My few weeks of intensive reading are over and I’m now back at my desk and trying to do some admin stuff before putting on my creative hat again. Lots of you ask me about the books I read for pleasure so here’s a list of this year’s summer reading (in the order I read them). My favourite on the list is Kathryn Stockett’s The Help, a book that lived up to all the hype and was wonderful in lots of ways. The book I liked least was Death Mask by another Kathryn, Kathryn Fox. This was disappointing because the premise was great for a really taut thriller but unfortunately the plot seemed to slip away from her. Not included on the list are two books I read in Spanish – Vive et Dejar Morir (Live and Let Die) and Dondé está la Novia (original title Found: One Runaway Bride). As you can see from the titles, I can’t do complicated reading in Spanish yet but it was very satisfying to be able to read and understand them!

Book List summer 2011

The Disengagement Ring – Clodagh Murphy

Carte Blanche – Jeffrey Deaver

The Cut – George Pelicanos

Good as Dead – Mark Billingham

Something From Tiffany’s – Melissa Hill

The Stranger You Seek – Amanda Kyle Williams

Death Mask – Kathryn Fox

Death in August – Marco Vichi

The Help – Kathryn Stockett

The Postmistress – Sarah Blake

Mistaken – Neil Jordan

Handle With Care – Jodi Picoult

Bad Intentions – Karin Fossum

Mystery – Johnathan Kellerman

The Wish List – Martina Reilly

The Group – Mary McCarthy

Silver Girl – Elin Hilderbrand

The Things We Do For Love – Roisin Meaney