Previous books

Great for: Fans of romcoms, Jojo Moyes and Marian Keyes

Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square

Heidi Swain

Great for: Anyone looking for a perfect summer read, fans of Milly Johnson and escapist fiction

"I Will Not Be Erased": Our stories of growing up as people of colour

gal-dem

Young Adult Essays

Great for: Young people of colour looking for advice and understanding

Up in the Attic

Pam Ayres

Poetry

Great for: Readers looking to explore poetry, or who want to dip in and out of a book

Reasons to Be Cheerful

Nina Stibbe

Contemporary Fiction Novella

Great for: Fans of comic fiction

Elevation

Stephen King

Great for: Readers looking for a short, heartwarming story

Where Are We Now?

Glenn Patterson

Great for: Middle-aged adults

Faking Friends

Jane Fallon

Great for: Readers looking for escapism, witty humour and twists

Ask A Footballer

James Milner

Great for: Football fans, readers looking to dip in and out of a book

We Are All Made of Molecules

Susin Nielsen

Young adult non-fiction

Great for: Young people, fans of Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Stories to Make You Smile

Fanny Blake

Short stories

Great for: Anyone looking for something to make them smile

Emma

Jane Austen, Fiona Stafford, Tanya Reynolds

Classic Fiction

Great for: Readers of historical fiction, fans of the 2020 film adaptation

The Anxiety Survival Guide: Getting through the Challenging Stuff

Bridie Gallagher, Sue Knowles, Phoebe McEwen, Emmeline Pidgen

Great for: Young people experiencing anxiety, worry or going through a difficult transition or stressful experience

The Kindness Method: Changing Habits for Good

Shahroo Izadi

Non-fiction Mental Health

Great for: People who want to make a positive change to their life

A Dutiful Boy: A memoir of a gay Muslim's journey to acceptance

Mohsin Zaidi

Memoir

Great for: Anyone looking for their place in the world

Pocket Book of Happiness: For When Life Gets a Little Tough

Quotes

Great for: Less confident readers

To Sir With Love

E. R. Braithwaite

Essays, poems and memoir

Great for: Readers interested in learning about prejudices in 1940s England

Common People: An Anthology of Working-Class Writers

Kit de Waal, Malorie Blackman, Cathy Rentzenbrink, Lisa McInerney, Louise Doughty, Damian Barr

Great for: All adults, especially those from working-class backgrounds

Much Ado About Nothing

William Shakespeare, David Tennant, Samatha Spiro

Play

Great for: Adults and young people – Shakespeare is for everyone

Taking Up Space: The Black Girl's Manifesto for Change

Chelsea Kwakye, Ore Ogunbiyi

Essays

Great for: Adults and young adults exploring identity, fans of Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race and Slay in Your Lane

A Rising Man

Abir Mukherjee

Historical crime

Great for: Fans of historical fiction and mysteries

North and South

Elizabeth Gaskell

Audiobook, Classic fiction

Great for: Fans of classic fiction

Darkness Rising

A. A. Dhand

Quick Read, Crime

Great for: Less confident adult readers who like a gripping crime story

Somebody Give This Heart a Pen

Sophia Thakur

Young Adult poetry

Great for: An ideal collection for young people looking for their place in the world

Bedtime Stories for Stressed Out Adults

Various

Audiobook, Short stories

Great for: Anyone who needs some help relaxing or sleeping

East of Hounslow

Khurrum Rahman

Thriller

Great for: Fans of Four Lions, pacy thrillers and books about current issues

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Classic fiction

Great for: Fans of escapist dramas and the film featuring Leonardo DiCaprio

The Man I Think I Know

Mike Gayle

Great for: Anyone looking for an uplifting and hopeful story

Practical Zen: Meditation and Beyond

Julian Daizan Skinner

Young Adult Historical Fiction

Great for: Anyone looking for a practical way to find peace

The Salt Path

Raynor Winn

Non-Fiction

Great for: Anyone looking for some inspiration, strength and motivation.

