Happy New Year, book lovers! \ud83c\udf89 A new year always means one thing for me\u2014a new reading challenge. Over the last two years, I\u2019ve tried different challenges, from themed prompts to alphabet-based reading lists, but one that really stood out (and tested me!) was the <\/span>A to Z Reading Challenge<\/span><\/em>. It was such fun, but I\u2019ll admit, some letters\u2014looking at you, Q and X\u2014proved tricky! So this year, I\u2019m giving the A to Z challenge another go, and I\u2019m so excited to see what I discover along the way.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n If you\u2019re thinking of joining me, I\u2019ll be sharing my books for each letter throughout the year right here on the blog. By the end, I hope we\u2019ll have a full alphabet of recommendations to inspire your reading list!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Introducing My First Two Books<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n To kick off the challenge, showcasing A and Z from my last years read, I won’t be cheating and ticking off the letters A and Z just <\/span>yet.<\/span><\/u> I just wanted to let you see a couple of the books that I read last year that were memorable. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n I\u2019m starting with two fantastic reads, one for <\/span>A<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and one for <\/span>Z<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \ud83d\udcd6 <\/span><\/strong>The Asymmetric Man<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0by Alex Rushton<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The Asymmetric Man by Alex Rushton<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Genre:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Romance, Action, Adventure, Thriller<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Series:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Book 1 of the Blake Carter Series<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Publisher:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Scriptora<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Published:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a02023<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Length:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0359 pages<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Format:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Paperback (thanks to <\/span>Love Books Tours<\/span><\/em>\u00a0for the review copy!)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Rating:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a05 \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50 I <\/span>loved<\/span><\/em>\u00a0it and highly recommend!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n About the Book: <\/span><\/strong>Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, <\/span>The Asymmetric Man<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is a gripping tale of espionage, survival, and forbidden love. Young recruit Blake Carter finds himself in a world of danger as an undercover agent. From the war-torn streets of Saigon to the tranquillity of a Buddhist monastery, Blake\u2019s journey is one of self-discovery and sacrifice\u2014proving that to find your true calling, sometimes you must start with what\u2019s been lost.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n My Thoughts:<\/span><\/strong> I was hooked from the very first page! Alex Rushton\u2019s vivid descriptions transported me straight into the intense action, and I found myself completely immersed in the story. The dual timeline worked brilliantly, giving me a deeper connection to Blake\u2019s character as I pieced together his past and present. The pacing kept me on edge, and the jungle scenes were so perceptive I could feel the tension with every turn of the page. My only tiny critique? I would have loved more time with Hoa\u2019s storyline in the middle\u2014but overall, this book packed a powerful emotional punch. If you\u2019re looking for a thrilling start to your year, I highly recommend <\/span>The Asymmetric Man<\/span><\/em>!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \ud83d\udcd6 <\/span><\/strong>Zero Risk<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0by Simon Hayes<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Genre:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Mystery Thriller<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Publisher:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0The Rubriqs Press Limited<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Published:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a02024<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Length:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0592 pages<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Format:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Hardback (also kindly provided by <\/span>Love Books Tours<\/span><\/em>\u00a0for review!)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Rating:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 5 \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50 <\/span>An absolute must-read!<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n About the Book: <\/span><\/strong>It\u2019s 23rd December 2024, and Rob Tanner, the COO of a major bank, is called into action after discovering a cyber-attack that has multiplied thousands of bank balances by a factor of ten. With financial markets on the brink of collapse, Rob joins forces with cybersecurity expert Ashley Markham to uncover the hacker\u2019s cryptic clues\u2014clues inspired by Hieronymus Bosch\u2019s medieval artwork and the seven deadly sins. As the tension escalates, Rob must race to decode the mystery before the economy crumbles and society is thrown into chaos.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n My Thoughts: <\/span><\/strong>At 592 pages, this is a hefty read, but trust me\u2014it\u2019s worth every page. Simon Hayes crafts a thrilling, multi-layered mystery that had me completely hooked. The story delivers a perfect mix of suspense, high stakes, and razor-sharp commentary on the financial world. I loved how the plot weaves moments of human connection into the fast-paced drama, making it feel all the more real. The characters are incredibly well-written, from the determined Rob Tanner to the chillingly unpredictable villains. This one\u2019s for anyone who loves a smart, intense thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n And there we have it\u2014my first two books that you can choose for your A to Z Reading Challenge! I can\u2019t wait to see where the challenge takes me this year. It always pushes me to explore books I might not have picked up otherwise, and I love discovering hidden gems along the way. I\u2019ll be updating you regularly with my progress and recommendations, so keep an eye on the blog!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Are you taking on a reading challenge this year? I\u2019d love to hear about it! Let\u2019s chat in the comments, or drop me a message on Instagram <\/span>@alisbookstagram_<\/span><\/a>. Here\u2019s to another year of adventures through books!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Affiliate Disclosure: <\/span><\/strong>Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you click through and make a purchase. This helps support the content I create\u2014thank you so much for your support!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/static.wixstatic.com\/media\/8e933c_130b89f6556f45a498137bbf5e2feb0a~mv2.jpeg\/v1\/fill\/w_147,h_147,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto\/8e933c_130b89f6556f45a498137bbf5e2feb0a~mv2.jpeg\")
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