Faves of 2015 ~ Top Twenty Reads

I'm bringing my fave reads of 2015 to you in January (month of the sleepy and sunny summer holidays!). 

Before i get to the books, here's a few stats from my personal reading for pleasure. I have not included books I read with my kids or books I read for uni.

Books Read: 92
Number of rereads: 15
I don't make numerical reading goals but my reading has been in the 90-100 books per year for the past 3 years, which is just shy of 2 books per week ~ a good amount for managing my bookish life with my other life commitments.

Young Adult: 59
Adult Fiction: 33
Australian authors: 33 (really happy that over a 1/3 of my reading was Australian ~ although I often feel like I am never going to read all the Aussie titles on my TBR ~ there are so many that came out in 2015 that I still have not gotten to...)

I love celebrating the discovery of new favourite books and this year I have 20 new faves (plus many more books I enjoyed my time with).  Some are literary masterpieces, some are brilliantly written and plotted, some are just plain fun or addictive comfort reads. All 20 of these titles have one thing in common: I was hooked and addicted. These books provided my favourite reading experiences of 2015 and I hope you find something here that you might also fall in love with. 

As always, many thanks to these amazing authors, who brought so much goodness to my reading life last year xx

Aussie YA Faves

Burn by Paula Weston

Brilliant and sexy and addictive and genius end of to an all-time forever fave series of mine. So much love for this one, and yes, I've reread it already! My review.

A Tangle of Gold by Jaclyn Moriarty

Absolutely amazing and creative and genius and just completely perfect. This conclusion to the series blew my mind <3

Cloudwish by Fiona Wood

The latest Fiona Wood was a perfect fit for me, all the Fiona Wood Aussie YA goodness we all love plus a gorgeous touch of whimsy and loads of heart. Review for this beauty to come!

In the Skin of a Monster by Kathryn Barker

Slightly bizzarre and deliciously surreal, this one is a new total fave for me. I loved it so much, I swallowed it whole. My review.

The Guy, The Girl, The Artist and His Ex by Gabrielle Williams

Smart and smiley and refreshing original. Loved so much about this: the premise and the twisty, brilliant and daring way everything some together. Williams is an outstanding author marching along to the beat of her own drum. This one is marketed as YA but with 4 POV's (some young adult age) it's perfect for fans of adult fiction, too. 

Masquerade by Kylie Fornasier

This was dazzling and unique and unexpected and wholly enjoyable. This is one underrated Aussie YA gem that I would love to see more people get swept up by this captivating and fun book. Also, really excited for Fornasier's sophomore title coming out in 2016! My review. 

Contemporary YA Faves

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes

This one is for fans of good, relentlessly addictive books. And for people who are not afraid of heartache (blended just perfectly with the right amount of hope). So so good. I read this on 2 sittings, over one day <3

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

This book really is a stand-out in contemporary YA -- easy to sink into, heart-felt without ever venturing into melodrama, relate-able, fun and emotionally moving. The pacing is great and, if the mood hits you and you find your groove, you just may read it in one sitting (like I did!). Review to come! :)

Lobsters by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison

Haha, this book was so fun. I loved the UK vibe, the dual POVs. The awkward moments, humour, and so very teen vibe about it all. I couldn't put this one down and finished it at 3am, with a ridiculous grin on my face. 

First & Then by Emma Mills

This book felt fresh and genuine and true and is my favourite brand of contemporary YA. I enjoyed the first half, but LOVED the second half, where I suddenly found myself caring deeply for the characters. What a gorgeous book!

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne

I really enjoyed this one: fun and clever and full of emotional depth. This book broke a reading drought for me and had me smiling and invested the whole way through. My review. 

