There’s an interiors trend doing the rounds again that has divided opinion and upset book lovers: people are buying fake books to decorate their shelving and coffee tables, despite there being so many incredible real books available to buy.
You don’t need me to tell you that real coffee table and non-fiction books may cost a little more than the hollow faux books, but they deliver so much more – teaching us new things and containing beautiful inspiration within their covers. This guide includes my review team’s top picks of gorgeous art and photography coffee books, travel books, hardbacks to help you elevate your interiors, empowering non-fiction written by expert women authors, books that celebrate cultural movements and favourite TV shows, and even some quiz and puzzle books to keep you busy.
The Vintage Way by Sarah Marie Winther
In this beautiful coffee-table book, Sarah Marie Winther takes us on a tour of 20 vintage-infused Scandinavian homes where old and new blend to create vibrant, stylish and inspirational spaces. The prevailing aesthetic is pared back and minimal, with covetable art and splashes of colour, to inspire your own interiors.
Home should be a welcoming refuge from the world, and it’s not about spending huge sums of money or following social media trends, it’s about comfort and joy. India Knight leads us through the average house room by room, offering advice on everything from mattresses to lighting, from decluttering to paint shades.
Colour in the Garden: Stylish Ideas for Year-Round Colour by Lucy Bellamy
There’s no doubt that colour is good for us, and gardening writer Lucy Bellamy is here to show you how to achieve this. Create atmosphere in your garden with this guide to choosing the right plants and helping them shine. Inside, you’ll discover planting schemes, plant lists and handy tips about colour for gardens of any size. This is a must-read for anyone who wants a vibrant garden.
Culture: The Leading Hotels of the World, edited by Spencer Bailey
A sumptuous celebration of global travel and refined hospitality. Bound in a chic Moroccan padded cover, this showcases over 80 of the world’s most exclusive hotels, from the elegant Hotel Splendide Royal Lugano to Bali’s extraordinary Capella Ubud. It’s a beautifully crafted tribute to heritage, design and unforgettable journeys.
Inner Light: The Portraiture of Chris Levine by Helen Chislett
This beautifully crafted volume celebrates Chris Levine’s luminous portraits of iconic figures including Queen Elizabeth II, Kate Moss and Sir Elton John. Blending technology with a meditative sensibility, it reveals how light conveys both likeness and presence. Elegantly designed, it offers an accessible, captivating introduction to one of today’s most innovative artists.
Lonely Planet Women Travel Solo
If you are hungry for travel adventure, but no one you know can come with you, this book could inspire you to make that solo trip a reality. From lounging on the beaches of Aruba to meeting the reindeer herders of Mongolia, there are 30 real-life stories from women who’ve been there and done that, plus their invaluable advice and tips for would-be solo travellers.
My Book of Treasures by Joanna Lumley
Our woman&home December cover star has always been a jotter, keeping notes of favourite poems, overheard pearls of wisdom and amusing trivia. Now she has gathered these into a very entertaining collection. It’s full of delightful surprises – like a list of mysteriously beautiful moth names from 1905, including Flounced Chestnut and Small Dusty Wave. Irresistibly fabulous, it’s as captivating as Joanna herself.
Briefly Perfectly Human by Alua Arthur
Chosen by Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat Pray Love fame, who says, “No book has moved and inspired me more this year than the memoir Briefly, Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End, by Alua Arthur. In writing so openly about her work as a death doula, she helps us face the reality of mortality while also embracing the tender preciousness of our lives.”
Let Me In: the Brontës in Bricks and Mortar by Ann Dinsdale and Sharon Wright
Take a trip to Brontëworld in the company of two super sleuths, dedicated to uncovering the domestic detail of the family’s lives in the 19th century. As they open creaking doors, you’ll discover a witch cupboard, a coffin table and so much more – you’ll walk in the footsteps of the Brontë sisters and feel the wind on their faces. This glimpse into their interior life through buildings and landscapes is a fascinating slice of social history that will enrich your understanding of their novels.
