I've read over 100 books this year, so this was no easy task, although the top ten was simpler: they're the ones to which I gave my rare 5 Gold Stars.
I started off doing a Top 20, but there were a few I just couldn't decide between ~ so, here's my...
I started off doing a Top 20, but there were a few I just couldn't decide between ~ so, here's my...
TOP
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....the reading of the following took place between January 1st and December 12th, 2015...
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I haven't included more than one book by the same author; instead, I chose my favourite, but mentioned any others I've read/reviewed this year. Lists such as this are all about personal taste, of course, and so much depends much on preference of genre; there are plenty of other very good books on this blog, to which I've given 4* ~ you can find them all HERE.
Okay, here goes! For the full review of each book, click the title. I've added a note to say how I discovered it, because I think this is interesting for writers, readers and book bloggers alike.
**Numbers 24~11 are in no particular order**:
Australian family drama
Discovered: A choice from those submitted to Rosie Amber's Review Team;
I review for Rosie's blog as a member of the team.
I review for Rosie's blog as a member of the team.
Financial/psychological thriller
Discovered: Got to know the author via Twitter, I'd read her first one and liked it.
Plantagenet historical fiction
Discovered: Another Rosie's book review team choice.
by English Historical Fiction Authors
Historical anthology ~ non-fiction
Discovered: A tweet!
1950s Family Saga.
Discovered: Got to know the author via Twitter. This is the middle part of a trilogy, and my favourite of the three; there are links to my reviews of the other two parts at the end of this one.
Zombie apocalypse (US)
Discovered: Amazon browse, the cover of the first one in the series caught my eye, then I read the next three. I liked Mad World, the third one, best. You can see the review of the first, Broken World, with links to the others HERE
1980s northern England miners' strike drama
Discovered: I read a review by a fellow member of Rosie Amber's Review Team that made me want to buy it.
Fantasy assassin adventure ~ novella
Discovered: Another choice from the reviewer's list on Rosie Amber. This year I have also read Thief's Gambit by this author, review HERE.
16. SURVIVING THE EVACUATION: Book 1: London by Frank Tayell
Zombie Apocalypse (UK)
Discovered: Amazon browse. I've read four others in the series, links to which are on the review for this one. I liked this one and the fourth best.
Travel Memoir
Discovered: I won the author's second book in a blog competition last year, and liked it so much I bought her first one, too.
Contemporary drama/musician
Discovered: I read an article by the author on an unrelated subject, on a book blog. Something about the way she 'talked' made me think I'd like her fiction writing too, so I read the blurb for her book and the subject matter appealed very much.
Gritty Geordie crime drama
Discovered: Our mutual proofreader told me it was really good, so I bought it when it came out!
Family drama/Afghanistan
Discovered: I read an article about it, by the author, on the same book blog where I read about Living By Ear (the discontinued but still in existence A Woman's Wisdom), and thought it sounded like something I'd love to read.
18th century murder mystery
Discovered: A choice from Rosie Amber's review team reading list. Have since bought his next book, not read yet.
And now......the countdown begins!
~~~~ The Top Ten ~~~~
It was hard to put them in order of preference, but I think a countdown is more fun, don't you? Adds a bit of tension to the proceedings! So I struggled and hummed and hahhed, and here it is.....
Post apocalyptic drama (pandemic), Northern Ireland
Discovered: Got chatting to author on Twitter, I asked to see his book. Happened to be in a current favourite genre, and I liked the look of it ~ ker-ching! Have since reviewed his second one, The American Policeman
Native American history
Discovered: I've read lots of Zoe Saadia's books, discovered via her blogs on Twitter, and think the Peacemaker series is the best thing she's done, and this is the best of the series. Links to her other books are on the review above, and I've also reviewed The Peacekeeper.
Dark humour, contemporary drama ~ novella
Discovered: I got to know the author via the internet about eight years ago, through our mutual interest in writing, amongst other things, and always hoped he'd publish something because he's one of the most genuinely talented writers I've come across. I read the first part of this last year, loved it, and this is even better.
Alternative history ~ Tudor fantasy
Discovered: I got to know the author on Twitter because of our mutual interest in the Tudors, and read the first part of this trilogy last year. The links to Court of Conspiracy and Taste of Treason can be found on the review above; the trilogy got better as it went on, this third part was definitely my favourite.
Vigilante crime drama/thriller
Discovered: I'd bought it after reviewing the first in this series, Kill Line (link on the review on above), for Rosie's blog, and I chose that after a review by another member of the team made me want to read it. Robert Leigh subsequently submitted it to Rosie's review team list, so I reviewed it for her blog, too. Oh, and our mutual proofreader recommended it, as well!
Getting exciting now....!
~~~~ The Top Five ~~~~
Historical fiction ~ the early years of Elizabeth I
Discovered: Got to know the author on Twitter because of our mutual interest in the Tudors. I read a few of her stories on Wattpad and loved them, so I leapt on this when it came out.
Sci-Fi, post apocalyptic drama, UK
Discovered: Rosie Amber was asked to review this but it wasn't her sort of thing so she asked me if I'd like to read it. I'm so glad she did! I've since bought and reviewed the sequel, Forbidden Alliance; the link is on the above review.
Now it's really getting exciting....
~~~ The Top Three ~~~
by Mark Barry.
Violent contemporary drama
Discovered: I 'met' Mark Barry when he asked me to appear on his blog, then thought I would try one of his books. I have read four of them now, and this is the best one, by far. This year I have also read his book Ultra Violence; links to all of his that I've read can be found in the review above. Highly recommended!
*
Second Place...
Second Place...
My runner up and silver medallist is a two-in-one, really, because she writes under two names, Davina Blake and Deborah Swift. I've read several of her books this year and it was so hard to choose which one, for this list, because I love them all, but in the end I went with...
World War II and 1950s drama
Discovered: via Twitter, I can't remember exactly how, I think I read an article on her history blog. For this list, I was torn between the above book, and The Lady's Slipper, in her Deborah Swift guise; links to my reviews for all her historical fiction can be found HERE.
Drum Roll....
And the Gold Medal goes to.....
~ My Favourite Book of 2015 ~
Victorian Murder Mystery
Discovered: Twitter, I believe... I think she commented on one of my blog posts! I read the first of this series, Diamonds & Dust, last year, and didn't think anything could top the second, Honour & Obey, but this did. Even if you think a Victorian murder mystery isn't your thing (which is what I thought), you should buy this NOW. This is talent!
I do hope this has been of interest to you, not least of all how I found each book. I'm so glad I offered to be a part of Rosie Amber's team, and that I've got involved with so many book blogs this year. Unless writers have a traditional publisher behind them or have limitless funds for promotion, it's a constant struggle, in this deluged market, to get our books in front of readers, and for readers to sort the wheat from the chaff; if everyone who looks at this list bought just one of the books....!!
