Recommend a Read for World Book Night

Please use the form below to recommend a read for World Book Night! This year's theme is 'Books that make you smile', so we are particularly interested to hear about these!

All entrants will win a free book, courtesy of the Reading Agency's World Book Night!

The Alchemist by Paulo Cohelo

'It makes you feel really good and contains important life lessons.'

Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella

'This laugh out loud book that you will not want to put down. I love the story and how the relationship turns out in the end, you do really want them to be together.'

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

'This was a really thoughtful book. The author pulls you into the story from the very beginning, and right from the start you are rooting for the characters and their families. A book that was truly unputdownable.'

A Strange Land by Alan Gibbons

'A very interesting storyline which is very life-like indeed. It brings up memories of being a child in the 80s.'

Kung Fu Trip by Benjamin Zephaniah

'This is a hilarious read and documents his journey to China to train with a famous shaolin monk! Full of surprises and wisdom, a very good short read..'

How to Keep a Secret by Sarah Morgan

'This is a rather enjoyable story about family life.'

And Away! by Bob Mortimer

'While not usually a fan of autobiographies I was leant this by a friend, from start to finish it had me in absolute stitches. An unbelievably funny comedian with some of the strangest anecdotes I have ever heard. Mortimer tells his life story by alternating between stories about his past and discussions about recovering from open heart surgery. Uplifting, hilarious, and generally a book to make you smile. '

The Zig-Zag Girl - the first of the Brighton Mysteries series by Elly Griffiths

'It's a good old fashioned mystery written in the usual Elly Griffiths style. This book would appeal to all ages of adult reader. I've already started the second one in the series.'

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

'This book explores all different lives one person can have. There are endless possibilities in what a person can do. It also links to mental health and how the 'The Midnight Library' changes her mindset.'

The Cove by L. J. Ross

'Really easy reading, keeping the reader intrigued with the plot. 'One more chapter' is what you tell yourself then another before you know it! Perfect Summer reading! '

Steelheart by Brand Sanderson

'This book is full of action and excitement - definitely a page turner. I would categorise this as young adult. There is lots sci-fi, action and supernatural powers!'

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal by Jeanette Winterson

'Jeanette Winterson a major figure in world literature offers up this real and heart wrenching memoir. The short but detailed accounts of the peaks and troughs of her life after being adopted are touching and stay with you. This book highlights the importance of resilience, love, home, identity, and family.'

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

'This book has taught me so much that I didn't know about the Great Depression in America and the Dust Bowl. It focuses on one family, Elsa Martinelli, a single mother and her two Children, who leave Texas to find a better life in California. However, they discover that life is just as tough when they get there as they join thousands of other migrants all in search of the same thing. It depicts the poverty and dire conditions that they were forced to live in and the prejudice that they encounter, also the poor working conditions and low pay. However, although this all sounds depressing, it also describes the resilience and courage of a Single Mother battling against all odds for the survival of her Children and the sacrifices she makes for them. It is also a novel about Love and Friendship. '

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

'The book follows the events surrounding the disappearance of a young teenage couple with a baby. Their story is told across three time lines before, during and after the disappearance and from different people's perspectives. It is well written and intriguing as you try and piece together the different threads of the story to find out what really happened. Highly recommended. '