Tag: Five Favourite

My 5 Favourite April Reads

whatcathyreadnext2 Comments

My 5 Favourite April Reads

I read fifteen books in April including a couple of five-star reads and several that came close.  You can find details of my five favourite books below.  Click on the book title to view the book description on Goodreads.

You can keep up to date with all the books I’ve read so far in 2019 here with links to my reviews.  If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

The Conviction of Cora BurnsFirst up is historical novel, The Conviction of Cora Burns by Carolyn Kirby. Set in 1880s Birmingham, it tells the story of a young woman born in a prison to a convicted criminal she never knew. Like others, I thought it was an impressive debut and described it as ‘an intensely satisfying read’.  You can read my full review here.

sunwiseStaying with historical fiction, Sunwise by Helen Steadman is the follow-up to the author’s debut novel, Widdershins.  It continues the stories of herbalist, Jane Chandler, and witch-finder, John Sharpe.  The latter is a quite terrifying figure and I found the book as compelling and powerful as its predecessor.  You can read my full review here.

The_Storyteller_CoverMy next choice is The Storyteller by Pierre Jarawan (translated by Rachel McNicholl and  Sinead Crowe). Moving between Lebanon and Germany over a period of more than thirty years, it tells of Samir’s search for his father, Brahim, who disappeared suddenly one night. I found it to be ‘a fascinating, intriguing and beautifully written book’.  You can read my full review here to find out why.

Beyond the Thirty-Nine StepsStaying with the subject of storytelling, my next choice is a biography of arguably a master of the art – Beyond the Thirty-Nine Steps: A Life of John Buchan by Ursula Buchan. The author, who is also Buchan’s granddaughter, sets out to demonstrate – successfully, to my mind – that there was much more to him than just the author of the classic spy thriller, The Thirty-Nine Steps.  You can read my full review here.

PilgrimMy final choice is Pilgrim by Louise Hall.  It follows the journey of father and daughter, Jen and Charlie, to Medjugorje, a small village in Yugoslavia, where six children have experienced a vision of the Virgin Mary.  Like the other characters the reader encounters, they are struggling to cope with tragedy in their lives.  I praised its message of hope and the possibility of starting over again. You can read my full review here.

What were some of your favourite books you read in April?  Have you read any of my picks?

 

My 5 Favourite March Reads

whatcathyreadnext5 Comments

favourite

I finished twelve books in March including a couple of five-star reads and several that came close.  You can find details of my five favourite books below.  Click on the book title to view the book description on Goodreads.

You can keep up to date with all my reading in 2019 here with links to my reviews.  If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

First up is crime novel, Poetic Justice by R.C. Bridgestock.  A prequel to the popular series featuring DI Jack Dylan, it was the perfect introduction to the series for new readers such as myself.  I described it as ‘gritty, atmospheric and full of drama’ and you can read my full review here.

Staying with crime, this time of the historical variety, and another prequel is The Road to Grantchester by James Runcie.  Starting with the young Sidney’s traumatic experiences in World War 2 through to the discovery of his vocation as a parish priest, it introduces readers to the character they will meet meet in the first book of the series, Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death.  I thought it was a terrific read and one which worked equally well as a character study of a young man affected by his wartime experiences or as an introduction to the series.  You can read my full review here.

Another historical crime series now but unfortunately not a prequel but the fifteenth book in the series.  The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear is the latest outing for  the much-loved character, private investigator Maisie Dobbs.  Set in London during the worst of the blitz in World War 2, it combines a intriguing, well-constructed mystery, an engaging leading character and convincing period detail.  You can read my full review here and see why I’ve now joined the ranks of Maisie Dobbs fans.

For my next pick I’m moving from 1940s London to 1930s Malaya and The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo.  I read this atmospheric, mysterious and magical novel as part of a buddy read organised by the publishers, Quercus, and it was one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much.  You can learn nine other reasons why I loved the book here.

Finally there’s All Among the Barley by Melissa Harrison which in a relatively new departure for me I listened to as an audio book.   I’d tipped it to feature on the longlist for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2019 but in the end it only made the supplementary Academy Recommends list. Set in rural 1930s England, I described it as ‘a book to lose yourself in and admire the quality of the writing and characterisation rather than expect a swiftly moving story line’.  You can read my full review here.

What were some of your favourite books you read in March?  Have you read any of my picks?