Death on the Nile

Agatha Christie

Detective fiction

Great for: Fans of the Poirot films and mysteries

Things a Bright Girl Can Do

Sally Nicholls

Great for: Young people fighting for equality, justice and recognition

The Truth About Lies

Tracy Darnton

Great for: Young adults looking for a gripping read

How to Be a Footballer

Peter Crouch

Great for: Football fans

One Of Us Is Next

Karen M. McManus

Great for: Perfect for young people looking for a thrilling adventure

Death in the Dordogne

Martin Walker

Great for: Anyone looking for a light read, an escape to France and a mystery

The Crossover

Kwame Alexander

Great for: Young people looking for an exciting read

Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves

P. G. Wodehouse

Comedy

Great for: Fans of Downton Abbey, anyone looking for an escape and a laugh

On the Come Up

Angie Thomas

Great for: Perfect for young people who are fighting for what they believe in, and love hip-hip

The Spanish Promise

Karen Swan

Great for: Anyone looking for an escape to sunny Spain

The Little Dreams of Lara Cliffe

Milly Johnson

Quick Reads, romance

Great for: Less confident adult readers looking for an escape

Diversify

June Sarpong

Great for: Perfect for anyone who wants to improve our society

Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel

Ruth Hogan

Great for: Anyone looking for a feel-good escape, fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Double Crossed

Brian Wood

Audiobook, Non-fiction

Great for: Adults interested in mental health

The Dead Ex

Jane Corry

Great for: Fans of fast-paced, suspense thrillers

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Douglas Adams

Science fiction

Great for: Sci-fi and comedy lovers of all ages

Me Mam. Me Dad. Me.

Malcolm Duffy

Great for: Young people growing up in the North East of England

Mad Girl

Bryony Gordon

Memoir

Great for: Anyone affected by OCD

Himself

Jess Kidd

General fiction

Great for: Fans of the supernatural and ghost stories

The Forgiveness Project: Stories for a Vengeful Age

Marina Cantacuzino

Great for: Anyone facing adversity or difficulties. Particularly suitable for people in prisons.

Children of Blood and Bone

Tomi Adeyemi

YA Fantasy

Great for: Young people who want to escape to a magical world

Shadows in Heaven

Nadine Dorries

Contemporary fiction

Great for: Fans of sagas and romance

Thinking Out Loud

Rio Ferdinand

Great for: Anyone affected by bereavement

Turtles All the Way Down

John Green

Great for: Young people affected by anxiety, fans of The Fault in Our Stars

The Ice Cream Girls

Dorothy Koomson

Great for: Fans of crime dramas

The Things We Thought We Knew

Mahsuda Snaith

General fiction

Great for: Anyone who likes stories of families, friendships and the struggles of growing up

The Rosie Project

Graeme Simsion

Humour

Great for: Adults who enjoyed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

Rosie Loves Jack

Mel Darbon

Great for: Young people who like a story of love and adventure

The Hate U Give

Angie Thomas

Great for: Young people and adults interested in the truth about what it means to live in a black community in America

The Seven Sisters

Lucinda Riley

Historical fiction

Great for: Fans of historical fiction and family dramas

Juliet, Naked

Nick Hornby

Humourous fiction

Great for: Anyone in need of a laugh with moments of poignancy

The Chalk Pit

Elly Griffiths

General fiction, romance

Great for: Fans of crime and dramas

Artemis

Andy Weir

Science fiction

Great for: Fans of The Martian and people who dream of going to space

Close Enough to Touch

Colleen Oakley

Great for: People facing difficulties and isolation

The Handmaid's Tale

Margaret Atwood

Speculative fiction

Great for: Fans of the TV show; those who think about how the world could be different

Orphan Monster Spy

Matt Killeen

Great for: Young people who like adventure and history

The Children

Ann Leary

General fiction

Great for: Fans of family mysteries

Die Last

Tony Parsons

Great for: Fans of fast-paced mysteries

The War of the Worlds

H. G. Wells

Science fiction

Great for: Anyone who likes science fiction

Our Summer Together

Fanny Blake

Women's Fiction

Great for: Older readers and fans of romantic, uplifting stories

The Detective's Daughter

Lesley Thomson

Crime/Thriller

Great for: Fans of fast-paced, suspenseful mystery

Elizabeth is Missing

Emma Healey

Great for: Older readers and anyone who loves poignant and compelling stories

Gilded Cage

Vic James

Great for: Fans of the Hunger Games trilogy and other YA fantasy

The Beach Wedding

Dorothy Koomson

Quick Reads

Great for: Less confident adult readers or those who need a short, punchy read

One Of Us Is Lying

Karen McManus

Great for: Perfect for fans of Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars

Satellite

Nick Lake

YA / Science Fiction

Great for: Fans of science fiction and The Martian

My Name Is Leon

Kit De Waal

Great for: Anyone who enjoys both the feel-good and gritty moments in life, who remembers early-80s Britain, or who has experienced or worked in foster care

