Are you looking for your next great read? Why not try out the books from across the pond? Despite from what governments say, books are essential and are needed now, more than ever. So if you are need of a variety and want to read diverse stories, then I suggest you try out some British and Irish titles!
We may have left 2022 behind, but the pain and struggles of last year are still being faced, especially independent bookstores. Continue to support indie bookstores by shopping on Bookshop.org and Hive.co.uk.
Please note that Book Depository closed down it’s website on April 26, 2023.
Waterstones currently ships to the United States but there will be an international shipping fee. You can also try with the British bookstore, Blackwell’s, also with Wordery.com. Now on with the recommendations!
Featured Book of the Month:
Every Exquisite Thing by Laura Steven
Expected Publication Date: September 14
Penny Paxton is the daughter of an icon. Her supermodel mother has legions of adoring fans around the world, and Penny is ready to begin her journey to international adoration, starting with joining the elite Dorian Drama School.
When Penny’s new mentor offers her an opportunity she cannot refuse, to have a portrait painted by a mysterious artist who can grant immortal beauty to all his subjects, Penny happily follows in the footsteps of Dorian’s most glittering alumni, knowing that stardom is sure to soon be hers.
But when her trusted mentor is found murdered, Penny realises she’s made a terrible mistake – a sinister someone is using the uncanny portraits to kill off the subjects one by one. As more perfectly beautiful students start to fall, Penny knows her time is running out . . .(Credit: HarperCollins)
Godfather Death by Sally Nicholls and illustrated by Julia Sarda
A soul-stirring reimagined Grimm tale by award-winning author Sally Nicholls and hauntingly illustrated by Julia Sarda which will spellbind and thrill readers of all ages.
When a poor fisherman chooses Death to be godfather to his son, he’s sure he’s made a good choice – for surely there’s no man more honest than Death?
At the christening, Death gives the fisherman a gift that seems at first to be the key to the family’s fortune, but when greed overcomes the fisherman, he learns that nobody can truly cheat Death. (Credit: Andersen Press)
Welcome to Camp Killer by Cynthia Murphy
When an American-style residential camp is set up in the grounds of an English stately home, the teenage camp counsellors are looking forward to a fun summer of activities.
But right from the outset, things don’t feel quite right at Camp Miller. Rumours circulate of a tragedy that took place in the grounds and there are unexplained sightings of a ghostly presence.
Then the incidents begin – a near-drowning out on the lake, a fatal fall from a cliff-face… are these tragic accidents or is there something more sinister going on at Camp Killer? (Credit: Barrington Stoke)
How (Not) to Have an Arranged Marriage by Amir Khan
One house. Three strangers. A second chance at happiness.
Yousef is the golden child to his strict Pakistani parents, overshadowing his younger sister, Rehana. As he finishes his medical degree in London, Yousef’s life appears to be mapped out for him: become a doctor, marry a suitable girl of his parents’ choosing and, above all, make his family proud. Then Yousef meets Jess.
A fellow medical student, Jess presents a complication to the plan. Suddenly, Yousef finds himself torn between two worlds – keeping each a secret from the other. Then, as graduation day looms, Yousef’s mother informs him that she’s started looking for his wife… (Credit: Pan Macmillan)
Cambrian Tales and Other Selected Writings by Jane Williams
Cambrian Tales appeared in serialized form in Ainsworth’s Magazine from March 1849 to March 1850 and has not previously been published as a novel. Like the political pamphlet Artegall, also included in this volume, it constitutes part of Jane Williams’ attempts to defend Wales against the notorious ‘Blue Books’, the 1847 government report which damned the Welsh as ignorant, immoral and barbaric. A comedy of manners, set in and around a Welsh country house, it features characters clearly modelled on Ysgafell’s patron, Lady Llanover, and her social circle. Also included are two representative poems, one from Celtic Fables (1862), a feminist reworking of ancient legend, and the previously unpublished ‘A Petition’ in which a night-cap maker protests against her dire exploitation. Ysgafell’s social conscience, her patriotism and her sardonic humour are evident throughout the volume. (Credit: Honno Press)
Autumn Chills: Tales of Intrigue from the Queen of Crime by Agatha Christie
Expected Publication Date: September 14
An all-new collection of autumn-themed mysteries from the master of the genre.
