As the days stretch longer and summer settles in, there's no better time to find your next great read. Whether you're packing for a holiday, planning a weekend in the garden, or looking for an escape from the everyday, our booksellers are here to recommend the titles they've loved most recently.

From unforgettable wartime novels to more experimental classics, these are the books we've been talking about behind the till, pressing into friends' hands, and taking home ourselves.

You can find all of ourRecent Readson our website: simply tap the book cover image to be redirected to the order pages.

We hope you'll discover something that surprises, delights, or stays with you long after the final page!

Have you read anything exciting recently? Let us know.

Grafton

I'm currently reading What Am I, a Deer? by Polly Barton. She's best known for bringing Asako Yuzuki's Butter into English, and this is her debut novel — which is astonishing, because it's a beautifully written meditation on the person you are, your intrinsic desires, and the feeling of destiny pulling you in a direction you may or may not want to go.

It captures the emotions of young adulthood so well. Perfect for readers in their 20s, or anyone who looks back on those days with equal parts fondness and bewilderment.

Anne

I’m new to this well-established classic, but so far I’m in the can’t-put-it-down, think-about-it-when-not-reading, give-me-just-five-more-minutes stage.

Magical realism is one of my Big Three (alongside romance and cookbooks), and the wild antics and storytelling are making my heart soar. Give me a few more days to finish it and then let’s discuss!

Joe

The basic art series offers accessible introductions to the lives and works of a wide range of artists. They provide the context for the art whilst giving a brief outline of the artist's life.

But there are also some fascinating insights, such as a side-by-side comparison of the La Grenouillere. The same scene was painted by Renoir and Monet at the same time.  Monet's being less polished and more painterly in style, his focus captured by the light and the water. Compared to Renoir's sharper style with finer detail, his trees and his people are more delicately realised.

Ev

I recently finished this book, and I have not stopped thinking about it since. It is an astounding work of fiction, and it is easily one of the best books so far in the 21st century. This is an epic novel (both in scope and size) that transcends stereotypical war novels, ultimately presenting a fresh perspective on the experiences of those who were left behind during World War One.

The Remembered Soldier poses questions about memory, storytelling, ethics, and reinventing oneself, while painting an intimate portrait of a marriage; how to survive, how one has to be resourceful. Alongside this, the language in this is absolutely astounding. I am truly in awe of this book, and I am counting down the days until I can read it all over again.

Sarah

How much does our name determine our fate? In the wake of the great storm of 1987, Cora goes to register the birth of her newborn son. But which name will she choose for him? In the three strands of this ‘sliding doors’ novel, we see his life unfold in three different ways according to the decision she makes that day.

I can’t wait to hear what everyone makes of this intricate and thought-provoking novel in July’s Contemporary Fiction Book Club.

Helen

Leonie lives on a tiny island at a magic school for Wishmakers. But things are not as they seem, and after Leonie's only friend leaves after becoming a Wishbound (ie, paired with a non-magical family), things take a turn, and Leonie ends up in the real world, where magic isn't an everyday occurrence.

So far, I am greatly enjoying this book, and I'm looking forward to seeing how Leonie gets on living in our world– and the inevitable chaos that is sure to happen when her magical past catches up with her! It's shaping up to be a delightful tale full of magic and friendship, perfect for readers aged 8+.