This month, as the daffodils open and the faintest hint of spring hangs in the air (when it’s not raining) our librarian Di provides a ray of sunshine in the form of this months’ top reading recommendations. Plus, to really put a spring in your step, check out our fiction special, with unlimited access to Sheila Bugler’s ‘I Could Be You’. Not to be missed!
*Get In Our Good Books fiction special!*
I Could Be You by Sheila Bugler
Join people across East Sussex as we celebrate local author Sheila Bugler by reading her explosive crime thriller set in Eastbourne, I Could Be You.
During March, April and May you can borrow the eBook from Libby/Overdrive with no waitlists and no holds. It would be a crime to miss out!
A life has been taken. But whose life is it? On a stifling hot day, former journalist Dee Doran finds the crumpled body of her friend at the roadside. A hit and run, or was it? Lies are catching up. Stories are unravelling. Revenge is demanded and someone must pay the price. The question is: who?
Sheila will be joining us on 23rd April at World Book Night at Eastbourne Library to talk about her latest work and her inspirations. Tickets are £5 – pay on the door – and must be booked in advance.
Find the Pbook of I Could Be You here
Read the Ebook of I Could Be You here
Top non-fiction: The Prison Doctor by Dr Amanda Brown
I have always been fascinated by the medical world and the stresses anyone working within it must face so, although I don’t usually read non-fiction, when my father said what an interesting read this was I thought I would try it too.
The author was previously an NHS GP but then moved into working in the prison service. The writing is very descriptive and vividly paints a picture of the often dramatic events the doctor has to face.
Find the Pbook of The Prison Doctor here
Read the Ebook of The Prison Doctor here
Top fiction: The Chain by Adrian McKinty
A customer returning this book recommended it to me as she said it was a real page-turner and it had kept her up reading until the early hours.
After reading it myself I can confirm she was exactly right! McKinty has written a fast-paced thriller based on the premise of what ordinary people might be prepared to do when their nearest and dearest have been kidnapped in order to get them back safely.
It makes you question what you might be capable of under similar circumstances.
Find the Pbook of The Chain here
Top audio book: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
I had been eagerly anticipating this book after devouring The Handmaid’s Tale back at university, particularly after it (jointly) won the 2019 Booker Prize… and it does not disappoint.
The book delves into the lives of three different women who narrate the story: Aunt Lydia, who is a woman tasked with keeping the girls/women of Gilead in control; Agnes, a girl growing up in Gilead being taught by the Aunts how to be a ‘wife’ and trying to discover who her mother really was; and finally Daisy, a girl living in Canada who, after a traumatic event, discovers that the people who raised her are not in fact her parents.
Find the Pbook of The Testaments here
Read the Ebook of The Testament here
Find the audio book of The Testaments here
Top children’s fiction: War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Although this book has been around for many years (it was first published in 1982) it is one I still recommend to both children and adults due to the impact it had on me when I read it.
The story describes the experiences of Joey, a farm horse who is sold to the army and finds himself on the frontline during the First World War where he witnesses the atrocities as, in turn, does the reader.
It is a moving and poignant read.
Find the Pbook of War Horse here
Read the Ebook of War Horse here
Listen to the E-audio of War Horse here
Top children’s non-fiction: Fighting Invisible Tigers: Stress Management For Teens by Earl Hipp
This is a book I wish I had had access to as a teenager! I particularly liked the very first two sentences ‘Do you ever feel worried or stressed out? If so, you’re not alone’. The chatty style makes you feel almost as if the writer is a friend sharing your problems.
The book is simply laid out and easy to digest. It describes ten key techniques to help you fight your stresses, or as the writer refers to them, ‘invisible tigers’, including suggestions on how to fight stress with exercise, food and managing your time better.
Find the Pbook of Fighting Invisible Tigers here
Read the Ebook of Fighting Invisible Tigers here
Have you read any of the books featured this month? If so we’d love to hear what you thought! Leave your reviews in the comments below. Missed February’s book reviews? Catch up on them here.
You can find out more about libraries in East Sussex by visiting the East Sussex County Council website.
