September 2017 Newsletter
Welcome to September! Sorry for not getting this newsletter out on the 1st of the month – but I blame reading!
The 1st of the month and the days preceding it are always a busy time for me work wise. Usually I put reading on hold during that time, and pick away at the newsletter during any down times.
However I’ve been feeling sick so went for a nice long bath. And I can’t go for a bath without reading SOMETHING. So I opened my kindle and randomly picked Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz. This is a book that was highly recommended to me last year by subscribers. It got me reading Hurwitz although I’d not got the chance to read that book yet.
What a book! If you’re a fan of Jason Bourne or Jack Reacher, I highly, highly recommend Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz. This is going to be a must-read series – I immediately bought the short story and then the sequel and have started reading through them now! Started The Nowhere Man last night in bed at 9pm and ended up reading till 1am.
We rented a cottage a week in August and that was fun. We brought the kids friends along so they all hung out together and that was nice – meant I didn’t have to be a full time parent if that makes sense. We were all able to do our own thing. I ended up reading one book each day!
I stuck to standalone thrillers as I was still busy and that sort of “airport fiction” can be great for that – pick up and read a quick chapter then get back to fishing, or read a couple of chapters while BBQing etc. Let the latest twist in the story resonate with me while I do other stuff.
The ones I particularly enjoyed were The Couple Next Door and A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena, and Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown by B.A. Paris.
It’s funny the new trend that Gone Girl set off in the book world, much like The Hunger Games did many years ago. As a fan of thrillers I hope it continues.
None of the books came close to Gone Girl in my opinion – they were really lacking substance. However that’s okay – I expected that going in and I got what I wanted in all the books – brain mush thrillers that I can’t put down and satisfactory endings.
Out of the 4, I’d probably recommend Breakdown by B.A. Paris the most purely due to the last 20% of the book. The texts. I just sat there blown away by it all. Her and Lapena are now on my “must-buy” list.
Each month we give away 2 prizes to 2 random subscribers of $25 each in the form of Amazon gift certificates. To win all you have to do is be a subscriber. Nothing more! When we go to hit “Publish” we take a list of all of our subscribers, throw them into a random draw and those are the winners.
Our winners this month are Janet McC from Chesapeake, VA and Petrova from Fort Payne, AL. Both of you have been e-mailed. If you don’t see anything, check your junk folder or contact me.
Book Recommendations
In this section I give 4-5 random book recommendations. They can be old books, they can be new. But either way – I recommend you read them if the type of genre they are in appeals to you. Feel free to e-mail suggestions to site@orderofbooks.com as many of the suggestions each month are from our readers. If you wish to add a description for the book around the same size as the ones below that’d be great too!
Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz: Of all the books I read in August, this is the one I’d recommend the most. It’s the first in the series. Basically Evan Smoak is raised as an assassin for the government since he was a teenager in the “Orphan” program. However many years ago, Smoak left the program. Now he spends his time helping people who need his help. He helps someone by taking out a pimp or a child trafficker, then they pass his number on to someone else who needs help. However his past is coming back to haunt him, with someone who knows who Orphan X is looking to take him down. I give this book, and this series, my highest recommendation. More details
American Assassin by Vince Flynn: The first book chronologically in the Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn – detailing the origins of Rapp. The movie comes out later this month (as well as a new book in the series by Kyle Mills) so you might want to read it first! Rapp is a CIA Assassin. Two quick notes: the general story of the movie is vastly different from the book so it’s not a “must-read” by any means. And I’d personally recommend reading in publication order first. This is the 11th book in the Rapp series publication wise. However there are so many little things in the book that you’ll appreciate more having read the rest of the series first. And now after writing this, I think I need to go back and read through this series for a FOURTH time. That’s how much I enjoy these spy thrillers. More details.
Chinaman’s Chance by Ross Thomas: The first in a series of three by author Ross Thomas. It’s crime fiction but with humour in it. It’s about an overweight Chinese detective who is trying to find a missing woman. However he gets into a mess involving the mafia, a rogue CIA agent and a buried fortune in Vietnam. Written in 1978, I went back and re-read it recently and really enjoyed it. Thomas was one of those great writers who could bring in humour without it detracting from the story. Excellent characters and a plot that hooks you and will keep you guessing. More details.
10 Series People Rarely Visit on OrderOfBooks.com in 2017
This month I’ve went through the traffic data from January 2017 to August 2017 and came up with a list of the lowest traffic series pages on OrderOfBooks.com. This doesn’t mean no-one reads these – just that the Order Of Books readers don’t seem to care. But they get SOME traffic so that means at least 1 person cares! Why not check them out – maybe you’ll discover a hidden gem. Let me know if you do!
10: Dexter (Which the TV show was initially based on)
9: Ethan Warner (Thrillers by Dean Crawford)
8: St. Clares (Great series for kids about twins in a boarding school by Enid Blyton)
7: Inspector Bonaparte (Detective series which began in the 1920s)
6: Raine Stockton (Dog Mysteries)
5: Magical Baking Mysteries (Cozy mysteries)
4: Vish Puri (Indian detective – inspired by Poirot)
3: White Trash Zombie (Urban fantasy series by Diana Rowland)
2: Wrath and Righteousness (Geopolitical/techno-thriller series written in episodes)
1: Zailer & Waterhouse Mysteries (Psychological thriller series by Sophie Hannah)
September 2017 Book Of The Month: Enemy of the State
The Mitch Rapp series of books was originally written by Vince Flynn. he passed away unfortunately and Kyle Mills took over the reigns. I was a bit nervous about Mills as Flynn was an incredible writer – but he has been able to capture the essence of Mitch Rapp while adding his own style to it.
This will now be the 3rd book written by Mills in the series. There’s less politics, more action and the series hasn’t missed a beat. In the new one, releasing tomorrow, the Saudi kings nephew has been funding ISIS. The president wants to take action but can’t be held culpable – so Rapp quits the CIA to form his own team to handle the mission. Characters who long-time readers will recognize.
One of my personal favourite series and I can’t wait for the latest one. More details.
Your Thoughts:
Last month I asked you if reading has ever inspired you to do something. The feedback is later in the newsletter.
This month I am asking – what was the last book you read? What are you currently reading? And what are you planning on reading next?
We covered that topic before – and that’s where I got a few recommendations for Orphan X. As I just read it, I felt it fitting to revisit this topic.
For myself:
Last Book: Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
Currently Reading: The Nowhere Man by Gregg Hurwitz
Next To Read: Enemy of the State by Kyle Mills
Feel free to add reviews/descriptions of the books too.
E-mail us your feedback to site@OrderOfBooks.com or just reply to this e-mail, and we’ll pick the best comments and feature it in next months newsletter.
Could you please add the following author’s books to your list?
Traci Borum
She has written 4 books in a series called chilton crosse.
Thank you.