Autumn is the season of misty mornings and cosy nights in, but as the leaves begin to fall the nights get longer and the shadows grow darker…
Secluded cottages, eerie manors and ghostly hauntings and cursed tombs abound in this collection of 12 supernatural mysteries and murderous plots featuring Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and Agatha Christie’s other favourite detectives. (Credit: HarperCollins)
A Taste of Darkness: 13 Chilling Stories To Savour
Expected Publication Date: September 14
A chilling, thrilling collection of 13 haunting tales. Perfect for every YA reader! From supernatural thrillers to contemporary horror, creepy ancient legends to murders gone wrong – this insatiable anthology is impossible to put down, and even more difficult to forget.
From some of the most celebrated authors writing in this space, this must-have collection will keep you awake at night and inhabit your darkest dreams. Stories from bestselling authors Melinda Salisbury, Cynthia Murphy, Kathryn Foxfield and Louie Stowell (and many more). (Credit: Scholastic)
Gods and Monsters-Mythological Poems by Ana Sampson and illustrated by Chris Riddell
Expected Publication Date: September 14
People all over the world have always told each other stories. And from the very earliest times, many of these stories were told in verse. This collection of poems includes retellings and reimaginings of Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Norse, Celtic, Aztec, Japanese and Inuit mythology.
You will meet gods, monsters, tricksters, heroes, magical creatures and objects, magicians and spirits including Medusa, Icarus, Loki, Osiris, the Minotaur, Pegasus, Bunyip, Kukulcan, Cerberus, Beowolf and Mjolnir and there are footnotes to shine a light on stories themselves.
Includes poems from Neil Gaiman, W B Yeats, Kae Tempest, Sylvia Plath, Shakespeare, Benjamin Zephaniah, Joseph Coelho and many more. (Credit: Pan Macmillan)
Channel Fear by Lisa Richardson
Expected Publication Date: September 14
YouTube ghost hunting stars, Zach and Lucas, disappeared at an undisclosed location several months ago. Iris – who heads up her own unsuccessful channel with co-hosts Byron and his girlfriend Molly – is obsessed with the duo, and has been searching for the location ever since. Then, she stumbles across long-abandoned Thornhanger House.
The trio set aside their toxic love triangle when they find Zach and Lucas’s abandoned equipment inside… complete with their last day of filming. As they watch the footage, a horrifying truth emerges: whatever came for Zach and Lucas is coming for them too…(Credit: Chicken House)
Dragon Force: Infinity’s Secret by Katie and Kevin Tsang
Expected Publication Date: September 14
It’s been five years since the Dragon Realm fell into the Human Realm and both populations are now living side by side. But dangerous magical creatures are threatening to disrupt the peace and it’s up to a new group of heart-bonded humans and dragons to protect the world – the Dragon Force.
Under the watchful eye of seventeen-year-old Billy Chan, Lance Lo, his younger sister Zoe and new friends enrol at Camp Claw to learn all the skills they need to become protectors. But when Camp Claw is mysteriously attacked in the dead of night, it’s up to the latest recruits to prove they’ve got what it takes to save the day. (Credit: Simon and Schuster UK)
Island of Whispers by Frances Hardinge and illustrated by Emily Gravett
Expected Publication Date: September 21
Take a trip to the misty island of Merlank in this gothic thriller by Frances Hardinge, a coming-of-age tale, interwoven with stunning illustrations by Emily Gravett.
Unexpectedly thrust into the role of the Ferryman, young Milo is tasked with taking the lingering Dead across the dark sea to the Island of the Broken Tower, where they can finally move on.
On his first perilious journey, his ghostly passengers include his own father and the teenage daughter of the Lord of Merlank, who is unprepared to give her up and follows in pursuit in a bigger boat, filled with armed men and two dark magicians at his command. Milo must face untold traps, dangers and fears as he carries his ghostly passengers across secret seas… (Credit: Pan Macmillan)
Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes
Expected Publication Date: September 28
Natalie Haynes, author of the bestselling Pandora’s Jar, returns to the world of Greek myth and this time she examines the role of the goddesses.
We meet Athene, who sprang fully formed from her father’s head: goddess of war and wisdom, guardian of Athens. We run with Artemis, goddess of hunting and protector of young girls (apart from those she decides she wants as a sacrifice). Here is Aphrodite, goddess of sex and desire – there is no deity more determined and able to make you miserable if you annoy her. And then there’s the queen of all the Olympian gods: Hera, Zeus’s long-suffering wife, whose jealousy of his dalliances with mortals, nymphs and goddesses lead her to wreak elaborate, vicious revenge on those who have wronged her.