Genuine Fraud

E. Lockhart

Crime/Thriller

Great for: Fans of mind-twisting stories like The Talented Mr Ripley

Open: A Toolkit for How Magic and Messed Up Life Can Be

Gemma Cairney

Great for: Young people who'd benefit from practical, fun and kind-hearted advice

After The Fire

Will Hill

Great for: Young adults and fans of suspense

The Woman In Black

Susan Hill

Horror

Great for: Anyone who loves horror and craves a genuine fright

What the Dog Knows: scent, science, and the amazing ways dogs perceive the world

Cat Warren

Romance/Commercial Fiction

Great for: Dog-lovers and fans of true crime

The Recovery Letters: Addressed to People Experiencing Depression

Olivia Sagan (Author), James Withey (Author), Tom Couser

Health/wellbeing

Great for: Anyone who currently affected by depression or recovering from it

Carry On, Jeeves: (Jeeves & Wooster)

P. G. Wodehouse

Classics/comedy

Great for: Fans of the hit TV adaptation, or of whimsical, hilarious tales

Dangerous Lady

Martina Cole

Crime/thriller

Great for: Fans of Lynda la Plante and gritty crime dramas

Kith

Jo Bell

Poetry

Great for: Older readers, young adults and anyone in between

My Everything

Katie Marsh

Great for: Anyone who'd enjoy a story of both the ordinary and extraordinary dramas of family life

At My Mother's Knee...: And Other Low Joints

Paul O'Grady

Memoir/Comedy

Great for: Fans of Paul O'Grady himself or his much-loved Lily Savage

Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream To The Sun

Sarah Ladipo Manyika

Great for: Older readers and anyone who loves to reminisce

The Loney

Andrew Michael Hurley

Great for: Fans of gothic and eerie tales

You Don't Know Me

Imran Mahmood

Crime/Thriller

Great for: Fans of crime dramas

Mindfulness: A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world

J. Mark G. Williams, Dr. Danny Penman

Health/wellbeing

Great for: Anyone experiencing anxiety or depression, or those struggling with daily life

The Missing

C. L. Taylor

Raven Black

Ann Cleeves

Lies We Tell Ourselves

Robin Talley

The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra

Vaseem Khan

Mr Loverman

Bernardine Evaristo

Sofia Khan is Not Obliged: A Heartwarming Romantic Comedy

Ayisha Malik

Romance, Humour

Wonder

R. J. Palacio,

Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck

Classics

Persepolis

Marjane Satrapi

Graphic novel

Millie Marotta's Animal Kingdom

Millie Marotta

Crafts & Colouring

Streets of Darkness

A. A. Dhand

The Last Act of Love: The Story of My Brother and His Sister

Cathy Rentzenbrink

Memoir

A Very Distant Shore: Quick Reads

Jenny Colgan

Quick Reads, Romance

The Beach Cafe

Lucy Diamond

Romance

Orangeboy

Patrice Lawrence

Faded Glory

David Essex

Saga Fiction

Payback

Kimberley Chambers

The Girl Who Wasn't There

Ferdinand von Schirach, Anthea Bell

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Helen Fielding

Humour

The Traitor

Jonathan Holt

The Secret Marriage Pact

Georgie Lee

Romance

The Good Son

Paul McVeigh

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 Years Old

Hendrik Groen, Hester Velmans

Humour

False Nine

Philip Kerr

Quick Reads, Crime, Thrillers & Mystery

One False Move

Dreda Say Mitchell

The Bones of Grace

Tahmima Anam

Am I Normal Yet?

Holly Bourne

Great for: Teenagers and young women (current and former)

Last Bus to Coffeeville

J. Paul Henderson

Quick Reads (Women's fiction)

Great for: Any reluctant readers who need a careering, emotion-filled story to grip them

Perfect Daughter

Amanda Prowse

Women's fiction

Great for: Exploring the everyday dramas and ongoing trials of family life

A Baby at the Beach Café

Lucy Diamond

Great for: Expectant mums who might like a restful read

Band of Brothers

Stephen E. Ambrose

Non-fiction (military history)

