To be honest, I was tempted to just start fresh in the new year, but that neurotic little voice in the back of my brain wasn't having any of it, so I made a compromise with myself to mush four months into one post with really brief thoughts on each (because the pile is kinda hefty!), then I'll aim to do December's round up as normal & promise to do better in 2019 ;)
Ready? Let's go...
(Disclaimer: these are in no particular order, because I can't absolutely remember when I read what - 4 months is a long time for the gal who can barely remember what she was doing this time last week without photographic evidence!)
Underwater Breathing by Cassandra Parkin - interesting idea, but all a bit convoluted and long winded for my liking.
Differently Normal by Tammy Robinson - Still not entirely sure is this is technically a 'YA' novel, but don't really care, it was lovely. Heart breaking, yet utterly gorgeous. Have tissues to hand if you give it a whirl!
A Shimmer of Hummingbirds by Steve Burrows - Since I already gobbled my way through the first three books in the series, I was fairly certain I'd love this one too. I was right :)
The Vesuvius Club by Mark Gatiss - I picked this up from a second hand book stall at a summer fair & I'm so glad I did! It's not for the easily offended, it's a little dark, a little naughty, but thoroughly enjoyable. Imagine a sassier James Bond doing his thing in Edwardian times & that's the essence of this one.
The Possession of Mr Cave by Matt Haig - as is the way with Matt Haig's books, this was completely different to all the others I've read, but also completely wonderful, in spite of being heart crushingly tragic, basically from the off.
My Little Eye by Stephanie Marland - Really original in terms of murder/mystery/thriller style storytelling, genuinely scary in places, satisfying ending. Two thumbs up :)
The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett - Loved this SO much. It's a bit Sliding Doors, in that it's the same story, told three different ways based on the consequences different decisions can make, but even if it's not an entirely original idea, it's beautiful. The characters are perfectly drawn & although I found myself leaning towards one 'ideal' version of reality, the truth is, there isn't a perfect version at all - which is real life in a nutshell, isn't it? Definitely worth a read.
Autumn by Ali Smith - I re-read this as a seasonal treat & enjoyed it even more than the first time.
A Simple Favour by Darcey Bell - Can't lie, I bought this after I saw the trailer for the movie on Instagram, which looked really good. Having read it? Not so fussed about seeing the movie. The last few chapters saved it a bit, but if you make it through the chunk of insipid 'mommy blog' posts that make up the first chunk of the book, I think you deserve a better prize. Totally underwhelmed.
Guess Who by Chris McGeorge - I went kinda hard on spooky/thrillers around Halloween & I was SO excited about this one, but honestly? Bit of a let down. Really gripping opening that just sort of fizzled into a bit of a nothing. Shame, because it was a really cool concept.
Th1rt3en by Steve Cavannagh - This was MUCH more like it! Original, clever, and impossible to put down. The tag line sold it to me (The serial killer isn't on trial, he's on the jury...) & it definitely didn't disappoint! Twist, tense, and so intricately put together. Loved it.
The House by Simon Lelic - Dark, clever, just the right amount of spooky & such a good twist.
Really enjoyed this one.
PHEW! All caught up (other than December, but we're still just in there, so that's okay!) & all is right with the world :)
What have you been reading lately?
As ever - recommendations are more than welcome in the comments, & if you've read any of these, I'd love to hear what you thought :)
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