Tag: Five Favourite

Like many others, I expect, December was a slower than usual reading month for me. I read eight books of which those below were my five favourite. Links from each title will take you to my review. You can find a list of all the books I read in 2022 here.  If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

My thanks to Penguin UK, Gallic Books, HQ, Head of Zeus and Allison & Busby for providing me with review copies, including via NetGalley.

The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually by Helen Cullen (Penguin) – A powerful, insightful and moving story about family relationships with moments of humour too and an uplifting ending.

Devils and Saints by Jean-Baptiste Andrea (Gallic Books) – A touching, beautifully told story of endurance, friendship and hope.

The Darlings of the Asylum by Noel O’Reilly (HQ) – A dark tale of obsession and the desire for self-expression, rich in atmosphere and with a real Gothic flavour.

Resurrection by David Gilman (Head of Zeus) – An absolutely gripping, action-packed contemporary spy thriller that takes the reader from the unforgiving Sahara desert to the dangerous ‘Shanghai slums’ of Moscow.

The Girl from Simon’s Bay by Barbara Mutch (Allison & Busby) – A moving love story set against the backdrop of war and social upheaval in South Africa.

What were your favourite books last month? Have you read any of my picks?

I read eleven books in November, seven of which were books for the #NetGalleyNovember reading challenge. Links from each title will take you to my review or the book description on Goodreads if I haven’t got around to writing the review yet! You can find a list of all the books I’ve read so far in 2022 here.  If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

My thanks to Moonflower Books, Canongate, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Vintage and Head of Zeus for providing me with review copies, including via NetGalley.

The Coming Darkness by Greg Mosse (Moonflower Books) – a clever, fast-paced and compelling thriller, set in the near future, with interesting characters, an intricate plot, a constant sense of jeopardy and plenty of surprises.

The Night Ship by Jess Kidd (Canongate) – A haunting, imaginative and enthralling book in which the author has taken a true story and used it to create something magical.

The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) – An epic novel with everything I look for in historical fiction: passion, intrigue, adventure and a completely immersive experience.

My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor (Vintage) – A compelling and intriguing literary thriller set in Vatican City in WW2, based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty who smuggled thousands of Jews and escaped Allied prisoners out of Italy under the noses of the Nazis.

The Weather Woman by Sally Gardner (Head of Zeus) – A delightfully imaginative and heartwarming historical novel with some unforgettable characters.

What were your favourite books last month? Have you read any of my picks?