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 2023 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.
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
Where The Heart Should Be by Sarah Crossan
Expected Publication Date: March 14
Ireland, 1846 Nell is working as a scullery maid in the kitchen of the Big House. Once she loved school and books and dreaming. But there’s not much choice of work when the land grows food that rots in the earth. Now she is scrubbing, peeling, washing, sweeping for Sir Philip Wicken, the man who owns her home, her family’s land, their crops, everything.
His dogs are always well fed, even as famine sets in. Upstairs in the Big House, where Nell is forbidden to enter, is Johnny Browning, newly arrived from England: the young nephew who will one day inherit it all. And as hunger and disease run rampant all around them, a spark of life and hope catches light when Nell and Johnny find each other. (Credit: Bloomsbury)
Lie or Die by A. J. Clack
Ten strangers trapped in a television studio
Forty-two remote cameras
One rule: Trust no one
When a casting call is announced for new reality TV show Lie or Die, Kass is tricked into auditioning by her best friend. Big Brother meets Mafia, Lie or Die pits contestants against each other as they try to discover who is a murderous agent and who is an innocent player. But when contestants start to turn up dead (the real kind, not the fake kind), Kass realises that not being eliminated and winning the game is the least of her worries. No longer a game of truth and lies, Kass and her friends are in a fight for survival. ‘Reality’ just got very real. (Credit: Firefly Press)
The Playdate by Clara Dillon
When Sara leaves her high-flying London life to move to Dublin, her only concern is her nine-year-old daughter, Lexie. For Lexie’s sake she tries to get to know other mothers at the school gates, but they appear uninterested – particularly their leader, the beautiful and charismatic Vanessa, whose daughter rules the playground.
After a simple misunderstanding between Vanessa and Sara, none of the other kids at school want anything to do with Lexie. Desperate to mend fences, Sara offers to look after Vanessa’s daughter one afternoon. But when the playdate ends in catastrophe, Vanessa is convinced that what happened wasn’t an accident.
With allegations flying in all directions, Sara is forced to ask herself what she has unleashed? And how far a mother will go to protect her daughter? (Credit: Penguin Books)
The Weekend Break by Ruth O’Leary
Friendship, Lies, and Galway Skies: The Explosive Weekend that Redefined Everything!
VIVIENNE’S perfect life is a façade, and she at last wants out. She needs a divorce fast.
HELEN’S nightly glass of wine has become a bottle or two, and her drinking is threatening her marriage.
CLARA feels she must lie to her husband to save her sanity and reach towards some freedom.
MIRIAM, wanting to change her life, does so in the most dramatic way possible. Her friends are supportive when she tells them, but she knows there is still a hidden truth that can never be exposed.
Their time in Galway has life-changing consequences. As the weekend unfolds and their secrets are laid bare, will it be too much for some to cope with?
Will their friendship and loyalty to each other survive the weekend break and its painful aftermath? (Credit: Poolbeg Press)
Women Who Work Too Much: Break Free from Toxic Productivity and Find Your Joy by Tamu Thomas
Women can have it all, but do we really want it? This book shows women how to escape the trap of toxic productivity, build boundaries, avoid burnout, and live with joy.
We have been conditioned into believing our value is in what we do rather than who we are. Do you find yourself saying “yes” because you were never taught how to say “no”? Are you working all hours of the day, but not feeling good about your achievements amplifying your perceived mistakes or weaknesses? Many of us believe that to be our best selves we should do more, but the result is often stress, burnout, and disillusionment. This book offers a healing hand to help you step out of the same old patterns of using success or overworking as a source of self-validation.
For women, work doesn’t stop in the workplace. There is a huge load at home that still falls to women—whether looking after children, caring for aging parents, or simply taking the reins of running the household. This is a book for women who work too much. It is for women who are ready to hear the wake-up call coming from within: coming from their frazzled nervous system, from that sense of underlying anxiety they have learnt to normalize over the years, and from an inner knowing that—just maybe—it doesn’t have to be this way.
Women Who Work Too Much will help you to:
· become your own advocate
· feel at home with who you already are and in your own skin
· know what needs to be done, rather than trying to do it all
This book is a manifesto for change and a call to inaction.
