Bookends recommends books to read this Jubilee weekend!

We’ve all got a long Jubilee weekend ahead of us, so what better way to spend it then with some royally good reads? This is Bookends top recommendations to keep you entertained:

Small Angels by Andrea Levy

 

What better book to kick off with but one that was selected as a The Big Jubilee Read itself?

 

It is 1948, and England is recovering from a war. But at 21 Nevern Street, London, the conflict has only just begun.

Gilbert Joseph was one of thousands of Jamaican men who joined the RAF to fight against Hitler. Returning to England as a civilian, he finds himself treated very differently.

He and his wife Hortense have come in hopes of a new and better life. But London, shabby and decrepit, is far from the golden city of their dreams.

In desperation, Gilbert calls on a wartime friend for help. And Queenie Bligh, against her better judgment, takes them in.

Her neighbours do not approve of her lodgers. But Queenie doesn’t know when her husband will return, or if he will come back at all. What else can she do?

In this delicately wrought and profoundly moving novel, Andrea Levy handles the weighty themes of empire, prejudice, war and love, with a superb lightness of touch and generosity of spirit.

 

A Queen for All Seasons by Joanna Lumley

A sparkling celebration of our much-loved Queen Elizabeth II for her Platinum Jubilee including special writings and illuminating insights around key moments in her 70-year reign, introduced and edited by her biggest fan Joanna Lumley.

 

In 2022 Queen Elizabeth II celebrates seventy years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. She is Britain’s longest reigning monarch and the very first to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.

A Queen For All Seasons, edited and introduced by Joanna Lumley, is a perceptive, touching and engaging tribute to this unique woman. A treasure chest of first-hand writings, insights and snapshots of the Queen during key moments of her reign to form a vibrant portrait of the woman herself and the extraordinary role she plays.

Joanna Lumley guides us as we meet Princess Elizabeth in 1952, aged just twenty-five, and about to become Queen, and brings us through to the present day when, as our matriarch, the Queen keeps the national ship steady, including in moments of crisis and suffering. Here are unique perspectives into some of the most fascinating aspects of the Queen’s life – her role as head of state at home and abroad, her private passions and public interests and a bird’s-eye look at key events that have held the nation together and the Queen in our affection throughout Britain and beyond.

This book is a special and unique portrait of our constant Queen in an ever-changing world.

 

 

The No Show by Beth O’Leary

Next, an entertaining read from the Queen of romance herself, Beth O’Leary.

 

Three women. Three dates. One missing man…

 

The new novel from the “Queen of Up-Lit” (Prima), The No-Show is an utterly extraordinary tearjerker of a book about dating, and waiting, and the ways love can find us.

8.52 a.m. Siobhan is looking forward to her breakfast date with Joseph. She was surprised when he suggested it – she normally sees him late at night in her hotel room. Breakfast on Valentine’s Day surely means something … so where is he?

2.43 p.m. Miranda’s hoping that a Valentine’s Day lunch with Carter will be the perfect way to celebrate her new job. It’s a fresh start and a sign that her life is falling into place: she’s been dating Carter for five months now and things are getting serious. But why hasn’t he shown up?

6.30 p.m. Joseph Carter agreed to be Jane’s fake boyfriend at an engagement party. They’ve not known each other long but their friendship is fast becoming the brightest part of her new life in Winchester. Joseph promised to save Jane tonight. But he’s not here…

Meet Joseph Carter. That is, if you can find him.

Elizabeth of York by Alison Weir

 

 

AN ENGLISH PRINCESS, BORN INTO A WAR BETWEEN TWO FAMILIES.

 

Eldest daughter of the royal House of York, Elizabeth dreams of a crown to call her own. But when her beloved father, King Edward, dies suddenly, her destiny is rewritten.

Her family’s enemies close in. Two young princes are murdered in the Tower. Then her uncle seizes power – and vows to make Elizabeth his queen.

But another claimant seeks the throne, the upstart son of the rival royal House of Lancaster. Marriage to this Henry Tudor would unite the white rose of York and the red of Lancaster – and change everything.

A great new age awaits. Now Elizabeth must choose her allies – and husband – wisely, and fight for her right to rule.

 

Crown & Sceptre by Tracy Borman

‘A stunning tour de force and a remarkable achievement’ – Alison Weir

‘This is Our Island Story for the modern age’ – Charles Spencer

‘Not just a brilliant compendium of biographies, but the biography of an institution: a marvellous read’ – Tom Holland

 

The British monarchy is the one of the most iconic and enduring institutions in the world. It has weathered the storms of rebellion, revolution and war that brought many of Europe’s royal families to an abrupt and bloody end. Its unique survival owes much to the fact that, for all its ancient traditions and protocol, the royal family has proved remarkably responsive to change, evolving to reflect the times. But for much of its history, it also spearheaded seismic change, shaping our religious, political and cultural identity and establishing the British monarchy as the envy of the world.

There has never been a more apposite moment to consider the history of this extraordinary survivor. Within the next decade, there is likely to be a change of monarch, sparking renewed global interest on a scale not seen since Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. Even the media and popular frenzy evoked by recent royal events such as royal weddings and births will not compare to that generated by the accession of a new king. In the lead up to this pivotal moment in Britain’s history, Crown & Sceptre explores the history and evolution of the monarchy from 1066 to the present day, feeding the renewed interest not just in the modern royals but in the predecessors who helped shape the institution into what it is today.

 

Skip to the End by Molly James

‘An utterly gorgeous story that had me totally hooked. Without a doubt the best book I’ve read this year’ HOLLY MARTIN

A heart-warming romcom with a magical twist – and it’s just 99p!

This novel will have you swirling with first date butterflies, crying with laughter and finally, brimming with joy. The perfect summer read for fans of Lindsey Kelk, Mhairi McFarlane and Sophie Cousens.