No More Confessions by Louise Rozett

The conclusion (maybe? I'm hoping for more!) to a fave contemporary YA series of mine. It was very unexpected, the direction this book went in. It felt brave and sad but true and not without hope. Despite some sorrow, it was still sexy and fun and angsty and so good! I really do love this series and would love for it to keep going, somehow, to revisit the characters in a few years and see how they are doing x

Fave New Adult

Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino

I don't actually normally read this genre. Well, I do attempt it (but mostly abandon new adult titles part way in) but for some reason this really worked for me! Look, it was not without it's moments of melodrama (a staple of the genre?) but it also had a lot of heart and soul and characters I was totally rooting for. This was swoony and hot, with loads of tension and slow burn. So, check it out if you're a fan of the New Adult scene and hopefully you'll find this as deliciously addictive as I did :)

Fave Fantasy & Fairy Tale Retellings

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

I adore this series. Seriously DYING for The Winner's Kiss. This second book did everything right and I loved it. LOVED IT. 

The Wrath & The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Wow ~ I loved this. So much atmosphere and intrigue and a gorgeous foreign-vibe fantasy setting. The tortured and mysterious hero really worked for me, too, LOL. I've asked for this book for my shelves for my upcoming birthday, along with the sequel ~ it's a duology (April, you feel so far away!). 

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

 This re-imagined fairy tale is lush and intricate and full of mysteries, sexual tension and unique mythology. This book wins the up-all-night prize, keeping me turning pages into the squeaky hours of the morning, finishing with that rush you get from being completely absorbed by a good tale. I loved it, so much <3 My review.

Gilded Ashes by Rosamund Hodge

Bonus book: a tiny short story (I wish it had been a full length novel!) A Cinderella re-imagining that was haunting and swoony and pretty much perfect!

Adult Fiction Faves

In The Quiet by Eliza Henry Jones

Oh my gosh. What an outstanding and haunting and gorgeous Aussie debut. I loved this so much and I have a half written draft review but all the words I say feel inadequate to capture this beauty of a book (so my review has been languishing unread :( ). All Aussies who belong to a library ~ track this one and sink into it <3

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

I don't know what it is about this book (at times I wasn't even sure what the central plot was), but it was just absorbing and felt so true to life. I loved it and am so glad I read it. My library has all of Anne Tyler's backlist, which is exciting after finding a new author, but I have no idea where to begin, so if there are any fans out there, I'd love to know your fave title of hers!

The Blue by Lucy Clarke

This had what I now think of as Clarke's signature features: wide open seas, wanderlust, mysteries and secrets, and swoon. It was addictive (so cleverly written, blending two timelines and leaving small timely clues). I am excited for anything Clarke writes! I am not entirely sure, but this may be my fave of hers yet. Really worth your time!

Reluctantly Charmed by Ellie O'Neill

Such a charming, off-beat Irish vibe, a kind of chick-lit magical realism that was just fun and slightly ridiculous (in the best of ways). What  a gorgeous and fun and completely memorable read. Much, much love! My review. 

What a gorgeous looking bunch of brilliant books! 

Have you read and loved any of these? 

I'd love to know a couple of your faves from 2015 (link me up to a blog post if you have one or comment with a recommendation below)

Round-up of my previous end of year faves posts:

2014 Part One  Part Two  Top Ten

2013 Top Ten

2012 Top Ten

2011 Part One (the books) Part Two (characters) Part Three (scenes) Part Four (faves)

2010 Faves  and Aussie YA faves

Highlights of my reading year so far (2014)

I drafted this post in early July -- and here we are :) Still, I love talking about books that I have so very much enjoyed and here's some highlights of my 2014 reading year.

2014 has been a mixed-up year so far -- with 3 months of it spent nearly entirely in bed (slain with two mosquito-borne viruses -- Barmah Forest Virus and Ross River Fever -- coupled with other medical complications) which made for some reading time (but nothing too challenging as sick, etc, etc). I also (somehow) kept up study and we moved house as well. I'm feeling so much better these days and am so excited for the rest of 2014 -- life-wise and reading-wise. I am ever-so-thankful for books when times are tough -- and also thankful for book recommendations from good friends and bloggers <3

As always, my favourite reading experiences are not necessarily the most brilliant or perfect books out there -- they comprise of the books that came to me at the right time, perfectly matching my reading mood and sucking me in with that up-all-night addictive reading feeling. They feature combinations of characters I came to love, escapism, and gorgeous prose.

