Tag: Five Favourite

My 5 Favourite October Reads

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My 5 Favourite October Reads

I managed to read twelve books in October with some deserving the full five stars and others coming very close, making it difficult to choose just five.

You can find a complete list of all the books I’ve read so far this year here, with links to my reviews.  If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

The Last ThreadFirst up is crime mystery The Last Thread by Ray Britain.  I praised the book for its meticulous attention to the detail of police procedure – no surprise give the author is a former Senior Investigating Officer.  This gives the reader the feeling they are almost part of the investigation team.  Read my full review here.

FalseLightsNext up is historical novel, False Lights by K. J. Whittaker, published by Head of Zeus, which imagines a world in which Wellington was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and England occupied by the victorious French.  Alongside this intriguing premise is an engaging romantic story line.  Find out more about what I enjoyed about the book here.

The Black PrinceAnother historical novel now – The Black Prince by Adam Roberts, published by Unbound on 4th October 2018.  Based on unpublished material by literary giant, Anthony Burgess, it tells the story of Edward the Black Prince in a singularly inventive way using a range of narrative techniques. I described it as ‘full of verve and wit, crammed with vivid period detail’.  Read my full review here.

The Word for FreedomThis year marks one hundred years since women (although not all women) won the right to vote. Published by Retreat West Books, The Word for Freedom is a collection of 24 short stories from both established and emerging authors in celebration of this anniversary.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories which I found imaginative and thought-provoking.  You can read my full review here.

Paris in the DarkLastly, I come to my favourite of the books I read in October – historical thriller Paris in the Dark by Robert Olen Butler. Published by No Exit Press on 25th October 2018, the book is set in World War 1 Paris and involves a race against time as journalist and undercover agent Christopher Marlowe ‘Kit’ Cobb attempts to discover who is behind a series of bombings in Paris.  As I commented in my review, ‘It ticked all the boxes for me of what I look for in a historical fiction novel: gripping plot, skilful writing, intriguing characters and a fascinating period setting’.

 

My 5 Favourite September Reads

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5 Favourite September Reads

I managed to read seventeen books in September with some five-star reads and quite a few others that came close.  Click on the book title for the book description on Goodreads.

You can find a complete list of all the books I’ve read so far this year 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 there’s The Winter Soldier by Daniel Mason published on 20th September by Mantle.  Set in World War 1, I described it as ‘a beautifully written novel…a story of people thrown together by war, of separation and reunion, of love and loss’. It made me a little misty-eyed at the end.  Click here to read my full review on my blog.

Staying with historical fiction but this time of the crime variety, my next pick is The Angel’s Mark by S. W. Perry published by Corvus on 6th September 2018.  Set in London in 1590 during the reign of Elizabeth I, it had all the ingredients I look for in a great historical crime mystery: vivid period detail, colourful characters and a compelling plot that will keep me guessing. Read my full review on my blog here.

My next pick is another crime novel but this time we’re definitely in the present day.  It’s Blackbird Road by James L. Weaver, the third in the Jake Caldwell series, (the follow-up to Poor Boy Road and Ares Road). Published on 25th September by Lakewater Press, I found Blackbird Road as compelling as its two predecessors.  With a plot that moves at breakneck pace and turns out to be very topical, it may keep you turning the pages way beyond the time you meant to put it down. Click here to read my full review on my blog.

From fiction to non-fiction and The Long and Winding Road, the third volume of memoirs by ex-Labour home Secretary, Alan Johnson.  Published by Bantam Press in 2016, it continues the story of Alan’s life started in This Boy and Please, Mister Postman.  The Long and Winding Road is no dry political memoir but a revealing, personal and honest account of a life that has seen its fair share of ups and downs.  Read my review here. I was lucky enough to hear Alan talk about his latest book, In My Life: A Music Memoir, at Henley Literary Festival 2018 (event review to follow).

Finally, it’s back to crime but this time set in Tokyo and The Moving Blade (Detective Hiroshi #2) by Michael Pronko.  Published on 30th September, the book features Detective Hiroshi Shimizu, first introduced in the The Last Train.  Once again, Hiroshi and his colleagues are on the hunt for a ruthless killer and, as before, the author vividly brings to life contemporary Tokyo, providing a fascinating insight into Japanese life and culture along the way.  Read my full review of The Moving Blade here.

So there you have it, five great reads, in my opinion. What were your favourite books last month?