MTG Recommends is back to highlight our very best recommendations for the summer holidays, whether on a beach or at home!
Read on to find out our recommendations for summer holiday reading...
If you have teens you will know about a Good Girls Guide to Murder, this is Holly Jackson’s first adult book. Premise of the book is that a girl is ‘murdered’ and only has seven days to live after being attacked. Jet, the victim, goes in search of her killer. Could not put it down. Gripping and funny.
Recommended by Rebecca Fisher
Fabulous, and in places fantastical, this story about generations of Korean women was hard to put down.
Recommended by Jennifer Emms
Loneliness and relationship troubles in a Parisian flat + has some lawyers in it, I think?
Recommended by Leona Crawford
Exhausting to read about her training even while lying on a sun lounger by a pool! Warning – this will make you cry in places.
Recommended by Sophie Mazzier
SB’s first fiction novel. Thoroughly enjoyable with some colourful characters from the criminal bar.
Recommended by Rebecca Fisher
Ursula Parrot – the excellent pseudonym of Katherine Ursula Towle who had a really interesting life if you ever have time.
Originally published in 1929 and re-published in a v nice edition by Faber earlier this year because it really does still feel relevant.
Recommended by Leona Crawford
A debut novel – fast paced, totally ridiculous (but curiously manages to deal with difficult issues in a sensitive manner) – I chortled out loud.
Recommended by Sophie Mazzier
Apologies for another recommendation imbued with an impending sense of death (and more hospitals) but this was a beautifully written book about love, life and art.
Recommended by Jennifer Emms
Lovely for reading to children, I imagine. Sweet, sad, nostalgic and very much a love letter to summer.
Recommended by Leona Crawford
It has made me cry, laugh and want to write letters!
Recommended by Rebecca Fisher
Short, but perfectly formed; poignant, thought provoking and mesmerising. And not a word wasted! I have yet to forgive a member of my book club who complained it was repetitive….
Recommended by Sophie Mazzier
Absolutely brilliant.
Recommended by Rebecca Fisher
An epic tale that is very hard to put down: perfect for a relaxing holiday.
Recommended by Rupert Ticehurst
Not a new release but so engaging – she started writing this age 21 which seems incredible given its complexity.
Recommended by Leona Crawford
Set in the brutal Sri Lankan civil war this is not a cheery summer read by any stretch, but it portrays the experiences of a family (particularly a young girl who dreams of being a doctor) in a moving and evocative way.
Recommended by Jennifer Emms
This book was the focus of our internal EDI event celebrating South Asian Heritage Month. It is a multi-generational story of a family who migrate from India to East Africa, eventually finding themselves in Canada. It is a beautiful story, which I have a personal connection to, and I came away with a new appreciation for my family members who found themselves in the UK in the 1960 and 70s. It is also a celebration of culture, community and identity – I highly recommend!
Recommended by Sonika Panesar
The marmite book of the year – Tradwife meets social media meets Idaho farm. I really enjoyed it.
Recommended by Rebecca Fiaher
Absolutely beautifully written (in my view) – comprising four stories – each connected to both a crime and to one of the four basic elements of earth, water, fire, and air.
Recommended by Sophie Mazzier
A hilarious story of a woman who joins a wedding party weekend by mistake. Like death, weddings can bring out the worst in people.
Recommended by Sophie Mazzier
I decided to revisit the back catalogue after the success of Disney’s “Rivals” and the sad death of Jilly (described by the Queen as “a legend”) in November. These books are wonderful for holidays as they are HUGE and so can keep you busy for hours.
Recommended by Claire Weeks
A beautiful tribute to childhood friendship, particularly for those who (like me) weren’t part of the “cool kids”.
Recommended by Sophie Mazzier
A book it’s so sad she had to write, but I’m very glad she did. It is lovely.
Recommended by Ed Powles
