A short book that demands your full attention. I loved the structure of the story and enjoyed the opportunity to get to know the secondary characters. This is a beautiful story that is sure to keep you guessing right to the last page.

Terrific story with a host of really strong characters. Even minor roles are well drawn and utterly believable. I loved the relationship between Zelie and Amari and as a protagonist, Zelie is everything you could wish for. This is a wonderful book, the hype is definitely deserved and it should be on every school library bookshelf to be treasured and enjoyed by those it champions.

Strange, dark and utterly compelling, this translation is beautiful. An odd little tale about a woman who doesn't quite fit, her story will resonate with anyone who's ever felt different.

Persevered but this was a challenging read. Not only did I feel like I had to fight to get inside the story, I found that the author took all the things I love about reading and twisted them to create his own warped experience. Some of the prose is absolutely stunning but if this hadn't been on my book club list, I might have given up-frustrating and unusual in equal measure, unfortunately this just wasn't for me.

This is such an unusual book. I was hooked very early on, Bernadette is such a compelling character. Make sure you catch it before the film comes out-Cate Blanchett is going to be amazing!

I get the feeling I'm going to be thinking about this book for a while. Deeply unsettling, the story is permeated with a sense of dread. It would have been so easy to paint Louise as a psychopath and yet she was well drawn, flawed, human. This book is a beautifully come study of gender, class and race. The prose is stunning and in some places, reads like poetry. Try it if you're in need of something compelling and a little different.

Such a unique way to look at the Holocaust and the atrocities commited in Poland by the Nazis. I read a lot of children's fiction for work and it's rare that a book moves me to tears but I don't mind admitting this one really got to me. Beautifully bittersweet, I think everyone should read this book.

A sweeping epic about life and love in Ireland in the early twentieth century. This is an incredibly touching story with some genuinely funny moments. It's not what I usually read but I'm so glad I got to experience Cyril's story and I can't wait to recommend this one to all my book-loving friends.

Beautifully illustrated, atmospheric and nicely plotted. The dual storylines work well side by side and it's a refreshing take on the gothic form. It was very genuine, devastating at points and I can see why it resonates so well with young people. I really loved it and I think everyone should read it!

I rarely read celebrity books but exceptions were made - who doesn't want to know what happened behind the scenes in Gilmore Girls? I loved the relaxed, chatty style of this-it was like catching up over a coffee with a friend. Plus, I picked up some useful writing tips and life advice which, coming from Lorelai Gilmore, I feel duty bound to observe. Good fun, lots of laughs plus some brilliant insights into a wonderful show.

Beautiful prose and I'm very much looking forward to reading more by Fitzgerald who I am just encountering for the first time. This book is an absolute gem although very sad. Another lesson in the art of writing endings-such a brave conclusion to touching story.

Very funny, acerbic at times, doesn't take itself too seriously. A pleasant read with some serious moments, with lots of relatable anecdotes for anyone who has ever worked in retail. It's comforting to know that this place exists and that, tucked away in a forgotten corner of Scotland, in the face of digital books, Amazon, odd customers, flooding, snow and prelicked cinnamon buns, it endures. Read it, laugh, read it again.

Have to be honest, I was expecting to be blown away and I wasn't. The writing was fine but I felt like the whole story was completely pointless. I don't mind a depressing ending if the story demands it but I've learnt nothing, the character didn't seem to grow or change and I've walked away feeling a bit confused by the whole experience. Lots of people have great things to say about it so I guess this one just wasn't for me.

I loved it! There's an ominous tone running through the entire narrative and you can't help but wonder when this house of cards will come crashing down. Carol herself is utterly beguiling although I found I was unable to imagine her as anyone other than Cate Blanchett, knowing the casting of the film. The prose is beautiful, it's a masterclass in fiction writing and I would urge everyone to read it!

She flung herself on her bed and drew a line with a pencil on a piece of paper. And another line, carefully, and another. A world was born around her, like a bright forest with a million shimmering leaves.

