Just before I turned 40, I decided to create a 40 @ 40 challenge. One of the items on the list was to read 40 books throughout the year. I love to read, yet this was a pretty challenging feat and as such there were a few pretty rubbish books read along the way, but also some unbelievable gems.
Lots of you have asked what were the books I read and which would I recommend. So, here is a run down of the books I read and a mini review on the ones I feel warrant it!
Phillip Pullman binge... I LOVE these books; they're marketed for young adults but in my opinion they are the ultimate crossover fiction and I guarantee you will love the writing, the story line and the characters.
Book of Dust, Le Belle Savage; Phillip Pullman
Northern Lights; Phillip Pullman
The Subtle Knife; Phillip Pullman
The Amber Spyglass; Phillip Pullman
Book of Dust, The Secret Commonwealth; Phillip Pullman
An escape to an alternate world, not too dissimilar from our own; where everyone has their own dæmon (basically part of your inner self which takes the shape of an intelligent human like animal). The stories centre around the cheeky, tomboy like Lyra and her dæmon Pantalaimon, who grew up as an orphan at Jordan College in Oxford, after surviving a flood as a baby thanks to the help of Malcolm and Alice. On deciding to leave Jordon College with Mrs Coultier, she is given a rare device called an alethiometer, which leads her on an unknown adventure to search for missing children, her father and the truth about dust. Along the way she meets witches, Gyptians, armoured bears, aeronauts and Goblers; before making friends with Will, a boy from our world, where they journey together through different worlds, meeting Mary and the mulefa, before the ultimate fight against the Authority with the help of two angels and the witches.
Now desperately waiting for the sequel to The Secret Commonwealth to find out what happens to Malcolm, Lyra and Pantalaimon!!
6. The Pillars of the Earth; Ken Follett
7. World Without End; Ken Follett
Two fantastic books, where you initially enter 12th Century Kingsbridge and the world of mason Tom Builder and his dream to build the most beautiful Cathedral in the world. After battling with the death of his wife and the decision to leave his newborn baby with his mother at her grave, he sets off to search for work, only to decide he can't abandon his baby. However, on returning to the grave he finds the baby to be missing. He soon meets Ellen and her son Jack, where he discovers his baby is being cared for by the monks of a cell of Kingsbridge priory. The book follows the story of Philip, a monk who is destined for greater things, and is constantly trying to do the right thing for the priory and people of Kingsbridge and his relationship with the baby Jonathan; the struggles of Tom and Ellen in their quest to be together and for Tom to realise his dream of building a cathedral; the coming of age story of Jack, and the constant battle of survival of Aliena and her brother Richard. The book has so many twists and turns and you feel drawn to each character within it; you want to fight for Jack and defend Aliena against the tyrant William, you want Tom to succeed in his desire to build his cathedral and you cheer on Prior Phillip in his endless battle against the Bishop of Kingsbridge.
The second book revisits Kingsbridge but 157 years later; and the fight between Kingsbridge and Shiring is brewing. After losing everything, Sir Gerald's children, Merthin and Ralph are forced to set out to regain the family's honour. Ralph becomes a knight to the Earl of Shirling and Merthin begins an apprenticeship as a carpenter. It soon transpires that Merthin has a real talent for invention and becomes a skilled tradesman in his own right, and falls in love with Caris, a talented healer; who charged with witchcraft joins the nunnery to avoid execution. Meanwhile Gwenda, a poor girl who was once sold by her father for a cow, develops an infatuation for local boy Wulfric; who she follows and supports throughout to help him regain his father's lands from the Earl of Shirling. Throughout the priory is constantly battling to regain order and is lead by Prior Godwyn, the older cousin of Caris; a scheming individual out for himself and who constantly comes to heads against the nuns of Kingsbridge. But who will prevail, and will Kingsbridge survive?
Brilliant stories and such a fantastic setting. Each character has their own story but they all intertwine throughout to create a succinct plot, and once again you find yourself rooting for good over evil, and for love to prevail.
Good easy reads for fans of action and adventure, with a little suspense thrown in...
8. Michelangelo's Notebook; Paul Christopher
9. The Lucifer Gospel; Paul Christopher
10. Rembrant's Ghost; Paul Christopher
11. The Labyrinth of Osiris; Paul Sussman
12. Origin; Dan Brown
13. Valley of Death; Scott Mariani
14. House of War; Scott Mariani
15. Pretender's Gold; Scott Mariani
16. The Spear of Atlantis; Andy McDermott
17. Resurrection Key; Andy McDermott
18. The Malta Escape; Chris Kuzneski
19. On The Edge; Charlie Carroll - A fantastic, frank and witty account of Charlie's year long adventure around England in his VW campervan, working as a substitute teacher at some of the toughest schools in the country. During the year he is harassed, threatened, nearly stabbed, ignored, and basically ends up refereeing as opposed to teaching! But he also visits schools where he meets children and teacher's he bonds with and you feel uplifted that despite all the horror and carnage at the majority of the schools he visits, that there are a few gems where his work makes a real difference. After reading this book you will be put off teaching for life and have a new earned respect for teachers as a whole. What an adventure, what a story and what an eye opener to the sorry state of education in a large proportion of Britain.
