Find your next good read!
On this page, we share our recommended reads. We have organised them by category. To reserve a book our find out more information select the book title. You can find many more great books on in our library catalogue.
We also have a wide range of specialty books in our catalogues including:
Adult fiction
Prophet Song - Paul Lynch
Winner of the Booker Prize 2023
Prophet song is exhilarating, terrifying, and propulsive. It is a work of stunning originality. It offers a devastating vision of a country at war. And, it is a deeply human portrait of a mother’s fight to hold her family together.
The Secret - Lee Child
Chicago. 1992. A hospital patient wakes to find two strangers by his bed. They show him a list of names and ask a simple but impossible question. Minutes later, he falls to his death from his twelfth-floor window. The fall gets some unexpected attention.
The Last Devil to Die - Richard Osman
On Boxing Day, a dangerous package is smuggled across the English coast. When it goes missing, chaos is unleashed. The body count starts to rise. It includes someone close to the Thursday Murder Club. Our gang faces an impossible search and their deadliest opponents yet.
Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros
The thrilling sequel to the best-seller ‘Fourth Wing’
Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die in her first year at Basgiath War College. She did too. But Threshing was only the first impossible test. It was meant to weed out the weak, the unworthy, and the unlucky. Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College. Nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.
The Running Grave - Robert Galbraith
The Sunday Times Crime Novel of the Year 2023
Robin Ellacott, Strike's business partner, decides to try to rescue Will. She plans to infiltrate the cult and travels to Norfolk to live there in secret. But in taking this action, she is not prepared for the dangers that await her there or for the toll it will take on her.
A Curse for True Love - Stephanie Garber
Two villains, one girl, and a deadly battle for happily ever after.
Blood will be shed. Hearts will be stolen. True love will be tested in A Curse for True Love, the eagerly-awaited end of the Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy.
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop - Hwang Bo-Reum. Translator Shanna Tan
In Seoul, Yeongju's quaint neighborhood is full of books. She and her customers take refuge there. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop becomes the place where they all learn how to truly live.
Good Material - Dolly Alderton
Andy's story wasn't meant to turn out this way. He lives out of a suitcase in his best friends' spare room. He waits for his career as a stand-up comedian to finally take off. He struggles to process the life-ruining end of his relationship. It was with the only woman he's ever truly loved. Andy has a lot to learn, not least his ex-girlfriend's side of the story.
What You Are Looking For is in the Library - Michiko, Aoyama | Translator Alison Watts
'What are you looking for?' asks Tokyo's most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi.
She is no ordinary librarian. Naturally, she has read every book on her shelf. But, she also has the rare ability to read the souls of anyone who walks through her door. The surprise book Komachi lends will transform each person who reads it.
Murder on the Dance Floor - Shirley Ballas
A promising young dancer collapses. It happens during the festival's opening tango. Lily Richmond is a dance legend and teacher. She's a one-time world champion. She's sure that murder is afoot. Only one person can help her delve into the mystery. It's her former student, Susie Cooper, a private detective.
Adult non-fiction
This Book May Save Your Life - Karan Rajan
A hilarious, myth-busting survival guide to the human body. It's from TikTok's favourite General Surgeon. The odds are against us. But, the human body has an amazing tendency to survive. Here, Dr. Karan explains our strange bodily functions. He also offers practical advice to help you thrive when things go wrong.
Politics on the Edge: A Memoir From Within - Rory Stewart
The Times Political Book of the Year
Over a decade from 2010, Rory Stewart went from being a political outsider to running for prime minister. Then, he was fired from the Conservative Party, which he had come to barely recognise.
He tackled ministerial briefs on flood response and prison violence. He engaged with conflict and poverty abroad as a foreign minister. He faced Brexit as a Cabinet minister. In these roles, Stewart saw firsthand how hollow our democracy and government had become.
Unruly: A History of England’s Kings and Queens - David Mitchell
Think you know your kings and queens? Think again.
In Unruly, David Mitchell shows how England's monarchs were feared. They guided their subjects' destinies. But, they were really a bunch of lucky sods. In real life, they were as silly and weird as they look in their portraits today. It's a funny book about a serious subject. Unruly is for anyone who has wondered how we got here and who is to blame.
The Woman In Me - Britney Spears
The Woman in Me is a brave and moving story. It is about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope. Written with great honesty and humour. Her ground-breaking book shows that music and love are powerful and lasting. It also shows the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.
Wild Hope: Healing Words to Find Light on Dark Days - Donna Ashworth
Wild Hope is Donna Ashworth's powerful new collection of wisdom. It aims to help us find hope, peace, self-acceptance, and inspiration on tough days. Donna wrote it with love and understanding. She is also the best-selling author of I Wish I Knew. She reminds us that, amid our daily struggles and constant bad news, we have much to hope for. Each of us can play a part, big or small, in making the world better.
Feel-Good Productivity: How to do More of What Matters to You - Ali Abdaal
The secret to productivity isn't discipline. It's joy. This ground-breaking book, Ali reveals how science can make you happier. He introduces the three hidden 'energisers' that make productivity fun. He also covers the three 'blockers' we must beat to stop procrastination. And, the three 'sustainers' prevent burnout and help us find lasting fulfillment.
