‘Proper’ books I’ve enjoyed

I really like to read and can often devour a book over a weekend or few days. I don’t get to read as much these days with two little ones to look after, so a book needs to be really good to keep my attention. Here are some of my favourite books I’ve read this year:

Now You See Her – Heidi Perks

For me, I think that this has been my favourite book of the year so far. The combination of a fresh and exciting story with an author I’d not read before made for a brilliant read. So much so that when my daughter woke at the 3am whilst we were away on holiday, I couldn’t resist finishing it off. For the next two hours.

The premise of the work is one that will be very familiar to many parents. What do you do if something happens to a friend’s child in your care? Especially if the thing that happens involves that child going missing whilst on an inflatable.

What was so great about this book is that all the way through you kind of smugly think you know what’s going to happen, but actually it doesn’t and the real resolution wasn’t even in your list of potentials. The storyline doesn’t dwell on the ‘oh my god my child’s missing’ which I think would have put me off continuing it. Instead, it takes you on a rollercoaster, with multiple perspectives and little teasers to keep you reading.

As you can tell, I absolutely loved this book and have recommended it to everybody. I was also very excited to read Heidi Perks’ first novel, Beneath the Surface, which is quite different but equally as engaging.

You Let Me In – Lucy Clarke

I’m not great at having people in my house when I’m not there, even friends or family members, so the thought of having Air BnB guests is completely out of the question. That’s the starting point of this book, with successful writer Elle returning from a break away to find that things are not quite right in her Cornwall home. There are lots of individual storylines going on in this book, and often you find a red herring that really distracts you.

I really liked this book and the way that the feelings of unease and suspense built up. It was almost like a niggle at the back of my mind, is something going on or is just down to Elle’s anxiousness and insomnia? These types of thoughts are all too familiar to many people, so you can really empathise with Elle’s character.

This was another page turner for me, and I found myself plotting when I could squeeze in a few minutes reading time in between family life!

What’s Left Unsaid – Deborah Stone

I think that I had preconceptions about what this book was going to be like when I started reading it, and was actually pleasantly surprised. I normally go for the crime or thriller type, where the action unfolds in (almost) real time. This book is very different, as it switches between time periods for the same characters. It really gives the characters depth, and certainly gives a fresh perspective on those that you might not have liked initially.

Quite early on a major part of the plot is uncovered, but with very few details and many possible permutations which really keeps you guessing. I liked the way that the resolutions for the characters were not outlandish or unbelievable, and were actual real life situations that could happen to any of us. I’ll be honest and say that I found some parts of the book uncomfortable to read, but I’m glad that I kept going with it as it’s very well written.

*This is a collaborative post through NetGalley, all opinions are my own.