Book recommendations – What’s on my kindle May 2020

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I have been reading so much during lockdown and I thought I would share with you what’s on my kindle, what I have read recently and maybe inspire you with some choices and make some book recommendations.

I used to spend hours as a child reading, friends and family always commented that I was never seen without a book in my hand.

More recently I found that reading got pushed further back in my priorities and I only read on holiday. Whilst on holiday with friends in 2015 my roommate had a newer version of Kindle than I had. It was slimmer and lighter and just dropped into her handbag. When I retired from my nursing career a few months later I treated myself to the latest version. Since then I do tend to carry it when travelling and using public transport. I created a Whattsapp group for friends who have similar likes to me and we share book recommendations

But still the number of books I was reading was much less than I would have liked. In 2018 I think I read around 6 books in total. Last year I decided to set myself a target of reading 30 books. I failed to keep records of the books I read but even though I had read many more than 6 I know I did not read 30 – maybe 15. But still an improvement.

This year I again set the target of 30 and I’ve been keeping track! The lockdown scenario has really helped me due to the enforced Stay Home message.

Where do I find Book recommendations?

A few years ago I was fortunate to be invited by a woman’s magazine to be on a panel reviewing the book recommendations from The Richard and Judy Book Club. We were provided with a full set of that seasons book recommendations and I really enjoyed most of them. As I had a positive experience I use that as a starting point. Before lockdown I will browse the shelves in WH Smith who host the Richard and Judy Book Club initiative and select a few that I fancy. To be honest I take a snapshot of the front with my phone so that I can remember and research in the Kindle Store later.

Anyway that’s the background to my reading habits lets get on with what I have read during lockdown.

I have read 10 novels since lockdown began in March and have enjoyed them all.

I will list them and at the end recommend my top 5 from the list:

• For Reasons Unknown the 1st in DCI Matilda Burke series – Michael Wood
• The Husband’s Secret – Liane Moriarty
• The Perfectly Imperfect Woman – Milly Johnson
• The Girlfriend – Michelle Frances
• Blood Orange – Harriet Tyce
• The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew – Milly Johnson
• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd – Agatha Christie
• The Strangers Wife – Anna-Lou Weatherley
• It’s Raining Men – Milly Johnson
• How to Keep a Secret  – Sarah Morgan

My Top 5 book Recommendations from this list are:

• The Husband’s Secret – Liane Moriarty

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I have become a big fan of this author. I have watched Big Little Lies on Sky which I didn’t initailly like but I revisited it and loved it, even though the storyline was dark in places. I have since read another books by Liane – Nine Perfect Strangers. Her signature themes are female friendship, duplicity, the darkness lurking beneath lucky, ordinary suburban lives…The last twist, though, is worth the wait. I found The Husband’s Secret to be the best I’ve read so far. It was fast moving and I was able to quickly build a picture of the characters. I did have a little suspicion of the outcome as the story progressed but could not guess the full ending. Without giving anything away all I will say is that I loved the way she outlined alternative outcomes to the characters lives at the end was a fabulous touch.

• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd – Agatha Christie

I am a huge Agatha Christie fan and in fact I attended a talk about her life and works during a sea day on last years cruise holiday – (if you are planning a cruise you may like to read an example of what we did on another sea day) Her stories are very cleverly crafted and much more intricate in the written form than TV dramatisations portray. Whilst listening to the talk about her works I discovered that this novel had been voted by the British Crime Writers’ Association as the “Best Crime Novel of all Time” Therefore I was intrigued to see why. If you are a seasoned Agatha Christie reader with many of her books you can sometimes speculate to whodunnit before the end. I have to say that I only managed to guess immediately before the killer was revealed. A good read if you like the genre.

• • It’s Raining Men – Milly Johnson.

If I don’t want to read anything heavy Milly Johnson has become my go to author. I first discovered her when she was a contestant on Come Dine With Me! This again is my favourite of those I have read. Such a delightful story of 3 work colleagues who decide to holiday in a high class Spa in Yorkshire. There is a mix up with the booking and things don’t quite go to plan. They have all got a secret about their current love life. The story is a lovely piece of chic lit with a splashing of fantasy. I didn’t want it to end.

• For Reasons Unknown – Michael Wood

This book was recommended to me as I enjoy a good piece of Crime fiction. It introduces DCI Matilda Darke for the first time. A detective with a recent troubled past. She has suffered a couple of trauma’s and feels she has to prove herself to colleagues. It is set in Sheffield. A murder takes place which begins to interlink with a previous cold crime. I love a good whodunnit and this keeps you guessing to the end. If you enjoyed watching the TV drama Happy Valley then I think you will enjoy this.

• Blood Orange – Harriet Tyce

This was one of the book recommendations from the current Richard and Judy Book Club choices. Obsession, revenge, lust and murder play out on the pages as a female barrister tries to hold her life together while her personality tries to tear it apart. This is a dark thriller with many twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down and Harriet’s next novel is already on my reading list.

I hope you enjoy a taster of what I have been reading and like my book recommendations.

Do you have any book recommendations for me? I need some inspiration as I am mid book at the moment and love to get suggestions to add to me reading list.

I am on 14 books in this years challenge to read 30. I’m hopeful I’ll do it this year.