Best Reads January to March

I have read a lot of great books so far this year, and a few bad ones as well. I wanted to give a roundup of the best of them across a range of different genres.

First up is a book that I described as one of the best I have ever read.

The Book Of Doors

The plot twists and turns at a cracking pace, with just the right balance of peril, action, suspense and fantasy. There were a number of plot points that I was really worried wouldn't be tied up but everything is delivered perfectly with a lovely bow on it. All except one. I won't say which one but it has left me with a feeling that not everything is quite over.

The characters were great, many of them having a LOT to deal with during the course of the story but they all grow and change in ways that are both believable and in keeping with the way the story unfolds for them. I found the affection and love between Cassie and Izzy really warming and a great motivation for many of the decisions made and choices taken.

When The Cranes Fly South

When the cranes fly south is a beautiful story told from the perspective of an elderly gentlemen called Bo. Bo lives alone with his dog Sixten, since his wife was taken in to a home due to dementia. The story revolves around Bo reliving the journey that his life has taken, covering his childhood, the life with his wife and best friend, right up to the more recent times with his son and granddaughter. The book is mostly written as if Bo is speaking to his wife with the occasional note left by his carers in a journal that give glimpses of Bo’s failing physical and mental health.

This is such a poignant and sweet depiction of a mans struggle with dealing with the impending end of his life and with the words unspoken and people lost along the way. It shows a once strong and proud man having to succumb to his age and a body that no longer has the strength it once did.

Sixten the dog is a key character and the love between Bo and his faithful companion leaves a lump in the throat. I haven’t shed a tear at the end of book for a very long time, and this book ended that run. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Project Hail Mary

It feels like everyone is reading this book at the moment but I was determined to jump on the band wagon and read it before watching the movie. And what a great decision that was!

Its very hard to give a synopsis of this book without giving away vital plot points. The very high level overview is Earth is in peril and the last hope for humanity is this Hail Mary shot mission that scientist Ryland Grace finds himself in the heart of.

I was expecting some heavy and detailed science and Weir certainly delivered on that front. The authenticity is crazy, I cannot begin to think about the amount of research that must have gone into the book. But it's not all about the science. Despite the universal scale and science fiction backdrop, this is very much a story about friendship, tenacity and never say die spirit.

I can't wait to watch the movie, I am dying to see how they bring this incredible story to the big screen. I loved it!