The Lemon Tree

Sandy Tolan

Bantam Press hardback, £16.99.

Based on interviews, documents and memoirs, it depicts the events of two people's lives linked by a conflict that outsiders are only able to read about in newspapers or watch on TV.

The starting point is the meeting of two people - one Jewish, one Arab - and the development of a bond that defies the expectations of the world in which they are living.

It is the summer of 1967 and three Arab men have returned from exile to visit their homes, now occupied by Israelis. One has the door shut in his face, another's home has been turned into a school, but at the third house, Bashir comes face to face with young Israeli girl Dalia.

The meeting heralds the start of an unusual friendship that forms the heart of this fascinating book. Dalia, whose family arrived in 1948, fugitives who escaped the Holocaust, sees hope in the conflict that rages around her. Bashir, whose family was forced to flee from occupying forces, is focused only on returning to his homeland and the house his father built.

As the conflict rages, the two friends struggle to understand each others views and opinions. Dalia and Bashir's story provides a unique glimpse into the everyday reality of life as an Israeli and a Palestinian.

What began as a simple meeting between two young people grew into a dialogue that now provides a much needed real-life perspective on Israeli-Palestinian history.

The Lemon Tree is a fascinating and highly absorbing account full of warmth, compassion and hope.

Lynne Marie Fearne

Lost Girls and Love Hotels

Catherine Hanrahan

Simon & Schuster paperback, £11.99.

Situated on the other side of the world, Tokyo and the Japanese culture seems to be worlds apart from the world that we know, drawing intrigue from many Western travellers.

Margaret, or Mags as she prefers to be known, is one such person who has flown to Japan in a desperate attempt to forget about her harrowing and traumatic past.

Working as an English specialist at Air-Pro Stewardess Training Institute by day and losing herself in a sex and drug-addled oblivion at Tokyo's exotic clubs and bars by night, she represses her memories of a painful childhood and her beloved older brother Frank's descent into madness.

The only extravagance she allows herself of her background are two saved voice mail messages, one from her mother and the other from Frank.

Mags' deliberate nihilism is thrown off balance as she becomes increasingly haunted by images of a Western girl missing in Tokyo, in a chilling case similar to British girl Lucie Blackman, who went missing in the city in 2000.

Life takes a sinister turn when Mags embarks on an affair with Kazu, an elusive but tender gangster with a violent reputation. As she begins to feel herself falling for him, a sinister chain of events is sparked that could spell tragedy for Mags in a city where it's all too easy to disappear.

Hanrahan lived in Tokyo for five years and, inspired by her own background, Lost Girls & Love Hotels reveals the culture shock and loneliness that a Western girl may feel in her new lifestyle, and the truth behind Tokyo's neon lights and bustling cityscape.

Gripping and at times bleakly depressing, Lost Girls & Love Hotels is worth a read for anyone who wishes that they could escape their humdrum lives for something different.

Sometimes, as Mags' story beautifully illustrates, the grass really isn't always greener on the other side.

Shereen Low

31 Dream Street

Lisa Jewell

Michael Joseph hardback, priced £12.99.

31 Silversmith Road - or 31 Dream Street - is an archaic lone standing building, decorated rather bizarrely by multi-coloured tiles picked up from flea markets all over the globe.

Leah lives just across the road from the house, giving her and her boyfriend the perfect view of all the inhabitants' comings and goings.

There are five in total - the Girl with the guitar, Old skinny guy, Young skinny guy, The Teenager, The Air Hostess and Sybil (because she is always changing her look).

Toby was given the house 15 years ago as a wedding present from his father. When his marriage failed, he decided to rent out the rooms to those who need them most, placing an advertisement inviting people to write to him to explain why they deserved the room.

At first this made Toby feel fulfilled and proud to be helping people, but it didn't take long for fulfilment to give way to feeling trapped and alone, and these days he prefers to avoid his tenants and spend his days on his own.

Tragedy brings Toby and Leah together and sparks a chain of events that lead them to both reconsider their lives. They know what they have to do but first need to help Toby's tenants find their own paths and move out of his house. Of course, this is easier said than done, and Toby struggles to get to know his tenants, while Leah has problems of her own.

A sweet story, full of colourful metaphors and childhood memories. You'll be rooting for Toby and Leah from the outset as the main characters continue to grow and evolve throughout the book.

Lydia Hayward