My life in books

Which childhood book first sparked your love of reading? I was a little bit of a mythical unicorn growing up – unlike everyone else I knew, my family never had a TV, so I spend a lot of my time readin

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt was my recent holiday read, and I loved it. It tells the story of lonely widow Tova, whose teenage son vanished 30 years ago. She works at a small aquari

by Lucy Jane Wood (£20, HB, Pan Macmillan) Annie Wildwood works tirelessly to be the perfect witch. As well as running the Celestial Bakehouse, she goes above and beyond to please everyone around her,

Broadcaster and author Clare Balding shares the reads that have been her escape and inspiration

I loved ghost stories as a child, which was not ideal because I was also a scaredy cat. I would read The Ghost of Thomas Kempe under the covers but then stay awake rigid with fear half the night. Late

The best new books you’ll love