Lovereading Updates from the world of books » 2010

Archive for May, 2010

Most popular Opening Extracts 16 – 23 May 2010

Lovereading.co.uk TOP 10

1		Secrets She Left Behind Diane Chamberlain One stupid, reckless moment leaves a community in tatters and secrets, buried for years, are gradually being uncovered. Moving back and forth in time and in between characters the story unfolds as we see the effect each small action has … Download free opening extract
2		Play Dead Harlan Coben This is actually an old novel published years ago that subsequently went out of print. What a treat then for all Harlan Coben fans that Orion have re-published it as it has all the suspense, mystery and intrigue we have … Download free opening extract
3		The Secret Intensity of Everyday Life William Nicholson May 2010 Book of the Month. A wonderful collection of characters, in a small Sussex village, all have their secrets, resentments, heartache and desires. A book that will keep you gripped from page one. This author is perhaps better know for his teen fiction … Download free opening extract
4		The Good, the Bad and the Dumped Jenny Colgan When Posy gets dumped by her fiancé she goes on a journey re-visiting old flames to find out why none of her relationships have ever worked out. A great romantic romp to keep your occupied for a good few hours. … Download free opening extract
5		The Angel’s Game Carlos Ruiz Zafon May 2010 Book of the Month. The Shadow of the Wind is one of those rare books that continues to deeply affect you long after it is read. This second masterpiece is connected but stands apart. A twisting and mysterious tale … Download free opening extract
6		The Carrie Diaries Candace Bushnell May 2010 Book of the Month. This terrific teen prequel to ‘Sex and the City’ is a sexy, funny, coming-of-age and totally engaging look at how Carrie became THE Carrie Bradshaw. She was just a regular girl growing up in Connecticut. … Download free opening extract
7		Lavinia Ursula Le Guin Anyone who feels that David Gemmell’s Aeneid series ended too soon would probably enjoy this. It picks up the story as Aeneid reaches Italy, after the Trojan Wars and years of roaming, to meet the woman he is prophesied to … Download free opening extract
8		The Prince of Mist Carlos Ruiz Zafon June 2010 Good Housekeeping selection. Utterly gripping, this is a deliciously haunting and chilling tale of dark magic and treachery which reaches out across time threatening all who cross its path. A move to a house by the sea is designed to … Download free opening extract
9		Return to the Olive Farm Carol Drinkwater July 2010 Editor’s Choice. Continuing the story of Carol Drinkwater’s beloved Olive Farm. After returning from 18 months travelling around the Mediterranean Carol discovers that her dream of running an organic farm is threatened by nature and by the demands of … Download free opening extract
10		Fate and Fortune: A Hew Cullan Mystery Shirley Mckay The second Hew Cullan mystery finds the young lawyer feeling disillusioned with the law but a move to Edinburgh turns things around when love and murder both cross his path. An appealing new historical crime series with an intriguing lead … Download free opening extract

Peter C :: May.24.2010 :: Most Popular Books :: No Comments »

Your Book of the Decade, World Cup reads and Prize winners

This email is simply brimming with award winning books. From the Lovereading Book of the Decade, through the Orange prize and the Long Lost Booker to a coveted Diamond Dagger for Scottish crime author Val McDermid. Find out more.

Lovereading Book of the Decade

It’s the Golden Envelope moment. In February we enlisted your help to find the Book of the last decade. From a selection of 50 from Editorial Guru Sarah Broadhurst you first created a shortlist of ten and now you have chosen the winner. In the end the result was incredibly close and less than 0.5% of the ‘counted and verified votes’ separated the top two. However in the end the beautiful The Time Traveler’s Wife from Audrey Niffenegger just pipped The Kite Runner from Khaled Hosseini.

Audrey Niffenegger – author of the Time Traveler’s Wife said “Thank you to everyone who read the book, and to all who voted. I am flabbergasted; I tend to think of The Time Traveler’s Wife as my odd little book that somehow found its readers. It’s amazing to me how many readers it has found, and how intensely they care for the book.”

See all the top 10 books in our special section.

World Cup Fever – beautiful books about the beautiful game

Once the World Cup’s under way you’ll probably either be glued to the box, or hiding in one. But whether you’re a footie fan or you just know someone who is – you’ll be surprised how many really brilliant books about football are kicking around this summer. Kick off your summer reading in our special section.

Green Reads – a grow your own planet saving selection

This month’s crop of delicious new guides should sow the seeds of inspiration and get everyone hooked on growing and, best of all, cooking your own produce. May’s not too late to make a start, still plenty of growing time left and these books will leave you in no doubt as to what you can achieve in the garden or on the allotment.

Find out more and make a difference today…

Seven of the Best Pre Publication Exclusives

Fate and Fortune: A Hew Cullen Mystery

Shirley Mckay

The second Hew Cullan mystery finds the young lawyer feeling disillusioned with the law but a move to Edinburgh turns things around when love and murder both cross his path. An appealing new historical crime series with an intriguing lead…

£9.74 Save 25%

Secrets She Left Behind

Diane Chamberlain

One stupid reckless moment leaves a community in tatters and secrets buried for years are gradually being uncovered. Moving back and forth in time and in between characters the story unfolds as we see the effect each small action has…

£5.99 Save 25%

The Wings of the Sphinx

Andrea Camilleri

Montalbano is back in this latest instalment. As enjoyable as ever and with the detective, now aged 56, starting to wonder if he is happy with his lot, or should he be making changes to please others. Detective work, his…

£11.24 Save 25%

Return to the Olive Farm

Carol Drinkwater

Continuing the story of Carol Drinkwater’s beloved Olive Farm. After returning from 18 months travelling around the Mediterranean Carol discovers that her dream of running an organic farm is threatened by nature and by the demands of market forces. Here…

£14.24 Save 25%

Miss Mackenzie

Anthony Trollope

March 2010 Good Housekeeping selection.

