This week, our Hornsby team have put together a list of powerful and brilliant books that will stay with you well after you turn the last page.
There are some truly great reads in here. Better get your shelves ready!
Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King and Owen King:
Stephen King and his son Owen bring this unique horror story to life in this grim tale of a strange occurrence that spreads throughout the world.
It starts when all the women in the world fall into a deep cocooned sleep. If you try to wake them, they will release a monster inside. This throws the world into chaos. The story centers around a women’s correctional facility in West Virginia. As society falls, the prison becomes a place of horror and isolation for the inmates. The remaining prison guards and remaining prisoners start to turn on each other in what becomes a traditional King storyline where the human characters become the real monsters of the story. The women also face the reality of being stuck in a parallel universe where they mysteriously start disappearing and battle their own evil demons.
If you liked The Mist or Doctor Sleep then this book is for you and there are already rumours of this book coming to the small screen. -Chris (Store Manager)
W
e Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver:
2 years ago, the fictional Eva Khatchadourian’s son, Kevin, was the killer behind a horrific school massacre. Never have I found a work of fiction so thought-provoking, and I’ve begged my friends and family to read it so that I have more people with whom to discuss the themes within.
The story is told by way of Eva writing letters to her absent husband as she continues to struggle to accept what her son has done. As she writes, she invites us to consider whether we are born a certain way and cannot change, or if we’re a product of our environment and upbringing. Is Eva to blame for Kevin’s actions? We Need to Talk About Kevin expertly drip-feeds details about the shooting itself and Kevin’s childhood, allowing us to decide.
The result is a hard-hitting and unflinching examination of the age old nature vs nurture debate, and you won’t be able to look away. -Alex (Relief Manager)
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes:
Flowers for Algernon is brilliantly heartbreaking. The authenticity of the storytelling will draw you in immediately as you experience the journey 32 year old Charlie embarks on, leaving no emotion unfelt. Charlie is developmentally disabled, and undergoes surgery to enhance his mental capabilities. This is the catalyst for Charlie as he learns more and more about the intricacies of the world and of how we communicate with and treat each other.
I thoroughly enjoyed this science fiction book for its exploration of identity, social interactions, devastating realities, and authentic portrayal of the spectrum of mental capacity. Flowers for Algernon offers a new perspective on what we value and will stick with you long after the last page. -Emalee
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz:
In this book within a book, Anthony Horowitz presents Alan Conway, a highly successful, yet unlikeable, author, submitting the last book that he will ever write; Magpie Murders. What follows are subliminal messages, codes to crack, twists at every corner, and secrets hidden behind every closed door.
Horowitz breaks down every barrier between author and reader, sometimes so much so that you’re not quite sure whether what you’re reading is fiction, or a true life recount.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Agatha Christie’s classic ‘whodunnit’ writing style, or to anyone looking for a highly engaging book to read. -Jackie
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh:
For those of you who like a gritty story Trainspotting is the book for you. Prepare to be transported to Leith a town in Scotland in the early 90’s. Trainspotting follows the story of four heroin addicted friends. The intelligent but lazy Mark “Rent boy” Renton, The lovable but completely hopeless Spud, The aptly named Sick boy and the utter psychotic Begby. If you like this book there are 3 others in the series – Porno otherwise known as “T2”, the prequel Skagboys and the recently released Dead Men’s Trousers. This book is not for the faint of heart it is sometimes on the graphic side but it is a book with unique and oddly lovable characters. The characters of this book will stick with you for a long time. – Roslyn
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas:
THUG is a phenomenal book that tackles the difficult topic of police brutality in America.
Starr is stuck between two worlds; her private school in the suburbs where she is the only black girl, and her home in the rundown, all-black community which is struggling with the death of Starr’s friend who was brutally murdered by police. Heartrendingly honest but hilarious and heartwarming. A MUST READ! – Eleanor
