My 2016 Reading Challenge continues as planned, I aim to read 20 books during the course of the year. I have made progress with my plan to include well known authors and books that are seen as classics.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
I read this book in record time, the third in the Divergent series the second book was still fresh in my mind so I having to recall characters and their roles was easy. Another enjoyable read following the story of Tris Pryor. There is a prequel to these books  called Four, but I am happy to at this point with the story. I would happily recommend this trilogy of books for you to add to your reading list. I scored this book 4/5 on Goodreads.


The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins
A well known American author who has written over 45 books mostly in the thriller crime genre. There was an extensive choice on the shelves of my local library. A very easy read, I had no trouble getting into the storyline. I enjoyed Mary Higgins style of writing, The Melody Lingers is a fraud thriller about a pyramid style investment scheme. You see this from both the investors point of view and the life savings they have lost, to the family of Parker Bennett the mastermind of the fraud who mysteriously  disappears, presumed dead. Amidst all this the FBI continue to investigate to establish to uncover the truth. Were the rest of the Parker Bennett family involved in the fraud.


There was no real surprise ending, but it was an enjoyable straight forward thriller. I understand that some of Mary Higgins early books have much more of an edge to them, so will certainly add another one or two to my bookshelf. I scored this book 3/5 on Goodreads.

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
One of the classic reads on my list, also a book I have had for a long time having won a set of 20 books from the BBC Big Reads challenge – who remembers that? This book was such a disappointment, it took me a few weeks to read it, I would pick it up, put it down and so it went. Based in the future the main character Winston Smith lives in a totalitarian society, where the individual is suppressed and does as instructed by Big Brother, the leader of the Oceania government. 


I did not enjoy Orwell’s style of writing, I did not connect with any of the characters. I usually enjoy futurist books but not this one, I could quite frankly not have cared less what happened to each character.  It is fair to say I will never read another George Orwell book. The only good thing to come from reading the book, at least now I  understand the references to ‘Big Brother’ in today’s society. Which obviously in itself shows that the book has been influential. I scored this book 2/5 on Goodreads.


The Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett
This was not a book I seeked out, but one I won in a Halloween giveaway. But what a book! It must be 20 years ago I became hooked on the Kay Scarpeetta books by Patricia Cornwall. The Chemistry of Death is of the same mystery, murder, thriller genre. 


Exceedingly well written and I soon finished it in a few days, I could not put it down. It follows the story of David Hunter who has escaped city life to start afresh as a GP in a small rural area of Norfolk. What follows is the discovery of one of the body of a local resident, dead at the hands of a macabre and ritual killer. David Hunter may be the resident GP but he has a secret that can help the police solve this murder. The characters were well written and it was easy to feel you belonged in the village storyline. There were lots of twists and turns, I thought I knew who the murderer was, I even had a back up murderer – I was wrong with that too. I never saw the ending of the book coming. An author I would not hesitate to read again. This book is now being passed onto my sister a brilliant not to be missed read. It should be top of your reading pile. I scored this book 5/5 on Goodreads.


The Venetian Contract by Marina Fiorato
I have just collected this book from my library, a review will follow in my next update.


I am just starting my fifth book, which keeps me on schedule to reach my reading challenge for 2016. You can keep up to date with my past and present reads by visiting my Goodreads page, see the link in the sidebar on the right hand side of your screen. 


Have you read any good books of late?