Recommendations for a Friend #1 (52 Books #21, #22 and #23)

I was asked recently to make personal book recommendations to a friend - well who am I to refuse such a request! And so she (and she know's who she is) now has her very own set of posts for just this purpose!  I have also realised that, by some fortunate happy accident I'm remembering books I'd forgotten I'd read this year, so that's a few more to add to the 52 books list!

So, jumping in with Angelfall by Susan Ee.

This was one of those books that was first published digitally and received popularity through word of mouth. I picked it up on Amazon when it was going for a lowly 99p, and devoured it almost instantly. Angelfall is a shoe-in if you were a fan of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games,  following the similar theme of the older sister protecting the younger one. It will also appeal to Twilight fans, as it features a human/mythical romance, but as with both aforementioned it's all about the way the stories packaged and Angelfall, although being a familiar plot, was readable and different enough story. The sequel is coming out in mid-November, and I just hope it's worth the wait!

Another recent book I've read has been another Ngaoi Marsh, this time Death In a White Tie.

This one follows on directly from Artists in Crime and expanded on the characters beautifully. There's not much more I can say about these books that I didn't say here, but the same longing for a long-forgotten era is jolted when reading these books, especially as this one is set against the backdrop of the first "season" of the protagonist Roderick Alleyn's niece as she makes her entrance into society as a debutante.

The final book in this wee list of suggestions (and 52 books tally) is The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I first bought this book when I was at uni, I'm going to hazard a guess at 2008, and read it after purchase. I remember thoroughly enjoying it, so I picked it up again to remind myself why.

I loved this book for two main reasons. One, it's an out and out mystery that surprised at every turn, and two, the novels two leading characters are an author and a bibliophile. It's a book persons story.  I am all about a good story, and a nice gothic mystery full of deep and dark family secrets makes a book you can really get into! Definitely one to give a whirl!