Wow. I can't believe I'm only discovering this series now! The story is absolutely mind blowing. The number of female characters is definitely worthy of mention and they're not there as wives, daughters or love interests; they are driving the plot and integral to the action. Moiraine Sedai is a revelation. My words can't possibly do the book justice, you absolutely need to read it for yourself.

Can't believe I'm only just discovering this incredible series! Beautifully drawn characters, tightly drawn plot and a stunning narrative voice. This is not a book to read, this is a book live and breathe. Will definitely be investing a lot of time in this series-can't think of a better way to spend my summer 😊

A short, simple but lovely read, this was recommended at a Reading for Pleasure course I attended recently. Such brilliant storytelling and an engaging cast of characters that stay with you long after the final page is turned.

Such a simple story and yet, profoundly moving. This book explores the shifting attitudes towards animals and the environment whilst navigating a variety of tough themes including grief, family and what it is to be a friend. I very nearly missed this one but I'm so glad to have read it.

This book is flawless. Words cannot possibly do justice to the quality of the storytelling , the richness of the characters or the shape of the plot. Everyone should read this-it's the written word at its finest!

A thought provoking story with a complicated protagonist who, through a series of missteps and tiny errors in judgement, rocks the foundations of her career, her marriage and her identity. Beautifully dense prose that deserves all the time you can afford, this resonated at a deep level and is destined to become a much loved favourite.

I wanted to love this but it seemed a little too pleased with itself. It's a wonderful adventure with some interesting characters but it lacks the charm of Harry Potter or Nevermoor. Still a good read but I'm won't be seeking out the next instalment.

It's always a risk returning to a much loved childhood story but I'm glad I did! The Famous Five are wonderful company, as they always were and this tale has stood the test of time. Great fun!

The heroine will get her hooks in to you within the first few pages. First, you laugh at her, then you try to figure her out. Finally, you fall in love with her and you wonder how you will ever manage without her. This is not a novel; this is a lifelong friend.

Haven‘t read a book in a day for a while but I started this and couldn‘t put it down. An incredible story with a strong fantasy element and the illustrations are out of this world. If you‘re looking for something a little unusual, you should definitely give this a go!

Short and sweet, lovely read for fans of Neil Gaiman and the world of Neverwhere.

A lot more sinister than I was expecting! It‘s a wonderful story, full of surprises and it it has a very satisfying structure. The ending will haunt me, in the way all good endings must. It‘s a peculiar little book-definitely worth your time!

Where do I start? This is an incredible story of survival but also an exploration of blind faith, our need to believe and how that can be manipulated. Moonbeam‘s voice is one of the most honest I‘ve ever heard and the way the timelines were woven together made for an intense, compelling and emotional experience. I can‘t rate this book highly enough!

This book is something special. I‘m not going to say much, because everybody deserves to discover it‘s charm for themselves. What I will say is that this is a treasure of a book that is bound for classics lists of the future. It‘s a story of love, literature and resilience in the face of unimaginable cruelty and I feel a better person for having read it, however ridiculous that may sound.

Brilliant read, great fun and tight plotting with lots of twists and turns. I didn‘t fall in love with this as hard or as fast as The Wolf Wilder but the setting is beautifully realised on the page and the characters are well rounded.

Where do I start? The familiar faces from books 1 and 2 of the series are all here along with a host of new characters. Rowan is a firm favourite and I can‘t wait to see how his story unfolds in further books. The plot is action packed and well paced but not at the expense of solid character development. The series continues to intrigue and enthrall. I can‘t get enough of this series and am very much looking forward to the next instalment.

I was so worried this wouldn‘t stand up next to Northern Lights but I was wrong. The story is wonderful, the characters are fascinating and daemons seem more relevant than ever. Fans of the original trilogy will adore this!

I wanted so badly to fall in love with this book but my expectations were high, given that it‘s the Waterstones book if the year and a contender for the Carnegie award. It didn‘t grip me straight away and Starr, in the first few chapters, is not particularly endearing. However, the story is well crafted and horribly relevant and it did manage to get under my skin in the end.

