Resources
The Book Club Hub is here to support leaders and members of book clubs by sharing digital resources for the latest releases. Filter the resources for adults, children’s or young people’s books.
Let the Light In by Jenny Downham and Louis Hill - author videos and discussion guide
‘An extraordinary book, tenderly told. There is so much loss, beauty, hope and care in its pages. I read it all at once, but it will stay with me for a very long time to come’ – Katya Balen Leah and Charlie are handling their family’s loss in very different ways. Their choices push them down difficult and perilous paths which eventually collide, sending shockwaves through their community. This astounding, compulsive novel explores love, power, money, art, and asks: what matters most in the...
The Reading Agency's March Booklist - Picture Perfect
Our Picture Perfect Booklist is a collection of books that prove a picture really can be worth a thousand words! This specially curated list showcases highly illustrated books, graphic novels, and powerful visual storytelling that enhances the story being told. Whether you’re a comic book enthusiast or simply love books that bring stories to life with stunning imagery, this list is perfect for you. Dive in, turn the pages, and let the pictures speak for themselves. Our librarian readers have...
Book Club Hub - Book Club User Guide
The Book Club Hub is a platform connecting readers and book clubs of all ages across the UK. It is managed by national reading charity, The Reading Agency. The Book Club Hub offers book club leaders access to free offers from publishers and prizes in return for reviews, gives them the chance to read the latest books and author news to help them pick their next read, and allows them to download resources to use with their club. Readers can also share reviews of the books they have read and...
Book Club Hub - Librarian and Teacher User Guide
The Book Club Hub is a platform connecting readers and book clubs of all ages across the UK. It is managed by national reading charity, The Reading Agency. The Book Club Hub offers book teachers and librarians the support of providing free copies to their clubs in return with reviews and the latest news and resources to support your meetings. *For every book club, every genre, every reader. * How to make the most of the Book Club Hub Download the guide at the bottom of the page to help you...
How to start a book club
The Book Club Hub is a platform connecting readers and book clubs of all ages across the UK. It is managed by national reading charity, The Reading Agency. The Book Club Hub offers book club leaders access to free offers from publishers and prizes in return for reviews, gives them the chance to read the latest books and author news to help them pick their next read, and allows them to download resources to use with their club. Readers can also share reviews of the books they have read and...
How To Seal Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin - Digital Assets
The much-anticipated sequel to How To Solve Your Own Murder. A page-turning mystery with an unforgettable cast of characters, perfect for fans of Knives Out and Only Murders in the Building. ‘What a great read!’ J. M. Hall ‘Kept me guessing until the very end’ Joanna Wallace ‘Thrilling’ G. T. Garber ‘Original, atmospheric’ Ian Moore Annie thought the murders were over. She was wrong. It is autumn in Castle Knoll and Annie Adams is busy settling into her new home. She doesn’t find Gravesdown...
The Island Swimmer by Lorraine Kelly - Digital Assets
Once the tide turns, you can’t hold it back… When Evie’s father falls desperately ill, she finally returns to the family home on Orkney and the wild landscape she left as a teenager, swearing never to return. Not everyone is happy at her arrival, particularly her estranged sister Liv, their relationship broken after a childhood trauma. As Evie clears out her father’s neglected house to prepare it for sale, lonely Evie finds herself drawn to a group of cold-water swimmers led by her old friend...
Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken - Digital Assets
Discover the #1 bestseller Ultra-Processed People, the life-changing read you need to understand Ultra-Processed Food. It’s not you, it’s the food. We have entered a new ‘age of eating’ where most of our calories come from an entirely novel set of substances called Ultra-Processed Food, food which is industrially processed and designed and marketed to be addictive. But do we really know what it’s doing to our bodies? Join Chris in his travels through the world of food science and a UPF diet...
Boldwood Ever After - Digital Assets
Award-winning independent publisher Boldwood Books are launching a brand new romance community in February! Boldwood Ever After will be a hub for romance readers to indulge their love of the latest sub-genres sweeping the romance shelves such as sports romance from Kelly Jaimieson, romantasy from C.L. Mecca and super-spicy Regency from Emma Orchard. Boldwood Ever After will also celebrate diverse love stories championing authors of colour such as Olivia Spring, and LGBTQ+ romances from...
Young Love by Suzanne Ewart - Reading Group Notes
For hearts that haven’t learned to protect themselves, can there be anything more powerful than young love? Kelsey and Lewis have been best friends for ten years before, finally, he kisses her for the first time … And leaves for a job in New York the next day. Counting down the days until he comes back to Liverpool, Kelsey busies herself with a new job, a handful of forgettable dates and awkward, weekly catch-ups with her mum. Then the days turn into months. And the months turn into a...
