Summer is a time that evokes childhood, beauty and freedom, but also becomes a setting to set a family’s tensions against, asking if they can ever break out of their own trappings.

The story gives voice to some difficult themes and while it does offer them space, it never makes them the focus of the plot or the characters, never turning them into a caricature and instead fleshing them out past their troubles.

The story itself felt passionate about nature, the planet and the ocean, and all of that came across through the characters. It moved me greatly and I couldn’t stop thinking about it, long after I’d put it down.

This book took me by surprise in the best way. I feel in love with each character and the themes were beautifully woven together.

That said, a good story is always a delight. I love the storytelling of writers like Anne Patchett, Isabel Allende and Colm Toibin, in which atmosphere and plot combine for a compelling narrative.

I didn’t really know what I wanted to write or what shape it would take but I knew (or hoped) that if I connected with the right people, things would come together.

Set in Osaka, we follow the story of Anna as she ventures into a new lift teaching at a Japanese school in Osaka. Old wounds from a vanished mother rise to the surface as she searches for her missing friend, Loll.

If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh out loud and fall in love with the main character, this is it.

If you love a twisting, atmospheric thriller packed with secrets, lies, and characters you'll quickly become invested in, then this is one for your summer TBR.

I love stories that explore working class community dynamics, especially those told from the perspective of children.

I’ve always been fascinated by moral ambiguity, by the secrets each of us hold and by the lies we are prepared to tell. For me, these are always the most intriguing stories to read and watch.

Slow and careful, this story unravels around us, whispering the secrets it holds. With every page we learn more about Shannon and Victoria, the friendship that holds them together and the world they dream about.

She lets no one close to her, fighting hard to never allow herself to feel that loss again until Aleksandr walks into her life with his awful zodiac birth chart.

This book is a tender, coming-of-age novel that will make you smile and cry (take it from someone who may or may not have ugly cried multiple times on the train to work).

A tender and heart aching story of growing up, grief and girlhood.

A brilliant romantasy, brimming with adventure. Edern and Ari are incredible, fighting to save the country they love and the people they love.

If you read one book this summer, it has to be this one. Friendship, romance and comedy play out on the page in beautiful harmony, warming my heart with each sentence.

A wonderful book full of sharp humour and a female lead who will keep the reader on their toes at every turn.

There’s a new sci-fi romance on the scene and I loved it, can we get book two in The Imperial Broadcasts STAT, please?!

I hope that they will have felt immersed in these musical worlds, whether that’s the early chapters at conservatory, or on the road in a tour bus.