If you’ve been following my reading journey, you might recall that I set myself a target of 30 books to read in 2024. This was driven by busy work days and the time I’m spending developing a collection of really awesome plugins. However, I completed 30 books last month and so decided to push it up to 35.
It’s been a busy reading season, with 22 books that span classic dystopia, thrilling mysteries, war novels, and quick-read gems. I’ve included a few new finds, a couple of series I’m continuing, and authors I always come back to. Here’s a rundown of the books I’ve read in the last seven months, in no particular order.
Classics & Dystopian Reads
- Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell – I had heard about 1984. I hadn’t read it. I never imagined that what George Orwell wrote in 1949 was a prediction of what is happening in our world today. Fake news, Thought Police, Big Brother and gadgets that spy on you!
- Animal Farm by George Orwell – This timeless political allegory remains as relevant as ever with its critique of totalitarianism. No points for guessing who all this applies to today.
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley – A classic dystopian novel was a gripping revisit into a society conditioned to seek pleasure at any cost. But, you can also draw parallels to what group-think is all about.
Thrillers & Mystery Novels
- Next in Line by Jeffrey Archer – Fifth in the Warwick series, Archer once again crafts a compelling narrative, this time with an intricate web of twists and a cast that keeps you guessing – with a heavy dose of Royalty. Having watched the Crown and living the UK, you can easily imagine the tale told by Archer.
- Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer – There was one a guy who tried to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London. Centuries later, Warwick’s arch nemesis did the same, or did he? I loved the intrigue and kept guessing till the end.
- The Brewery Murders by J.R. Ellis – This was the 9th book in my Yorkshire Murder Mysteries series. The complexity of the cases continues in this book and Oldroyd finds a way to solve it. This time it’s all about a long-lost recipe of beer.
- Death Rocks by L.J. Ross – The DCI Ryan Mysteries are probably my longest running series and I tend to prioritise it even when I am reading another book. This time they discover a dead photographer on the rocks and their only suspect has an airtight alibi. How does DCI Ryan solve the case, or does it finally allude him?
- Poison Garden by L.J. Ross – Without giving away spoilers, Ryan’s team are called to investigate the mysterious death of a man in Alnwick. The book highlights the Poison Garden and Alnwick Castle which is still fresh in my memory having visited it in 2012!
- Camino Winds by John Grisham – A murder mystery set on Camino Island, ravaged by a hurricane. Grisham’s brisk storytelling and unique cast of characters made this a fast-paced page-turner. This is second in the Camino series and I have yet to read the first, or the second.
- The Modigliani Scandal by Ken Follett – Art forgery, conspiracy, and a dash of satire make this an enjoyable romp through the underbelly of the art world. Simply loved the end of the book. But, I always wonder on the price of art. Or should I say the value of art?
- Night Owl by Andrew Mayne – This was a different thriller. A retired spy with the skillset but not the desire gets roped into a mystery of sabotage of a next-generation aircraft.
- Matterhorn by Christopher Reich – Who is Robbie Steinhardt? We find out in this thriller where an old spy comes out of hiding to battle his old nemesis.
Short Reads & Standalones
- Cut and Thirst by Margaret Atwood – Three women scheme to avenge an old friend. I personally didn’t get this story. But at 35 pages long, it counted as an additional book.
- Tiger Chair by Max Brooks – This is a letter, written by a Chinese soldier after their invasion of Los Angeles in a future/parallel universe. I liked the concept given the futuristic angle. But…
- Ushers by Joe Hill – A dark, short story. The summary didn’t appear to be as intriguing. However, the story took a dark twist very quickly.
- The Bad Weather Friend by Dean Koontz – Benny is too nice. So nice, that you wonder if he is real. But when bad things happen to good people, they have a guardian angel, or in this Spike.
New Discoveries: Books About Books and Literary Journeys
- The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods – A delightful story that combines magic with a love of literature. This definitely wasn’t my typical read and is also why it sits in a separate category here. While I did like the entire story, you really do need to believe in magic.
A Three Part Series
- The Vanishing Man, Shaken Not Stirred and On Enemy Ground by Alma Katsu – This is a three part short story series and I don’t know why it isn’t a single book. It tells the tale of a spy who vanished. What does Yuri Kozlov do when he choose to defect.
Lasting Impressions
- The Crossing by Matt Brolly – A body found in a small town. Matt tells us who the killer is. For Detective Inspector Louise Blackwell, recently transferred to the town she last saw as a child, it’s her first case on the job. It’s my first read of Matt’s Louise Blackwell series. I’m not yet sure I’ll read the next.
- Last Night by Luanne Rice – A fierce blizzard. A dead body. A missing girl. A detective on a holiday. Is it the husband? This wasn’t as much of a whodunit, as much as a “catch me when you can”.
Wrapping Up
Each of these books added something unique to my reading journey. From Orwell’s timeless lessons… er… classics, to thrilling murder mysteries and a series of short reads, it’s been a well-rounded mix.
Hopefully, this list sparks some ideas for your own TBR stack. Let me know if you’ve read any of these or have recommendations of your own!
Come find me on Goodreads.
