Cracking reads for World Book Day 2018

For World Book Day 2018 we’ve been asking the library team, students and staff for their cracking reading recommendations. We’ve been putting together a list of those books that grip the reader and you can’t tear yourself away from the page. We’re hoping that students who don’t consider themselves keen readers might try a book and get hooked!

This is a work in progress. What books would you add to this list? Here’s a our start:

Thrillers/Mysteries

Snow Falling on Cedars – David Guterson

I’m not Scared – Niccolo Ammaniti

Papillon – Henri Charrière

The Giordano Bruno murder mysteries – historical thrillers starting with Heresy (then Prophecy, Sacrilege, Treachery, Conspiracy) each novel is set in a different city the first in Oxford the second in London. The research is impressive, Bruno a great maverick and the plots tense.

Pompeii – Robert Harris (and any of his books including  The Cicero Trilogy – Imperium, Lustrum and Dictator)

The Road – Cormac McCarthy

Before I go to sleep – S.J. Watson

The Godfather – Mario Puzo

Revolver – Marcus Sedgwick

The Beach – Alex Garland

The Bunker Diary – Kevin Brooks – Very bleak YA thriller – only read if you are feeling strong and like a harrowing read!

If you liked Bunker Diary you might like – The Chocolate Wars – Robert Cormier

Just great plot-twisting-page-turner-lose-a-weekend novels:

The Husband’s Secret – Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies – Liane Moriarty

Letter for the King and sequel The Secrets of the Wild Wood by Tonke Dragt

Young Adult Fiction (many are fantasy or dystopian fiction)

Holes – Louis Sachar – Plenty of humour combined with two great stories. (enjoy the film once you’ve read the fantastic book!)

Moonrise – Sarah Crossan

One – Sarah Crossan (The moving story of conjoined teenage girls written in free verse. A super quick and affecting read. Definitely a one-sitting book for a snowy weekend!)

Between Shades of Gray – Ruta Sepetys

Gone series – Michael Grant

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian – Alexie Sherman

Mortal Engines – Philip Reeve

The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton

Blood Red Road – Moira Young

Uglies – Scot Westerfeld

Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card

Delirium – Lauren Oliver

Stolen – Lucy Christopher

The Territory – Sarah Govett

I am Number Four and the Lorien Legacy series by Pittacus Lore

We were liars – E.H. Lockhart

Humour combined with police procedure and fantasy! Sounds weird but widely enjoyed and was London City Read in 2015

Rivers of London –  Ben Aaronovitch (four books in the series)

Fantasy

Letter for the King and sequel The Secrets of the Wild Wood by Tonke Dragt Lose yourself in these gripping, spellbinding adventures.

The Bees – Laline Paull

Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card

His Dark Materials Trilogy – Philip Pullman

Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury

The Old Kingdom  by Garth Nix (Sabriel , Lirael Abhorsen,   ClarielGoldenhand )

Horror/fantasy

The Call

Life stories/adventure

Touching the Void by Joe Simpson

Various good reads!

Ready Player One – This has proved very popular with staff and our teenage boys. One for computer game fans.

The help – Kathryn Stockett

The Secret Life of Bees – Sue Monk Kidd

Student recommendation to the Head of English – who loved this – Fiela’s Child – Dalene Matthee

Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda – Becky Albertalli

Call me by your name – Andre Aciman

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams