My Favourite Books of 2015

2015 has been another year of ups and downs reading wise.  I have come across some absolute standout titles but I have also failed to be wowed by quite a number of the books I've read this year.  This meant that for once, it was actually pretty easy to pick my top ten books of the year.  Normally I change my mind half a dozen times but these titles really stood out in my mind and quite quickly made my favourites list.      

So without further ado, here's my 2015 top ten list.  These are in no particular order and have not necessarily been published this year.

1. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Published by Bloomsbury

 

A perfect conclusion to the series.  Sarah J. Maas pulled out all the stops in this final instalment.  I practically devoured this book in one sitting and now can't wait for more future titles by one of my favourite authors.    

 

 

 

2. Conspiracy Girl by Sarah Alderson

Published by Simon and Schuster

 

I am a huge fan of Sarah Alderson and this book is one of my favourite of her novels.  Exciting, tense and gripping it knocked my socks off.   

 

  3. Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot

Published by Macmillan

 

The return of Mia, Crown Princess of Genovia!  It was fantastic getting to catch-up with Mia and Michael and find out what had happened to them after the conclusion of the Princess Diaries books. 

 

 

 4. Monster by C. J. Skuse

Published by Mira Ink

 

There is no doubt that this is a five star read and might actually grab the very top spot in my 2015 list.  I literally could not put this book down and I was gripped by all the twists and turns.  The ending was absolutely explosive and I've since recommended to everyone.  A must read. 

 

  5. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Published by Bloomsbury

 

Sarah J. Maas is the only author to have two books in my top ten list.  This is the first title in her new series and was yet another standout.  Her writing is incredible, her characters are fantastic and I'm always left wanting more. 

 

 

 6. First Class Murder by Robin Stevens

Published by Corgi

 

A new series which has become a firm favourite.  I love the Wells and Wong mysteries and it's become the event of the year when a new instalment is published. 

 

 

 7. Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Published by Corgi

 

A superb debut novel.  I really enjoyed 'Everything Everything' which I found thoroughly engrossing and captivating.  This is an author that I will be keeping my eye on in the future.   

 

 

 8. Jane by April Lindner

Published by Poppy

 

This was published in 2010 and I've had it sitting on my bookshelf for a few years.  I finally got around to picking it up and then wished I hadn't waited such a long time before reading it.  A brilliant contemporary retelling of Jane Eyre, I enjoyed every second of this one.  I'm going to track down and buy the whole of April Lindner's back catalogue now. 

 

 

 9. The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Published by Atom

 

Another one that took me years to read!  I recently saw the film, so thought it was about time that I also read the book.  Loved it. 

 

 

 10. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

Published by Penguin

 

This book divided opinion among critics and readers.  I'm firmly on the side of those people that deemed it an instant classic.   

 

 

Comment and let me know if you've read any of these and what your personal favourites of 2015 were.

Review: Sea of Shadows - Kelley Armstrong

Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong, published by Atom on 8th April 2014

Goodreads synopsis:
In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire's worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed by an ancient evil, Moria and Ashyn must race to warn the empire of a terrifying threat. Accompanied by a dashing thief and a warrior with a dark history, the sisters battle their way across a wasteland filled with reawakened monsters of legend. But there are more sinister enemies waiting for them at court - and a secret that will alter the balance of their world forever.

Review:

I stumbled across ‘Sea of Shadows’ in my local bookshop without even realising that Kelley Armstrong had a new book out.  It sounded intriguing and I thought the cover looked pretty striking so I picked it up.  I’ve enjoyed some of Armstrong’s books in the past but not all of them, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started reading this.  What I got was an exciting, action-packed fantasy adventure which started slow but then really picked-up and threw everything at the reader.  Strangely enough it reminded me a little bit of ‘Blood Red Road’ by Moira Young, although that may just have been because of the giant worms!  

 

At the heart of the story are twin sisters Moria and Ashyn.  They are the Seeker and Keeper of Edgewood, charged with keeping the village safe from the angry souls of the dead that reside in the forest.  They have been trained from birth to fulfil their roles and each have an immortal creature by their side: a wildcat and a hound.  These animals are bonded to them and are like an extension of their own selves.  When things start to go wrong with the ritual of quietening the spirits, a terrible evil falls upon their village, leading Moria and Ashyn to embark on a dangerous journey. 