Women Who Work Too Much will support you to establish healthier boundaries, stop over-committing, and move into a feeling of safety so that you can thrive, prosper, and flourish. (Credit: Hay House UK)
All Before Me: A Search for Belonging in Wordsworth’s Lake District by Esther Rutter
In her early twenties, Esther Rutter suffered an acute mental breakdown while teaching English in Japan. Sectioned and held in a Japanese psychiatric institution until she could be flown home under escort, her recovery only began when she came to live and work in the Lake District at Dove Cottage, the home of William and Dorothy Wordsworth.
Here, amid the beauty of the mountainous landscape and close to the extraordinary legacy of the Wordsworths, Esther began to heal. Like Dorothy and William before her, whose search for Dove Cottage was borne out of the dislocation they experienced during their childhood, Esther realised that she was looking for a place to feel at home, and most like herself. In the Wordsworths’ lives and writings, she discovered an approach to understanding herself as sophisticated as the psychoanalysis of Freud that followed a century later: a desire to ‘see into the life of things’ through personal reflection, and the belief that the experiences of ordinary people are intrinsically worthwhile and important. And in the community of fellow interns, colleagues, poets and villagers, she made lifelong bonds of friendship, and finally, love.
All Before Me is a moving and absorbing account of the struggle to know oneself on the journey into adulthood, intertwined with the stories of the Wordsworth siblings at Dove Cottage. In the beautiful hamlet of Town End, where a cultural epoch was borne that would forever shape the way we experience the world, Esther found the spirit of place to sustain and anchor her, and make possible all that lay before her. (Credit: Granta Books)
Future Hopes: Hopeful stories in a time of climate change by Lauren James
In this collection of compelling short stories, authors including M. G. Leonard, Neal Shusterman and Tolá Okogwu offer hope for our planet in the face of climate change.
“A brilliant collection of inspiring stories with the power to change the world. Innovative, original and essential.” Hannah Gold
Skyscraper farms. Insects for dinner. Guerilla gardening. Nine authors pose ingenious and thought-provoking solutions to the climate crisis in this anthology of climate fiction. Rooted in real-world science and technology, the stories offer a roadmap for a future where our planet can thrive. From a rewilding project with unexpected consequences to a rebellion against augmented reality, these wide-ranging stories will leave the reader feeling a little less powerless in the fight to save planet Earth.
Full list of contributors: Eli Brown, L. R. Lam, M. G. Leonard, Rebecca Lim, Oisín McGann, Tolá Okogwu, Neal and Brendan Shusterman, Louie Stowell and Bijal Vachharajani (Credit: Walker Books)
Onyeka and the Heroes of the Dawn by Tolá Okogwu
Expected Publication Date: March 14
Solari – children with superpowers – have always been native to Nigeria, but Onyeka and her friends have been alerted to one hidden in England. Tasked with retrieving the young Solari, they successfully complete their mission, arriving safe and sound back at the Academy of the Sun with Tobi in tow.
Tobi’s identity and superpower remain a mystery, until a breadcrumb trail leads Onyeka to the truth. But someone else has uncovered the secret, and unlike Onyeka, they don’t have Tobi’s best interests at heart. Can our superhero save the day once again? (Credit: Simon & Schuster)
Lobster: and other things I’m learning to love by Hollie McNish
Expected Publication Date: March 14
This book is written out of both hate and love for the world. As people, we are capable of both love and hate; amazement and disgust; fun and misery. So why do we live in a world that is constantly telling us to hate, both ourselves and others? We are told constantly to be repulsed by our own bodies, bodies that let us laugh and sweat and eat toast, amongst other activities; to be ashamed of pleasure; to be embarrassed by fun.
In this brand-new collection, Hollie McNish brings her inimitable style to the question of what have been taught to hate, and if we might learn to love again. (Credit: Little, Brown Book Group)
Messalina: The Life and Times of Rome’s Most Scandalous Empress by Honor Cargill-Martin
Expected Publication Date: March 14
This is the story of Messalina – third wife of Emperor Claudius and one of the most notorious women to have inhabited the Roman world.
According to the Roman historians Tacitus and Suetonius, the Empress Messalina was a sexually insatiable schemer. The tales they told about her – including a twenty-four-hour sex competition with a prostitute – have taken deep root in the Western imagination, but Messalina’s real story is much more complex.
