My Top 5 Books of 2016 (So Far!)

So here we are, almost April already! It's terrifying how quickly time seems to be flying by this year! My Nan always used to tell me that it only gets quicker the older you get….I'm not going to be able to keep up if it gets much quicker!

Seeing as we are now about a quarter of the way through 2016 I thought that I would take a moment to look back at my favourite books that I have read this quarter. So far this year I have read and reviewed 14 books. 13 fiction novels and one lonely non fiction effort. There have been more 5 out of 5 rated books than I imagined I would have read by this point. Not that I am complaining! I would much rather find myself reading books that make it look like I only ever give full marks than to struggle through reading a lot of books that I am not enjoying.

If I don't feel like I can at least offer a 3 out of 5 rating then I don't review the book hence no low rated books. Trust me there have been books which have not made it to the blog this year. In fact this year I have had books I have enjoyed so little that even getting to the end of the first chapter has seemed like a monumental effort. I am currently persevering with one which has taken me over a week just to read the first 4 or 5 chapters. Other reviews seem so positive that I feel I owe it to the book to stick with it. Whether or not it makes it to the blog is yet to be determined but it's not looking likely at this point. Luckily I am reading it alongside Stephen King's 'On Writing' which I am really enjoying. If it was the only book I was reading then I am sure I would have given up by this point. I won't name any of the books that I have really disliked this year though. I can't say anything nice so it's best to not review them at all. Just because I disliked them so much doesn't mean that somebody else won't pick them up and really enjoy them. One man's trash is another man's treasure after all!

Anyway, back on track. Picking my number one favourite so far this year is easy. Patrick Gale's 'A Place Called Winter' is simply wonderful and an example of everything that I look for in a good book. The characters and the settings are so vividly imagined and the story is totally enthralling despite it's heartbreaking nature. Less than a week after reading it I ended up listening to the audio book with my other half and enjoyed it all over again. It has instantly become one of my favourites! 

You can find my full review here.

For anybody wondering, the audio book is read by the author Patrick Gale and is every bit as enjoyable as the book. Patrick Gale's delivery is enjoyable to listen to and easy to understand.

The rest of the pack is harder to sort through but I think I have managed to sort out a top 5. I have struggled to order these and I am sure depending which day you asked me on, the remaining four would be changed in their order. They would all definitely make it into the top 5 though.

In second place (Today anyway!) we have Colm Toibin's 'Nora Webster'. Whilst 'Brooklyn' is the book which now has a film adaptation and is more conventionally exciting to read I preferred Nora Webster. It's a slow exploration of depression, grief and recovering from great personal tragedy. Sounds like a real feel good romp I hear you say. Well yes and no. This one was heavy going and I'm sure it isn't for everybody but I was left with a wondrous feeling of hope at the end. 

My full review can be read here.

Renee Knight's 'Disclaimer' has staked claim to the number 3 spot and as such is the highest rated thriller on the list. This is the debut thriller which is better than a lot of authors later efforts! I can only begin to imagine how brilliant future books by Renee Knight will be, I cannot wait to read them. This is an intelligent thriller with some great twists and turns. 

My full review can be read here.

Fourth spot could so easily have been third spot, I chopped and changed quite a bit before settling on this order. 'Little Black Lies' by Sharon Bolton is another great thriller which I have given a 5 out of 5 rating. A tale of revenge set in the Falklands that I highly recommend reading if you are a fan of thrillers which keep you guessing right until the last moment. 

My full review can be read here.

Finally in fifth place we have Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki & His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami. Originally a Japanese novel I read the English translation and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was my first experience of reading a Murakami novel and I am looking forward to reading more of his books soon. 

My full review can be read here.

As honourable mentions I would like to quickly draw attention to Who's Afraid of the Easter Rising? (The one non fiction book I have reviewed this quarter) and to The Axeman's Jazz. Both of these were excellent books which only narrowly missed out on making the top 5. Click on the titles to be taken to my reviews of both books.

So there it is, my top 5 books that I have enjoyed reading so far in 2016. Hopefully you may have found a new book to add to your TBR pile and hopefully I will be lucky enough to read some more brilliant books as the year goes on.

