My Top Ten Must-Reads

It has been a year since I have had my Kindle, and I have loved having so many new books to read, without the hassle of trying to find more space in my home for lots of physical copies. Instead, I can enjoy the luxury of countless new reads, all in one place, and can take them with me wherever I go!

I thought I would share with you my 'top ten' reads from the last year, going back to October 202,1 when I received my Kindle and bought my first Kindle-book. During the course of the last twelve months, I have enjoyed a whole host of genres and new authors, as well as reading exciting new titles from authors I have read before.

If you are looking to create a new reading list for yourself, or just looking for that next book to read, take a look at my 'Top Ten' list below. I have written them in reverse order, saving my top favourite to the final entry.

10. The Gifts Liz Hyder

I have never been one for fantasy novels, but I'm so glad I gave this one a go. If you're looking for something a bit different, that has a splash of Historical Fantasy, Mystery and just some solid Literary Fiction, then look no further than 'The Gifts'. Set in Victorian England, I enjoyed that it was written from the perspective of five different characters, and how the lives of each of them connect, weaving together a story of loss, love and courage, and what people are prepared to do in the face of discovery and in the name of 'science'. Picture this: a woman unexpectedly and miraculously growing wings. Need I say any more?! I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

9. Do No Harm Jack Jordan

One of the hardest reads to put down - I was hooked! This thriller is not for the fainthearted, and is a real page-turner at every corner. Jack Jordan has spun an incredibly skilful story, and you find yourself challenging your ethics as you place yourself in a mother's position, facing the haunting questions, 'What would I do in her position?!' 'Could I do the dreaded deed in order to save my child?' This emotionally charged novel engages all your senses, and is both heartbreaking and agitating, as you immerse yourself in the story of several women, and their individual disturbing circumstances. I enjoyed how the novel swapped from the perspective of one character to the other, as you see the story from the eyes of each of the women in this gripping thriller: the mother, Anna, who is a heart-surgeon, the detective, Rachel, and the young nurse, Margot. The novel leaves you questioning yourself of what you would do in Anna's shoes.

8. A Lady's Guide To Fortune Hunting Sophie Irwin

This romantic historical fiction is fun, witty and very Jane Austen-esque! I found this one such an easy and entertaining read, and even had me chuckling out loud in places. Follow Kitty Talbot on her comical quest for a husband (with a fortune of course), in order to save her herself, her sisters and their family home, from ruin.

7. The Appeal Janice Hallett

One of the things I loved about this book, is the unique way this has been written. Instead of the normal narrative-style, instead, this murder-mystery is told through a series of emails and texts, with a text exchange between two law students, endeavouring to uncover the tangle of secrets and clues to a woman's mysterious death as they peruse the 'evidence' of email and text correspondence between the suspects. I found myself trying to solve the murder myself as I attempted to sort through the 'evidence' and 'clues'. Incredibly clever and compelling.

6. Breathless Amy McCulloch

As it's name suggests, this thriller will leave you breathless, as you mountaineer with Cecily Wong up the eighth-highest peak in the world: Manaslu. As if that wasn't daunting enough, there is a killer on the loose - and you don't know when they will strike next, or who the next victim will be!

5. The Quality Of Silence Rosamund Lupton

This is such a gripping thriller and suspense novel. I love the way the author lets you into the mind of the characters, especially as you look through the window into the life of a young child who cannot hear. Seeing things from a deaf child's perspective, and from the mind-frame of her mother, as they embark on a life-threatening journey across the menacing and treacherous terrain of Alaska, in a desperate attempt to find their father/husband, makes a truly riveting read.

4. Once Upon A River Diane Setterfield

This is a beautifully written Historical Fiction, with an interwoven thread of the Gothic and Mystery/Thriller vibes, and one which I would happily read again. The story centres on the seemingly miraculous event of a child who apparently returns to life, after drowning in the river. It's a hauntingly beautiful tale, and captures the lives of a host of different characters (exquisitely brought to life in a novel of masterful storytelling), who are all connected one way or another to this mysterious child rescued from the river.

3. The Maid Nita Prose

I think I read this book in two or three days, but could have devoured it all in one! I am very drawn to the literary style of writing, and this novel does not disappoint in that department, nor does it disappoint in the area of suspense and murder-mystery. The characters are brought to life from the page in a masterful art of storytelling, and you find yourself drawn to Molly, the Maid and central character in the novel, in a very endearing way. Molly is not your typical heroine, and yet you find yourself watching her character develop in fascination, and almost through motherly eyes, (well I did, anyway!), as you follow her journey to uncover the truth behind the death of an esteemed guest in the hotel Molly works in. What really happened? And is Molly hiding something?

2. Pandora Susan Stokes-Chapman

Susan Stokes-Chapman is an incredible storyteller, involving you in the plot in such a way that you won't want to put this book down! This exciting and gripping Historical Fiction contains intrigue and romance, set against the backdrop of a very real portrayal of London during the Georgian period. You will find yourself being drawn into a deep story of plots and ancient curses, which will have you utterly absorbed and captivated from beginning to end.

1. Mrs England Stacey Halls

I loved this book from start to finish. The opening paragraph entranced me, and I was very happily caught under its spell, and allowed myself to be taken away on this journey as I followed the adventure of a young Norland Nanny, Ruby May, as she serves the England family at Hardcastle House. It almost had 'Jane Eyre' vibes at times, and all is not as it seems in this mysterious household, as Ruby navigates secrets and hidden dangers that lurk from unexpected quarters. It's a captivating Gothic Historical Fiction, and one not to miss.