20. The Girl Who Lived Twice; David Lagercrantz
Fans of the original 'Millennium' trilogy by Steig Larsson, will continue to enjoy following the life of Lisbeth Salander. In this the sixth book of the series (third written by David), Lisbeth is still haunted by her twin sister Camilla and sets out to be the hunter and not the hunted in this tale of revenge. Meanwhile, Mikael Blomkvist is trying to track down the story of a homeless man who died with his phone number on a piece of paper in his pocket. His investigation leads to the icy slopes of Everest and to the Russian underworld and the cover up which weaves through, what he thought was, two unrelated trails.
Another great read; I couldn't put it down and I love how despite everything, these two characters have always got each other's backs.
Perfect summer reads for a little romance and feel good factor. I especially loved Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop and Aria's Travelling Bookshop; total inspiration for my life on the road. I also highly recommend any books by Sophie Kinsella, as her writing is brilliant, and the Shopaholic series always makes me laugh out loud and makes my mum cringe, as I used to be a little bit Becky!!
21. Paradise Cookery School, Sunshine & Secrets; Daisy James
22. Paradise Cooker School, Confetti & Confusion; Daisy James
23. Paradise Cookery School, Mistletoe & Mystery; Daisy James
24. Daisy's Vintage Cornish Camper Van; Ali McNamara
25. Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop; Rebecca Raisin
26. Aria's Travelling Bookshop; Rebecca Raisin
27. One Summer's Night; Kiley Dunbar
28. One Night on Ice; Mandy Baggot
29. Love at First Sight; Kelly Elliott
30. Vanlife; Nicolette Dane
31. A Summer at Sea: Katie Fforde
32. Christmas Shopaholic; Sophie Kinsella
33. You Me Everything; Catherine Isaac
34. The Tournament; Matthew Reilly
35. Troll Mountain; Matthew Reilly
36. The Three Secret Cities; Matthew Reilly
I'm a huge fan of Matthew's and have loved all the Jack West Jr. adventures over the years. The Three Secret Cities is the latest in the series. Jack is always thrust in to a hair raising adventure to save the world; yes it's farfetched but at the same time it combines history, mythology and love in every crazy adventure he sets off on, and you can't help be swept up in it all and root for our hero. I highly recommend all of this series as he's a proper lovable rogue!
The Tournament and Troll Mountain are a real departure from Matthew's normal writing and I wasn't disappointed. Definitely grab yourself a copy of Troll Mountain; it's a short story based on the tale of Raf who lives in the valley and his tribe are slowly dying from an unknown illness. Rumour has it the trolls who inhabit Troll Mountain have an elixir which can cure the disease; so when his sister becomes ill, he ventures out on his own through terrifying swamps and forests to battle his way to face the fearsome trolls and steal their elixir. This is such an exciting and well written story, which will appeal to anyone no matter your age. There's even a friendly outcast troll who befriends Raf and helps him on his quest.
37. The Girl Before; JP Delaney
38. Believe Me; JP Delaney
39. The Perfect Wife; JP Delaney
I'd never read any of JP Delaney's books, but my mum lent me The Girl Before... I stayed up all night to read it! It was AMAZEBALLS! So good I rushed to buy the other two, which I also devoured in a night each. I'm not even going to give you an insight to the plots as I don't want to ruin anything; but I will say that not everything is as it seems and you'll be captivated by the twists and turns throughout each novel. Can't wait for the next one!
40. The Salt Path; Raynor Winn
This is a stunning read and will fill you with the desire to get out on an adventure immediately. The book follows the true story of Raynor and her husband Moth, who was diagnosed with the terminal illness, CBD. After losing their farm and livelihood due to a bad investment, they find themselves homeless and with nowhere to go. In a moment of madness, they decide to head out on the South West coast path to walk the 630 miles from Somerset to Dorset, passing through the rugged terrain of Devon and Cornwall's coastline. With nothing but what they can carry on their backs, they wild camp and live as frugally as possible on their basic weekly benefits. This story is a tale of facing adversity, coping with daily challenges, dealing with grief, living in the moment and the impact on one's life by just being in nature. GO BUY IT IMMEDIATELY!!
41. The Ribbons are for Fearlessness; Catrina Davies
I went over my 40 books! I actually read 44 but this one is definitely worth noting and telling you about... It was recommended to me by some ladies who love their vans and adventures like I do. It's based on a true story with a few embellishments but it's a heart warming and inspirational read none the less. It is the story of Catrina who after the sudden death of a close friend, decides she is going to travel to Norway to see the midnight sun, before heading to Portugal; as it was the goal of her friend that he never got to achieve. She heads off in a beaten-up van with her trusted cello for Norway. With no money, no desire to play in front of strangers and no idea where she's going or what she's doing; she slowly builds her confidence to busk around Norway to fund fuel and food. With the help and generosity of strangers along the way, she achieves her goal of seeing the midnight sun and has adventures and experiences she had never dreamed of. This story fills you with joy at the generosity of others and you laugh and cry along with Catrina during her highs and lows. There are so many anecdotes you'll be able to relate to if you've ever travelled or lived in a van and the descriptions of the places she visits will fuel your imagination.
I can't wait to get to Norway on my own adventures!
I hope you've enjoyed my little mini book review; if you'd like to know more about any of the books I read the past year or have suggestions for ones to read this year, please drop me a line. Happy reading!
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