Summer 2022 Reading Recommendations
Over the past year I’ve discovered some amazing new authors and also found myself returning to my old favourites. If you’re in need of some ideas for what to read as we approach the holiday season then this article might be just the thing you’re looking for. Check out my full review if the summary piques your interest!
A Drowned Kingdom by PL Stuart
A Drowned Kingdom is a difficult book to describe and classify. At its heart, PL Stuart has written a story of sweeping epic fantasy. Yet Stuart does so much more with this novel – I’ve not read anything else quite like it. Othrun, the central character, is fascinating because his motives and ambitions are not always palatable, making you wonder as the reader if you really want him to succeed. If you like thought-provoking fantasy with in-depth world building, unpredictable politics and stirring battle scenes this book is for you.
The Indie Author Mindset by Adam Croft
A short, easy read aimed at authors looking at self-publishing, although there's plenty of useful stuff in here for authors going down a traditional publication route. Offering valuable insights for anyone wanting to turn their writing hobby into a career, I'd thoroughly recommend this book to other fellow writers.
Haggis MacBrawn’s Dishy Secret by Karen McCompostine
Where to begin with this one? McCompostine’s debut romantic shifter novel showcases some unique skills with Scottish dialect that will leave you reading and rereading a sentence to confirm what just happened.
Mother of Eden by Chris Beckett
Chris Beckett’s Eden trilogy is one of my favourite series of all time. I thought Dark Eden was amazing and Mother of Eden underlined that this series is an ambitious sci-fi masterpiece.
Legacy of the Brightwash by Krystle Matar
An extraordinary debut fantasy novel by the talented author Krystle Matar. The main character of Tashué and his companions stay with you, long after you’ve turned the final page, which for me is always the ultimate test of a good book. Trust me when I say Legacy of the Brightwash is a fantastic novel and you should pick up a copy without delay.
Paranormal in the Peaks: Weird Tales of Argana Zeit Volume 1 by Owain Oakwood
I really enjoyed escaping into the company of Argana Zeit, paranormal investigator, in Owain Oakwood’s short story series. Those early stories have now been brought together in this new Weird Tales collection. There's strong sense of place with the Derbyshire Peak District setting and plenty of laugh out loud moments. I’m still working my way through this collection and I’m looking forward to more adventures with Argana and her friends.
Valhalla Steel by Sean Crow
Near-future dystopian fantasy, in which gunrunning cyberpunk Vikings try to survive in the dangerous, violent world of Twilight City. The setting draws on several sci-fi influences, including Bladerunner, Terminator, The Matrix and Judge Dredd’s world of Mega-City One in the 2000AD comics. Sean Crow has a distinctive voice and writing style and this novella is excellent. I’m genuinely excited to see where Crow takes this series next.
Why Odin Drinks by Bjørn Larssen
Larssen is a gifted and versatile writer and he judges this collection of comedy novellas, inspired by Norse myth, just right. Why Odin Drinks had me laughing out loud and it’s an absolute pleasure to read. It’s the kind of book where you find yourself reading out your favourite passages to whoever happens to be sitting nearby, whether they asked you to or not! I’m not sorry.
The Hand that Casts the Bone by HL Tinsley
The Hand that Casts the Bone is a strong continuation of the excellent grimdark fantasy series The Vanguard Chronicles, building on the impressive foundations of the first book (We Men of Ash and Shadow) and giving the reader more of everything that made that such a good novel. This instalment delivers an emotional gut punch that leaves an enduring impression on the reader, the hallmark of an author at the top of their game. With its brilliant characters, well thought out plot and distinctive setting this is an outstanding novel in what's clearly going to be a terrific fantasy series.
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding
I’ve read and enjoyed lots of books over the years but very few of them have stayed with me. Since I’m a slow reader, a smaller number of those are books I’ve read and reread. One of those in that select group is Bridget Jones’s Diary and I had the pleasure of reading it again this year. It’s actually better than I remembered, sharper and full of keen observations that are as relevant today as when they were first written.
This book is so good I wrote a whole blog article about it as well!
