‘What is it to be human?’ … Can fortune and powerful positions decide to create something more and will it better humanity?

These are the lofty themes in The Seventh Son. Sebastian Faulks has created an imagined future and the ethical boundaries are stretched to accommodate man’s pursuit of science in the year 2030 and beyond.

Ragnar Jonasson and Katrin Jakobsdottir deliver a most satisfying crime page-turner that was easy to devour. I was on a relentless pursuit to read ‘til I knew the answers. All the crucial elements of power, mis-use of societal position, a dutiful police officer and his drive to find the truth come together in Reykjavik that I highly recommend!

Milkwood means a combination of softness and strength, sustenance and shelter – and reflects the author’s commitment to permaculture principles.

A most impressive guide to create food resilience in homes and communities.

From vast real estate, wealth that ruled in the New York Gilded Age society, the legendary Waldorf-Astoria hotel then family grief in the Titanic disaster. The Astors are a hallmark of American history with all its rise and falls, fortunes favoured and lost.

Two worlds collide when artist Vincent van Gogh scoops up the frail prostitute Siene and her young daughter from the cold Dutch cobblestone streets in Geest. It’s winter in 1882 and two lives are pulled together by fate.

Based on a true-story, Thalia and Peter play a dangerous game under the dominance and oppression from German occupation within Thessaloniki in World War Two. Heart rates are heightened as it becomes increasingly risky to stay within the safe house provided. Tension and suspense put you ill at ease as you wish for a hopeful outcome.

Marie-Jeanne was born into tragic family circumstances in 1958 but is surrounded by a muse called ‘love’ that acts as narrator throughout the story. ‘Love’ watches over her life as she masters her unique, insightful gifts to see and understand the glow of love and loneliness in others.

Five chapters, five unique characters at different stages and phases of their lives. Philosophical in style, the stories are personally encouraging and uplifting. Indeed, the library is where you do find what you are looking for…

A snapshot of West Coast New Zealand history is woven into the page of Denniston Rose. Now available as a Popular Penguin paperback, and as an audiobook through LibroFM.

If you’d like to grow your own kai, Leah Evans gets you started in this hugely practical book. Understand the what, why and how to develop your resourcefulness and have an endless supply of food essentials.

Past, present, future have been imagined, across four time zones and author Kate Mildenhall has crafted a clever, thoughtful tale in The Hummingbird Effect.

A vibrant cast of quirky and unique characters come together to satisfy fans of Phryne Fisher. Mystery, suspense and shadowed identities anchor this succinct but perfectly formed tale.

From genuine empathy for his character to a great belly laugh at his oddities or the friends he meets, Bob Comet is a serious introvert living an ordinary life that you embrace as a reader.

“Once ‘in the blood’, it is often said, bookselling is a disease from which one never quite recovers.” - From The Truth About Bookselling by Thomas Joy

An opening quote like this was sure to capture my attention and from the start, The Air Raid Book Club was akin to walking into a warm embrace of literary friends.

Not just for maritime historian fans, this is an extraordinary tale of how much the human spirit can endure and overcome. This new tale has piqued my interest again in ‘all things Antarctic’ and as the author says in response to the discovery of Endurance, “The ocean has given us something back…”

Any parent raising children can testify to being challenged in their energy, so reading a weighty how-to parenting manual can be a daunting task. Time-pressured parents still wish to be ‘giving their best’ when it comes to their children and Daily Dad offers the perfect solution.

Expect the unexpected and be drawn into the world of Thomas and Catherine. Love, impossibilities, loss and resolve, meticulous art detail and the wilds of maritime service, Susan Paterson gifts us a perfectly formed debut.

In a culture that screams ‘reach your highs’ and ‘go big or go home’ mantras, author Josie Shapiro brings a sporting narrative steeped in reality, but also Mickey’s character rebuilds with tenacity to find a calm new strength.