Mad Mike's Writing blog, book of the year 2024

Welcome friends, book bloggers and avid readers alike, to my annual book of the year post. As usual, this post is not about books written or published in 2024, it’s about books I have read. I won’t bore you with a full list, for that you can look me up on Goodreads so, without further ado,

In at number five is: The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Great characters, superb writing and centred around an episode in history I knew nothing about - The Pendle Witch trials of 1612 - The Familiars is a fast-paced historical thriller which drips with secrets, intrigue, fear, hypocrisy and witches, with a constant inference of injustice, in spite the tenacious efforts of or heroine, seventeen-year-old mother to be, Fleetwood Shuttleworth.

The power struggle betwixt Fleetwood and her philandering husband and the pace and tone of the writing reminded me very much of the late great de Maurier and Frenchman’s Creek, which is why this superb debut novel earnt itself four stars and a place in my top five.

 

In fourth place: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Magical.

Scary, too, but magical.

Mixed with fear, lose, loneliness and bitter memories of a time gone by, Gaiman manages to weave a tail that can be enjoyed by everybody. There’s fantasy, magic, good and evil, all expertly mixed with a reality that still seems to bend the rules and it’s a rollercoaster of emotion, from love, wonder and amazement to that cold chill that sometimes runs down the back of your neck. All told, this book is stunning – I read the illustrated edition which wowed me visually, too – and like all good books, takes you on a journey that is difficult to forget. Four stars.

 

In bronze medal position, then: Mosquito by Rowland White

WWII has begun, but in a remote village in Hertfordshire a self-taught aviator, Geoffrey de Havilland, has a plan. He has what he believes the Royal Air Force needs, a twin engine 400 mph fighter, bomber, reconnaissance aeroplane that will take the fight to the enemy and, it’s made of wood!!

In spite the scepticism from the MOD (ministry of defence), de Havilland pressed on and creates possibly the best aeroplane ever made. It was faster than the Spitfire of the time and could carry the fight – with bombs, rockets, cameras or agents – to the enemy, and performed some off the most daring raids of the war.

Mixing history and facts with the first hand accounts of the men who flew the thousands of missions at treetop level over enemy territory, night after night, week after week, month after month for four years, this book takes you to the heart of the battle, be it the quietude of a moonlit field in Zealand, or the smoke filled cockpit of a doomed Mosquito, you get to smell, hear and feel everything and learn what fortitude, valour and hero, really mean.

Four and a Half Stars.

 

So, the runners: Someone Like Me by M. R. Carey

This is a book about domestic abuse, murder in self-defence, kidnapping, multiple personalities, mental health, young love and an imaginary fox, written with a delicacy I wasn't expecting.

From Beth's rise behind Liz's calm exterior, to Beth's cold-blooded ability to not just kill Liz's (her) ex-husband but to dispose of him with such composure is brilliantly executed. As is the relationship between Francine and Jinx, her imaginary animated fox friend that happened to turn up the day she woke after being kidnapped as a young girl. The way they speak, interact - Fran even holds doors open for her fox when she's going to see her therapist - is again, clever and very well executed as is the book in general.

With multiple perspectives: teenagers, adults, the real and the ethereal, the fictional and the fantastical, and the fear, the horror and the tranquillity, I fell that I’ve found an unexpected gem that needs shouting about. Four and a half stars.

 

And the winner: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I have a confession. I was a big tennis fan when I was younger, mid-80s to mid-90s – used to camp on the street to get Wimbledon tickets – which might have skewed my opinion, but let’s face it, this author writes superb books.

Carrie Soto won everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, so, when the new kid on the block closes in on her all-time Grand Slam record, Carrie Soto doesn’t take it lying down and we learn just how hard it is to be at the top: the fastest, fittest, the best.

Told from two timelines, the before and the now, we follow Carrie through the lows, the highs, the sweat and tears, the injury, self-doubt, the constant berating from the media: that she’s passed it, shouldn’t have come out of retirement, is embarrassing herself.

There’s her relationship with her father, the lose of her mother, the possible old flame/love interest and it’s frenetic to say the least, chapters passing in the blink of an eye – it took me just 9 days to read, I just couldn’t put it down.

So, like Daisy Jones & the Six, where you don’t need to be mad on music to enjoy it, I don’t think you need to be a tennis fan to enjoy this, it’s just a fantastically fast paced story full of emotion wrapped up in a sporting environment and is, by me at least, heartily recommended. Five stars.

To finish, I would just like to wish you all the best for 2025 and hope you find happiness in whatever form that takes.