In her reappraisal of one of the most slandered female figures of ancient history, Honor Cargill-Martin finds an intelligent, passionate and ruthless woman who succeeded in asserting herself in the overwhelmingly male world of imperial Roman politics. Rather than setting out to ‘salvage’ Messalina’s reputation, she looks at her life in the context of her time. Above all, she seeks to reclaim the humanity of a life story previously circumscribed by currents of high politics and patriarchy. (Credit: Bloomsbury)
A Stranger in the Family by Jane Casey
Expected Publication Date: March 14
Every mother’s worst nightmare . . .
When nine-year-old Rosalie Marshall vanished from her bed one summer night, her disappearance tore her family apart.
Now, sixteen years later, her mother Helena is found dead, her husband by her side. It looks like a straightforward murder-suicide but DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent soon discover nothing about this case is straightforward.
The Marshalls have been keeping secrets. And someone is prepared to kill to hide the truth. Until Maeve finds out what happened to Rosalie, no one will be safe . . .(Credit: HarperCollins)
The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas
Expected Publication Date: March 14
Tasha has always felt in the shadow of her older sister, Alice. Their lifestyles couldn’t be more different; Alice is married to wealthy entrepreneur Kyle and has a high-flying career, Tasha is married to her childhood sweetheart and lives in a Bristol suburb with their four-year-old twins.
When Alice realises that Tasha is struggling – with money, the kids, losing her identity – she suggests they do a lifeswap for a week. Alice and Kyle will come to stay at Tasha’s terraced house to look after the twins, while Tasha and Harry spend the week in Alice and Kyle’s Venice apartment.
But a few days in, it all goes terribly wrong. Tasha receives a phonecall to say Alice is in hospital and Kyle is dead after an intruder broke into their house. They think it must have been a burglary gone wrong.
Until a note arrives through the letterbox saying It was supposed to be you.Who was there that night, and why?
Is it really Tasha they are targeting?
And can these two sisters find the answers they need, or are they about to stumble upon something more sinister? (Credit: Penguin Books)
Bite Risk by S.J. Wills
Expected Publication Date: March 14
After Sel Archer and his friends uncover a conspiracy that turns the whole world upside down, it seems that the residents of Tremorglade are finally free. Adults can Turn at the full moon with no restrictions, no longer locked in cages and left to roam free. But the town’s new found fame is at risk as attacks begin to happen on Howl Night. Rumours of a foul, unkillable beast begin to stir . . . someone or something is plotting to control the Turned once and for all. (Credit: Simon & Schuster UK)
In Her Nature: How Women Break Boundaries in the Great Outdoors by Rachel Hewitt
Expected Publication Date: March 14
When Rachel loses five family members in five months, grief magnifies other absences. Running across moors and mountains used to help her feel at home in her body but now feels fraught with danger.
Rachel goes in search of a new family: the foremothers who blazed a trail at the dawn of outdoor sport. She discovers Lizzie Le Blond who scaled the Alps in woollen skirts and photographed fearless women climbing, skating and tobogganing at breakneck speeds. Telling Lizzie’s story alongside her own, Rachel runs her way from bereavement to belonging, inspired by the tenacious women, past and present, who insist that breaking boundaries outdoors is, and always has been, in her nature. (Credit: Vintage Publishing)
Black Hole Cinema Club by Christopher Edge
Expected Publication Date: March 14
When Lucas meets his friends at the local cinema – nicknamed ‘The Black Hole’ – they’re excited about the movie marathon ahead. Non-stop action, blockbuster special effects and all the snacks they can eat. But as the lights go down, Lucas, Ash, Maya, Caitlin and Finn watch in disbelief as a jet-black tidal wave comes crashing out of the cinema screen and the five friends find themselves swept into an epic adventure.
Secret hideouts. Prehistoric monsters. Lost cities. Impossible missions. Being the hero of your own film should feel like fun. But as the cliffhanger scenes they’re pitched into become ever more perilous, Lucas and his friends start to wonder if these movies are really make believe. Can they save the day before the end credits roll? The fate of the world might just depend on it…(Credit: Nosy Crow)
Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood
Expected Publication Date: March 14
Sophie King is missing.
Her parents, Harry and Zara, are distraught; for the last seventeen years, they’ve done everything for their beloved only daughter and now she’s gone.
