What to read next based on your favourite coffee order

Welcome one and all to the Penguin Bookish Café, where we take your coffee order and suggest a delightful read to devour alongside it.

Whether you’re here for something light and sweet, or your go-to coffee order is more along the lines of 'hit me with some caffeine, stat' we’ve got just the book to go with it.

So . . . what can we get you?

Espresso: You’re serious about your coffee, and that likely carries through in your reading habits. For the non-fiction lovers, we recommend discovering a new side to WWII history with a copy of The Scrap Iron Flotilla by Mike Carlton to read while you sip. If fiction is more your style, why not try Here Goes Nothing by Steve Toltz and have your strong, black coffee served with a side of mild existentialism?

Almond Latte: A little bit alternative but not too dark? Alright, we see you. We’ll be serving up your order along with a copy of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Elizabeth Zott is the unlikely heroine we can’t stop thinking about, much like you probably cannot stop thinking about when your next caffeine hit will be. We’re certain you’ll love both the book AND your latte equally (or . . . almost equally).

Mocha: Ah, the delicious meeting of chocolate and coffee. There’s nothing quite like it. Something tells us you’re a bit of a romantic at heart, wanting everything in your life to have the sweetness turned up a notch. For you, we prescribe a copy of the delightful Book Lovers by Emily Henry to keep those stars (and hearts) in your eyes long past your last sip.

Hot Chocolate: Settling in for the night with a cup of hot chocolate is one of life’s simplest pleasures, especially on cold winter nights. This order can go two ways. We could offer you up a cosy crime novel like The Thursday Murder Club to go with your hot choccy, but something tells us you’re in the market for a younger and lighter read.

May we present, The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. Full of beaches, swimming, young love, and laughter, you can follow it up by binge-watching the Amazon Prime series and dreaming of summer – with a second hot chocolate, of course.

Babycino: Of course, no trip to the café with bub would be complete without a babycino to enjoy (or smear all over their rosy cheeks)! For the little one in your life, we recommend Bluey and Bingo’s Fancy Restaurant Cookbook. The perfect way to introduce lots of yummy recipes for you to make together, ensuring delicious treats come with your coffee every time.

For the even littler ones you just can’t go past This Little Joey which is full of adorable baby marsupials from around Australia.

We hope you enjoyed your visit to the Penguin Bookish Café! For more book recommendations, check out our wonderful book lists, where you can find a read for every taste – pun absolutely intended.