My Amazing Reads
These are the books that made me think "wow!" as I got to the last page. Each of these titles made me want to instantly recommend it to anyone and everyone - so here I am, recommending them to you. Enjoy! 
Comments always appreciated.
Memoirs Of A Geisha - Arthur Golden: I remember my stepdad handing me this book when I was around about 13, and I became engrossed in it straight away. Arthur Golden paints such a vibrant and vivid background, and then fills it with all kinds of colourful (and very real) people in a completely different world to our own. With a bucketful of romance and a twist of jealousy laced into the plot - This book will always resonate with me on the deepest of levels: and I believe I was at the perfect age and time of my life to read it. A very wise decision to pass it on to me at that point.
Warrior Of Rome, Parts 1 and 2 - Harry Sidebottom: Warrior of Rome: Fire in the East, was the very first book of Roman fiction that I picked up and I definitely was not disappointed. Harry brings you right into the world of Ballista and his entourage, and you experience the twists and turns and betrayals first hand. Ballista is a very strong character, and this most certainly is the main driving force behind my adoration of the books. I read the second with a slight amount of caution (I did not want to be disappointed), and absolutely loved it. I am desperate for the third book to be published now - I just can't get enough of this heroic Roman warrior!
Mistress Of Rome - Kate Quinn: I read this as a pre-publication proof and was astounded by Quinn's talent for bringing her characters and stories to life! I'm a sucker for a strong hero with a shady past and gladiator Arius fits this description precisely. Quinn weaves her tale through the perspectives of different protagonists and antagonists, and this really puts an interesting spin on everything. All of the sub-plots weave together into a brilliant crescendo and had me desperate to keep on reading even after I had to leave the last page. An awesome debut. Roman fiction for the ladies.
Patient Zero - Jonathan Maberry: As soon as I saw this book come into store, I wanted it. I am a sucker for a good old zombie story and this book catered for my every need. It is gritty and gripping with tonnes of action, plenty of thrills and the odd twist and turn thrown in for good measure. The only negative point to the whole story was that the ending was ever so slightly disappointing (and I mean ever so slightly). It was easy to follow and the pages were turning so quickly that I had reached the middle before I knew what had hit me! Anybody who likes a good zombie horror film will appreciate this, alongside lovers of thrillers and full on action. If you like your books fast, furious and full of kick-ass characters, then you should not miss this!
Under The Eagle - Simon Scarrow: A piece of historic Roman fiction to rival 'Warrior of Rome'! I love the characters Cato and Macro and was impressed by how Cato's personality changed throughout the book. This story didn't overwhelm you with historic terms and was easy to follow. With plenty of action, adventure and wit laced in, Simon Scarrow doesn't really put a foot wrong. I'm really getting in to reading books on the Roman Empire now and will definitely be picking up the next book in the Cato series as soon as I can.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon: I knew that I would enjoy this book as soon as I read the first page. It sounded exactly like something one of the kids I used to work with (who has Asperger's Syndrome) would write. Haddon has Christopher's personality so perfect, right down to the fact that he knows how many holes are in a man's shoes but doesn't once describe his face. I love the bits and pieces of innocent humour and especially the items that Christopher finds under his dad's bed. The workings of Christopher's mind are laid out in entirety to the reader and it is such a great book that I would recommend it to anyone, young or old.
For more of my favourite reads and recommendations, visit: http://reading-mission.blogspot.com and click on the link "Rated A" on the right hand side...