Hi there,
I can't believe it's the end of the
year already...seems like only a short time since 2016 was coming to a close.
It's been a crazy and busy year, and I haven't done as much reading (or
reviewing as I would have liked), but I really aim to get back on track for
2018.
There have been some AMAZING books this
year, and a couple which have had a massive impact on my life and outlook. So
here, are my top books of 2017...
A Song for Tomorrow by Alice Peterson
This was the first book I read this
year, and one that has truly touched my soul. Whilst it is fiction, the the
book is based around the story of Alice Martineau, a strong, determined,
passionate, and inspirational lady who fought a chronic illness of Cystic
Fibrosis, but never let it stop her living life to the fullest. Alice Peterson
is one of my favourite authors and I devour her books, but for me this was on a
different level, and Alice's story will move and inspire me forever. This was
so much more than a book for me. It is beautiful, moving, funny, inspiring and
perfect. You would be mad not to read it too.
Tom fell in love with Alice the moment he saw her. He realises that
being with her will not be easy, but she is a force of nature, a burst of
sunlight in his otherwise ordinary world.
Some people might look at Alice
and think she has everything, but Alice knows she is not like other women.
Her life is complicated, unpredictable, difficult. Alice does not like pity.
All she wants to do, has ever wanted to do, is sing.
Alice has been told not
to follow her dreams.
But when fate has already dealt a tough hand, it’s time
to stop listening to everyone else and only follow their hearts.
Buy
on Amazon
The Woman at 72 Derry Lane
by Carmel Harrington
My year wouldn't be
complete without reading a new book from the phenomenal author Carmel
Harrington. Everything stops when her books come out and I am transfixed. This
book is no exception, infact I would say it is her best book yet. Touching on
sensitive subjects (which Carmel is a master at), she has written a book that I
could not put down. To say I loved it was an understatement. Packed with drama,
fun, inspiration and amazing characters it has all the feels. I loved it and
you will too.
On a leafy suburban street
in Dublin, beautiful, poised Stella Greene lives with her successful husband,
Matt. The perfect couple in every way, Stella appears to have it all. Next
door, at number 72 however, lives Rea Brady. Gruff, bad-tempered and rarely
seen besides the twitching of her net curtains, rumour has it she’s lost it
all…including her marbles if you believe the neighbourhood gossip.
But appearances can be
deceiving and when Stella and Rea’s worlds collide they realise they have much
in common. Both are trapped in a prison of their own making.
Has help been next door
without them realising it?
Buy
from Amazon
Three Amazing Things About
You by Jill Mansell
This is another one of
those books that grabs you, sucks you in, and refuses to let you go. It
definitely has all the feels, and written so brilliantly that the characters
become more than pages of a book, they come to life and give you all the
emotions. I love books about groups of friends, and this one, like the previous
two books are really moving, inspiring and have certainly made me treasure life
more, as well as being a bloody good read.
Jill Mansell's enchanting
new novel will drive readers to seize life with both hands and make the most of
every minute...
Hallie has a secret. She's
in love. He's perfect for her in every way, but he's seriously out of bounds.
And her friends aren't going to help her because what they do know is
that Hallie doesn't have long to live. Time is running out...
Flo has a dilemma. She
really likes Zander. But his scary sister won't be even faintly amused if she
thinks Zander and Flo are becoming friends - let alone anything more.
Tasha has a problem. Her
new boyfriend is the adventurous type. And she's afraid one of his adventures
will go badly wrong.
THREE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT
YOU begins as Hallie goes on a journey. A donor has been found and she's about
to be given new lungs. But whose?
Buy
from Amazon
Cold Blood by Robert Bryndza
My reading year wouldn't
be the same without a book (or this year, even better, two books) from the
Erika Foster series. I cannot tell you how good this series is. I love
thrillers and I adore Erika Foster. In Erika Robert has created a strong,
ballsy detective who is so well developed as a character that she could be
real. But this series is more than just Erika. Robert has a real talent for
writing gripping thrillers that left me on the edge of my seat and awake long
into the night as I can't put his work down. Full of action, suspense and
thrills this is one series I hope goes on and on...
The
suitcase was badly rusted, and took Erika several attempts, but it yielded and
sagged open as she unzipped it. Nothing could prepare her for what she would
find inside…
When a battered suitcase
containing the dismembered body of a young man washes up on the shore of the
river Thames, Detective Erika Foster is shocked. But it’s not the first
time she’s seen such a brutal murder…
Two weeks earlier, the body of a young
woman was found dumped in an identical suitcase. What connects the two victims?
As Erika and her team set to work, they quickly realise they are on the trail
of a serial killer who has already made their next move.
Yet just as Erika
starts to make headway with the investigation, she is the target of a violent
attack. Forced to recover at home, and with her personal life falling apart,
everything is stacked against her, but nothing will stop Erika.
As the body count rises, the case takes an
even more twisted turn when the twin daughters of Erika’s colleague, Commander
Marsh, are suddenly put in terrible jeopardy. The stakes are higher than ever
before, but can Erika save the lives of two innocent children before it’s too
late? She’s running out of time and about to make a disturbing discovery…there’s
more than one killer.
Buy
from Amazon
I Am Watching You by
Teresa Driscoll
I must admit I was
slightly nervous when I saw Teresa was writing a thriller as I know her work in
the women's fiction genre, but I do love her writing style so through what the
hell, let me give it a go - and boy am I glad I did!! This is a really great thriller that
captivated me from the start and was unputdownable. I found it was cleverly
written with twists and turns, and very creepy too. I loved it and hop you will
too!
