Curated Lists

Hand-picked by the Red Lion Books booksellers, these collections are designed to help you find your next great read. Whether you’re looking for a hidden gem or a timeless classic, we’ve done the digging so you don’t have to. We also have many bookish gift ideas, including book vouchers, subscriptions and tote bags.

Pre-Orders 2026
Gifts, vouchers, subscriptions
Current Signed
Children’s Books
Non-Fiction
Weird Fiction
Local Interest
Local Authors
Dyslexia-Friendly
Current Faves
Fiction
Familiar Faves
Fantasy & Whimsy

Pre-Orders

Includes forthcoming signed, indie and sprayed editions

Gifts

Good for all year round!

Signed Books

Exclusive editions available at our store!

Local Interest

Non-Fiction

Local authors

Supporting local authors, fiction and non-fiction

Our Current Favourites

New books to discover

Non-Fiction

Chosen by Jamie

Jamie is our resident witch, yoga teacher and fantasy wizard with a deep love for Terry Pratchett. They read a lot of non-fiction and love giving recommendations, ranging from politics to science to history. They are also the perfect person to speak to if you are starting a pagan/witchcraft journey – always happy to share whereabouts to begin.

Weird Fiction

Chosen by Louise

Louise will happily fuss any dog that comes in the shop! She is the brains behind our Blind Date with a Book and runs The Cocoa Book Club which has collaborated with the Women’s Fiction Prize and the New Adult Book Prize. With a love for the gothic and macabre, don’t be surprised when she recommends the latest horror story she has been reading. Don’t get her started on the genius of Angela Carter unless you want to spend all day in the shop!

Fantasy & Whimsy

Chosen by Sharon

Sharon is the newest member of staff at Red Lion Books, and is a lover of all things strange and whimsical. When she isn’t in the shop, she is likely either moonlighting as a video game translator or getting actively buried beneath a mountain of unfinished craft projects. She has an incurable fondness for lyrical prose, fairytale retellings, and meditations on the place of stories in human culture.

Children’s Books

Chosen by Anna

Anna has a fantastic knowledge and passion for children’s books. She has worked as an English teacher and children’s book editor. She spends a great deal of time reading books meant for children and considers them to be the equals of any written for adults. When she is not at the shop she keeps herself busy making things, book binding and wild swimming.

Fiction

Chosen by Jo

Jo loves people as much as she loves books, and bringing the two together is her favourite thing to do. To achieve this she lives on little sleep and BBQ flavoured hula hoops. She prefers make-believe to reality, reads mostly fiction, host the Appetite Book Club, and can often be seen with her shopping trolley delivering books or teaching yoga.

Red Lion Books Favourites

Chosen by Sarah and Peter

Sarah and Peter Donaldson have been hands on owners and booksellers since 1978.  Sarah’s passion is for children’s books. Peter has been a trustee of the Essex Book Festival since 2011. It has always been their firm belief that bricks and mortar shops have an important part to play in keeping local communities strong and healthy.

Dyslexia friendly editions

Fiction for adults

Dyslexia friendly editions of well loved fiction for adults. Most, but not all, are published by Bloomsbury using sans-serif font, cream-coloured paper and blue text to increase page/text contrast. We also have a huge range for dyslexia friendly fonts for children at our shop in Colchester.