I can’t believe we are half way through the year already. I have read sixty five books in the first six months of 2018 which is a lot more than I normally get through. So, I have decided to share my top five reads out of that sixty five, and it has been very hard to choose but this is my final list.
The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse. Published in May this was Kate Mosse’s first novel in a few years and one in which she returned to the history of the Langedoc region in France. Set in the sixteenth century during the religious wars of the reformation the plot follows Minou and Piet who meet by chance but find themselves embroiled in the same mystery of Minou’s heritage. This is historical fiction at it’s best, and the good news is this is the first in a four book series.
The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah. This is an epic period piece set in 1970’s about a family who move Alaska to get away from the troubles of life and start again. What amazed me was how Kristen Hannah captured the bleak vastness of Alaska and uses it as a metaphor for the troubled marriage of Cora and Ernt and the impact it has in their teenage daughter Leni. This is a novel of survival, resilience and the strength of women. A really fantastic and thought provoking read.
Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh. This has been one of the most anticipated thrillers of the year, and it lived up to all expectations for me. It had the original premise of the murdered on the jury, trying to ensure that the defendant goes down for the crime rather than him. The tension and suspense are kept throughout and there are so many twists and turns to keep your attention. A brilliant read, and a must for all thriller and crime readers.
The Muse by Jessie Burton. After the success of her debut novel The Minaturist, Jessie Burton had a lot to live up to with her second novel. Very different from The Minaturist, The Muse is set in 1960’s London where Odelle Bastien takes a job at the Skelton Gallery and meets the mysterious Marjorie Quick and becomes involved in the provenance of a lost masterpiece. The truth of this painting lies in Spain in 1936, in a house rented by an art dealer and his family who befriend locals Issac and Teresa Robles. Jessie Burton has a wonderful descriptive style to her writing bringing the book to life; rather like a painting itself. This book had me enamoured with its art history plot, memorable characters and the period detail.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. This is one of the first books I read this year and one that has really stayed with me. The plot follows Lale Sokolov whose job is tattoo the prisoners as they arrive at Auschwitz-Birkenbau. Whilst doing his job he meets Gita, and it is their enduring love story at the centre of this book. This is a remarkable story of courage, bravery, love, belief and survival, and all the more astonishing is that it is based on a true story. A difficult piece of history, but an outstanding read.
So these are my choices, and I look forward to the next six months. I am reading some fabulous books at the moment by some of my favourite authors, and have a list of other interesting and exciting reads in my diary for later in the year including a new Shardlake book by C J Sansome, the new novel from Barbara Kingsolver, and the new book in the Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley. As always thank you for reading my blog post, it means a lot to me when people read a book that I had recommended and enjoy it as much as I have. Please share my reviews on social media, follow me and subscribe to my blog and most of all let me now what you think of my book choices.