 

The journey itself takes up the majority of the book but I found it incredibly exciting because it was fraught with danger at every turn.  There are a whole array of scary creatures which make appearances in the story and there are some seriously creepy moments which had me jumping out of my seat.  I think Kelley Armstrong does a great job of keeping readers on their toes with this part of the plot.  The sisters become separated on their journey but they are each accompanied by a potential love interest (although this isn’t necessarily how it starts out).  Personally, I really liked Gavril and I thought that the bond which grows between him and Moria was much more real than the lacklustre sparks between Ashyn and Ronan.         

 

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed ‘Sea of Shadows’ and although it got off to a slow start it was well worth sticking with because it kept getting better and better and the second-half of the book in particular was fantastic.  I sometimes find that I can get a little lost with fantasy books but I thought that everything was explained extremely well and the world building was brilliant.  I’m now dying for the next instalment of this trilogy and I can’t wait to see what twists and turns are going to be thrown into book two.  This is probably my favourite Kelley Armstrong title so far!

Trailer: Night School - Legacy - C.J. Daugherty

On 3rd January 2013, book two 'Legacy' in the Night School series by C.J. Daugherty is published by Atom.  Although I actually haven't started reading this series yet, I do have the first book, am planning to buy the second and have heard fantastic things about them from my fellow bloggers. 

 

In the last year, Allie's survived three arrests, two breakups and one family breakdown. The only bright point has been her new life at Cimmeria Academy. It's the one place she's felt she belongs. And the fact that it's brought the dreamy Carter West into her life hasn't hurt...But far from being a safe haven, the cloistered walls of Cimmeria are proving more dangerous than Allie could've imagined. The students, and faculty, are under threat and Allie's family - from her mysterious grandma to her runaway brother - are at the centre of the storm. Allie is going to have to choose between protecting her family and trusting her friends. But secrets have a way of ripping even the strongest relationships apart...

 

To whet your appetite, here's the awesome trailer for the book -  

 

Review: Bunheads - Sophie Flack

Bunheads by Sophie Flack, published by Atom on 1st March 2012 

Goodreads synopsis:
As a dancer with the Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward is living her childhood dream. She gets to be up on stage in front of adoring crowds every night. And while she might not be a prima ballerina yet, she's moving up the ranks and surely if she works hard enough she can make it happen.

But devoting her whole life to ballet leaves very little time for anything else: friends, family, school have all fallen by the wayside. Hannah doesn't mind, until a chance encounter in a restaurant brings Jacob into her life. He's cute, he plays guitar and he's offering a whole future that Hannah never considered. And now she must choose between her lifelong dream or what could be the love of her life...

Review:
When I was a little girl I took ballet lessons and like many others dreamt of becoming a ballerina.  I've always loved the spectacle of watching ballets being performed on the stage - the beautiful costumes, the gorgeous music and the wonderful stories the dancers tell with their bodies.  Although my dream didn't come true, I never stopped being obsessed with a world which from the outside is all about grace, poise, elegance and beauty but underneath the veneer is actually more about hard work, grit, determination and sacrifice.

The author Sophie Flack was a dancer herself with the New York City Ballet for nine years and so has firsthand experience of the ballet world.  She's therefore able to present a realistic and true depiction of what it's like to devote your whole life to a single purpose, literally to the exclusion of anything else.

The central character Hannah Ward has done exactly that.  As part of the Manhattan Ballet Company, she's a dancer in the corps de ballet but her ultimate goal is to be promoted to soloist.  When she meets Jacob, a cute guy who also plays the guitar, she begins to open her eyes to all the other possibilities that are out there and ultimately has to decide whether or not she should give up her dream of becoming a prima ballerina to experience the real world instead.

Hannah's life is incredibly insular.  She has no friends outside of her fellow dancers.  She left home at fourteen and so has never developed a real relationship with her parents.  She's never had a boyfriend before and has no time for anything outside of ballet.  All of these facets of her life, helped to show how dedicated you have to be to become a ballerina and how many sacrifices you have to make.

What made this book really stand out for me were all the behind the scenes details about the daily grind that the dancers have to put their bodies through for each performance.  I enjoyed reading about each of the ballets they stage, how they break in their new pointe shoes and the regime of dancing, pilates and yoga that they have to undergo to remain at their best. 

It's hard to put into words how much I adored this book.  I absolutely and whole heartedly loved it and enjoyed it so much that I never wanted it to end.  The addition of a lovely epilogue was the perfect ending.  I thought that Hannah was a wonderfully real character with an incredibly difficult decision to make.

Sophie Flack has written about a subject that I am and always will be in love with but I also thought that she had a great writing style and created very true to life characters who I came to consider as friends.  I can't wait to see what she writes next.  She's turned me into a true fan!     

Waiting on Wednesday #52

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking the Spine that spotlights eagerly awaited upcoming releases.  Head on over there to take part or to check out all the other fabulous books that people are looking forward to reading! 

Bunheads by Sophie Flack

Published on 1st March 2012 by Atom

 

 

As a dancer with the Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward is living her childhood dream. She gets to be up on stage in front of adoring crowds every night. And while she might not be a prima ballerina yet, she's moving up the ranks and surely if she works hard enough she can make it happen.

But devoting her whole life to ballet leaves very little time for anything else: friends, family, school have all fallen by the wayside. Hannah doesn't mind, until a chance encounter in a restaurant brings Jacob into her life. He's cute, he plays guitar and he's offering a whole future that Hannah never considered. And now she must choose between her lifelong dream or what could be the love of her life...

 

I am obsessed with books that are set in the ballet world so when I first heard about this title I knew I wanted to read it.  I've heard quite a lot of buzz about 'Bunheads' already so I'm counting down the days until it's released. 

Hotly Anticipated Reads for 2012: Atom

Atom publish some absolutely amazing books!  I'm a huge fan of the paranormal romance genre which they do so well and always look forward to seeing what new offerings they have.  Here's some of their hottest releases for 2012.

All links go to Goodreads where you can add them to your wishlist too!

Night School by C.J. Daugherty, published January 2012

Allie Sheridan's world is falling apart. She hates her school. Her brother has run away from home. And she's just been arrested. Again.

This time her parents have finally had enough. They cut her off from her friends and send her away to a boarding school for problem teenagers.

But Cimmeria Academy is no ordinary school. Its rules are strangely archaic. It allows no computers or phones. Its students are an odd mixture of the gifted, the tough and the privileged. And then there's the secretive Night School, whose activities other students are forbidden even to watch.

When Allie is attacked one night the incident sets off a chain of events leading to the violent death of a girl at the summer ball. As the school begins to seem like a very dangerous place, Allie must learn who she can trust. And what's really going on at Cimmeria Academy.

The Book of Blood and Shadows by Robin Wasserman, published January 2012

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.  When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love.  When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.

But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead.  His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer, published February 2012

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, published February 2012

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers abarbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Bunheads by Sophie Flack, published March 2012

As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet.

But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah's universe begins to change, and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other "bunheads" in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life?

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong, published April 2012

Maya Delaney’s paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they’re kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad, published April 2012

Three teenagers are going on the trip of a lifetime. Only one is coming back. It's been more than forty years since NASA sent the first men to the moon, and to grab some much-needed funding and attention, they decide to launch an historic international lottery in which three lucky teenagers can win a week-long trip to moon base DARLAH 2 - a place that no one but top government officials even knew existed until now. The three winners, Antoine, Midori, and Mia, come from all over the world. But just before the scheduled launch, the teenagers each experience strange, inexplicable events. Little do they know that there was a reason NASA never sent anyone back there until now - a sinister reason. But the countdown has already begun...

Ghost Flower by Michele Jaffe, published May 2012

Eve, a runaway, finds a new job at a coffee shop on the outskirts of Tuscon. When she's approached by two wealthy teens who claim she bears an uncanny resemblance to their missing cousin Aurora, her life takes a turn for the dark and mysterious. Drawn into a scheme to win Aurora's inheritance, Eve finds herself impersonating the girl, who disappeared three years ago on the night her best friend Elizabeth died. But when Liza's ghost begins to haunt Eve, doing harm to the people close to her under the guise of "protecting" her, Eve finds herself in a nightmare maze of lies and deception that leads her to question even her own identity. She realizes her only chance is to uncover the truth about what happened the night Liza died, and to find Liza's killer - before she's next.

