Welcome to the start of summer! Things are hotting up in the office and we’ve been trying out our ‘blue-sky’ thinking for you this month, so you can get your hands on what’s hot for June. Whether it’s for the garden, the beach or the park on your lunchtime break, we’ve got some sizzling reads for you to escape to.

Write to Reply - June Books of the Month

We have a sizzling, sumptuous smörgåsbord of summer titles for you on our bookshelf this month – something for every taste. HOWEVER, we want to make a special mention of two MEGA ones: Where the Bodies are Buried – if you like Ben Elton or Carl Hiaasen you'll love Christopher Brookmyre. Michael Morpurgo: War Child to War Horse by Maggie Fergusson. Maggie explores the life of the author in 7 chapters - and he responds with 7 stories. Not to be missed!
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The New Black, Benjamin Black, Author of the Month...

June’s Author of the Month is Benjamin Black...or is it John Banville? Well, both actually. As John Banville, he writes elegant, stylish, philosophical novels and as Benjamin Black indulges his love for dark, gripping crime tales that have all of us here in the Lovereading office hooked. Poetic, sultry and cinematic, Death in Summer is the fourth in the brilliant ‘Quirke’ series and is a sweltering romp into the dark world of Dublin’s underworld. Why not grab it now and take a sneak peek at the 5th title, Vengeance, before it’s published? Alternatively start with the first Quirke – Christine Falls. Every one of them is on the Lovereading website complete with an extract to whet your appetite.

Life's a Peach - Guest Editor Joanne Harris

Sensual superstar, lover of chocolate and perfume, serial hater of wasps, our Guest Editor is Joanne Harris. Author of the immensely popular Chocolat, her latest book, Peaches for Monsieur le Curé, sees enigmatic Vianne Rocher return, eight years later, to her chocolate shop in Lansquenet, where life has become very different. As well as this, Joanne has shared with us a selection of her own favourite novels to inspire you. Click here to get started!

First Things First - Debuts of the Month

Our MEGA debut this month is The 500 by Matthew Quirk - an already highly acclaimed, high-velocity thrill ride through the seedy underbelly of U.S. politics. Packed with money, power and corruption - we loved it! AND Central Reservation by Will le Fleming. From small boutique publisher Xelsion, a beautifully crafted, gripping and darkly comic coming of age tale. We think Mr le Fleming is a writer to watch. For other great debuts click below and discover a new favourite!
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Your Reviews of our Debuts...

Don’t just take our word for it – Lovereading readers have been having their say and reviewing new titles before they’re published. See what they said about two GREAT new books hot off the press this month: Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt - A deeply touching and ‘an enchanting and beautifully written story of love, hope, relationships, loneliness and growing up’. A simply stunning debut. Read more reviews and read an extract…. Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple – a wildly imaginative, laugh-out-loud yet searingly poignant story of a girl’s search for her lost mother. Find out more about this ‘quirky, fresh and impossible to put down’ debut.

  Why not get a book for Father’s Day, 17 June

With Father’s Day just around the corner why not give him something more interesting than slippers and socks – see below for a selection of some recently published books we think will be perfect.

'Eagle'-y Anticipated! Rome series by M. C. Scott

We know, we know! We’ve featured them individually as Books of the Month before but we really want to big up the whole, brilliant Rome series by ancient-historical fiction guru, M. C. Scott. Extensive research, tireless passion and great storytelling make these page-turning adventures of real Romans unputdownable! See the whole cohort here.

eBooks of the Month

As the world’s ONLY one stop shop for all formats of downloadable titles, we have a huge selection to choose from. Here’s what’s caught our eye this month: Crossbones Yard by Kate Rhodes. A brilliant debut; a psychologist finds herself drawn into the dark world of a serial killer - who may be closer than she thinks. Another Country by Anjali Joseph. A superb second novel from the author of the multiple award winning Saraswati Park. ...so braving the sunshine and showers we’ll be back with more great Summer Reads later in June. Scroll down to see more recommendations for books in the categories you have told us you like to be kept updated on… P.S. Don't miss the new Young Adult fiction title from phenomenal international bestseller Philippa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Cousins' War series) called Changeling. It's an epic medieval series full of dark myths, secrets, adventure, intrigue and a touch of romance - we love it!