Great for: Military history buffs & fans of the TV series

Reasons to Stay Alive

Matt Haig

Fiction in translation / thriller

Great for: Anyone who's ever suffered, recovered from or encountered depression

Someone Else's Skin

Sarah Hilary

Crime / thriller

Great for: Anyone who loves gripping, plot-driven crime stories

Love Poems

Carol Ann Duffy

Poetry

Great for: Anyone who's ever loved or lost

Too Good to be True

Ann Cleeves

Crime / thriller

Great for: Fans of Tartan noir and John le Carré

I Can't Begin to Tell You

Elizabeth Buchan

Historical fiction

Great for: Anyone who loved The Imitation Game & spy dramas

Whispering Shadows

Jan-Philipp Sendker

Great for: Fans of cinematic thrillers and neo-noir

Treachery

S. J. Parris

Historical fiction

Great for: Fans of TV historical thrillers and period dramas

Now You See Me: Lacey Flint Series, Book 1

Sharon Bolton

Crime / thriller

Great for: Fans of TV crime dramas from Prime Suspect to The Killing

The Rotters' Club

Jonathan Coe

Great for: Brummies, teenagers, anyone who grew up in Thatcher's Britain

Shadow and Bone

Leigh Bardugo

Young Adult / fantasy

Great for: Game of Thrones-obssessives

After the Fall

Charity Norman

Skellig

David Almond

Spring Tide

Cilla Borjlind, Rolf Borjlind

Street Cat Bob: How One Man and a Cat Saved Each Other's Lives. A True Story.

James Bowen

Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts

Mary Gibson

Water for Elephants

Sara Gruen

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Rachel Joyce

Assassin's Apprentice

Robin Hobb

The Martian

Andy Weir

Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West

Blaine Harden

When God Was a Rabbit

Sarah Winman

Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death

M. C. Beaton

Queen's Gambit

Elizabeth Fremantle

Essential Poems from the Staying Alive Trilogy

ed. Neil Astley

Dead Man Talking

Roddy Doyle

Honour

Elif Shafak

The Moaning of Life: The Worldly Wisdom of Karl Pilkington

Karl Pilkington

Chickenfeed

Minette Walters

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece

Annabel Pitcher

Prime Suspect

Lynda La Plante

Getting Rid of Matthew

Jane Fallon

The Perfect Murder

Peter James

Theodore Boone

John Grisham

Gorky Park

Martin Cruz Smith

Confessions of a GP

Benjamin Daniels

Black Hills

Nora Roberts

59 Seconds: How Psychology Can Improve Your Life in Less Than a Minute

Professor Richard Wiseman

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

John Boyne

Geezer Girls

Dreda Say Mitchell

Today Everything Changes: Quick Read

Andy McNab

Four Warned

Jeffrey Archer

The Humans

Matt Haig

The Recruit

Robert Muchamore

After the Funeral

Agatha Christie

Hello Mum

Bernardine Evaristo

Tales of the City

Armistead Maupin

Whatever it Takes

Adele Parks

Vengeance is Mine

Roald Dahl

The Boy with the Topknot: A Memoir of Love, Secrets and Lies in Wolverhampton

Sathnam Sanghera

Rivers of London

Ben Aaronovitch

The Island

Victoria Hislop

Casino Royale

Ian Fleming

Red Dust Road

Jackie Kay

The Eyre Affair

Jasper Fforde

The White Queen

Philippa Gregory

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Alexander McCall Smith

Noughts and Crosses: Book 1

Malorie Blackman

The Road Home

Rose Tremain

Girl With a Pearl Earring

Tracy Chevalier

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Patrick Ness

Little Face: Book 1: Culver Valley Crime

Sophie Hannah

Last Night Another Soldier

Andy McNab

A Little History of the World

Ernst H. Gombrich, Clifford Harper, Caroline Mustill

Treasure Island

Robert Louis Stevenson, Eoin Colfer, John Seelye

The Reader

Bernhard Schlink, Carol Brown Janeway

Me Before You

Jojo Moyes

Damage

Josephine Hart

The Secret Scripture: A Novel

Sebastian Barry

Why Be Happy When You Could be Normal?

Jeanette Winterson

Judge Dredd: the Dark Judges

John Wagner, Alan Grant, Brian Bolland, Brett Ewins, Cliff Robinson

How I Live Now

Meg Rosoff

Sleepyhead

Mark Billingham

Great for: Adults

The Damned Utd

David Peace

Notes from a Small Island

Bill Bryson

Non Fiction

Great for: Adults

The Time Traveler's Wife

Audrey Niffenegger

Great for: Adults

Great for: Adults

Beloved

Toni Morrison

Non Fiction

Great for: Adults

Marian Keyes

Great for: Adults

Mark Haddon

Great for: Young Adults

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

John Le Carre, William Boyd, John Le Carre

A Fine Balance

Rohinton Mistry