State’, to see if humans can exist in nature without destroying it. Shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize, this novel is ‘brutal and beautiful in equal measure’.
February 3rd, 2021
Mixing it up this week for our Nook Book of the Week! ‘Dishoom’ is that perfect combination of incredible cookbook and seductive coffee table book! Stuffed with delicious recipes, hand drawn maps and stunning photos, ‘Dishoom’ will take you on an adventure to Bombay.
January 26th, 2021
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
This is the story of Lydia Quixano Pérez who is forced to flee her home city of Acapulco, Mexico with her young son, after a life changing event. The journey to the American border is rife with dangers and heartbreak but also hope and amazing friendships. On a personal note, this was by far the best novel I read last year. It grips you from the first few pages, and then you won’t be able to put it down. It’s an eye opening, beautifully written account of a world I knew very little about.
January 19th, 2021
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
A narrative of real people in America, whose lives are shaped by a hidden caste system. ‘Caste’ is Oprah’s current pick for @oprahsbookclub - she describes it as ‘a must read for humanity’.
January 12th, 2021
Educated by Tara Westover
This award winning bestseller from 2018 is still flying off the shelves today. A memoir of a girl born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, who does not set foot in a classroom before the age of 17. Her quest for knowledge takes her on a transformative journey around the world. ‘Beautiful and propulsive... a universal coming of age story’.
January 7th, 2021The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Voted as one of the best books of 2020 by Barack Obama and The New York Times, this book follows twin sisters and the consequences of their different life decisions. ‘An engrossing page-turner about family and relationships that is immersive and provocative, compassionate and wise’.
December 21st, 2020
Vogue: Fantasy & Fashion
Vogue: Fantasy & Fashion
Described as ‘A dream book of empowering and fantastical fashion narratives - from Brothers Grimm to futuristic scenarios- told in Vogues inimitable style’.
December 14th 2020City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
Written by ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ author Elizabeth Gilbert, this is a captivating story of Vivian Morris’ life. Running away to live with her eccentric Aunt Peg in 1940’s New York, young Vivian becomes swept up in wild adventures and flamboyant characters that change the course of her life... This is a nostalgic, emotional and sometimes laugh out loud read.
December 8th 2020 Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
The follow up novel to the hugely popular ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’. After being liberated from the camp, Cilka faces new and horribly familiar challenges in a Siberian gulag. However, Cilka finds hope and resilience in becoming a healer... Just as captivating as Heather Morris’ first novel.