Top ten books of the year -so far

To make my list all I've done is list the books in the order of how much I've enjoyed them obviously from 10 to 1 with number 1 being the book or books I've enjoyed the most in the past 12 months.

I can honestly say hand on heart that the only thing that has got a book on my list are the stories held between the front and read covers of the books I've read nothing else.

now rather than my normal link-a-thon of the book or books in the list I've decided to go down the amazon associates route meaning you can buy any of the books listed below with the confidence that amazon.co.uk are the ones who will be dealing with everything, this gives you the peace of mind when you buy online that you WILL get what you pay and with a company the size of amazon you know its safe to shop online

OK first off number 10

10. The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

After reading the review I think its fair to assume that this book was always going to be on a list of this type, in honestly I think it'll end up on more than just my top10 this year.

9. The lost symbol by Dan Brown

Whats not to like? another fantastic story that no doubt far too many people will confuse with fact at least they're reading though so... that's a good thing. in seriousness though I've got to say the only thing that's stopped me from putting it further up the list is the quality of the other books if they'd not been as good as they were this would have easily been no1 on the list.




8. Twilight, New moon, Eclipse and Breaking dawn all by Stephanie Meyer

I was put onto this after reading a tweet by Jason Bradbury (@jasonbradbury) after a couple of tweets I bought the first and then the 2nd and 3rd and then tripped slipped and bought the 4th and I must say they are much better than I gave them credit for if you've ignored the twilight saga as kids books pick one up and you'll see just how wrong you were (obviously change the dust jackets though if your reading them in public ;)

7. Cross Country by James Patterson

After going on some what of a James Patterson binge during the last 12 months (I bought the new Alex Cross book this week its like heroin it really is you start with a little an within a week your banging on the door of the library begging for another fix. If you've not read any of James Patterson's books I'd encourage you to, its easy to see why he's the worlds best selling thriller writer.

6. No time for goodbye by Linwood Barclay

After walking through Asda and buying it because it was one of Richard and Judy's summer reads I was unsure what to expect but I really didn't have to worry. It is by far and away the most surprising book in the top 10, its possibly the only one I picked up at 9am and didn't put down until I'd finished it. I'm currently reading the next book by Linwood Barclay and its just as good



5. The end of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas

I loved this book there's nothing else to say. Its smart, funny and imaginative and it doesn't pander to the masses which I like although I'll bet that Scarlett Thomas' publisher wishes it was a little more inviting to the casual reader but its not it requires you accept some pretty literal concept's like trains of thought while accepting that you can jump from consciousness to consciousness its a very surreal and fanciful tale that I honestly couldn't have enjoyed or lost myself in more.


4. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith and The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith

Again like number 8 there are more than 1 book in this position but there we go, I started reading the secret speech as soon as I'd finished child44 and I'm glad I did the characters develop as you go through child44 and on into the secret speech is fantastic you really get the sense of change, frustration and worry in the first that makes way for fear and misunderstanding in the second and knowing what happened during the time of the cold war some how made these books come alive as I'm sure they will have for many many others

3. The Spellman files, Revenge of the Spellmans and Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

I'm fully aware that not a lot of people will know the author Lisa Lutz or any of her books and to be honest I don't know why not. These 3 books are funny, well written and very enjoyable I bought the first one (The Spellman files) on a whim when my local super market were doing a 2 for £7 deal and really enjoyed it all three of the books are sharp, fresh and bright way all through and the way the 3 of them are wrote reminds me of Veronica Mars a TV show I really enjoyed (before it was cancelled lol) I could go on and on about Izzy Spellman, Rae and the rest but I don't want to you should read them yourself they will enrich your literary lives

2. Free Agent by Jeremy Duns

Until I read Free Agent I'd never been all that into spy books and other than James Bond I don't think I could have named another fictional British spy. That's not the case any more though with the sense that I was watching a 1940's film noir rather than reading a book (even though its set in the late 60's) I really enjoyed this book and if not for the two in front this would be the only one that could hold The Lost Symbol off number one.

If you've not read it you really should not everyone is 100% good or 100% bad and unusually in this book it explores the main character (Paul Dark- see told you I could now name another literary spy other than Bond) and his double life as he tries his best not to become the new Kim Philby

1. The book with no name by Anonymous and The eye of the moon by Anonymous

If you know my preference for surrealism you'll easily know I was going to love this book, the fact that The book with no name has a history makes it all the better especially when you consider that just one decision could have stopped this book dead in its tracks and without as driven an author as Anonymous is (even going down the self publish route briefly before being picked up by an established publisher)

The Eye of the moon is one of those books albeit a rare one that's as good as the first and as surreal as can be having characters by the name of Rodeo Rex and Elvis (who's a Hit man obviously) not to mention The Bourbon Kid with a mixture of vampires, cowboys and ninja skilled Monks it really could have been terrible. But they're not both the books are like the best parts of Buffy the vampire slayer mixed with Firefly, Serenity and Deadwood all mixed together. If you don't enjoy these books there's something wrong with you, there I said it its not the books if you don't enjoy them it's you there's something wrong with you.

If like me you've read more than a few books this year and you think I've missed some out please feel free to email your suggestion to the50bookchallenge@gmail.com and if theres enough I'll post a user submitted top 10 books of the year.