The Easter Bank Holiday weekend is one of the best times of the year. The weather is getting warm enough to ditch your coats, beer gardens are open early, and it is generally accepted that chocolate will be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Among all of the egg hunts, family lunches, and excessive drinking it is also a great time to pause and actually relax. Nothing screams chilled weekend to me like sitting on the sofa with a good book and cup of tea. So, here are the five best books to read over a long weekend.

If you are anything like me finding times to actually get lost in a book are few and far between so having two extra days makes a world of difference. The thought of curling up in the garden (because I am praying for summer weather), with a blanket, half an Easter egg, and awesome book brings me unbridled joy. Whether you are looking for a really good story or a tale that will teach you something new these five books will have you engrossed all weekend and leave you ready to go back to work next week refreshed and well rested.

1 'How To Stop Time' by Matt Haig Matt Haig is an immense writer and if you are in need of a real page turner this weekend then look no further than How To Stop Time. The Sunday Times Bestselling novel tells the story of Tom Hazard, a middle aged history teacher who has actually been alive for centuries. He has seen it all. But what happens when he falls in love? This book will take you on a journey, you won’t be able to put it down. Buy it here.

2 2. 'Some Kids I Taught & What They Taught Me' by Kate Clanchy The world would be a better place if there were more teachers like Kate Clanchy. If you have ever wondered what your teachers are doing now and what they were thinking when they had to teach you about the birds and the bees, or locked one of your peers in the supply cupboard then you have to pick up Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me. It spans Clanchy's thirty-year career in a series of hilarious and heart-breaking stories of her thirty year career. From helping her students find their voice through poetry to trying to nurture those who have been excluded, this is an amazing insight into teaching and a thoroughly enjoyable read. Buy it here.

3 'Queenie' by Candice Carty-Williams Queenie tells the story of Queenie Jenkins, a literary heroine I have become obsessed with, and that you're sure to fall in love with too. From struggling at work to being in an unhappy relationship and part of a family where she doesn’t feel heard, Queenie is trying to work out why she is finding it so hard to rule her own life. Completely hilarious and painfully relatable at times you won’t be able to put Queenie down until you have turned the last page. Buy it here.

4 'This Is Going To Hurt' by Adam Kay It feels like every day there is a new story about the stress the NHS is under but have you ever wondered what it is really like working on the front line? Take it from Adam Kay that it is both completely joyful and totally unbearable. Describing what went into his 97 hour weeks as a junior doctor, bringing life into the world, and watching it leave, I don’t think I have ever laughed and cried so hard at one book. You can’t miss it. Buy it here.

5 'Capital' by John Lanchester London can feel like the busiest city in the world. Every street has a story to tell and Capital reveals the mystery on Pepsy Road. The novel follows the residents of one road in London as they each receive a mysterious postcard reading, “We Want What You Have.” No one knows who the postcards are from and slowly the lives of each individual changes forever. Incredibly gripping, Capital will have you stuck to the sofa all weekend long. Buy it here.