Tag: 5 favourite

My 5 Favourite July Reads

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Of the 13 books I read in July, here are my five favourite (in no particular order). Click on the book title to read my review.

TheWatchHouseThe Watch House by Bernie McGill (5*)

Beautifully written, dramatic historical fiction with an atmospheric setting, characters I cared about and an underlying sense of mystery. If you loved Hannah Kent’s The Good People, you’ll enjoy this.

AReluctantWarriorA Reluctant Warrior by Kelly Brooke Nicholls (4.5*)

This was a terrific find; a book I took a chance on as part of a blog tour. Set in Colombia, it’s a really entertaining read, full of suspense with a fascinating setting and plenty of tense moments but which also exposes the impact of drugs and corruption on the people of that troubled country.

TheVanishingofAudreyWildeThe Vanishing of Audrey Wilde by Eve Chase (4.5*)

Alternating between past and present, this is a dark, suspenseful and atmospheric mystery. It’s a worthy follow-up to Black Rabbit Hall; in fact, it’s even better in my view.

TheThirteenthGateThe Thirteenth Gate by Kat Ross (4*)

An intricately plotted mystery set in the era of Jack the Ripper with added ghouls and daemons. It’s a very entertaining blend of paranormal and historical mystery. The Thirteenth Gate is the second in the Dominion Mystery series but perfectly good as a standalone (although I shall definitely read the first one at some point).

RevenantsRevenants: The Odyssey Home by Scott Kauffman (4*)

This was a review copy sent to me by an author soon after I started my blog and I’m so glad I accepted the offer to review it. It surprised me for being much more than just an entertaining mystery. I found it a fascinating, multi-layered book that explores themes such as the consequences of actions, how power can corrupt, the need to do penance for past actions and the lasting, often unforeseen, impacts of war, not just on the participants but on their families and communities as well.

What were your favourite reads last month?

My 5 Favourite…June Reads

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My5FavouriteJuneReads

Yes, I know we’re a week into July already but I seem to be permanently in catch-up mode at the moment!  Anyway, here goes… 

Of the 14 books I read in June, these are my five favourite. Click on the book title to read my review.

GoldenHill2Golden Hill by Francis Spufford

June was dominated by reading the books shortlisted for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction and this was one of them. Although I felt slightly let down by the end, it was a highly enjoyable romp with a great cast of characters, some wonderful set pieces, lots of sly humour and a convincing period setting.

BrokenBranchesBroken Branches by M. Jonathan Lee

The first offering from new publishers, Hideaway Fall, the author creates an unsettling atmosphere with a distinctly gothic feel as he explores the impact of guilt, secrets and tragedy on one family.

WolvesintheDarkWolves in the Dark by Gunnar Staalesen

Orenda Books can be relied on to come up with some cracking crime stories and this was no exception. The book is full of twists and turns and interrelated stories creating a complex web for its protagonist, Varg Veum, to untangle.  I was lucky enough to win the previous two books in the series in a giveaway.

ACountryRoadATreeA Country Road, A Tree by Jo Baker

Another of the novels shortlisted for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, but probably the least known, the book follows the experiences of an unnamed protagonist (but clearly identifiable as Samuel Beckett) during WW2. Not only is the story beautifully told and compelling, it is a really clever book. It inspired me to learn more about Beckett with the result that I picked up lots of references in the book that I’d missed the first time.

DarkDawnoverSteepHouseDark Dawn over Steep House by M R C Kasasian

I’d been aware of this historical mystery series for a while but never read any of the books. Luckily for me, my friends at Head of Zeus gave me the opportunity to read this, the 5th book in the series, and I absolutely loved it.  The mixture of quirky humour, eccentric characters and compelling plot was really entertaining and I’m now looking forward to reading the previous four books.

 

What were your favourite reads last month?