Squirrel and Duck by Tom Percival Activity Sheet
From the bestselling author of the Big Bright Feelings picture book series comes the first book in a brand new illustrated fiction series. Squirrel and Duck might seem strange housemates but they are drawn together by their secret – they are the only two talking animals in the world. When bulldozers arrive to redevelop the abandoned theme park they call home, they flee with nothing but Mr Spikes, Duck’s beloved ‘pet’ cactus. Overhearing a conversation between two nincompoop art thieves puts...
The Reading Agency's December Booklist - Books of the Year
At The Reading Agency, we have read a lot of brilliant books over the past year; books that have made us laugh, cry and left us with a lot to discuss. Our team have picked the books that have stood out for them in 2024. We hope you find some inspiration for your next read, or perhaps spot a few titles you have enjoyed yourself! Our team have shared three words to describe each book to help you decide if the book is for you. We would also love to hear what books you’d recommend for the list on...
The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami - Event pack and digital assets
Step into the The City… When a young man’s girlfriend mysteriously vanishes, he sets his heart on finding the imaginary city where her true self lives. His search will lead him to take a job in a remote library with mysteries of its own. When he finally makes it to the walled city, a shadowless place of horned beasts and willow trees, he finds his beloved working in a different library – a dream library. But she has no memory of their life together in the other world and, as the lines between...
November Booklist 2024 - Spine-tinglers & Nail-biters
As we enter the cold and dark months, we have created a booklist filled with our favourite spine-tinglers and nail-biters to captivate readers who enjoy suspense, mystery, and supernatural adventures (at different levels of scariness). From eerie children’s tales to chilling adult thrillers or horrors, these books are perfect for readers who love to be kept on the edge of their seats or want to escape with paranormal characters. Featuring everything from haunted castles and creepy night...
Reader Reviews: September 2024
Do you know we offer reading groups free sets of books every month? All we ask for in return are reviews. If you’d like to find out more you can sign up to our newsletters. We will be sharing reviews from our readers who have received copies of the latest books from our publisher partners. You can see all of the open offers here. If you are part of an adult reading group, or manage a children’s or young people one, make sure you sign up to our Reading Groups for Everyone where you can find...
Social Media Guide from previous Reading Groups for Everyone website
Reading Groups for Everyone was rebranded to the Book Club Hub on 2 April 2025. Here is a social media guide created previously which may still be of use. Publishers are often looking for feedback and reviews in return. They are also increasingly looking for book clubs who will share their thoughts on social media platforms. If you or your group aren’t familiar with social media, this can seem daunting. We’ve put together a simple social media guide which will enable you to take part and get...
September booklist 2024 – Debuts
The debut authors and/or illustrators’ booklist features an exciting array of new voices in publishing, spanning genres from humorous children’s stories to gripping adult thrillers. These fresh perspectives bring unique and compelling narratives to readers, making them a vital addition to the literary landscape. Supporting debut authors is crucial as it encourages diverse storytelling and helps cultivate the next generation of literary talent and we hope you will enjoy reading our picks. Our...
August booklist 2024 – Escape with a Book
Summer is a time for adventures and immersive experiences, so we have created a booklist perfect for readers looking to escape into captivating stories. These sixteen books offer a variety of escapes, from adventurous expeditions and magical journeys to heartwarming romances and engaging puzzles, ensuring every reader finds their perfect summer getaway even if you cannot leave your house. Our librarian readers have shared three words to describe each book to help you decide if the book is for...
And So I Roar by Abi Daré – Library and Book Club Resources
Four years after The Girl with the Louding Voice captured half a million hearts worldwide, Abi Daré returns with a stunning, heart-wrenching new novel. And So I Roar begins in Lagos, Nigeria, when a sudden knock at the gate in the middle of the night threatens to unravel everything plucky fourteen-year-old Adunni has worked for, just as she is set to restart her much-desired education. To celebrate the publication of And So I Roar, we are delighted to offer a range of book club resources,...
Baumgartner by Paul Auster - Reading Group Questions
The life of Sy Baumgartner – noted author, and soon-to-be retired philosophy professor – has been defined by his deep, abiding love for his wife. Now Anna is gone, and Baumgartner is trying to live with her absence. But Anna’s voice is everywhere still, in every spiral of memory and reminiscence, in each recalled episode of the passionate forty years they shared. Rich with feeling, wit and an eye for beauty in the smallest, most transient episodes of ordinary life, Baumgartner is a luminous...
Download reading group questions for Kala by Colin Walsh
THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2023 ‘Unforgettable’ Observer ‘Masterful’ Irish Times ‘Explosive’ The Telegraph For those of you wanting a captivating and compelling read for your book group this summer, look no further than Kala by Colin Walsh, and use these reading group questions to fuel some invigorating discussions! More about the book: ‘We used to be such a force, back then when she was still with us. What happened to her?’ In the seaside...