Adorkable by Sarra Manning, published May 2012

Jeane Smith is seventeen and has turned her self-styled dorkiness into an art form, a lifestyle choice and a profitable website and consultancy business. She writes a style column for a Japanese teen magazine and came number seven in The Guardian's 30 People Under 30 Who Are Changing The World. And yet, in spite of the accolades, hundreds of Internet friendships and a cool boyfriend, she feels inexplicably lonely, a situation made infinitely worse when Michael Lee, the most mass-market, popular and predictably all-rounded boy at school tells Jeane of his suspicion that Jeane's boyfriend is secretly seeing his girlfriend. Michael and Jeane have NOTHING in common - she is cool and individual; he is the golden boy in an Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt. So why can't she stop talking to him?

Until I Die by Amy Plum, published May 2012

Kate may have defeated her boyfriend's nemesis, showing off her sword skills in the process, but Vincent is sure that she will be at risk as long as they stay together. What's more, it's becoming clear that their relationship might prevent him from fulfilling his true purpose: saving the lives of others.

They might have the romance of the century, but will that be enough?

Destined by P.C and Kristin Cast, published May 2012

In Destined, the forces of Light and Dark collide as their epic struggle focuses on Tulsa's House of Night. Zoey is home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side and preparing to face off against Neferet. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, he and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together if Rephaim can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow.

But is Zoey really safe? Does she truly know those who are closest to her? And will love win when it is tested by the very soul of Darkness?

Review: Pretty Little Liars - Sara Shepard

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard, published by ATOM on 4th November 2010

Goodreads synopsis:
Three years ago, Alison disappeared after a slumber party, not to be seen since. Her friends at the elite Pennsylvania school mourned her, but they also breathed secret sighs of relief. Each of them guarded a secret that only Alison had known. Now they have other dirty little secrets, secrets that could sink them in their gossip-hungry world. When each of them begins receiving anonymous emails and text messages, panic sets in. Are they being betrayed by some one in their circle? Worse yet: Is Alison back?

Review:
The 'Pretty Little Liars' series is one that I've been meaning to read for a while now.  With the launch of the TV series in the UK, I thought that it was about time I caught up with the books.  The story is basically about five best-friends who do everything together until one of them disappears and the friendship between the other girls falls apart.  An investigation is launched into what happened to Alison but no one knows how or why she disappeared.  Fast-forward three years and the girls are reunited in Rosewood.  When they start receiving mysterious text messages, emails and letters from someone calling themselves 'A', they begin to wonder if someone knows what really happened to Alison after all.

This was a fantastic start to what I suspect is going to be an addictive series.  The story is fast-paced and exciting and although on the surface it may first appear to be no more than a shallow story about a group of glamorous girls, it's actually pretty gritty, with everything from eating disorders to shoplifting to issues about sexual identity being discussed.  It's also really creepy and puzzling as the identity of 'A' remains a secret both to the girls and to the reader.  I tried puzzling it out but frankly I don't have a clue who it is yet!

Each chapter presents an alternative viewpoint from each of the girls and this helps to establish their very unique characters, feelings and motivations.  My favourite characters were Spencer and Aria and I'm loving both of their story lines so far.  All of the girls present very particular images, from fun-loving party girl, to school swot, to sports star, to arty culture fan but underneath they seem to be another person entirely with deep, dark hidden secrets which they'd go to any lengths to protect.

This book reminded me a little bit of Kate Brian's Private series and if you love gossipy, back-stabbing, scheming fun then you'll definitely enjoy 'Pretty Little Liars'.  The ending is absolutely tantalising and has left me desperate for more.  Sara Shepard is giving very few clues away which only makes me want to read the next book even more.      

I'm looking forward to the scandal and intrigue unravelling further in future installments of the series which I have lined up and waiting for me to read next.  Now, I just need to resist peeking at the end to see 'who did it'!