I have had a very busy year being much more involved with family and grandchildren, helping move, childcare and visiting and, hence, for the first time in over five years I have read less than 200 books. I am at my lowest with the total for 2014 being 164. I also find that this year my reading has very much leaned towards crime and detection and have discovered many new authors as well as enjoying old and well loved writers.
Here below is the list of books I have enjoyed most over the last 12 months (in no particular order):
- Old Friends and New Fancies - Sybil Brinton
- The Great Impersonator - E Phillip Oppenheim
- Grand Duchess of Nowhere - Laurie Graham
- Knife Gun Poison Bomb - Martin O'Brien
- I Visit the Soviets (aka The Provincial Lady goes to Russia) - E M Delafield
- A Tangled Web - L M Montgomery
- Cauldstane - Linda Gillard
- Winter Garden - Jane Thynne
- Black Roses - Jane Thynne
- Blue Remembered Hills - Rosemary Sutcliff
It goes without saying that the highlight of 2014 has been the publication of Women of the World by my clever and gorgeous daughter, Helen McCarthy, and I have not included it in the above list as it goes without saying that I think it is wonderful.
For that reason I am not making it by book of the year as I am totally biased and my choice for Random this year is The Four Sisters by Helen Rappaport.
This is not the first time I have chosen a book by this author for this accolade, if it can be deemed as such, but it is richly deserved. This story is beautifully written, impeccably researched and totally heartbreaking. If you have yet to read it then I recommend that you make a good start to 2015 by getting hold of a copy. My review is in two parts here and here.
So it remains for me to wish all Random readers and visitors a Happy New Year. You all continue to make my life fun and interesting so do keep on visiting. And do please leave comments as I love reading them, and if you are a lurker, I know I have some, then please come out of the shadows........
