Stop that spring cleaning and pick up a book instead! Now that the sunshine is just about starting to come out, we have put together our favourite new titles of 2018 (along with a couple of other recent titles we couldn't resist recommending)! So while it's far too sunny to be looking at a computer screen, here are the top books we have loved so far this year...
Little Fires Everywhere – Celeste Ng
Mia thinks she has found a home for herself and her teenage daughter Pearl when they arrive in Shaker Heights, a seemingly perfect community. As Pearl becomes more and more involved with the rich Richardson family, Elisa Richardson in turn becomes fascinated with Mia and her nomadic existence, and does everything she can to find out all of her secrets. A drama that keeps building and building, this is one novel you won't be able to put down. If you need more convincing, Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington recently announced plans to adapt the novel for TV – so get in there before it becomes an Emmy-winner!
The Lido – Libby Page
When Kate, a journalist struggling with anxiety, is sent to write about the local lido closing down, she has no idea just how much it will change her life, especially when she meets Rosemary, an 86-year-old who has been going to the lido ever since she was a little girl and is a huge part of her life. It is a story of remembering those you love, family and friendship, and we were in floods of bittersweet tears by the end. Since the film rights have already been sold to this beautiful story, be sure to read it before it appears on the big screen!
Young Jane Young – Gabrielle Zevin
This clever novel follows a Monica Lewinsky-esque scandal in which an intern gets made the butt of every joke when her affair with an upstanding politician is revealed. Told from several different perspectives, the book is a light-hearted, great read that could easily be read from cover to cover in a day, perfect for those lazy weekends!
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman
This book is making waves at the moment, and for good reason! The Costa Book Award shortlisted novel focuses on Eleanor, a woman who lives by strict rules and is never afraid to tell anyone exactly what she thinks. But after she falls head over heels in love with a man at first sight, she begins to slowly take steps to change makeover her life, revealing a much darker past beneath her perfect surface. The novel is another one currently being developed by Reese Witherspoon's production company.
Final Girls – Riley Sager
After being the sole survivor of the terrible slaughter of her friends, Quinn becomes part of the media sensationalised 'final girls' a trio of women who have each survived massacres. After one of their ranks is murdered, and the other comes looking for Quinn, she has to figure out who she can trust, and realises that her past isn't quite as behind her as she once thought it was.
The Nest - Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
A group of siblings are eagerly awaiting their large pay-out from 'the nest'; a fund once set up in their name that they can only access when they reach a certain age. While each sibling feels like they desperately need their funds for different reasons, their plans are shaken when the money is used to pay their irresponsible brother's medical bills in a scandalous incident. This novel is both funny and touching, and its characters will draw you in as much as the story.
My Mad Dad – Robyn Hollingworth
Robyn is a 25-year-old journalist living in London when she decided to move back home to a sleepy town in Wales to help her mum take care of her dad, who is suffering on Alzheimer's. Her diary at the time explores the highs and lows of becoming a carer, from dark moments of comic relief to going through true heartbreak. It might be hard to read, but it also has its own beauty, and we couldn't recommend it more.
That Kind of Mother - Rumaan Alam
After her African American nanny dies during childbirth, a white woman adopts her friend's newborn child, raising him with her own newborn baby. But she soon realises the struggle in raising two beloved children whom the world is determined to treat differently. This much anticipated novel will be out in May, and is already being tipped as a huge hit.
Lost Boy – Christina Henry
A fascinating story about how Peter Pan's once best friend, Jamie, becomes his worst enemy. Told from the perspective of the man we have all grown up seeing as a villain, the novel is a great new look at the classic J.M. Barrie tale, but told in an entirely new way. You'll never look at the boy who never grew up or the Lost Boys in the same way again!
Red Clocks – Leni Zumas
Red Clocks imagines what would happen if abortion, IVF and single parent adoption were banned. The story, while seems scarily close to home, follows a group of women living in the same town; a single woman desperate to adopt, a teenage girl in trouble, a mother-of-two struggling in an unhappy marriage, and a healer who wishes to help. It is a gripping read reminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale, and will keep you thinking long after you turn the last page.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz – Heather Morris
Not a cheerful read, but there is a good reason everyone is talking about this book, which is a retelling of a real-life experience living in a concentration camp. It is also a beautiful tale of love, fortitude and survival against all the odds, the outcome of which will break hearts. The retelling of Lile's story is done by Heather Graham, who clearly became deeply attached to the man behind the story, and their connection is reflected on every page.
A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara
If you have had this book passionately recommended to you already, we wouldn't be at all surprised! A Little Life is a much-talked about bestseller which follows the troubled Jude and his three best friends, JB, Malcolm and Willem, in a heartbreaking coming-of-age tale. It is being developed into a miniseries, so be sure to pick up the fantastic novel first!