Perfect. The ultimate book for people who love books, and books about books and books about other people who love books. Honest, heartbreaking and profoundly moving, the story is beautifully woven in a way that inspires you to read every single book mentioned within its pages. Don‘t miss this one, it‘s incredible!

Good story and I love the parallels with Mrs Dalloway. That said, I felt like the characters weren‘t well rounded enough to support the weight of the story. Terrific in its way but not a book that I would be compelled to reread.

Initially, I put this down after 5 pages. Everything about the narrative seemed designed to shut me out but I found I couldn‘t stop thinking about the story so back I went. I‘m so pleased I did because it‘s a beautiful read and that‘s because of its challenges, not in spite of them. Brutal, honest and utterly compelling, the sense of achievement on finishing is second only to that which I felt on completing Middlemarch or Mrs Dalloway. Persist!

Ended up with this through Blind Date with a Book. I‘ve avoided it this far because there was so much hype but it‘s a wonderful story beautifully realised. Glad I read it before I saw the film!

I loved this book so much more than I anticipated! It‘s such a rich world and the plot is intense and exciting. There‘s so much going on, the characters are really well drawn and the whole thing is perfectly paced. This book is great fun and I can‘t wait to read the next instalment.

A brilliant story with engaging characters and tight plotting. I love the way the author writes, her sentences are beautiful and the locations and elements are so well drawn that they become characters themselves.

I‘ve heard great things about the author and couldn‘t wait to read this book. I wasn‘t disappointed; Haig writes with an honesty that cuts deep, weaving a plot that will break your heart. The characters are complex, unfailingly human and my only complaint is that I would have liked to have known Camille a little better. A beautiful story.

Perhaps my expectations were too high, perhaps I missed the point (it happens). I wanted to love this book and I didn‘t. It‘s not terrible, the writing is flawless in places, but it just didn‘t speak to me. I found the plot slow and the characters unrelatable. I hoped it would pick up a little but I felt like the story never got going. For me, this was just ok.

It‘s rare that I fall in love with a piece of non-fiction but I went head over heels for this book. Everyone should read it; full of nostalgic charm, it‘s an homage to the London of yesteryear and a tribute to bookshops and book lovers everywhere.

Maybe I go with the wrong kind of people but I‘m just not likely to have twelve guests all sitting around simultaneously eating fruit...

This is a brilliant book-I wasn‘t expecting to like it as much as I did but the storytelling is incredibly skilled and the characters are great fun. The idea that we can be whoever we want to be, that we don‘t have to be defined by age or gender or societal norms, is both refreshing and empowering. Loved it.

I love Tales of the Otori; this is very different. I enjoyed the story but I felt there were too many characters introduced at the beginning. I also felt that some of the major plot points-the Prince Abbot becoming Shika‘s master, for example- were dealt with much too quickly and lacked detail. However, I love this author and the story is compelling. Definitely a slow starter but I‘ll continue with the rest of the series.

I read the edition illustrated by Sanna Annukka which I can‘t seem to find on here. It‘s a beautiful book with stunning illustrations and would make a lovely gift or keepsake.

This is a slow burn novel that sinks it‘s hooks on slowly and keeps you gripped This the very end. There are some beautiful observations of life, love and loss and whole none of Ishiguro‘s work will ever quite live up to heartbreaking honesty of The Remains of the Day, this story is definitely worth your time.

This book is incredible-even better than The Miniaturist! The landscape of the novel is breathtaking and the characters are enchanting. The women are well drawn, honest and enigmatic. Marjorie Quick is like no one I‘ve ever met on paper before. This is an absolute must read, a beautiful, haunting story.

I am head over heels for this series. Jasnah Kholin is a revelation-I wish she featured more but that‘s my only complaint. The story is incredible, the sweeping, epic scale is stunning. I don‘t want to say too much but if you haven‘t started The Stormlight Archive yet, you absolutely must!

Easily one of the strangest books I‘ve ever read. Being Welsh, I loved the links to the Mabinogion but felt there was a lot of confusion, particularly during scenes which included dialogue between the three main characters. The last two chapters were incredible, really intense. It‘s a well woven mystery, a little muddled in places but utterly enchanting.