My Teeth in Your Heart by Joanna Nadin - Discussion Notes
2024, Cambridge, England Billy’s got problems. A Levels, a mum who checked out of parenting a while ago, and then… there’s what Billy’s done to Cass, her person. Some secrets are too toxic to keep, but there’s no way Billy can let this one loose. 1974, Famagusta, Cyprus Anna’s a good ex-pat girl, focused on her A Levels, dreaming of studying at Cambridge, and definitely not looking for the love of her life. But then love does come, closely followed by war, and Anna’s carefully crafted world...
Garden of her Heart by Zoe Richards - Discussion Notes
A story of healing and recovery that will warm your soul…and get you into the garden. Garden of Her Heart is the story of one loner, two secrets, and three weeks at the Pinewoods Retreat. When Holly Bush (yes, she still hasn’t forgiven her mother for that combination) is made redundant with gardening leave, after a brutal attack, she decides to visit a retreat not far from home. There she finds friendship and a garden in need of love, she ends up doing literal gardening leave, bringing the...
Radio 2 Book Club extract of The Mars House by Natasha Pulley
In the wake of environmental catastrophe, January, once a principal in London’s Royal Ballet, has become a refugee on Tharsis, the terraformed colony on Mars. In Tharsis, January’s life is dictated by his status as an Earthstronger – a person whose body is not adjusted to Mars’s lower gravity and so poses a danger to those born on, or naturalized to, Mars. January’s job choices, housing, and even transportation options are dictated by this second-class status, and now a xenophobic politician...
How To Say Babylon: A Jamaican Memoir by Safiya Sinclair - author video and book club questions
There is an opportunity for book clubs to review the Women’s Prize for Non-fiction shortlisted book, How To Say Babylon. Apply by 23 May LONGLISTED FOR THE 2024 WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION You can find out more about the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction shortlist. ‘Dazzling. Potent. Vital’ TARA WESTOVER ‘To read it is to believe that words can save’ MARLON JAMES ‘I adored this book … Unforgettable, heartbreaking and heartwarming’ ELIF SHAFAK An extraordinary and inspiring memoir of family,...
Radio 2 Book Club extract of Where the Heart Should Be by Sarah Crossan
Ireland, 1846 Nell is working as a scullery maid in the kitchen of the Big House. Once she loved school and books and dreaming. But there’s not much choice of work when the land grows food that rots in the earth. Now she is scrubbing, peeling, washing, sweeping for Sir Philip Wicken, the man who owns her home, her family’s land, their crops, everything. His dogs are always well fed, even as famine sets in. Upstairs in the Big House, where Nell is forbidden to enter, is Johnny Browning, newly...
The Reading Agency’s April booklist - Nature and Conservation
Earth Day 2024 will take place on 22 April. To support any activity you may want to run, we have collated a booklist with a mix of poetry, fiction and non-fiction books with strong themes of nature and conservation. We would love to hear what books you’d recommend on social media using #booklist and tagging @readingagency. You can see our past booklists here. Our monthly booklists The monthly themed booklists are co-ordinated in-house by the Reading Partners team. The aim of our booklist...
The Secret Hours by Mick Herron - digital resources
Shortlisted for the British Book Awards Crime & Thriller Book of the Year 2024 About the book Two years ago, the Monochrome inquiry was set up to investigate the British secret service. Monochrome’s mission was to ferret out misconduct, allowing the civil servants seconded to the inquiry, Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle, unfettered access to confidential information in the service archives. But with progress blocked at every turn, Monochrome is circling the drain . . . Until the OTIS file...
Radio 2 Book Club extract of Clear by Carys Davies
1843. On a remote Scottish island, Ivar, the sole occupant, leads a life of quiet isolation until the day he finds a man unconscious on the beach below the cliffs. The newcomer is John Ferguson, an impoverished church minister sent to evict Ivar and turn the island into grazing land for sheep. Unaware of the stranger’s intentions, Ivar takes him into his home, and in spite of the two men having no common language, a fragile bond begins to form between them. Meanwhile on the mainland, John’s...
GollanczFest - digital assets
Gollancz is the UK’s #1 Sci-fi, Fantasy & Horror publisher, bringing you epic books by the likes of Brandon Sanderson, Victoria Aveyard, Patrick Rothfuss, Joe Abercrombie, Natasha Pulley, and many more. Its fan-favourite festival GollanczFest returns on 16 March, and to celebrate, we’re taking over libraries nationwide! Download a digital pack to help you put a fantastical spin on your library. Dig out your favourite sci-fi classics and celebrate the romantasy stars of tomorrow with an...
