Best Books I’ve Read Lately: June 2018 Edition

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It’s been a while since I’ve done a favourite books round-up – the last few months have been all about editing and proofreading my second novel, but I have managed to squeeze a bit of reading time in there, too!

Here are some of my favourites, all of which I highly recommend:

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

I have Lucy Lucraft to thank for this one – I met her for lunch and she handed me her copy of The Book of Lost Things and told me I’d love it.

Front cover of The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly - Best Books I've Read Lately: June 2018 Edition

I’m terrible in that I tend to only read what I’m super familiar with. I miss a lot of great books because I’m just too afraid to try something unfamiliar in case I hate it. If you know me personally, you have my full permission to push non-crime books on me to force me to expand my horizons. So I’d never have picked this one up without Lucy’s nudge, but a few pages in I was hooked by the incredible writing.

It starts like this:

“Once upon a time – for that is how all stories should begin – there was a boy who lost his mother. He had, in truth, been losing her for a very long time.”

*cue major writing envy*

Aside from the stunning writing style, the story is whimsical and dark and poignant and stays with you for ages. It’s about a boy called David who finds himself in a parallel world where fairytales are real – but turned on their head.

It’s not a book for kids, although (older) kids would love it – it’s a coming of age tale that all adults can identify with. It’s a beautiful, twisted, magical story, and it offers a pure escape into another world for a while.

If, like me, you don’t read outside of a particular genre, take this as a virtual shoving of this book in your face. Also, it has a beautiful cover, so if you’re not convinced by this review, just take a look at the beautiful gold illustration and be convinced by that. Just read it. Please.

Three Little Lies by Laura Marshall

This one’s a sneak preview, as Three Little Lies isn’t out till June 28th, but you can pre-order it now and be one of the first people to read it on publication day.

Front cover of Three Little Lies by Laura Marshall - Best Books I've Read Lately: June 2018 Edition

Friend Request was a definite favourite of mine for 2017, and Three Little Lies is Laura Marshall’s second novel, another psychological thriller that I tore through in just a couple of sittings.

Read my review of Friend Request here

It follows Ellen and Sasha, high school friends who now live together as adults, but when Sasha disappears, Ellen is forced to confront a night in their past that changed everything.

I loved the characters in Three Little Lies, and I was kept hooked by the ever-growing tension and web of deceit that was revealed, thread by thread. A perfect summer read!

Dangerous Lady by Martina Cole

I’ve been a voracious reader since I was a little girl, but my obsession with crime fiction is relatively recent. My childhood was spent reading Sweet Valley High and Babysitter’s Club and, occasionally, Nancy Drew.

So although Martina Cole is the queen of crime, until recently I’d never read any of her books. Last year I started with The Ladykiller, but I have to admit I didn’t love it. Don’t hate me.

Cover of Dangerous Lady by Martina Cole - Best Books I've Read Lately: June 2018 Edition

Then I went to CrimeFest and heard Martina talking and I basically fell in love with her. She is so cool. So anyway, I decided to try another of her books, and I went all the way back in the archives to her debut, Dangerous Lady, which was published in 1992.

I was absolutely hooked from the first chapter. The characters are incredible (Maura Ryan is a total badass and I adore her), and the glimpse into London’s West End gang culture is utterly fascinating.

I’m so glad I gave Martina Cole’s books another chance, and I’m now desperate to read the next Maura Ryan book, Maura’s Game.

Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough

Last year I read, and absolutely raved about, Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough, so I was super excited to get my hands on Sarah’s latest book, Cross Her Heart.

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First, let me say this: the brilliance of Behind Her Eyes was THAT twist. It was so much fun to read and to be shocked, and to force all of my friends to read it just so I could talk about it with someone else. The ending aside, it was a great book, simmering with tension, and wonderfully written.

Read my review of Behind Her Eyes here

Cross Her Heart is just as tense, and well written, and dark, and creepy. But you can’t – and indeed, shouldn’t – expect the same kind of shocking twist as the one in Behind Her Eyes. Because (controversial opinion alert) a good book doesn’t need ‘a twist you’ll never see coming’ to be a satisfying read.

Disclaimer aside, Cross Her Heart follows the story of Lisa, a mother with a past; her daughter Ava, who’s keeping a secret; and Lisa’s best friend Marilyn, whose life isn’t as it seems. It explores a number of dark themes, and challenges perceptions and prejudices all the way through. It is, at times, a difficult read thanks to a few disturbing scenes, but it’s cleverly plotted, with characters that draw you in and keep you turning the pages right till the end.

Don’t expect ‘the next Behind Her Eyes’ with Cross Her Heart. Just expect a great thriller that’ll keep you reading till the early hours of the morning.

The Power by Naomi Alderman

I joined a book club some time ago, and have only made it to one of the meetings so far. Oops.

Anyway, one of the months I couldn’t attend, the group was reading The Power by Naomi Alderman. Although I missed the meeting, I had heard great things about The Power so I read it a couple of months after the official book club deadline.

Cover of The Power by Naomi Alderman - Best Books I've Read Lately: June 2018 Edition

And oh my goodness! What a book!

I finished it a couple of months ago, and I’m still thinking about it regularly. It’s technically science fiction, but it definitely feels more dystopian. Set in the world as we know it, girls start developing a power, whereby they can generate electrical charges from their fingertips.

They soon discover that they can transfer this power to older women, and all of a sudden women are capable of immense violence, and the balance of power around the world shifts from men to women.

It’s a brilliant glimpse into the effect of power on humans, and it challenges the reader’s perceptions on power, and the abuse of it. I don’t want to give too much away, but I can’t recommend The Power highly enough. It’s a fun page-turner, but it’s also thought-provoking, challenging and, at times, totally confronting.

Over to you – what books have you read lately that you’d recommend?

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The best books I've read lately, including Martina Cole's very first novel, a fairytale for grown ups, and The Power, which still has me thinking months after I turned the last page!

1 Comment

  • Amy Harris says:

    Hey, I’ve got such an extensive list of books to read over summer as I’m setting myself a challenge to read seven books this summer, which is quite a challenge for me! I’m definitely going to add Cross Her Heart and The Power to my list. I’ve recently reignited my love for reading and looking for as many good reads as possible :)

    I recently visited Shakespeare and Company in Paris and it was the best bookshop I have ever visited, there were so many books I wanted to buy and add to my list! Check it out over on my blog: http://fleurdubelle.blogspot.com/2018/07/finding-cutest-bookshop-in-paris.html

    Thank you for these types of posts, they motivate me to read different types of genres and books :)

    Amy Harris x

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