I have read so many brilliant books this year and found it difficult to come up with ‘top ten’ so I’ve gone for a slightly different steer than most for my end of 2023 ‘book of the year’ post, in that I am celebrating one book and one series of books – both of which I have consumed on audible. I have been resistant to listening to books for a while (as to me it didn’t feel like ‘reading’) but having recently found myself needing to drive long journeys for work it seemed inevitable that audiobooks would accompany me.
My first is CHAPTER ONE by Michael Wood
The best word I can come up with for this book is sublime. It is just perfect, and while I don’t doubt that it would be a terrific read, I truly believe it is best listened to. There is something about the tortured voice of the author in this story that my mind would not have conjured up on its own but it absolutely brings the story to vivid life.
Chapter One is a work of genius. I was hooked and found myself driving slower to enjoy ‘one more chapter’. I absolutely loved my journeys with this book.
I never like to give spoilers so I will just say that I loved everything about this book, I loved the central characters, I loved the atmosphere, I appreciated the time spent building up even the most peripheral of characters and this is such a trademark of Michael Wood, his characterisation is flawless.
I cannot recommend his books enough and if you’ve yet to enjoy the Matilda Darke series, then I envy you!
My second is the Eddie Flynn series by Steve Cavanagh
Slightly bereft when I realised I’d come to the last in the series – I need more Eddie Flynn please Mr Cavanagh!
Hats off to the narrator here too, Adam Sims IS Eddie Flynn and he elevates these books into being. Again, I am very confident that this series is just as excellent whether read or listened to but the voice and intonation that Adam Sims brings to Eddie’s character is perfect. This series is exciting, edgy, fast paced and each book brings a whole new gambit of peril and deathly risk. I absolutely loved it.
Needless to say, Steve Cavanagh has written many other books and they are all superb too!
I have read and loved many, many more books than I have had the capacity to review this year. Books as ever have got me through some very difficult days and I owe my heart and oftentimes my sanity to being able to be lost in a book so a huge thank you from me to every single author out there.
Also, thanks to NetGalley, what a fabulous resource!
I look forward to reading many more wonderful books in 2024 and will endeavour to do better at reviewing all of them – share the book love ❤️
Read and Rated 