I’ve got the bug again - not the dreaded virus, but the reading bug. I went to Rhodes for a week at the start of June and enjoyed some wonderful novels I’d love to share - you can read more about all of them, and read ebook previews, in my Amazon shop here.
The newspapers mostly pick quite heavyweight books for their summer reads lists but mine is unashamedly all about page-turning, intelligent stories.
A double dose of my all-time favourite writer, Lisa Jewell!
Lisa’s books inspired me to write - she never puts a foot wrong, as far as I’m concerned, with sparkling writing, fascinating characters, and stories that stay with you a long time after you’ve closed the book. I had a preview of The Family Remains, the sequel to her brilliant The Family Upstairs, and had to ration myself as I enjoyed it so much.
And right after I’d finished, I read The Truth about Lisa Jewell, a non-fiction book detailing how author Will Brooker followed Lisa for a year as she wrote The Family Remains. I am endlessly intrigued by how other writers work, and though I do know Lisa socially, I had no idea that she goes into a book without knowing what’s really going to happen! As someone who plots carefully, that was scary for me to read, but it’s made me want to try! It was a really interesting book, and definitely one for big LJ fans, or people who want to know more about how she creates her novels!
Brighton Breezy - stories set in my favourite city!
Sue Teddern’s The Pre-Loved Club is only her second novel, but her years of experience as a TV and radio writer shine through in her witty dialogue and warm, recognisable characters. This book makes the most of our beloved Brighton setting. I raced through it!
And another novel with this irresistible coastal setting is Josie Lloyd’s Lifesaving for Beginners, which follows a group of brave and brilliant women sea-swimmers as they try to stay afloat through emotional drama and the difficulties of lockdown. I loved this - Josie really puts her characters through the mill, but it’s an incredibly uplifting story about friendship and love.
Trips through time - a memorable woman & a super-smart story
You might have heard about both these books, but in case you haven’t, I loved Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, for the vibrant writing style and the stand-out central character, a courageous and uncompromising scientist trying to tackle the sexism of the 1960s with humour and determination. And I was astounded by the cleverness of Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister, a thriller with a Groundhog Day structure. It’s brain-scramblingly smart but also manages to have a real emotional hit. Brilliant.
One last summer read… by me!
Obviously I can’t say nice things about my own book, Owner of a Lonely Heart, but lots of authors have read it and said nice things instead! Out in the UK July 7.