How about you? What have been your favourite books that you have read so far this year?

Who's Afraid Of The Easter Rising?

Who's Afraid Of The Easter Rising? 1916 – 2016 by James Heartfield & Kevin Rooney

From what we know there is little doubt that the leaders knew that they would lose, and most likely die – Connolly said so, and Pearse said that there would have to be a blood sacrifice for Ireland. This is a way of thinking that is pretty alien to today's postmodern bourgeois liberal for whom there is no cause worth dying for.

This week I will be reviewing a non fiction book...please don't run away! It's a fantastic read, I promise! 

A quick disclaimer – Kevin Rooney was my Politics teacher when I was taking my A levels almost 10 years ago and was probably the best teacher I ever had. At a time when I no longer wanted to be at school and was only taking A levels because it was expected of me due to my perceived academic ability he managed to motivate me and keep me working hard. Something which no other teacher managed during that time period. That said, this has had limited influence on my review. I did not get a free copy and I am not reviewing this as a favour. In fact I haven't seen or spoken with my old politics teacher in the decade since I left school, he probably wouldn't even remember me now. Whilst I guess it is impossible to be entirely objective when reading a book by somebody you have known, I have tried my hardest to keep this review fair and unbiased.

'Who's Afraid Of The Easter Rising?' looks to discuss the 100 years which have passed since Irish revolutionaries proclaimed a republic from the steps of the General Post Office in Dublin. The authors take aim at the Irish governments reluctant efforts to mark the centenary and their decision to not acknowledge it with it's own celebrations, instead banding it in with several other notable centenary celebrations. The book looks back at the events surrounding the 1916 uprising and the shock waves that were felt around the world in it's aftermath. Discussing the influence that this act of rebellion had at various pivotal moments in recent history, the authors explore the changing attitudes towards the Easter rising over the last century. From an inspiring event which helped to begin further rebellions across the world to a potential source of embarrassment and shame for the current regime. The significance of the rebellion is explored, with a lot of time spent discussing how it helped to end the first world war and to spark revolutions in countries such as Russia and India. It also looks at what influence it may have had in the troubles which have plagued Ireland for many years and explores the different ways revisionists have chosen to rewrite the history surrounding the events of 1916.

The authors never attempt to hide their own political leanings at any point during this book and yet they still attempt to provide a balanced and reasoned argument throughout. This is by no means a propaganda piece or an attempt to persuade you to a particular way of thinking. This is a meticulously researched piece which looks at how various parties have twisted the events of 1916 to further their own agendas. Whilst the authors opinions are scattered throughout, they are always backed up with evidence to support whatever point is being made. This is not just an opinion piece, ignoring facts or misappropriating them to fit with the authors on viewpoints.

I found it to be an absorbing read. The idea that the Easter Rising was the first step towards the ending of WW1 and the catalyst for revolutions in Russia and India made for a very interesting read. I was unaware of how much the people of India looked to Ireland for inspiration during their own fight for independence from the British empire. The discussion of the British empire and it's treatment of it's colonies as well as its own people makes this a must read for me personally. Despite being written about the Easter Rising of 1916 the authors have managed to make this book relevant to so much more. There are a lot of parallels between the ideas being discussed from a historical perspective and the world we live in today. Some of these are pointed out, such as the way in which Britain deceived Germany in the lead up to the great war and the way in which America copied this with how they dealt with Saddam Hussein. Other parallels are obvious to the reader but not addressed specifically in terms of recent examples by the authors, such as the use of patriotism and xenophobia as a means to distract people from their own social inequalities. These parallels make the book so relevant in the current political climate and it is alarming at how readily we are heading towards repeating historical mistakes which we should have already learnt from. Perhaps if we all read a little bit more than it would not be so easy for these issues to keep arising. As they say, knowledge is power.

So that being said, I am going to rate this as a 5 out of 5 and highly recommend that you read it!

Mr Rooney, If you have ended up reading this review somehow, thank you for being such an inspiring teacher and I apologise for not being the best student I could have been at the time. Hopefully you get round to writing some more books soon!