What would it take to make
you intervene?
When Ella Longfield
overhears two attractive young men flirting with teenage girls on a train, she
thinks nothing of it—until she realises they are fresh out of prison and her
maternal instinct is put on high alert. But just as she’s decided to call for
help, something stops her. The next day, she wakes up to the news that one of
the girls—beautiful, green-eyed Anna Ballard—has disappeared.
A year later, Anna is
still missing. Ella is wracked with guilt over what she failed to do, and she’s
not the only one who can’t forget. Someone is sending her threatening
letters—letters that make her fear for her life.
Then an anniversary appeal
reveals that Anna’s friends and family might have something to hide. Anna’s
best friend, Sarah, hasn’t been telling the whole truth about what really
happened that night—and her parents have been keeping secrets of their own.
Someone knows where Anna
is—and they’re not telling. But they are watching Ella.
Buy
from Amazon
The New Beginnings Coffee Club by
Samantha Tonge
I am a big fan of Samantha
Tonge and her work, but The New Beginnings Coffee Club has taken her to a whole
new level. This book was amazing and got me hook line and sinker. The plot and
characters are so well developed and strongly written I really connected with
them. I love a book about self discovery and second chances at life, and this
ticked my boxes. It is more than an easy read, it is a book that gives food for
thought and is uplifting and inspiring. I loved it (and isnt the cover
stunning!)
Everyone deserves a second chance…don’t
they?
Jenny Masters finds herself
living the modern dream. Wife to a millionaire, living in a mansion and mother
to Kardashian-obsessed ten-year-old April, there isn’t anything missing. Until,
her whole world comes crashing down, forcing Jenny and April to leave behind
their glittering life and start over with nothing.
With village gossip
following her wherever she goes, she finds refuge and a job in the new coffee
shop in town. As the days pass Jenny fears she doesn’t have what it takes to
pick herself back up and give April the life she always wanted to. But with the
help of enigmatic new boss Noah, and housemate Elle, Jenny realises it’s never
too late to become the woman life really intended you to be!
Buy
from Amazon
Ten Birthdays by Kerry
Wilkinson
Oh my goodness! This book
is simply beautiful and incredibly moving, but really uplifting also. It is
based on such a sad circumstance that I wondered if it would just be a complete
weepfest, and whilst yes, there were tears, there was also smiles and laughter
too. This book was a real 'just one more chapter and then I'll put it down'
sort that you know just wont happen! Beautifully written I adored it!
There are going to be so
many things I wish I could’ve told you in person, Poppy. I won’t get the chance
to do that, so perhaps this is my only way…
It’s Poppy Kinsey’s birthday.
She should be blowing out
candles and opening presents – but hers falls on the type of heart-wrenching,
agonising anniversary she would far rather forget.
The worst day of them all.
The day her mother died.
But this year is special because the person she
misses most in the world has left her a set of letters, one for each of her
next ten birthdays.
As Poppy opens them year by year, she discovers that no
matter how tough life gets, her mum will always be by her side, guiding her
along the way.
Buy
from Amazon
Buttered Parsnips by Joe Lycett
This year I discovered two
new things, stand up comedy and audio books. I have started watching a lot of
stand up comedy and it has made me realise that laughter really is be best
medicine. My health is on the up, and I find myself feeling lighter than I have
in a long time. One of the funniest comedians i have discovered is Joe Lycett.
He is hilarious and totally appeals to my sense of humour. I was looking for
something to listen to whilst out walking and then I saw this on Audible and
bought myself a copy. I think it is safe to say that anyone I encountered
whilst listening to it must have thought I was completely insane (they are not
far wrong), as I sat there unable to contain out loud laughter. This book is
brilliant in paper copy, but with Joe narrating it, it has a whole new life.
Laugh out loud funny, this is one book you will never regret listening to (or
reading). Roll on June when I can see him at the Apollo.
Life is hard. We are a
bombarded generation: Facebook, billboards, Twitter, Instagram, taxes,
newspapers, watches monitoring our sleep, apps that read our pulse, terrorism.
There's such an onslaught to the senses these days it's a marvel any of us
manage to get out of bed. I love bed.
While we are overwhelmed and
confused by the miasmic cloud of information, there are those that seek to take
advantage: there are parking fines, hate Tweets, Nigerian email scams and
Christmas newsletters from old school friends about their ugly kids. And just
as we're getting round to doing something about it, we're distracted again.
I,
Joe Lycett, comedian, wordsmith, and professional complainer, am here to help.
During my short life of doing largely nothing I've discovered solutions to many
of life's problems, which I impart to you, dear Reader. Containing a centurion
of complaint letters to unsuspecting celebrities, companies and anyone brave
enough to clog up my phone, as well as illustrations, one-liners , jokes and life
hacks, this little gem offers you a collection of tips and advice* for all
manner of modern woe. By the time you have finished reading this book you will
have learnt how to:
- Reverse a parking fine
- Manipulate the tabloid press
- Navigate
social media
- Respond to hate mail
- Out-weird
internet trolls
- Contest a so-called ripe avocado
-
Send the perfect Christmas newsletter
- Defeat ISIS
-
Take down multi-national companies
AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!
Joe Lycett x
* If you are looking for
guidance with taxes, quitting smoking, moving house, love, divorce, education,
healthcare or anything actually important may I recommend speaking to friends
or family members and not consulting a book by a comedian who eats halloumi at
least twice a day.
Buy
from Amazon
