The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson:

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a fantastic book if you want a down-to-earth, no punches pulled approach to leading a good life. Mark Manson has written a hilarious and insightful book into the BS people tell themselves to get by in life and how in our materialistic world we care too much for inconsequential people and things instead of prioritising the things that matter. Manson also writes about how we need to stop deluding ourselves into believing our lives should be happy all day, every day instead of accepting the terrible situations we find ourselves in and taking responsibility for our own choices. This book was a great laugh but also made me realise that I can’t stand in front of a mirror and tell myself that I am happy. I have to persevere through the hard times and discover true happiness when those hard times are dealt with instead of ignoring them or blaming others. Read this if you want a great motivational book without all the fluff! – Chelsea

The Book Seat:

I’ve bought two Book Seats so far as presents. One was for my Dad to use after an abdominal operation made reading uncomfortable. Never thought I’d see a sixty-something man willing to use it, but now he wouldn’t read without it! The other was for my teenage daughter who fell in love with the new range of colours we recently received. Finally she could get her own to match her room’s decor! And I’m a happy Mum knowing she’s using it not only to read her favourite books but also for using with her iPad and tablet. – Angela
This product is only available in store. Please see your local store for available colours.

1666- Plague, War and Hellfire by Rebecca Rideal:

England would never be the same after the years 1665-66. Terror and fear came to the island; ongoing war with the Dutch, the Black Death (which killed 68,596 in London alone), and the huge conflagration that destroyed much of the medieval city. Superstition, prejudice, fear of foreigners and invasion reigned. An eloquently written account and anyone interested in British history should read this book. I learnt a lot from it and thoroughly enjoyed it. – Maxine

Blood Meridian by Cormack McCarthy:

Cormack McCarthy’s Blood Meridian depicts a more real, less romanticised view of the American west in the 1850s. It is a world with no room for heroes; only men and women who do what they have to do to get by in a world so bankrupt of any morality. The plot follows the Glanton Gang who collect scalps from native americans for bounty and sometimes for pleasure. The amount of sheer violence and lechery of the Glanton Gang can sometimes become a bit too morbid but the narration is written so masterfully it creates a compulsion to continue exploring the juxtaposition of heinous imagery never before told with such beautiful prose. This is the perfect book for anybody who is sick and tired of stories with fake cowboy mythology and camp western tropes. – Elliott

The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami:

I can never forget this book, and in Murakami style, it leaves you feeling wonderfully eerie long after you have put it down. This story is about Toru, who welcomes you to delve into his embarrassing and honest thoughts, dreams and strange conversation with all the new people he meets. There are also many interesting parallels and paradoxes he finds himself in, in fact, you will find that Toru himself is both a very ordinary and extraordinary man. I hope the pinnacle moments he shares make you feel something–if it may either be the fright of the unknown or the inspiration to do something others may perceive as completely insane. The thing I hope the most, though, is that you find yourself in that insanity, the way Toru has. – Dana

The Messenger by Markus Zusak:

Written in such a compelling and capturing sense, The Messenger by Markus Zusak will leave readers on the edge of their seat as it follows Ed Kennedy, a card-playing, 19 year old under-age cab driver trying to make a living. Might seem pretty ordinary right? Just a teenager trying to survive the big world. After Ed stops a bank heist in which he is a held hostage in, Ed life turns completely upside down. Playing cards are delivered to his house with dangerous yet society aiding tasks in which he must complete. With the help of his friends, Ed plays with the law in order to complete these tasks successfully and without getting caught. Readers will enjoy the fast paced mystery of; Who is creating the tasks?, Why are the tasks being created? And Why is Ed Kennedy the one receiving these tasks?. Zusak his written this novel in such a way that cannot be put down, it leaves readers wanting answers and reason to these questions. Even if you are fanatic fantasy reader or a dedicated biography reader, The Messenger is sure to keep you captivated and reading for hours on end. – Jade

Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang:

A novel written about a girl, Liz Emerson, who’s life was supposed to be perfect, but of course, was only perfect in everyone else eyes. She was seen as your typical popular high school teen who was ‘loved’ but at the same time envied by every student. She partied every week, had a boyfriend everyone wanted and was spoiled. Till one day she decided to test the laws of motion she had learnt in physics class by purposefully driving her car off the road, but why would she do it? After all her life was perfect, right? This story delves into how Liz Emerson truly felt about the way her life was and how she wish it were to be. But it doesn’t stop there, after her accident a mystery narrator is thrown into the plot as he’s someone who was watching from afar and never really talked to Liz, but may have been the only one who really understood her. Throughout the novel you get to understand her friends and family characters and how the accident impacted them as well as flashing back to all the little things that lead Liz to this decision. Amy Zhang has you rethinking all of your life decisions all the while tears and frustration are evident on your face throughout the read. – Kate