Great Books to Read in 2018
I really enjoy reading historical fiction. Here are some great books for you to try this year. I have read all of them, some even twice. These are my favorites:
A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore. The story is built around a dual time-frame. A young woman is sent to a stately home to value antiques. The story goes back in time when she discovers old letters within the house. This is a really good story.
The French Gardener by Santa Montefiore. Another story that goes back in time. A young family move into a new home and employ a gardener who worked there decades ago. Two different stories run along together and you begin to understand the love affair he had with the mistress of the house from the past and why he couldn’t leave the area.
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton. Grace, once a lady’s maid at a grand house, is retelling events that happened years ago when she worked there. She has kept many secrets of the house owners and the apparent suicide. Another dual time-frame book.
The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro.This is a great book set in the 1920s and 1950s England and Paris. The characters are two interesting women and the scene is set in an era where men were considered to be more dominant and successful. The time frame goes back and forth again, but I like this style of writing, and the details of Paris and London are very detailed and interesting during the time periods.
Mariana by Susanna Kearsley. When Julia, as a successful children’s author finally buys the old house she saw as a child her life becomes strangely linked to the life of a young woman called ‘Mariana’ who lived at Greywethers with her uncle in the 17th century. This is a bit of a ghost story and Julia finds it hard to separate herself from going back into the past. This is very atmospheric and a great page-turner.
The Legacy by Katherine Webb. A family saga across 6 generations. There are secrets that come through as the story progresses from 1902 to the present day. Children and inheritance are involved with secrets and details from the past becoming more obvious as the story unfolds. There are some great twists at the end.
And lastly, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J K Rowling. About 10 years ago, I borrowed a book from the library that had just been released called ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’. I think just because your an adult it doesn’t mean that you can’t read children’s books. This book was absolutely brilliant and I couldn’t put it down. J K Rowling I think is a genius, and her imagination that comes over in her books is wonderful. During Christmas, the ‘Harry Potter’ films have been shown on the TV and it made me take the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ out of the bookcase and start reading. Needless to say, it took me about 4 days to finish it and it was brilliant. I’m now going to read the next one which I bought today called ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ and will continue to read the whole set.
If you’ve never read a J K Rowling book before I suggest you give them a try. Millions and millions have been sold around the world already which is saying something.
If you do purchase any of the suggested books above I can near enough guarantee you will enjoy them if you like historical novels, love stories and good plot twists.
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