The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Moriarty

My absolute fave so far this year. I love this series so much I feel like my heart could burst! So much looking forward to #3 and also looking forward to rereading this one <3 This was funny and unique and suspenseful and perfectly brilliant in every way.

My review

Shimmer by Paula Weston

I reread the first two books in the series (just as addictive on the reread) and fell deeper in love with the characters and the world. Good times! I am so encouraging everyone to get on board with this unique and addictive Aussie YA angel series.

My Review

As Stars Fall by Christie Nieman

There was something almost otherworldly about this gorgeous Aussie YA contemporary novel. It was startling and beautiful and full of emotoins and surprise.

My review

Dark Horse by Honey Brown

I really look forward to Honey Brown -- she always hits the spot when you're in the mood for a psychological thriller. This is my fave of her titles so far. Addictive with some stunning twists and intense, evocative scenes. I loved this.

I also read Through the Cracks by Honey Brown this year and recommend that as well (unputdownable) -- although I am just sticking to picking one of her titles for this fave list :)

The Girl With All The Gifts by M R Carey

A post-apocalyptic zombie novel that really is worth the hype. This captivated me from the first scene -- and held me the whole way through to it's stunning conclusion.

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

I was so surprised by how much I fell for this book. I found it captivating and was so easily absorbed into the pages -- and wanting to get back to it every time I had to put if down. It was a combination of things that kept the pages turning -- Kestrel's captivating narration, the easy world-building, the genuine conflicts and the slow burn and complicated relationship between Kestrel and Arin. This is a fantasy but has more of a historical-ish vibe (even a kind of ancient Greece type feel). I so loved reading it and am 100% hanging out for #2.

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Whimsical and heartfelt and a little bit off beat -- this was delightful and clever and I'm still thinking about it.







The Darkest Minds and Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

I picked this up after seeing Reynje (of Wordchasing) recommend it. I feel I have mostly outgrown this YA genre of special powers/post-apocalyptic society type books and therefore never paid this series much attention. So glad I rectified that. Both these books delivered for me: fresh and intriguing with fantastic pacing and some cool twists. I loved Ruby's narration and the little band of characters -- also a shout-out to the good guy love interest = swoon! Looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Days of Blood and Starlight and
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

To all those people who were there at the beginning -- I do not envy your wait between books. I ignored this series for a long time (I pretty much don't do urban fantasy or paranormal and thus assumed these books would not be my thing). The upside of me waiting so long to take up these books is I got to read them pretty much back to back. The writing is lush, the plot and world building is intricate and the story-telling is just sublime. There's so much emotion in this series -- depth's of sorrow and love and also ridiculous fun and humour. Unpredictable and gorgeous and consuming -- now a fave series that I am already looking forward to rereading. Karou and Akiva <3

 Nearly a Lady by Alissa Johnson

I like a bit of regency romance when I need something fun to escape into. Out of all the regency romances I have read so far (this year and in previous years) -- this would have to be my fave. So much fun and swoony good times. Also -- does not follow the kind of set romance formula that so much of this genre adheres too. I 100% recommend this total gem to any fans of regency romance (and also to anyone who might like to drop by the genre and give it ago :) )

Major thanks to Keertana of Ivy Book Bindings for highlighting this title in her fave reads of the year (so far)  (you were not wrong!)

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

I really enjoyed this contemporary YA debut. It was the first contempary YA book to hold my attention in such a long time. (And those who have been around here a while know that contempary YA is my first love). I didn't entirely connect with the MC but that did not stop me from loving the writing. Highlights of this were the slow burn romance (my fave way to bring the swoons!) and the best friend relationship. This is a road trip book but it did not feel like a road trip book at all (which suits me as I am generally not into road trips -- in life or in fiction, haha). Not an all time fave book but definitely worth a shout out for it's up-all-night addictiveness.

As always -- I would love any recommendations or to know if you loved any of these as much as I did! And thanks to my readers (if you're still out there!) for stopping by (either on the site or in your feeders) and I hope you're in the middle of a truly awesome book

Much love,

Nomes