A Year of Reading and 10 Things Tuesday- Thrillers

Oh, I do love a good book- my apartment is full of them.- and I don't even want to think about all the ones I have stashed away in boxes, stored away in the UK! Anyway, I digress- Books, lots of them, scattered around my spare room-looks like a sale day at Barnes and Noble... but the reason why they are there and not neatly stacked on my shelves, is that I am having a big sort out.

 As you know by now I have loads of  challenges to do this year (strangely enough, 52 of them!) and a lot of them include reading stuff other than my usual chic lit and thrillers. So I decided to have a look and see what actually was on my bookshelf.

I came to the conclusion- a lot!- but I finally got them organised and thought I'd share some of my 'to reads' with you.

I've also decided to join in with A year full of books- a meme set up by Laura at circleofpinetrees to share views and reviews on the books we are reading over the year. I found this little gem by reading a post by Kathy at Postcards from the P.P. and was inspired:)

My choice for January is 'The White Pearl' by Kate FurnivalL. I've read one her earlier novels 'The Russian Concubine' and was enthralled by it, so I'm hoping that this one will also be a worthy read.
I'm smitten already, as the book is set in Malaya, Singapore and the South China Sea- My current stomping ground- so it's already off to a good start.

As well as this one, I'm also reading 'Nightmare Abbey' by Thomas Love Peacock, for my regular book club-I'll tell you how that one's going at a later date!

For 10 Thing's Tuesday I've started off with my favourite 10 thriller writers- Not exactly high brow reading- but a little bit of trashy novel now and again does you good!.. I blame my Degree- Having to read so many English Literature books, certainly makes you want to read some trash- just because you can... Again, I digress...

Back to my Authors. I'm not saying you should read them- each to their own and all that.. but you never know- try them - you might like them:)

1.Lee Child

My number one thriller author is Lee Child. Strangely enough I haven't got one book on my bookshelf that is actually his. What I do have is my 'Jack Reacher Rules' book by him, not the same- but enough to illustrate my point!

All my Lee child books must be either back home in England or on loan to others. Anyway, whether it's because he's English, or lived in Cumbria or what I don't know- but I can't seem to read his books fast enough. Call me fickle- but Jack Reacher is one awesome character. I love the tag line that goes- 'All men want to be him- and all women just want to be with him'. i would go along with that- A 6 foot 4, 200lb all action hero- what more could you want. But don't even get me started on the Tom cruise film version... Tom Cruise portraying Reacher... No way.. but when you buy the film rights, I suppose you can do what you like...

2. James Patterson

Now from now on these are in no particular order of favouritism- but maybe James Patterson is up there, just because of the sheer volume of books he writes and how quickly I get through them. To be honest, some of them are good, some are ok and some are awful- but I still read them. His 'Alex Cross' books are definitely his best, which are the ones he writes on his own. I often find that when he collaborates with other authors, he tends to lose it a little- but that's just my opinion- and who am I to judge!

3.Kathy Reichs

I'm a 'Bones' fan, I have to admit, but even long before I started watching the TV Series, I had read many of Kathy Reich's novels.

if you like a bit of forensic Anthropology then Temp Brennan is the character for you. I now have an added interest, in that in reality, Kathy Reichs, works in Charlotte, NC and as an honorary North Carolinian gal, I have a soft spot for that particular Southern State!

4.Patricia Cornwall

Tying alongside Temp Brennan, Kay Scarpetta, CME, solves an awful lot of crimes. Always pacy, always close to the bone Cornwall's novels are almost as many as James Pattersons. I'm now restarting at the beginning of the series and reading them all again:)

5.David Baldacci

I started reading Baldacci Novel's years ago- then got lost somewhere in the middle - then re discovered them over the last year or so. I'd forgotten how good they were, In fact I think his latter ones are getting better all the time:)

6. Jonathan Kellerman

I can't remember the first Jonathan Kellerman book I read- I just know that I picked it up from a second hand bookshop somewhere on my travels, in some foreign country or other. I was probably looking for Patterson novels- but found him amongst the thriller section.

Once read, I was hooked- Another lead character, by the name of Alex Delaware, solving crimes in Los Angeles. Not a bad read at all.

7. Micheal Connelly

If you've seen the film 'The Lincoln Lawyer' then you know the work of Michael Connelly. If all leading men looked as good as Mathew Mcconaughey- I would surely watch every thriller there was. I've only read a few of Connelly's novels- but so far have yet to be disappointed.

8. Jeffrey Deaver

Often clever intricate plot lines, a little convoluted and with interesting lead characters, his novels certainly do keep you on your toes.

9 & 10 

Linwood Barclay & Alex Barclay

And now to two new authors I have yet to have the pleasure of reading.I have no idea how good they'll be. Same surname:Yet no relation, I believe!  One's Canadian, one's Irish, One male, one female- but both books feature murder and mayhem- and of course two heroes who are bound to get their man!

Who would you recommend for a good read?

Amanda x