Wednesday 16 December 2015

Book Favourites of 2015

It's that time of year where I look back at all the books I've read over the past year and pick out my favourite bits to share with you. I've read a variety of books this year, including romantic comedies, psychological thrillers, historical fiction, full-length books and novellas.


I've chosen 11 'favourites' and, having read over 70 books during 2015, there have been some pretty tough decisions! But here we go...



Favourite Heroine


My favourite heroine of 2015 is Ruby from Rosamund Lupton's The Quality of silence.

Ruby, a young deaf girl, travels with her mother to Alaska in search of her missing father. I loved Ruby's humour and her childhood observations and she was by far my favourite character from the book.

You can see my review of The Quality of Silence here


Favourite Hero


My favourite hero of 2015 is Greg from How To Stuff Up Christmas by Rosie Blake.

When Eve decides to spend Christmas on a houseboat in Pangbourne, she meets local vet Greg and they strike up a friendship. Greg sounds pretty perfect - he's handsome, fun and he can cook. But Greg, like most of us, isn't really perfect and has some problems going on, which only made him seem more human and made me warm to him more.

You can see my review of How To Stuff Up Christmas here


Favourite Villain


My favourite villain of 2015 is Ben from Ruth Dugdall's Humber Boy B.

I didn't think I'd warm to Ben at all in this book but I couldn't help feeling for him as he is released from prison after serving a sentence for pushing a boy from a bridge when he was younger, resulting in the boy's death. Over time we get to see what happened that day and how it resulted in the murder of a young boy, as well as finding out how Ben struggles with his newfound freedom.

You can see my review of Humber Boy B over on Novelicious here


Favourite Couple


My favourite couple of 2015 are Gemma and Dan from The Love Shack by Jane Costello.

Gemma and Dan move in with Dan's mother to save money to buy their dream home. The stress of moving in with Belinda puts a strain on their relationship but I hoped it wouldn't prove too much for them. Gemma throwing a tampon at Dan during a row is one of my book highlights of 2015!

You can see my review of The Love Shack here


Favourite Animal


My favourite animal of 2015 is Miley from Ali McNamara's The Little Flower Shop By The Sea.

There were a few strong contenders for this spot, including the adorable Disco from Cressida McLaughlin's Primrose Terrace series but in the end I picked Miley. Miley is a little capuchin monkey who is a little bit cheeky and a lot adorable. I wanted to take her from the pages and keep her!

You can see my review of The Little Flower Shop By The Sea here


Favourite Cover


My favourite cover of 2015 is The Happy Ever Afterlife of Rosie Potter by Kate Winter.

Just look at it! It's gorgeous! The cover is quite simple but I love the vibrant colours used, as well as the fun font. I like how the focus is on the text, with a few summery flowers, butterflies and dragonflies added to add more interest.

You can see my review of The Happy Ever Afterlife of Rosie Potter here


Favourite Summer Read


My favourite summer read of 2015 is The Love Shack by Jane Costello.

The Love Shack is a fun romantic comedy with lots of laugh-out-loud moments (including the above-mentioned tampon-throwing). It's full of brilliant characters, including my favourite couple of 2015, Gemma and Dan, and Dan's mum, Belinda.

You can see my review of The Love Shack here


Favourite Festive Read


My favourite festive read of 2015 is How To Stuff Up Christmas by Rosie Blake.

How To Stuff Up Christmas is full of Christmas charm, making it a fantastic book to curl up with during the winter months with a hot chocolate to hand.

You can see my review of How To Stuff Up Christmas here


Favourite Historical Read


My favourite historical read of 2015 is We Shall Remember by Emma Fraser.

Set both during the late 1980s and the Second World War, there is mystery surrounding Sarah's mother's past. We meet Irena as she fights to survive Nazi occupation in Poland and find out how she is connected to Sarah's mother.

You can see my review of We Shall Remember over on Novelicious here


Favourite Novella


My favourite novella of 2015 is The Little Things by Jane Costello.

Most of the novellas I've read this year have been part of a series but The Little Things is completely standalone. It was a fun read and although it is short, it felt like a completely satisfactory story and I really enjoyed it.

You can see my review of The Little Things here


And now for my very favourite read of 2015 - or my Book of The Year. This one was an easy decision to make as this book stood out for me and was a seriously tough act to follow. The writing was fun, witty and incredibly engaging and the characters were, in the style of Craig Revel Horwood - fab-u-lous! From sassy Jessica Beam to timid Peach and old-fashioned Matilda. Then throw in uber-bitch Summer and a couple of handsome chaps and you've got yourself a brilliant read. I LOVED it and I can't wait for the follow up next year!


You can see my review of The Vintage Guide To Love and Romance here


So those are my bookish favourites of 2015. I'd love to hear your book favourites too!



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