There is no Cosmetic for Beauty Like Happiness

So in the last post I was talking about the books left on my list to read this year. Below are the books I have read so far, in no particular order and then I am just going to run over a few favourites at the bottom.

1) All of Me- Patsy Palmer
2) Let Him Have Justice- Iris Bentley
3) Victorian Murderesses- Mary S Hartman
4) The Accidental Father- Greg Williams
5) The Tavern on Maple Street- Sharen Owen
6) The Book of Tomorrow- Cecelia Ahern
7) The Pillars of the Earth- Ken Follet
8) The Interpretation of Murder- Jeb Rubenfeld
9) Sister- Rosamund Pike
10) Wedlocked( How Georgian Britains worst husband met his match!)- Wendy Moore
11) Wife Interrupted- Amy Molloy
12) Picture Perfect- Jodi Picoult
13The Queen of Whale Cay- Kate Summerscale
14) A Town Called Alice- Nevil Shute
15) Harvesting the Heart- Jodi Picoult
16) Patchwork Planet- Anne Tyler
17) House at Riverton- Kate Morton
18) No and Me- Delphine de Vigan
19) Down Among the Dead Men- Michelle Williams
20) Snowman- Jo Nesbo
21) The Virgin Suicides- Jeffrey Eugenidies
22) A Walk to Remember- Nicholas Sparks.
23) The Luxe- Anna Godbersen 
24) Marked- PC Cast
25) Vampire Academy- Richelle Meed
26) The Other Family- Joanna Trollope
27) Second Hand Heart- Catherine Ryan Hynde
28) Betrayed- PC Cast
29) Chosen- PC Cast

Of these books the following deserve a mention:

The Pillars of the Earth- This book in an epic.... around 1000 pages in total it spans the history of a part of England including in the last couple of chapters the murder of Thomas Beckett. Something I would definitely recommend if you like history but it is really hard going, next year I intend to read to much anticipated (ten years in the making!) sequel

Sister- This book has you in its grip from the first word it tells the story of a lady returning to the UK in search of her semi-estranged sister who has gone missing. Worth a read but absolutely chilling in places.

The Queen Of Whale Cay- the first book by one of my favourite authors Kate Summerscale whose only other novel The Suspicions of Mister Whicher Murder at Road Hill House I have read 3 times! This is a biographical account of a fantastic lady Joe Carstairs who was a successful motor boat racer and cross dresser who spent most of her later life on an island she bought called Whale Cay....

A Town Called Alice- Not something I would usually have reached for but fantastic nonetheless the book is about a British woman in Malaya during world war two and the Australian outback post war, it is fundamentally a love story and one I would recommend!

Down among the dead men- This is an hilarious account of a lady's first year as a mortuary technician, it will make you laugh but it will also probably make you cry!

The House at Riverton- This book by Kate Morton I just simply could NOT put down its fantastic a real mystery from start to finish it begins with an old lady telling a story her memories of a great British house where a poet has committed suicide but all is not what it seems.... A long read around 600 pages but worth it.

Now just a few more points I am the kind of person to read series of books, or books by the same author and I will scour shelves to find more authors to read if I have exhausted the possibilities of my previous favourites.

I Love… 

Jodi Picoult Books I have read every one currently about to read House Rules and have her latest on order, the only one I have never finished Songs of a Humpback whale I just didn't feel a connection to the characters, I believe this is one of her first novels though so this may be why.

Kate Summerscale (YOU NEED to write more, Suspicions of Mister Whicher is SUPERB and Queen of Whale Cay so interesting.

Kate Morton after having ready House at Riverton I have already ordered Distant Hours and a further book of hers!

Teen/Young Adult books such as the House of Night Series by PC and Kristin Cast, I cant help myself there's just something so easy about reading about teen vampires! I am on number 4 in the series now with one more at home and 3 on order at the library. Through this love I have also found the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen set in 1920s New York teen high society enthralling!

Anyway if there's anything you couldn't live without reading let me know! xx