Mad Mike's writing blog, book of the year 2019

Welcome friends, book bloggers and avid readers alike, to my annual book of the year post. As usual, this post is not about books written or published this year, this is about the books that I have read this year, and with dozens to choose from, it's no easy task. I won't bore you with a big long list of all my reads from 2019, for that you can check out my historic posts or look at Amazon/Goodreads for my reviews, so without further ado:-

In at number five is, Two Years Eight Months & Twenty-Eight Nights, by Salman Rushdie (10/11/19 post)

'This book is about the few, the powerful, controlling the masses and seeking to divide them, create panic, sow fear, feeding on their desperation, and feels so relevant in today's society, and although this book has many aspects of fantasy and of mythical culture woven within it, it is still firmly rooted in the present day and is very thought-provoking,' I said back in November and stand by that statement today. Very weird but a must-read.

My number four is, The Colour Purple, by Alice Walker

(24/02/19 post)

'Told in a series of letters, written by Celie, firstly to her God and then to her sister, Nettie and eventually, from her sister back to her, The Colour Purple is a fiercely compelling book that has you at times on the edge of your seat. It is a roller-coaster of emotions: there will be tears, you will feel fear, hatred, and anger, but as the book comes to a close you will feel a deep, deep respect for the main character and the author, for this is a journey that feels so real it could be autobiographical.'

In the bronze position then: Daisy Jones & The Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Ooooooooh! SMACK! PUNCH! SLAP! Phew . . .
Well, that about sums up this rather superb biopic novel of the rock 'n' roll band that was, Daisy Jones & the Six. This book is a journey, and it's a journey I'd recommend you all take because, if you're not in a rock n roll band, if you're not touring with a number one album to your name, or never will, this'll be about as close as you'll ever get to finding out what you missed. Told by the band members many years later, in an interview style, it is bloody brilliant – it even has the song lyrics at the end for the entire Aurora album – how cool is that?

So, this year’s runner: A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled  Hosseini (22/09/19 post)

'To be able to weave the delicacies of love and passion, for life and one another, for the children they have borne or grown to love, into a story of such depravity and desolation, of loss and grief, is a true testament to this author's writing, and so I don't hesitate to recommend this book to all, and can, with hand on heart say, that it is one of the best I have read so far this year,' I said back in September, and stand 100% behind those comments. A superb but brutal read.

And the winner, my favourite book of 2019: The City of Mirrors, by Justin Cronin

(14/02/19 post)

'We're back in the year 122 A.V (after virus). Zero's army is coming, forged from the people who moved to the outlining townships. Michael (Circuit) has spent the last twenty years rebuilding a ship he hopes to escape on, but will it be ready? The virals are massing, the gates to the Homestead are closed once again, Carter has woken and Amy walks amongst the people once more, and then . . .

The ground rumbles, the virals breakthrough and panic ensues, and it is here, as the narrative flicks from one character's peril to another, that the book takes off, and as the pages pass in a blur, the tension builds, characters we have known since the beginning fall, Carter's army clashes with Zero's, Amy tries to save Alicia, and the rest of the human race fight their way to Michael's ship, you realise that this story really is one of the very best you've ever read.'

N.B: If you like your books spooky & atmospheric, maybe check out a couple of my runners-up, Bird Box, by Josh Malermam and Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad.

Daisy Jones & the Six, book review. (Taylor Jenkins Reid)

Ooooooooh!

SMACK!

PUNCH!

SLAP!

Phew . . .

Well, that about sums up Taylor Jenkins Reid's rather superb biopic novel of the rock 'n' roll band that was, Daisy Jones & the Six. From their slow-burning start through their rise to fame to superstardom, playing the largest stadiums and having the biggest selling album of the year before their sudden - unexplained until now - split.
This book is a journey, and it's a journey I'd recommend you all take because if you're not in a rock n roll band, if you're not touring with a number one album to your name, or never will, this'll be about as close as you'll ever get to finding out what you missed.

It’s the late 60’s when two brothers start a band, one clearly having the edge on talent, but that's not an issue, they both know what’s what and so the scene is set.

It's a slow burn at first: bars, support act, a few line-up changes, what you might expect from a band finding its feet, but moving through the decade (1970's in case you're wondering) their writing improves, the venues get bigger, the drugs and drink flow to excess, and they're getting a name for themselves.

Then: Daisy.

Carefree, gorgeous, voice like an angel (or a devil if she's in the mood) and then suddenly, the sky's the limit.
Written in a way that makes you search the internet for band memorabilia or a copy of their seminal album, Aurora, this book flies by - maybe not in the one sitting suggested by Reese Witherspoon on the front cover but not far off - and of course the copious amounts of sex, drugs, and infighting - all told with hindsight many years later in an interview style, is bloody brilliant – it even has the song lyrics at the end for the entire Aurora album – how cool is that?

Of course, all good things have to come to an end, as did this book, but I'd love it if someone far cleverer than me put a soundtrack to it. The lyrics are there, so come on musicians. Books rarely come with a soundtrack, Robin Wasserman's, Girls on Fire being one of the exceptions, so surely someone out there can give it a go!!
Four big fat gold stars for this one then, losing that elusive fifth star for being just the slightest be repetitive around the halfway mark.

Don't forget to search my blog for your favourite authors and books and if I haven't read them, message me with your recommendations.