On My Bookshelf by Joanna Trollope…
No writer of
his time was better at people than, as my family refer to him, The Real
Trollope – Anthony of the small specs and the huge beard. Miss Mackenzie is an…

£10.49 Save 25%

Play Dead

Harlan Coben

This is actually an old novel published years ago that subsequently went out of print. What a treat then for all Harlan Coben fans that Orion have re-published it as it has all the suspense, mystery and intrigue we have…

£5.99 Save 25%

The Prince of Mist

Carlos Ruiz Zafon

June 2010 Good Housekeeping selection.

Utterly gripping, this is a deliciously haunting and chilling tale of dark magic and treachery which reaches out across time threatening all who cross its path.

A move to a house by the sea is designed to…

£7.49 Save 25%

China Miéville – triple Arthur C Clarke winner

Since 1987 the Arthur C Clarke Award has been the most prestigious award for Science Fiction in Britain, presented annually for the best Science Fiction novel of the year and for the first time in its history an author has won it three times. The novel The City & The City part murder mystery part science fiction is a stunning read. Find out more…

Val McDermid Diamond Dagger Award winner

The Crime Writers Awards, called Daggers, are incredibly coveted by the authors as they are judged by their peers rather than literary critics. The Diamond Dagger is the highest award given for a lifetime of work and Val McDermid is this year’s worthy recipient.

From her 1st novel, Report for Murder, published in 1987 she has dominated the gritty police procedural genre with many of her books being made into TV dramas. Her latest book, Fever of the Bone, is as electrifying as ever – click here to read this and many other of novels.

Photo: Tim Griffiths for Cartier

We all love Lavinia!

Finally, one of our favourite books this month is Ursula le Guin’s new novel Lavinia. As Ursula writes about heroic figures in many of her novels we asked her who her own hero’s were. Find out more about the book and her literary heroes today..

Happy Reading and more book news to come in June.

Peter C :: May.17.2010 :: Newsletters :: No Comments »

Most popular books 2 – 9 May 2010

Lovereading.co.uk Top 10

1		The Good, the Bad and the Dumped Jenny Colgan When Posy gets dumped by her fiancé she goes on a journey re-visiting old flames to find out why none of her relationships have ever worked out. A great romantic romp to keep your occupied for a good few hours. … Download free opening extract
2		The Secret Intensity of Everyday Life William Nicholson May 2010 Book of the Month. A wonderful collection of characters, in a small Sussex village, all have their secrets, resentments, heartache and desires. A book that will keep you gripped from page one. This author is perhaps better know for his teen fiction … Download free opening extract
3		The Angel’s Game Carlos Ruiz Zafon May 2010 Book of the Month. The Shadow of the Wind is one of those rare books that continues to deeply affect you long after it is read. This second masterpiece is connected but stands apart. A twisting and mysterious tale … Download free opening extract
4		The Earth Hums in B Flat Mari Strachan May 2010 Debut of the Month. Set in a 1950’s Welsh village we follow a young, naïve Gwenni as she watches with fascination the goings on in her small village where everyone knows everyone else’s business. When there is a death … Download free opening extract
5		Virgin Widow – England’s Forgotten Queen Anne O’Brien May 2010 Debut of the Month. A great read and a great insight into how women were used as pawns in the scheme of things in the families who aspired to rule England in the 15th century. It is the story … Download free opening extract
6		The Carrie Diaries Candace Bushnell May 2010 Book of the Month. This terrific teen prequel to ‘Sex and the City’ is a sexy, funny, coming-of-age and totally engaging look at how Carrie became THE Carrie Bradshaw. She was just a regular girl growing up in Connecticut. … Download free opening extract
7		The Book of Fires Jane Borodale May 2010 Debut of the Month. Shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers 2010. A very well-realised historical novel centred around the small household of a fireworks maker, a master craftsman who never stops searching for clearer and brighter fires. His … Download free opening extract
8		The Dog Who Came in from the Cold Alexander McCall Smith May 2010 Book of the Month. More stories from the residents of the crumbling apartment block in Pimlico. The second in a great new series from the author of the No1 Ladies Detective Agency. Corduroy Mansions Series: 1. Corduroy Mansions 2. The Dog … Download free opening extract
9		The House of Special Purpose John Boyne May 2010 Book of the Month. Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 22 April 2010. The structure here is interesting. It begins in London in 1981 with Georgy and his wife Zoya. She is dying. Chapter two takes us … Download free opening extract
10		The White Woman on the Green Bicycle Monique Roffey Shortlisted for the prestigious 2010 Orange Prize for Fiction. Set in the lush surroundings of Trinidad this story follows the marriage of a couple who despite their love for each other find they have gradually slipped away from each other. Will … Download free opening extract

Peter C :: May.10.2010 :: Most Popular Books :: No Comments »