My goal is to read 52 books in 2016. These are the books that I’m reading and my thoughts on them. When you read dozens of books, it becomes hard to remember what they were all about, so I’m making notes and posting monthly on what I’m reading. Do you have any books you’d like to recommend? The below contains affiliate links so if you click and purchase I may be compensated for them. I need to support my reading habit somehow!

I managed to get through 7 books in January. Two non-fiction and five fiction. No, I don’t have much spare time on my hands but I do like to make the most of the time I do have. Most of my reading is done during the commute to and from work if I’m not writing, or before I go to sleep, although that usually lasts about five minutes after a long day and I start dozing and completely forget what I’ve read.

Here’s a quick run down of the books on my bookshelf in January 2016.

In Cold Blood by Mark Dawson
Beatrix Rose has been wronged. Badly. She’s going to get her revenge. I was actually a little surprised by this story and where it jumped to after her stint in Hong Kong which was the novella trilogy I first read. I’ve grown to like this ballsy character and there were a few surprises about her that I hadn’t expected but made perfect sense. They also intrigued me and made me want to read more of the series. Lots of action, interesting characters, and a fun read.

Beatrix Rose – Hong Kong Stories – Volume 1 by Mark Dawson
Beatrix Rose, the type of character I like to read. Over-the-top kick-ass lady who’s going to seek revenge and knock out all the bad guys. I don’t care about plausibility, if you do, then this type of book isn’t for you. As mentioned before, I like to be entertained. If I want reality I’ll stick to real life. I enjoyed these three novellas and I look forward to reading more of the series.

Self-Publishing Success by Joanna Penn
I’m a huge follower of Joanna Penn’s blog, The Creative Penn. I love her podcasts and all the valuable information she shares with readers. She’s an inspiration and someone I would like to emulate. Joanna’s has recently released a new novel for writers who want to self publish, and guess what it’s free on Amazon!

Night of the Assassin (Assassin Series Prequel) by Russell Blake
This was a freebie on Amazon. I love free books, even more so when they get me sucked in, and I end up wanting to read the entire series. The main character is an assassin. Um, yeah, normally that would be the bad guy in fiction but in this case you can decide for yourself. Blake does a great job in making his characters three dimensional and it’s easy to root for them even if they aren’t necessarily moral or go against the grain. This is an entertaining read, at times stomach turning, just the way I like my action thrillers.

Jet – Legacy (Volume 5) by Russell Blake
The fifth Jet book is another page turner. I love books that deal with spies, assassins, and terrorism. The edge of your seat, by God I hope it never happens in real life type of stuff. I have ideas of my own future books on similar topics that have been brewing in my mind for the past couple of years.

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
I’m aiming for 26 non-fiction books in 2016 on various topics. I picked up The Prince on Kindle from Amazon as it was free and related to politics. I’ve heard of Niccolo Machiavelli before but don’t know anything about him other than he was Italian.
The Prince questions: does the end justify the mean?
I like to write about people doing terrible things to get what they want. That’s what crime-action-thrillers are all about, at least the ones I enjoy reading and writing. This book will provide a fresh perspective on morality and getting what you want whatever it takes.

Jet – Reckoning (Volume 4) by Russell Blake
I started reading the Jet series in December 2015 after listening to a podcast with Russell Blake on The Creative Penn. I love action books, I love tough female protagonist, and I love the suspension of disbelief. If I want an education I’ll read a text book, if I want spiritual elevation, I’ll pick up a Bible. When I pick up a fiction book, I want to be entertained.
Russell Blake’s Jet series entertains from the get go. Sure it’s far-fetched and unrealistic action and adventure but that’s the point of these type of books. It’s escapism. It’s experiencing an existence completely different to your own.
Jet, is an ex Mossad agent who’s not having any luck staying dead. Quitting her profession isn’t an option. It makes her a liability to many parties. So, she has to fight the people trying to kill her so she can retire and live happily ever after.
The story is a bit more complex than that but I suggest you grab a copy on Amazon if you like action-packed thrills to keep you up at night.

What are you reading this month?

Can you recommend any good books to read?