We also meet Demeter, goddess of agriculture and mother of the kidnapped Persephone, we sing the immortal song of the Muses and we warm ourselves with Hestia, goddess of the hearth and sacrificial fire. The Furies carry flames of another kind – black fires of vengeance for those who incur their wrath.
These goddesses are as mighty, revered and destructive as their male counterparts. Isn’t it time we looked beyond the columns of a ruined temple to the awesome power within? (Credit: Pan Macmillan)
Finding Bear by Hannah Gold
Expected Publication Date: September 28
April Wood has returned from her adventure on Bear Island, but she can’t stop thinking about Bear.
When April hears that a polar bear has been shot and injured in Svalbard, she’s convinced it’s her friend and persuades her dad to travel with her to the northernmost reaches of the Arctic to find him.
So begins an unforgettable journey across frozen tundra and through glaciers. But in Svalbard, April discovers more than she bargained for – a baby polar bear cub, desperately in need of her help. April must navigate the dangerous Arctic terrain and face her deepest fears if she’s to save him. (Credit: HarperCollins)
You Could Be So Pretty by Holly Bourne
Expected Publication Date: September 28
Beauty comes at a price. And girls must pay.
In Belle and Joni’s world there are two options for girls:
One, follow the rules of the Doctrine like Belle: apply your Mask, work hard to be crowned at the Ceremony, be a Pretty.
Or two, fight the rules like Joni: leave your face bare, work hard to escape to the Education, be an Objectionable.
But maybe there is a third option… If Belle and Joni work together, can they destroy the rules and set themselves free? (Credit: Usbourne Publishing)
Foxlight by Katya Balen
Expected Publication Date: September 28
Fen and Rey were found curled up small and tight in the fiery fur of the foxes at the very edge of the wildlands. Fen is loud and fierce and free. She feels a connection to foxes and a calling from the wild that she’s desperate to return to. Rey is quiet and shy and an expert on nature. She reads about the birds, feeds the lands and nurtures the world around her. They are twin sisters. Different and the same. Separate and connected. They will always have each other, even if they don’t have a mother and don’t know their beginning.
But they do want answers. Answers to who their mother is and where she might be. What their story is and how it began. So when a fox appears late one night at the house, Fen and Rey see it as a sign – it’s here to lead them to their truth, find their real family and fill the missing piece they have felt since they were born. But the wildlands are exactly that: wild. They are wicked and cruel and brutal and this journey will be harder and more life changing than either Fen or Rey ever imagined… (Credit: Bloomsbury Publishing)
The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke
Expected Publication Date: September 28
In the midst of the woods stands a house called Lichen Hall.
This place is shrouded in folklore – old stories of ghosts, of witches, of a child who is not quite a child.
Now the woods are creeping closer, and something has been unleashed.
Pearl Gorham arrives in 1965, one of a string of young women sent to Lichen Hall to give birth. And she soon suspects the proprietors are hiding something.
Then she meets the mysterious mother and young boy who live in the grounds – and together they begin to unpick the secrets of this place.
As the truth comes to the surface and the darkness moves in, Pearl must rethink everything she knew – and risk what she holds most dear. (Credit: HarperCollins)
The Other Half by Charlotte Vassell
Expected Publication Date: September 28
The night before Rupert’s 30th is a black tie dinner at the Kentish Town McDonald’s – catered with cocaine and Veuve Clicquot.
The morning after His girlfriend Clemmie is found murdered on Hampstead Heath. All the party-goers have alibis. Naturally.
This investigation is going to be about Classics degrees and aristocrats, Instagram influencers and who knows who. Or is it whom? Detective Caius Beauchamp isn’t sure. He’s sharply dressed, smart, and as into self-improvement as Clemmie – but as he searches for the dark truth beneath the luxury, a wall of staggering wealth threatens to shut down his investigation before it’s begun.
Can he see through the tangled set of relationships in which the other half live, and die, before the case is taken out of his hands? Bitingly funny, full of twists, and all too close to reality, this is a stunning debut from your next favourite crime writer. (Credit: Faber & Faber)
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