Reading in 2018

There are many places that I like to read. Right now, in winter, there's nowhere better than curled up in bed with a massive cup of tea on a Sunday morning, or under a blanket in a corner of the sofa, under a lamp with a candle burning. In 2018, I read books on pebbled beaches in Dorset, on sun loungers under the blazing sun in Thailand, on many a train and plane, in the garden on the sunnier days, on bits of wall along the Thames Path, and, more often than not, in the comfort of home.

I think I was a bit slow to get through a few of my reads in the last year, as I only seem to have managed about 9 books (and a couple of travel guides in between). Of course the pile of Murder Mysteries remains the biggest, but I did make a point of trying to branch out a little this year, and have allowed popular opinion to lead me in a different direction on a few occasions.

This year's travel companion was another Daisy Dalrymple by Carola Dunn; The Winter Garden Mystery. I thoroughly enjoy escaping into Daisy's world, and it was even more satisfying than usual to be reading a book with a wintry setting as I lounged around in temperatures reaching 40 and above in Thailand. Poolside, beaches, and the many plane journeys provided ample opportunities to indulge in my reading, and as ever I loved the glamour of life in 1920s England.

The City of Lost Dreams is the sequel to The City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte, which I read and loved in 2017. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second, and when I ordered it online I had to get myself a copy of the first book, too (yes, I'm one of those terrible book hoarders, because obviously I'll re-read them at some point...) The City of Lost Dreams did not disappoint, and was just as crazy as the first with many a dramatic twist and unexpected turn. This time set in Vienna, I was definitely left wanting to visit.

Not yet torn away from murder, mystery, and intrigue, my third book of the year was a recommendation from a friend who knows all about my penchant; The Mitford Murders by Jessica Fellowes (niece of Julian Fellowes). Like with the two before, I loved the setting, and as with The Winter Garden Mystery, the time period was perfect for escapism. Slightly twee at times, this was an easy read with likeable characters and it definitely hit a fairly dramatic climax towards the end.

A big fan of Dawn O'Porter's Instagram stories, her newest book The Cows was brought to my attention via the powers of Social Media, and I was drawn in. Glad I was because this was definitely one of my favourite reads of the year, and not murder mystery! The story is told from the perspective of three women whose lives intertwine in interesting ways. Books this year taught me that I'll most enjoy reading about likeable or relatable characters, and the women in this book tested this at times. Yet somehow I definitely found myself very invested in them, and plot twists had just the right amount of shock and awe. More Dawn O'Porter on the list for 2019, I think!

Submarine, I discovered after reading, was actually written by a fellow UEA student, Joe Dunthorne. This fact in itself makes me like it a little bit more, but it was probably the first book of the year that I almost put down. Personally I just found the protagonist really unrelatable, and slightly irritating. There was something of the nostalgic about Submarine (although I'm not entirely sure whether it was nostalgia of the right kind; awkward teenage encounters may be better left in the box of forgotten memories). Apparently a sucker for a good setting, I really liked the sound of the Welsh coast. This was a book that came out on lots of walks and daytrips with me, so I at least read it in lots of nice places.

Matt Haig was another recommendation from several people, and I opted for How to Stop Time because, I'm ashamed to admit (although I've definitely admitted it before) that I love a good front cover. Another character who I didn't feel was particularly relatable, I also found that this book was far too slow and soppy for my liking. Turns out I'm not a fan of romance, or wistful memoirs. I did make it to the end, though, and thought it ended well, which is something?

Another close contender for favourite book of the year, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman was, I thought, absolutely fantastic. Eleanor was relatable (possibly slightly worrying), and definitely incredibly lovable. This book was full of reality (sometimes harsh), and the narrative made for really easy reading while there was still an air of intrigue which kept me on my toes and wanting to come back for more. I was really disappointed to discover that this was Gail Honeyman's debut, as I'm very keen to read more from her!

Having thoroughly enjoyed my first Morse last year, I found the second in the series (decided I'd been away from murder for far too long); Last Seen Wearing. I really like the way Colin Dexter writes, and love Morse as a character. Thankfully either I haven't seen enough of the TV series, or it was long enough ago, that I don't ever remember whodunnit, and find myself trying to unpick the puzzle with Morse along the way. I'll happily add another to my collection in 2019 (like I can resist a golden spine…)

My final book of the year was another recommendation. This time, it was JK Rowling's pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. I went for the first in the Cormoran Strike series, The Cuckoo's Calling. Initially, I wasn't sure what I thought of Strike but him and his assistant Robin definitely warmed on me as I read on. It was a long read, and there was maybe a little too much dialogue for me, but I was kept intrigued throughout, and got particularly into the story as it came to its climax.

I've begun 2019 with another murder mystery that takes place at sea. Two weeks into the year, and I'm already half way through this one, and adding to my seemingly never-ending reading list. I look forward to finding more new material, as well as returning to the comfort of some old favourites, as always.