I have made a bit of a pact with myself that this year I am going to read something different to what I normally read and try something new.
The first new thing was that I got a new phone with a Kindle reader on it, so I have read my first Kindle book, which wasn't as bad an experience as I was expecting. In fact I quite enjoyed it. I loved having a book readily available that I could pick up and read whenever I wanted to - I didn't have to remember to take a physical book with me - it was already downloaded on my phone which always goes everywhere I do. I could read on my lunch break at work, in the car when I was waiting for people and even (when I was being really lazy) when I couldn't be bothered to go upstairs and fetch the book from the bed! The only thing I didn't like was that I couldn't rest it against anything - if anyone wants to invent a Kindle rest then I would certainly buy one.
The book I read on my Kindle was 'The Snowman' by Jo Nesbo. She is a new author to me and seeing as I have now got a taste for Swedish Crime I thought I would give her a go. Although it took me a while to read, I absolutely loved it. It was scary and sexy at the same time and it kept me guessing until the end. So many people were framed for the murders but it was always the wrong person and the suspense was there throughout the book. I have now bought another book by Nesbo although a hard copy and not a digital one this time.
Another book I read certainly proves the theory - never judge a book by it's cover. The book in question was by Christopher Ransom - The Birthing House. I love a good scary story and especially when an old house is involved. This book certainly promised both and did sort of freak me out a bit. But then I have an over reactive imagination and once I get an image into my head I can't get it out. Shadows standing over the bed and ghostly figures in old rooms were the two that kept haunting me. Having said that though, the story could have been better developed and even now I don't really understand why the hauntings were happening. It was very raunchy and I'm not sure if that was needed or not and towards the end I just drifted off and skimmed the last few chapters. The story had ended about 3 chapters before the book actually had. Unfortunately I won't be recommending this one, or reading it again.
Another new author I have tried is Mo Hayder. I was recommended to read her book 'Birdman' but I have found it hard to get my hands on a copy. However for Christmas I did receive a copy of her then latest book 'Gone' which I thoroughly enjoyed. I had preconceptions that she was an American author so I was pleasantly surprised to find that actually she is British and her stories are set just down the road from where I live. I have since likened Hayder to works by Lynda La Plante, I suppose because they both write British crime fiction which is written from the point of view of a policeman - giving an insiders experience of the police force. There were points where I couldn't put it down, it kept me guessing and the suspense was certainly there. It was also someone who I wasn't expecting which is always a good thing.
Those are the books so far that have stood out for me and I couldn't resist the old favourites so I have devoured a book by Kathy Reichs, Jill Mansell (to satisfy my chick lit cravings) and currently reading Nicci French's newest offering 'Complicit'.
I have downloaded another five Kindle books to make sure I have enough reading material for when I get caught out without a paper book and got a reading list longer than my arm. So watch this space for some new authors I enjoy.
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