​Books, Stories and Reading Material:

I love reading. I really love reading however I read to escape mostly and while I have read Che Guevera's diaries (I was in Cuba at the time) most of my reading is lightweight and fast paced. I particularly love travel stories (of course), crime and lately have found myself straying into the strange and varied world of Sci-Fi. Have a go at the books I've listed below and let me know what you thought. 

Any of the books I mention can be purchased by using the Booktopia banner below.

just read

The latest books I've read, what I though and why you should read them!

this is how it always is
laurie frankel

Somehow I had NO IDEA this was a novel. I read it thinking it was a real story & man I LOVED THIS FAMILY! I was absolutely gutted when I  realised it was a novel. OMG how did that happen?? One of the best stories I've read in years. LOVED IT

I LET HIM GO
​DENISE FERGUS

I couldn't honestly tell you why I chose this book, but I'm glad I did. Enjoyed seems the wrong word for this type of story but I am glad I read it. 

the crossway
guy stagg

I've planned to walk the Via Francigena since I did the Camino De Santiago so this book was an easy choice. He walks his way from Canterbury to Jerusalem to rebuild his life after a period of mental illness. Well worth the read! 

Past Recommended Books

pharaoh
wilbur smith

I'm always up for a new adventure with Taita and I wasn't disappointed. The vain old lovable rogue is up to old tricks and new with the master of the African story, Wilbur Smith showing us again how to weave a great story into an historical period.

the last black unicorn
tiffany haddish

I was kind of hoping this was side splittingly funny (she IS a comedian) however its more an open and honest account of everything it took for her to get to where she is today. So not what I expected but a good read none the less.

evicted
​Matthew desmond

This book has been in my library for about a year (maybe more) and I finally read it this month. OMG - one of the best books I've ever read.

a man called ove
fredrik backman

I have just red A Man Called Ove - OMG SO funny. I laughed out loud & then cried like a little girl at the end.

i know why the caged bird sings
maya angelou

Time magazine called this one of the top 100 books of all time, but I can't get on board with that I'm afraid.​

I read most of my books on my kobo Aura h2o. It's waterproof for up to 60 mins in 2 metres of water!

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easy to read series:

Michael Connelly: Det Harry Bosch Series

Michael Connelly has a series about an LAPD detective Harry Bosch. I am hopelessly hooked on Harry and have read each and every one of these books, some more than once. His life is dark and dangerous and Harry's story builds with each consecutive book so I would recommend you starting with The Black Echo (on the left) and making a decision based on that.
Check out Micheal Connelly's books by clicking the book on the left.
Matthew Reilly:

Mr Reilly is the Australian master of the action novel. I LOVE his books with the one exception of "The Tournament", which was about a young English girl being taken to Istanbul. Just not for me that one...  

His books have a few series but you can read them in the order you want quite successfully. The first one I ever read was Ice Station which introduced a young marine commander "Scarecrow" but my all time favourite is Contest which is the first book he ever wrote and I was fortunate enough to get an  original Karanadon Press (when he couldn't get anyone to publish him he self published the first batch) version a few years ago.
Single Books:
Hover Car Racer is unashamedly Australian (which I love) and would be a great book to get your teenage boy reading. My husband races a Jet Boat and this seems like jet boat racing above ground.

Contest is set in the New York city library and is an intergalactic warrior style challenge for different planets. Earths contestant is a young ER doc who has no idea how he got into this or how to get out. Its a fight to the death and the last warrior remaining standing is declared the winner. I don't read sci-fi normally but I LOVED this story. It's quirky, it's smart and it never stops for a second! 
Series:
The Jack West series is about an Australian adventurer and equally as good as the Scarecrow series. These stories are infused with archaeological stories and you always feel that you come away having learnt something. 

Scarecrow was the first character that Mr Reilly turned into a series and it is my favourite series for sure. I've never wanted to be an actress but I so wish they would make Ice Station into a movie so I could play mother. I'm probably a little old now if truth be told, but OMG I love her!
I do in fact get a small commission if you use the Booktopia link and it helps me run my website, tell you amusing travel stories and pay for Photoshop every month. It doesn't however pay for any travel - like I said is a SMALL commission. Tiny really but every little bit helps.