The God of Small Things (Arundhati Roy, 1997)

From the very first page, the reader is thrown headfirst into the lives of Ammu and her twins, Estha and Rahel, and the consequences of their rebelling against "the laws that lay down who should be loved, and how."

Four stars. It took me a while to get into this one, because Roy moves seamlessly between characters, places, and times, almost as if knowledge of the reader is assumed. For me, the book's beauty wasn't fully revealed until the entire story was. But this is one that will stay with me for a while.

Would recommend if you're looking for something a bit different, and aren't afraid to cry


Home (Harlan Coben, 2016)

In the eleventh book of the Myron Bolitar series, Myron is reunited with his other half, my not-so-secret-favourite, Win (or Windsor Horne Lockwood III, to give him his full title), and finds their roles reversed when Win calls him asking for his help. This time to track down two missing boys who haven't been seen in ten years.

Five stars. I adore the Myron Bolitar series and this book reminded me why (especially since, for me, the previous two books were somewhat lacking).

Would recommend to fans of the Myron Bolitar series


Pharaoh (Wilbur Smith, 2016)

When the book opens, Pharaoh Tamose is mortally wounded, Egypt's army is about to be destroyed, and Taita, the narrator, is preparing the forces for one last, desperate act of bravery.

Three stars. It moves along at a decent pace, and while Taita, whose skills are matched only by his ego, takes some getting used to, he does grow on the reader. He is also supported by some excellent, and three-dimensional if not realistic, characters. But while I'm glad that I tried a book by Wilbur Smith, I don't think I'll read any more by him.

Would recommend if you want to try a book by Wilbur Smith, and can cope with some quite graphic descriptions of violence


The Big Sleep (Raymond Chandler, 1939)

When the wealthy, but paralysed, General Sternwood is blackmailed over the youngest, and wildest, of his two daughters, Carmen, he hires Los Angeles PI Philip Marlowe to make the problem go away.

Five stars. I found this to be something of an odd book as the plot never quite went where I was expecting it to, yet despite the complex plot the book always came across as nothing other than straight-forward. But Chandler's style of writing is singular and irresistable, as is his protagonist, and I've found new favourites in them both.

Would recommend to anyone who is looking for a fresh writing style (so everyone)


The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins, 2015)

Rachel is an alcoholic, divorced from a man who is now married to his ex-mistress but whom she is unable to let go of, and fired from a job which she pretends she still has by catching the train to London every day. But from the train she sees a young couple and makes up a life for them. Then the woman goes missing and Rachel has the chance to become a part of the lives she has only watched from afar.

Three stars. I think I started this 'hyped' book with too many prior expectations and, as a result, found it a little disappointing. While I wanted to keep reading, I didn't feel the urgency I associate with a good thriller. I also didn't really sympathise with any of the main characters. But the main problem was that I had more or less figured out what was going on by the time I reached the ending.

Would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, and is prepared to step back from their prior expectations


Kill the Father (Sandrone Dazieri, 2017)

When a woman is beheaded in a park outside Rome and her six-year-old son goes missing, the police unit assigned to the case sees an easy solution: they arrest the woman’s husband and await his confession. But the Chief of Rome’s Major Crimes unit doubts things are so simple. Secretly, he lures to the case two of Italy’s top analytical minds: Deputy Captain Colomba Caselli, a fierce, warrior-like detective still reeling from having survived a bloody catastrophe, and Dante Torre, a man who spent his childhood trapped inside a concrete silo.

I'm still reading this one, so make sure to keep an eye out for my review!



What did you read this January?