Unbreakable by Dr Vonda Wright
Traditionally, as women move through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond, our bodies undergo dramatic changes, often ones that can limit mobility, strength, and independence in later life. Dr Vonda Wright is determined to change that narrative. Drawing on decades of experience as a pioneering orthopaedic surgeon, she offers a clear, practical path to ageing with power. With proven strategies and actionable steps across four key areas – exercise, nutrition, lifestyle, and supplements – Dr Wright shows how we can protect our bones, rebuild our strength, and thrive at every stage. It’s an invaluable guide to feeling strong, capable, and in control of your future.
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins
If you missed the impact of The Let Them Theory, the viral sensation that has taken the self-help world by storm, pack this for a no-nonsense guide to improve your life. In it, Mel Robbins explains her ‘Let Them’ theory – how to stop wasting energy on what you can’t control and focus on things that matter instead. Filled with advice on how to apply the theory in different areas of your life, it’s sure to provoke a thought or two.
Hacking Humanity by Lara Lewington
A fascinating deep dive into the ways technology can improve not just our lifespan but also our healthspan. Technology journalist Lara Lewington reveals how AI innovations are analysing data and decoding genetics, how organs can be grown in labs and the ways lifestyle tech can help us track our health. Delivered in very human, easy-to-understand prose, you’ll be riveted.
Britain was once the workshop of the world, but those trades are now endangered. In this reverent tribute, James Fox meets people across the land who continue to make objects by hand, from wheelwrights and whisky blenders to bodgers and bell founders, and celebrates our heritage.
The Great Pottery Throw Down: 20 Projects to Create at Home
If you love watching masterpieces being created from humble clay, this practical guide is for you. Teaching the basics of handbuilding and throwing, as well as how to set up your space and choose the right clay, it features 20 projects inspired by the show’s challenges. There are also helpful tips, step-by-step illustrations, and expert advice to boost confidence and creativity.
Live Aid: The Definitive Inside Story by Paul Vallely
It’s been 40 years since Live Aid, and this official inside story takes readers from Band Aid to today. Paul Vallely, Bob Geldof’s close adviser, shares four decades of first-hand accounts – late-night whisky with Thatcher, meetings with Bowie, Clinton and Putin, and the seismic impact of Live 8. Packed with pop, politics and philanthropy, it’s a riveting celebration of courage, charisma and the power of music.
The Weakest Link Quiz Book by BBC Studios
What better way is there to celebrate 25 years of ruthlessness, tactics and general knowledge than a quiz book of the iconic TV show? Boasting more than 3,000 questions so that you can play everyone’s favourite game of general knowledge and clever strategy at home, you work together as a team to build up the cash – while remembering to ‘bank’ before a wrong answer costs you a fortune. Discover who’s the brainiest of the bunch and who needs to top up their trivia, look around at your teammates, then prepare to vote off the weakest link. With rounds covering pop culture, history, science and entertainment, this book guarantees hours of competitive fun, laughs and nail-biting tension for friends, family or devoted fans.
Murdoku: 80 Murder Mystery Logic Puzzles by M. Garand
Hybrids have brought us many great things – the cronut, labradoodles, culottes – and now you can add one more combi to the list: murdoku. These mini murder mysteries lean into the elegant grid simplicity of sudoku, adding classic logic problem storytelling into the mix. All you need to do is place the suspects in the crime scene to work out who was alone with the victim and therefore the killer. Eighty different crime scenes, including a bakery, a casino, a chess tournament, a farm and an opera, await the avid armchair detective, starting out easy and gradually increasing in difficulty to expert level. Each is cleverly designed to challenge your reasoning, test your deduction skills, and provide satisfying ‘aha!’ moments.
The Movie Lover’s Quiz Book by Gary Wigglesworth
We all know a film fan – they’re the one constantly quoting from their favourite flicks, or going off to the cinema to enjoy movie marathons. While quiz books can often be quite flat and formulaic, you’re sure to receive a nice thank-you note for this one. It’s packed with fun rounds and an eclectic mix of questions, as well as picture clues, connections and head-scratching conundrums. Plus, there are plenty of film facts scattered alongside, to make the reader even more of a movie buff, while offering hours of entertainment, sparking lively debates, and encouraging friendly competition among friends, family or fellow cinema enthusiasts.
If you love quizzes, try our Quiz of the Day!
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