June 1-30 challenge

Day 30 Thirty Books

June 30, 1936. Margaret Mitchell’s book, Gone with the Wind, was published. 

Your last Challenge!

Have you dreamed of writing a novel? Set a timer for thirty minutes and free write! Write whatever comes to mind, then take just a few moments to do some simple editing such as correcting grammar and spelling.

Alternative: Have you read Gone with the Wind? Do you want to read it? What books do you want to read? What books have you read that you recommend? What books do you not recommend or will you not read?

Then grab a cool drink and relax. Sit down and read a good book. You’ve worked hard and completed the June 1-30 Challenge for 2016! Congratulations!

 Books I recommend (and loved!)

  1. Elizabeth Gilbert – The Signature of All things. This book blew me away with its total research of the Victorian era and the evolution theory. Also beautifully written by Gilbert.I will never look at  moss the same way!
  2. Tracey Chevalier – At the Edge of the Orchard. A historical fiction book.This tells the story of the first apple trees that were cultivated across the US. The research is excellent, and I loved the main character, Robert Goodenough and his adventures.
  3. Peggy Frew – Hope Farm. Just finished reading this and it is wonderful. Silver lives in a hippie commune in rural Australia with her mum Ishtar. She is the main storyteller, and as the story unravels we understand the awkwardness of a teenager growing up in that environment. Gorgeous book.
  4. M.L.Stedman – The Light between Oceans. This is another historical fiction piece ( I love them). Its set at the start of the last century, and tells of a lighthouse keeper who finds a dead man and a baby washed up on the beach whilst he’d maintaining the lighthouse. Set in Western Australia it is a remarkable read. I loved every page
  5. Hannah Kent – Burial Rites. A historical fiction book, it tells of Agnes Magnusdottir,  the last woman to be executed in Iceland. A glorious read! 

    Book The signature of all things
    Loved this.
  6. Mary Kubica – Pretty Baby. Set in Chicago, this is a psychological thriller that I read in one weekend! A real page turner, I could not put it down. It was fast paced and intriguing until the very last page.
  7. Stephen King  – 11/22/63  Anything by him really, but this is a recent favorite, a time traveler gem.What would you do if you could go back in time? What would you change? King covers the problem and the solution in this book.
  8. Geraldine Brooks – Year of Wonders. A fabulous story set in northern England during the Black Plague, in which a village decides to cut itself off from the rest of the world to avoid spreading the disease. Based on a true story, I loved the main character of Anna, although it was an intriguing ending!
  9. Jodi Picoult – The Story teller. Beautifully written, the main character of Sage is lovely as she listens to her grandmother Minka’s experiences of the Holocaust. It moved me to tears, it is such an emotive book. I also loved her book Leaving Time.
  10.  Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. This is a YA book, recommended to me, and I am happy to recommend it to everyone. It follows the story of 15 year old Christopher, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, who manages to solve the crime of the dead dog and become reunited with his mum. A heart warming tale, well worth a recommendation.
  11. Graham Masterton – White Bones. Masterton usually writes pure horror books, but this book is a horror/crime, and has the leading character as a female detective, Kate Maguire. Its set in Ireland, and is a superior horror crime read.
  12. Emma Donoghue – Room. Now an Oscar winning film, Room tells of little 5 year old Jack and his mother (ma), who are living in a confined room, after ma is kidnapped. Emotive and well written, I would recommend reading the book before seeing the film!
  13. Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train. Also becoming a film shortly, this is a psychological thriller that everyone raved over last year. And with good reason; its a real page turner that had me reading it all in a few days. Well worth a recommendation.
  14. Rosalie Ham – The Dressmaker. Set in rural Australia in the 1950’s it tells of  the outcast Tilly who arrives back in the small minded town to look after her mother. Another book that’s now a film, well worth a recommendation.
  15. C S Lewis – The Chronicles of Narnia. I have to end my list with these books, as they alone enhanced my childhood reading. I read all seven and loved them all.

Phew! That challenge took longer than I expected, but I hope you enjoy glancing down the list. Happy reading !!