A Year of Books

2012 has been a revelation for me… I discovered the world of independent authors and became a mum.

 

I set myself a target of 50 books this year, and I’ve read, to date, 76. I’ve got another 3/4 on the go so might hit close to 80 by the time the year is out.

 

If you’re a follower of my blog, you’ll know there are some authors I’ve really enjoyed this year and some books that have surprised me. So, this post is my round up of my favourite books of 2012.

The book that win hands down in terms of the story, the writing and the professionalism of the production of the kindle version and that is Chasing Innocence by the superb John Potter. All too often indie books fall at the last hurdle – they are often littered with typing and formatting errors. John took a professional approach to his book and ensured that it was edited and produced to the same standards as a book from one of the major publishing houses.

The story of Chasing Innocence is excellent, it’s dark and harrowing in places but is a superb thriller – as good as any I’ve read. I can’t wait for the next book.

 

Another favourite book from this year is Silver Linings by Kate James.When this request landed in my inbox I very nearly declined it – romance novels aren’t, usually, my thing. However, Silver Linings is simply a beautiful book. It’s wonderfully written and it’s clear that Kate writes from experience. Her characterisation is excellent and the description of the places the characters visit is excellent too. I hear that Silver Linings has won many awards this year – and rightly so. I know Kate is working on her second book and I hope to have the pleasure of reading that soon in 2013.

Another author I’ve really enjoyed reading is Matthew Iden. Matt introduced me to the world of short stories and I’ve had the pleasure of reading his two full length novels – (see here for A Reason to Live and here for Blueblood). Matt’s books are the first I’ve paid for on seeing a follow up be published and I’ll be keeping an eye out for the next in the series on Marty Singer books.

 

The three authors above all offer something a little different but all offer excellent well written books, books that captivate and engage and showcase the very best that the indie publishing world has to offer. They’re all published to a high standard, excellent cover art, well edited and well formatted. These all make a difference.

 

There is one book missing – my year of books would not be complete without a nod to the excellent Donald Stilwell. My absolute stand out book of 2012 is Obligation. As I said in my review at the time, this was a  book that I shouldn’t have enjoyed – every descriptor from the synopsis and the cover art should have had me running away from this book. However, it won a place in my heart and is the book I have recommended that most during the year. Stilwell created a modern classic with this story and I’ve been fortunate enough to read the sequel, Darkness.

 

So, those are my favourite books of the year – are there any gems I’ve missed and should add to my 2013 reading list?