We asked a few of our staff to let us know which book stands out as exceptional amongst everything they’ve read so far this year. Below are the books they’ve loved the most.

Sunbathing by Isobel Beech

As ever, I’ve already read some great fiction this year, but the outstanding candidate for my pick of the year so far is Sunbathing by Isobel Beech. Beautiful but gutsy writing about an emotional topic, with impeccable insights into modern life and friendship, this is an exceptionally good debut novel that I will be recommending for years to come.

— Alison Huber, head book buyer

They by Kay Dick

Returned to bookshops and readers after years in the publishing wilderness, Kay Dick’s They is timeless yet speaks pretty loudly to our times; quite chilling on both the overt and shadowy forces that want to curtail and silence our bodies and minds and how we think, feel, love, and create with them. This slim yet ferocious book got in deep under my skin and has stayed there ever since.

— Jo DiMattia, Readings Carlton

Bedtime Story by Chloe Hooper

This is magical and immensely sad, yet also uplifting! I’m a sucker for anything that analyses children’s literature seriously, and I was astounded at how compelling The Arsonist was, so when I heard about this one, it was top of my TBR! I was completely immersed in Hooper’s family, invested in Don’s treatment and totally won over with the care that Chloe devoted towards thinking about how to discuss seemingly imminent death with her children. I’ve already sent a copy over to my best friend in France, who is interested in the role of literature in medical care – I think this book will touch many readers.

— Clare Millar, Readings online

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

Coco Mellors has found a new life-long reader in me. The beauty and ugliness each character reveals, their desires and traumas, had me hooked from the beginning, and I thought about these characters long after finishing it. Cleopatra and Frankenstein still haunts me to this day (in the best way possible).

— Aurelia Orr, Readings Carlton

Voices in the Evening by Natalia Ginzburg

Ginzburg has been one of my favourite writers for some time, but this year I became properly obsessed with her. Voices in the Evening is a particular highlight. A gorgeous, devastating gem.

— Baz Ozturk, Readings Emporium

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

It’s like choosing a favourite child. I’ve read so many fantastic books this year – it’s hard to pick. Maybe the easiest way to decide is to write about the book that springs instantly to mind. And that book is … Horse by Geraldine Brooks. Horse tells the story of Lexington, the greatest racehorse of the United States in the lead-up to the civil war. But this isn’t simply the story of a horse: this is a story about racism and prejudice and Black Lives Matter. It’s the story of a modern day romance between two scholars. It’s the story of skeletons and beetles that eat dead flesh. But at its core it’s the love story of the trainer, Jarret Lewis, and the horse, Lexington.

— Gabrielle Williams, Readings Malvern

The View was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta

There are those people who, when times are tough, enjoy the cathartic emotional release that comes with taking a deep dive into stories about trauma and grief. I am not one of those people. When times are tough (which, I feel like can pretty confidently say, they have been for a couple of years now) I read to escape. My favourite book that I’ve read this year, therefore, is the very smart, very sexy, very witty, and extremely enjoyable debut rom-com The View was Exhausting.

Fiercely feminist, razor sharp, politically aware, The View Was Exhausting was the holiday from Real Life that I have desperately needed, and I cannot wait for their second book to arrive.

— Lian Hingee, digital marketing manager

A Murmuration of Starlings by Franny Billingsley

This strangely titled book which snuck onto our shelves quietly in January was actually called Robber Girl in the American market, which is perhaps a more descriptive title. Set in a wild west that includes magical elements, our narrator –- a young girl – prides herself on her wildness and doesn’t speak, except to her precious dagger, which talks back … and not very kindly.

This unique book defies categorisation but will be enjoyed by mystery and literary readers aged 11 all the way through to adults. Even now, six months after I first read it, I am still thinking about young Robber Girl and the story of her somewhat sad but ultimately hopeful, and definitely unusual, life.

— Angela Crocombe, children’s and YA specialist for Readings online