Mary Makes It Easy: The New Ultimate Stress-Free Cookbook - Mary Berry
Trust Mary to make home cooking stress-free, easy and delicious! In this collection of 120 recipes, Mary shares her tips and tricks from a lifetime of culinary knowledge.
Each recipe has beautiful photos. They are accompanied by simple tips and advice. The tips are about preparing ahead and freezing. 'Mary Makes It Easy' brings Mary's years of experience straight into your kitchen.
The Tw*t Files - Dawn French
When I was younger, I wanted to be an interesting person. I wanted to be sophisticated and semi-heroic with many layers. But that kind of perfect is impossible. Being an actual tw*t is much more the real me. Sorry to boast, but I am a champion tw*t. Reading these stories of my tw*ttishness might remind you of what a tw*t you are. We can celebrate being a tw*t together.
5 Ingredients. Mediterranean - Jamie Oliver
5 Ingredients Mediterranean is everything people loved about the first book. But, it has the extra va-va-voom of being based on Jamie's lifelong travels around the Med. The book has over 125 delicious, easy recipes. It's all about making everyday cooking very exciting with little fuss. And, it transports you to sunnier places.
Children and young adults
The Baddies - Julia Donaldson | Axel Scheffler
Suitable for ages 0 to 5
This fabulous picture book is a riot of slapstick fun and silliness. The Baddies are the meanest, nastiest ghost, witch and troll in the land. They just adore being bad, and fight over who is the worst. When a little girl moves into a nearby cottage, the Baddies can't wait to scare her out of her wits. But the little girl quickly shows them: you don't have to be big to be brave. And, the bad guys don't always win.
Dormouse Has A Cold - Julia Donaldson | Axel Scheffler
Suitable for ages 0 to 5
Dormouse is sniffing and snuffling - being ill is hard! But with some help from Doctor Stoat and a visit from her friends, she soon starts to feel better. What will cheer her up? Lift the flaps to find out, then join Dormouse and her friends for a fun trip to Acorn Fair.
Wonka - Sibeal Pounder
Suitable for ages 7 to 9
Since he was a child, Willy Wonka had dreamed of making chocolate. He also dreamed of sharing it with the world. As a young man, he arrives at the world-famous Galeries Gourmet. He is determined to change the world one tasty bite at a time.
This delicious tale is about dreams, friendship, and chocolate. It is based on the movie Wonka. Paul King directed the movie. He created the story and wrote the screenplay with Simon Farnaby.
No Brainer: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 18 - Jeff Kinney
Suitable for ages 7 to 9
Up until now, middle school hasn't exactly been a joyride for Greg Heffley. So when the town threatens to close the crumbling building, he's not too broken up about it. But, then Greg realises this means he'll be sent to a different school than his best friend, Rowley Jefferson. He changes his tune. Can Greg and his classmates save their school before it's shuttered for good? Or is this the start of a whole new chapter for Greg?
Impossible Creatures - Katherine Rundell
Suitable for ages 9 to 11
Christopher is visiting his secluded grandfather. He sees an avalanche of mythical creatures tear down the hill. This is how he learns that his grandfather is the guardian of a way between non-magical worlds. The Archipelago is a cluster of magical islands. Mythical creatures live, breed, and thrive there with humans.
They have been protected from discovery for thousands of years. Now, the protection has worn thin and creatures are breaking through. Then Mal appears in Christopher's world. She has a flying coat, is being pursued by a killer and is herself in pursuit of a baby griffin.
The Blunders - David Walliams
Suitable for ages 9 to 11
Meet the Blunders. There's Bertie, Betsy, their kids Brutus and Bunny, their grandma Old Lady Blunder, and their pet ostrich, Cedric. An ostrich is not a sensible pet, but then the Blunders are not sensible people. This family are upper-class twits. They live in a falling country house named Blunder Hall. Their home comes under threat. They must have a series of funny misadventures to save it.
The Blunders is absurd and hilarious. It is David Walliams’ funniest book yet. It's a laugh-out-loud tale. It's about the most blundering and lovable family in history.
The Chalice of the Gods - Rick Riordan
Suitable for ages 9 to 11
The original hero. A brand-new adventure. Percy Jackson has saved the world many times. He battled monsters, Titans, and even giants. But, these days, the modern son of Poseidon hopes for a regular final year at school. Too bad the Greek gods have other plans, and three new quests for Percy to complete.
Can Percy and his friends find the chalice? They must find it before it falls into the wrong hands.
Heartstopper. Volume 5 - Alice Oseman
Suitable for ages 14 and above
Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They've finally said "I love you." Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick's house. But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?
By Alice Oseman, who won the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper covers the small moments of Nick and Charlie's lives. These moments together make up something larger, which speaks to us all. This book talks about mental health and eating disorders. It also has sexual references.
Powerless - Lauren Roberts
Suitable for ages 14 and above
Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya. The exceptional. The Elites. The Elites have had powers for decades. They were gifted by the Plague. Those born Ordinary are just that. They are banished from the kingdom and shunned from society.
No one knows this better than Paedyn Gray, an Ordinary posing as an Elite. She saves one of Ilya’s princes, Kai Azer, without suspecting it. Then, she’s thrown into the Purging Trials. It's a brutal competition to showcase her ‘Elite’ powers.