Despite starting the year totally off my reading game the last month has been a good one for books. Each year I’m trying to read more different types of books and I’m picking up things now that I never thought I would. Here are a few that I’ve read lately, it’s a real mixed bags and some I have enjoyed more than others! I’d love to hear if you’d read any of them and what you think.
Coldmaker – Daniel A. Cohen
I was sent this book by Harper Collins and I really enjoyed it. To be fair it’s just my kind of thing; a dystopian young adult fantasy and the world the author has created is amazing. It’s a world where cold is a commodity and the ruling class use it to keep their slaves in line. It takes a while to get into as you jump right into the story and have to figure out what is going on but the relationships of the characters really draw you in. If you’re a fan of the Mistborn series then this would be for you, it’s left on a cliffhanger too so there are more books to come!
Warcross – Marie Lu
I loved this book so much more than I thought I would – it’s like a cross between Ready Player One and The Hunger Games. I love that it has a female gamer as the lead character as it explores the world of virtual reality and how far it can be taken – I think the next book is going to be really interesting as it’s set up to show how invasive technology can be which is very apt at the moment. At the same time it has the usual young adult romance conflict which I also love – I’ll look forward to reading more.
The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall – Anne Bronte
This book had been on my to read list for years as it always seems like Anne is the forgotten sister within the Bronte’s. I’m so glad that I finally read this as it is amazing! It doesn’t hold quite the same drama as Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre but I think it is so much more readable and heartfelt. She has such a beautiful way with words that makes it a lovely book to read. It also has a big dose of romance which makes it perfect for me.
The Mystery Of The Blue Train – Agatha Christie
I’m not really a massive reader of crime or mystery but as I’m trying to push myself to try new things my friend Bookworm and Theatre Mouse sent this to me. It is my very first Agatha Christie and I loved it! It took a while for me to get into but once I checked the date it was published things started to slot into place a little easier for me, I find I can relate to a book better if I can picture the time and setting. I don’t know anything about Agatha Christie or her books but I’m looking forward to reading more.
One – Sarah Crossan
I’ve had this book on my shelf for years and I only picked it up recently as it’s short and I wanted a quick read. It’s such a brilliant book that I wish I’d read it sooner. It’s set out like a series of poems but don’t let that put you off as I honestly stopped noticing after the first few chapters. It’s a story about teenage conjoined twins and the author has done such a brilliant job of portraying it compassionately. She covered the obvious and maybe not so obvious difficulties of being conjoined twins but also explored all the ‘norms’ of being a teenager. It’s a very sweet, sad and charming story.
Brooklyn – Colm Tobin
I have such mixed feeling about this book – it is undoubtedly well written and I was hooked through the whole thing. it is about a young Irish girl who emigrates to America and while aspects of her story were interesting I just didn’t like the main character, by the end she was really annoying me to the point where I think it ruined the ending for me. I haven’t seen the film yet so I’m going to watch that and see how it differs from the book, hopefully I’ll enjoy it more.
Then She Was Gone – Lisa Jewell
My Nana passed this onto me as I do enjoy a good easy-to-read thriller now and again. It was far better than I expected without too many of the gruesome details these things usually have. The plot seems a little out there but somehow it is totally believable and so very human. It’s different to a lot of similar style books as the reader is able to figure things out before the characters so you’re waiting to watch it unfold rather than constantly wondering what awful details are going to come out next – I think that’s why I enjoyed it more than the usual thriller style.
5 Comments
So pleased you liked Warcross and The Mystery of the Blue Train! I had similer emotions about Brooklyn – I thought it was beautifully written but I couldn’t gel with some of the characters. Xx
March 24, 2018 at 9:18 amI’m so glad it wasn’t just me with Brooklyn, I really felt liked I’d missed the point of the whole thing by the end! Thank you so much for sending Warcross and Mystery of the Blue Train, such brilliant reads and Jimmy is going to read them both too 😉 xx
March 25, 2018 at 10:04 amYou’ve been reading loads lately Hayley! I’ve still got Then She Was Gone in my pile to read. I didn’t know Ready Player One was also a book, must look out for it. My kids are desperate to see the film over the Easter hols xx
March 26, 2018 at 11:01 amI am reading another Lisa Jewell book at the moment, I found You, which is really gripping but easy to read as it’s in small chapters. Will definitely look out for Then she was gone as heard a few good things about it x
March 26, 2018 at 8:14 pmI love what I’ve read lately posts, and all the books you’ve mentioned sound interesting in their own way. I know Warcross is a much hyped book, and one I previously overlooked but after finding out more about it, it sounds like a fascinating read. I enjoy learning about the effects of technology in society. Your reviews are very articulate and helpful so thanks for sharing! 🙂 xx
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