This week the last five books that I have really enjoyed and recommend from the 100 I’ve read in 2018. To be honest I think I’ll lower my total next year, as I had to scramble and grab a couple of children’s books set for our book club to meet the challenge.
I’m sure they are not aware of it, but there are a few other authors I feel connected to as we started self-publishing around the same time. I hope they might think I have grown as I have seen them improve from book to book. The editing, dialogue, formatting, show not tell, have all taken huge leaps forward and they are among the books I’ve chosen this year, besides traditionally published books.
TEARS OF FIRE by Gordon Bickerstaffe
THEY GET BETTER AND BETTER
I’ve read all of this author’s books and each one is better than the last. For the first time, Zoe shows some fallibility and I liked that. She has been superwoman up until now and she has become more believable. The story was excellent and the familiar characters were as lively as ever. It kept me guessing and the pace never faltered. I’ll be looking out for the next book in the series – I hope that will be soon. I was thrilled too to see that Gordon got a gold medal at the Readers’ Favorite Awards 2018 for an earlier book, Tabula Rising. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DPSWZ3J
MATEGUAS ISLAND Linda Watkins
LOVED IT
I really enjoyed this book. If there was one criticism it was the minute descriptions of everyday life which I would have preferred the author to omit, but the story was excellent, the imagery clear, the tension just right in all the right places and I was kept wondering until the very end how this book could have a happy ending. The configuration of the characters and their feelings for each other made that impossible, or so I thought. I shall be looking to buy more books written by this author. I see that Linda also won a gold medal and several other awards and I can understand why. I’m not sure what genre I would put this in, but possibly psychological thriller with supernatural undertones? Wherever it fits it’s a great read. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K0SDP9K
A MOTHERLAND’S DAUGHTER, A FATHERLAND’S SON
GREAT READ
I have to include one of my favourite authors and having eagerly devoured many of her other books I was expecting a good read and I was not disappointed. It paints a brilliant picture of the reality of war and should be a compulsory read for anyone who thinks that battles are glorious and patriotic. Set initially in Poland and featuring both the Soviet and the German armies I understand the story was based partly on a true story. Well written, characters I cared for and a book I might even read a second time. Highly recommended. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079YF1BD9
THE VASE WITH THE MANY COLOURED MARBLES by Jacob Singer
From the descriptions of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Potchefstroom it is obvious that Jacob Singer the author is familiar not only with South African geography but with its history, often comparing the apartheid laws with those invoked in Germany under the Hitler regime. The story is quite unique, fast paced, attention holding and tense. Once I started reading I found the book impossible to put down. I was fascinated by the title, and it has a place in the narrative which is very clever. On reading the biography at the back I learned that part of the tale is based on truth, and only someone who had experienced living in South Africa could have brought this book to life as clearly as Jacob Singer. Well written, it flows beautifully and encompasses much of that country’s history and politics seamlessly into the story line. I cannot recommend it too highly, a really great read with a very unusual scenario. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H1T76S
ECHOES OF THE PAST by Peter Rimmer
The blurb on Amazon says it’s for fans of the Courtney Series, the Kingsbridge novels and the Clifton Chronicles – so I knew it was also for me. Set in Rhodesia during the First War of Liberation it follows the fortunes of a family of early settlers, their infighting and their battles to survive. Adventure, excitement and historical set in the continent I miss, I was thrilled to find a new author on my favourite subject. Sadly, his author page has been updated and now tells us he passed away last July in his early 80’s. He has left several unpublished manuscripts and I shall be looking out for those as soon as I have read all his other books. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S8TMJY0
I would hate to single out any one book as being the one I have enjoyed the most in 2018. Once I am engrossed in a good story, I am far away from my little place in Spain, right beside the characters, breathing the same air, hearing the same cries and living their lives. There are so many good books out there I’ll never have time to read all the ones I want, but I can recommend all the ones I’ve featured over the last three weeks.
Till next time, take care
Lucinda
lucinda E Clarke 