I've always loved reading, ever since I was young. I was a member of the local library from a young age and used to love the mobile one coming around every couple of weeks for me to get my hands on a new book or to reread one of my favourite titles. Now as with all these lists, this is my own personal opinion so to quote one of the podcasters I listen to, if you don't like what I do, I don't care. I love to read from a variety of genres as can be seen in this list, everything from the darkest of horror to the fluffiest of fluff, I'll give anything a bash if the mood takes me, so give me your recommendations and who knows they might crack the top ten list.
And as an added warning I'll try not to ruin any books but there may be one or two spoilers in the list!
Are you experienced? William Sutcliffe
The story of one mans gap year journey to India and the adventures he has on the way with his friends girlfriend and other wild characters. This is the book I read in one night, I simply couldn't put it down. We see him grow as a person, learning about himself and what he wants from life, we see him growing as person and pushing himself from his comfort zone and out into the exotic world of gap year travelling.
High Fidelity Nick Hornby
Even though he is an Arsenal fan I love the work of Nick Hornby and this is my favourite of his. We read about Rob, a middle aged music store manager and his past love life and his current struggles with his life. Easy to read and hard to put down, this for a while made me have the dream of owning my own record shop, sadly a thing that is dying off in todays world.
My Legendary Girlfriend Mike Gayle
I stumbled across Mike Gayle completely by accident and have seen read all his books, this being my favourite of his. Concerning Will, a teacher who laments the one that got away over the course of a weekend, while building a new relationship with the former tenant of his crappy flat. All this happens in one weekend and it goes on a rollercoaster of emotions as we laugh and cry along with the hapless Will. We've all been there, trying to get over a bad break up, maybe we don't all become teachers and move to the other side of country but each to there own.
The Adrian Mole Series Sue Townsend
I can't separate the different volumes in this modern British saga. From the early 1980's through to the 2000's, Adrian, Pauline, George, Pandora and the rest had me in stitches. It takes on some very serious issues but with an air of humanity that is lacking in most books. I see a little bit of myself in Adrian, I'm sometimes of the periphery of things often over looked by people but always bounce back though maybe not with a member of parliament like Pandora!
The Rats Trilogy James Herbert
Giant mutant rats eating people, an everyday sort of man coming to the rescue, the rats evolving in the sequels, copious amounts of graphic violence, what's not to love about this trilogy? I've read all of Herberts books thanks to my mum's influence and this is by far my favourite series. It's a simple concept but in the hands of an experience author who knows how to draw the audience in then it shocks you, makes me cringe in the descriptions of the rats eating human flesh, ripping it off the bones and devouring it.
The Ex-Boyfriends Handbook - Matt Dunn
When Edward gets dumped by his longterm girlfriend Jane, he goes on a quest to try and get back into shape to win her back when she returns from travelling in 3 months time. With the help of his best friend Dan, he transforms his body, his mindset and everything else inbetween. It's a bit cheesy but a brilliant read, the sequels are also good, but don't quite hit the heights of this first volume in my humble opinion!
Have a Nice Day Mick 'Mankind' Foley
Most autobiographies are written by ghost writers, this is an exception to the rule. Charting his early days through the mad world of professional wrestling. From his now infamous home video spectacular of Dude Love jumping off the roof in the back yard to winning the WWF title in Madison Square Garden. It's funny, it's insightful, it's heart warming. It's Foley's own love story with wrestling and quite simply it's the best book about wrestling there is.
The Dark Tower Series Stephen King
Another series of books that my Mum recommended to me. Sometimes I can find Stephen King to be a very dull author, this however is a masterpiece of a series. following the adventures of Roland as he attempts to get to the Dark Tower, overcoming obstacles, meeting strange people on the way. It's pure fantasy at its best and if you have a spare couple of hundred hours to read it all I would do so! On a sidenote this is also the biggest film disappointment that I've ever encountered, they took the source material and well what they come up with was 100% pure trash.
The Dragonlance Chronicles - Weis & Hickman
The series of books that made me fall in love with the fantasy genre, dragons, knights, elf's, sorcerers, a valiant group of hero's on a quest to save the world. There are twists and turns, betrayals, faces from the past. Battles to be won, people they lose, love stories, the whole spectrum of what you'd expect in the genre.
The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien
A series of books that I think everyone should read at least once. Yes they are a little long winded and Tolkien does go off on some rather long tangents that the films decided to stay away from, Tom Bamadill I'm looking in your general direction. You know the story, the hobbits taking the ring of power in the fires of Mount Doom in Morder. It's a seminal piece of work that shouldn't be ignored.