Waterstones Alty

Thanks so much to LD Lapinski for coming in to sign copies of their books yesterday. Their newest book, Kickflip is a perfect summer read for Heartstopper fans while Artezans is a fabulous fantasy series for 8+!

Huge congratulations to Lucy Steeds, winner of the @waterstones Debut Fiction Prize with The Artist. Rachael and Roberta are big fans. Roberta calls it a "masterful novel which transports you back to 1920s sundrenched France."

Huge congratulations to the winner of this year's Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, Lucy Steeds with The Artist.

Our summer study guide offer starts today! Study Guides ranging from early years all the way up to A-Levels are now a part of our Buy One Get One Half Price deal. (This only applies to stickered stock and is for a limited period of time)

SUMMER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES! *Please note date changes from earlier posts* 14th Aug 10am - Unfairies Comic Club - get in touch to book 19th Aug 10am - A Million Chameleons storytime with Rachel Morrisroe - get in touch to book 24th Aug 10am - Skandar Party - tkts via website

The final book on our Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize Shortlist is Sunstruck by William Rayfet Hunter. Both Rachael and Roberta really enjoyed this pageturner of a book set partly in the South of France.

We read Torla and Smorla and the Deeper than Average Hole for Read and Rhyme this morning! Torla's best friend Smorla finds a creative way to help when poor Torla gets stuck in a very deep hole! Lots of fun!

Carrying on our look at the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize shortlist - Confessions by Catherine Airey. This striking debut follows a teenager orphaned by the 9/11 attack as she comes in contact with her estranged family in small town Ireland.

Up next on our look at the Debut Fiction Prize Shorlist we have Saraswati by Gurnaik Johal. ‘A bold and capacious debut that finds the lives of seven individuals transformed, as an ancient sacred river springs back to life in a rapidly changing contemporary India.’

OH MY PIGEONS -it's Oh My Pigeons!! Rachael is a big fan of our latest Game of the Month. Super silly and just a little sneaky, this is a great family game! Use your cards wisely to give, take and steal pigeons from the flock & other players to be the first to fill your bench!

Next up on our look at the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize Shortlist, we have When The Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzen. This translated tale is a bittersweet novel about an ageing man desperate to mend the relationship with his son before it’s too late.

Pesky, pecky Hank made an appearance at Read and Rhyme this morning - the tale of a very grumpy goose who gets what he deserves! We have spaces available at our August Read and Rhyme sessions, get in touch if you'd like to join us for a story and some action rhymes and songs.

Jet is not quite dead yet, after receiving a horrific blow to the head, she is left with 7 days till an aneurysm rupture will kill her. 7 days to solve her own murder… Holly Jackson is back with a bang, and her first adult crime fiction Not Quite Dead Yet.

Do you prefer to read the book before or after watching its adaptation? We Were Liars by E.Lockhart is now a TV series. This YA thriller explores outwardly perfect lives consumed by secrets, deception and privileges taken too far. Both witty and utterly addictive!

We read one of Rachael's favourite new books for Read and Make this morning, then made zebras and mini alphabet books of our own! The Backwards Alphabet Book is a hilarious take on the usual 'A is for Apple' fare!

Thanks to John Robb and everyone who came down to get a copy of Live Forever signed today. Plenty of signed copies in store now - perfect post-gig read for everyone at Heaton Park this weekend (and those of you wishing you were there!)

We had the best time with author Emma Swan celebrating our Children's Book of the Month, Cruise Ship Kid, this morning - there was singing, signing, deck quoits, would you rather, diaries, phone calls and a whole heap of fun! Thanks to everyone who came along!

Off to see Oasis this weekend? Wishing you were? If you're a fan get into the spirit and grab a copy of Live Forever, the new book by John Robb John will be in store tomorrow (Saturday 12th July) at 2pm signing copies too!

We're continuing our look at the @waterstones Debut Fiction Prize Shortlist today with Ordinary Saints. Roberta says: "I related to this so much. Both funny & tragic, the opening grabs you and the humorous prose keeps you reading. A triumph of a debut!"

We still have some spaces aboard our Cruise Ship Kid Workshop with Emma Swan tomorrow morning. It promises to be loads of fun - let us know if you'd like to come along!