While the new year brings great things, the month of January means little more to me than bad weather and a lack of pennies. However, with its dark evenings and a lingering chill in the air, winter is a season that lends itself well to a good book. A self-confessed literature fanatic, I'm often reading a book (or two) and with the welcome gift of a Kindle, I now can't help but purchase great reads on the go. This month, I'll be spending my time curled up with one of these - just wake me up when Spring arrives.
A quirky tale of love and hope, Us is an honest and often funny portrayal of a marriage. Following the endearing character of Douglas, it charts the love story between him and his wife - from a romantic weekend in Balham to an inter-railing trip across Europe with their son (in which his wife decides their marriage is over.)
If you're a fan of psychological thrillers, this is an ideal read. It follows a woman that suffers from a form of amnesia, forgetting all of her memories each time she goes to sleep. Before I go to Sleep was one that I struggled to put down - so make sure you put some time aside.
I'm a big fan of Lianne Moriarty's books, and read and reviewed this one back in the summer. With their moral dilemmas, they remind me of old Jodi Picoult books I used to enjoy reading as a teenager and The Husband's Secret is no different. A story of a mysterious letter, links between family members and loyalty to a husband, this is a book that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Every now and then comes a book that makes you look at the world a little differently and The Reader is one of those books. A unique portrayal of the Nazi holocaust, it is an enthralling and sometimes disturbing read about the power of human emotions.
With comparisons to the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, this charming book is a romantic love story from a unique viewpoint. The Rosie Project is told from the perspective of Don, a genetics professor whose life is dominated by strict routine, following his journey as he looks to embark on a project to find a wife. While it might sound a bit frothy, it is a great read and a modern love story of the best kind.
Have you read anything worth sharing lately? Let me know.