The police have no leads, and Harry and Zara are growing increasingly frantic, although they are both dealing with it in very different ways. Increasingly obsessed with their highly suspicious neighbour who won’t open the door or answer any questions, they are both coming to the same conclusion. If they want answers, they’re going to have to take the matter into their own hands.
But just how far are they both prepared to go for the love of their daughter? (Credit: Bloomsbury)
The Best Way to Bury Your Husband by Alexia Casale
Expected Publication Date: March 14
Four new friends. Four dead bodies. One big problem . . .
Sally never meant to cave her husband’s head in with a skillet. Or at least she didn’t until suddenly, she did.
But Sally isn’t the only woman in town being pushed to breaking point. When coincidence brings four strangers together, a surprising solidarity is formed.
So can they find the best way to bury their husbands – and get away with it? (Credit: Penguin Books)
In Her Place by Edel Coffey
Expected Publication Date: March 21
Who is the other woman? That’s for you to decide.
Ann devoted years to her mother’s care – and now she’s gone, Ann feels lost.
Justin is also grieving, but his wife is still alive. Deborah is in a coma and she doesn’t have long left.
When the two meet, they are instantly drawn to one another and, before long, they’ve fallen deeply in love.
Ann quickly moves in with Justin and his little girl, making them the perfect family. But just as Ann settles into her new life, Justin’s is turned upside down. Unexpectedly, his wife has survived. Deborah is coming home.
Neither knows what to do. But one thing is certain: Ann has earned the life Deborah left behind, and she plans to keep it . . .(Credit: Little, Brown Book Group)
Aya and the Star Chaser by Radiya Hafiza and illustrated by Kaley McKean
Expected Publication Date: March 21
Aya has been fascinated by stars ever since she can remember. But never in her wildest imagination did she expect to get struck by one and develop powers beyond her control.
When the evil Abnus takes over the region of Alferra in search of power, Aya quickly learns there is a great darkness afoot. Can Aya learn to control her burgeoning magic and keep her friends and family safe before it’s too late? (Credit: Pan Macmillan)
The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams
Expected Publication Date: March 28
‘When the men leave for the Western Front, Peggy and her friends must shoulder the burden at home.
As she moves between her narrowboat full of memories and the demands of the bookbindery where she works, Peggy’s dreams of escaping for a new life feel ever more remote.
But the war brings people together in unexpected ways. New friends and lovers offer new opportunities but also present difficult choices – and Peggy must write her own story. (Credit: Vintage Publishing)
Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan
Expected Publication Date: March 28
One detective driven by instinct, the other by logic. It will take both to find a killer who knows the true meaning of fear. When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of Mount Judd, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – and DCS Kat Frank are thrust into the spotlight as they are given their first live case.
But with the discovery of another man’s body – also crucified – it appears that their killer is only just getting started. With the police warning local men to be vigilant, the Future Policing Unit is thrust into a hostile media frenzy as they desperately search for connections between the victims. But time is running out for them to join the dots and prevent another death.
For if Kat and Lock know anything, it’s that killers rarely stop – until they are made to. (Credit: Simon & Schuster)
The Birdcage Library by Freya Berry
Expected Publication Date: March 28
Dear Reader, the man I love is trying to kill me…
1932. Emily Blackwood, a young adventuress and plant hunter, travels north for a curious new commission. A gentleman has written to request she catalogue his vast collection of taxidermied creatures before sale.
On arrival, Emily finds a ruined castle, its owner haunted by the memory of a woman who disappeared five decades before. And when she discovers the ripped pages of an old diary, crammed into the walls, she realises a dark secret lies here, waiting to entrap her too…(Credit: Headline Publishing)
How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways by Eve Kellman
Expected Publication Date: March 28
Are you on a date that doesn’t feel right? Can’t shake that creepy guy at the bar?Worried you’re being followed home?Message M.
After one too many terrifying encounters, Millie Masters sets up a hotline for women who feel unsafe walking home alone at night: Message M.
But very quickly she realises that there’s much more to be done to help the women who call in. Because the men just do it again the next night, and the next, and the next…
And when her own sister is assaulted on a night out, the temptation to take the law into her own hands becomes too much to resist.
Because M can also stand for murder…(Credit: HarperCollins)
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