I love reading but in between managing two small children, trying to keep on top of my freelance writing business and keeping up to date with the latest boxset viewing (currently catching up with House of Cards Series 3), there’s precious little time left. I often collapse into bed too tired to read at the end of each night.
In my recent post – Writing Goals for 2017, I said I wanted to read more and I’m determined to do it. Not only is it a great way to relax, but reading widely and regularly helps you to become a better writer too. So I’ve made a list of the books I want to read this year:
1. The Gift by Louise Jensen – I’m cheating with this one a bit as I downloaded it a week or so ago and and am already reading it. I chose it as it was was at the top of the Amazon charts and thought it looked like my kind of book – a fast paced thriller. It tells the story of Jenna who is given a new heart in a transplant. But after meeting the donor’s family she discovers some dark secrets. I’m already gripped and racing through this so that’s a good sign, plus you can’t go wrong for £1.99 on Kindle can you?!
2. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – This one has been recommended to me by several people who say that it is very moving. It has also won numerous awards. The story is about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastating consequences of World War II.
3. I See You by Claire Mackintosh – Another psychological thriller by Claire Mackintosh. I read Claire’s debut novel – I Let You Go last year and was gripped from start to finish so I’m looking to see if this is just as good. It tells the story of Zoe who sees her photo in the classified section of a London newspaper and tries to find out who put it there and why.
4. The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon- This Sunday Times best seller is set in a suburban cul-de-sac during the heatwave of 1976. When Mrs Creasy goes missing, ten year olds Grace and Tilly takes matters into their own hands and get more than they bargained for. It seems intriguing!
5. Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent – Billed as another Gone Girl, it tells the story of Lydia Fitzsimons who has a perfect husband and son and lives in a perfect house. There is just one thing Lydia needs to make her life complete though the last thing she expects is that pursuing it will lead to murder…..
6. Mad Girl by Bryony Gordon – This book , written by a successful Telegraph columnist is all about the author’s OCD. It tells of how Bryony first realised she had the condition and how she has coped throughout her life from teenager to now mother. It is billed as being shocking, funny and heart-wrenching and sounds like an interesting and insightful read!
7. Sisters 1,2,3 by Nancy Star – A tragic accident forces 3 sisters to hide a secret. But years later a whispered comment is overheard by one of the sister’s rebellious daughter. With the secret forced out into the open, the story focuses on how the family deals with the consequences. As the eldest of 3 sisters, this book appeals to me and I love the idea of how a family deal with a big secret.
8. Daisy in Chains by Sharon Bolton – One of the best books I read last year was Little Black Lies, a clever thriller with lots of twists and turns. I’d like to read more by this author. Daisy in chains tells the story of Hamish who is charming and charismatic but facing life in prison for murder. When he asks for lawyer Maggie Rosie to look at his case, she thinks she is immune from his charms……
9. The Ballroom by Anna Hope – Set in 1911 in an asylum close to the Yorkshire Moors, the men and women are kept separate except for once a week where they come together to dance in the ballroom. This story focuses on John and Ella whose lives are changed forever when they meet at one of these dances.
10. The Vets at Hope Green Part One Escape to The Country by Sheila Norton – I’ve got to include this one as it’s my mum’s new novel and I can’t wait to read it! Available from the 19th January, I’m looking forward to finding out more. Working as a receptionist in a London’s vet, Sam’s life is far from ideal. She’s constantly broke and her career is going nowhere. When her parents suggest visiting her nan in a small village, Sam thinks the rest could do her good. But rest and relaxation is not what she gets.
11. Mindfulness – Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams – This is the last one on my list and one that’s a bit different to the rest of the books! My sister bought me this for my birthday back in July. I started reading it but stopped when I realised that there were daily meditation exercises in here along with other tasks that required time and effort. It all seemed like too much trouble. But I picked this up again two weeks ago and have so far been managing to do the exercises as well as slowly making my way through the book. I’m determined to finish it as I think (hope?!) it could help to organise my chaotic mind. I’ll report back on what I think of the Mindfulness results later – that’s for another blog!
There you have it – my list for this year. You can probably tell that I enjoy reading a good thriller, but hopefully there’s enough of a mixture in here. Now I just need a vat of tea, some peace and quiet and to get on with reading!
Have you read any of these books? I’d love to know what you think of them. And if you have any recommendations, then do let me know and I can add them to this list!
Tea or Wine 