Recommended ReadsWelcome to the Recommended Reads page - we hope that you will take a chance on some of these great titles. To find a copy in a library near you please check our  online catalogue.
The Marriage Market
Nisha Minhas
 Recommended by Brandon Library staff.
The saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ is partially true in this humorous easy read. Jeena has grown up in the UK and has indulged in some very ‘non traditional’ activities and gets caught by her parents in bed. To avoid the potential arranged marriage that results from this incident Jeena convinces Aaron to marry her, as he was the one that she was caught with. As in most of Nisha Minhas books the female lead is sexy and smart - someone the reader can empathise with. The male lead character - martial arts hunk Aaron - also follows Minhas’ typical description of being a gorgeous but stupidly self-centred womaniser. Despite the broad characterisations this book is very entertaining and gives a good insight into traditional Indian culture.”
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseini - bestselling author of 'The Kite Runner'.
 Recommendation from Richard Bryan at Grove Vale Library
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is a beautiful story that takes through a Journey with two women, Mariam and Laila, who survive when Afghanistan is tearing itself apart. As well as dealing with the battles of Afghanistan, particularly its political views and civil wars, they have to deal with their war in the household in the form of a troubled and bitter Rasheed. Mariam and Laila eventually accept each other. In their difficult times they find friendship, courage, strength, family and love. This is a truly amazing novel".
Marshmallows for Breakfast
Dorothy Koomson
 Recommendation from Rachel Snelling at Grove Vale Library
"An attention grabbing title, having previously read Koomson's predecessor 'My Best Friends Girl' (chosen as one of Richard and Judy's 2006 summer reads) I was not disappointed".
"It is the story of Kendra Temale, who returns to England from Australia in the vain hope to flee from her troubled past and repressed fears. Her secret? Keeping life at arm's length. However, renting a room from Kyle, single father to Summer and Jaxon, Kendra becomes embroiled in the family and their problems, as if the children were her own. A compelling story, which deals with difficult issues such as divorce, rape and the destruction of alcoholism. A must read for those who would not normally entertain chick lit".
The Shadow of the Wind
Carlos Ruiz Zafon
 Recommended by Brian from Peckham Library.
"Set in a shadowy Barcelona at the end of the Spanish Civil War, this gothic thriller kept me on the edge of my seat as I read until the early hours of the morning. The characters are colourful, the plot is gripping, and the locations described are incredibly atmospheric".
"The novel begins with a man bringing his ten-year-old son Daniel to the 'Cemetery of Forgotten Books', where he is given the opportunity to take one book home with him. His choice, 'The Shadow of the Wind’ by Julian Carax, captures his imagination and he attempts to find out more about the book's mysterious author. This quest puts Daniel in danger from fascist policemen, seductive women, and a character that appears to be the Devil itself".
"It is impossible to fit this novel into one particular category - it mixes politics, history, romance, mystery, the supernatural, and gothic melodrama. Forget about the 'The Da Vinci Code' and give 'The Shadow of the Wind' a try. You will not be disappointed".
The Little Friend
Donna Tartt
 Joanna from Rotherhithe Library highly recommends 'The Little Friend' by Donna Tartt.
"I chose this because her first book, 'The Secret History' is one of my favourites. She is a brilliant writer. Four year-old Robin is found murdered in his own backyard. One scorching summer twelve years later, his sister Harriet and her best friend Hely decide to track down her brother's murderer and punish him. It is a sinister novel, but it is really gripping, and the relationship between the twelve year-old Harriet and Hely is quite touching".
The Interpretation of Murder
Jed Rubenfeld
 Perin from Rotherhithe Library recommends 'Interpretation of Murder' by Jed Rubenfeld, which has been voted 'Best Read of the Year' by Richard and Judy's Book Club.
"The Interpretation of Murder is a thriller set in New York in the early 1900s. Sigmund Freud travels to New York with Carl Jung, an when a brutal murder is committed he becomes involved in the hunt for a serial killer. There's plenty of psychoanalysis and it is a very good murder mystery – it kept me guessing until the end. I found the book a slow starter but it was well worth the investment of time".
Half of a Yellow Sun
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Rotherhithe Book Group has just read 'Half of a Yellow Sun' by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which won this year's Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction.
"This is an incredible novel. It centres around a group of people who are caught up in the Nigeria-Biafra civil war in the 1960s, including Richard, a shy would-be novelist, and Ugwu, the houseboy to a middle-class Nigerian couple. It describes the unfolding of the war, and how the relationships and loyalties of the main characters are tested under the pressure. It is powerful, well-researched and superbly written, descriptions of the atrocities of war are counterbalanced with rousing political debates on ethnic allegiances and colonialism. It is broad in scope, but the characters are beautifully delineated - but most of all it is a very, very moving novel".
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