Top 5 Books read in 2015

I managed over 100 titles last year in my reading and in retrospect I wondered what one’s I would recommend to anyone asking for something new. So, here’s a brief list of my favourite reads from 2015 – 2 are part of a series, and one honourable mention at the end, but these books managed to tick all the boxes for me. Fun, indulgence and engaging…

Darklife and Riptide

 

This series by Kat Falls managed to cover the genres of Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian, and Marine Biology – all of which are favourites on their own, but pulled together in one book had me just about melting into a pool of my own making.

The Lunar Chronicles (Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Fairest, and Winter)

Though I have yet to read Winter, the rest of the books in this series were a massive surprise. I’m not a fan of fairytale re-tellings, but The Lunar Chronicles had me eating my words. A truly entertaining and unique fable woven over so many volumes with great characters and such an interwoven plot. A masterful task!

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Hot of the tail of The Lunar Chronicles, I broke and purchased yet another adaptation of fairy tales (from Beauty and the Beast). I’d heard great things from friends about the ‘A Crown of Thorns’ series, and thought I’d start with this single book rather than tackle a large series again. It did not disappoint, I was truly entranced in the Fae world and our Huntress’ predicament. Truly magical.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

I got to read and review a lot of GLBT+ titles this year, the majority of them ranking highly, but this is by far my favourite.

The Martian

This is nerd porn on steroids. With so much science and witty repertoire thrown in, this survival story where literally the intelligence of Watney is the only thing saving him from death at every turn on an alien landscape. This is also the only book to get in my top 5 that has multiple points of view…

 

Life and Death – Twilight Re-imagined

I have to include this, even though it is not a new novel, but only because it reminded me of a time that got me into reading and writing in earnest. Also the gender swap added another layer to the story and many of the issues critics had with the novel. With the addition of some changes and what-if’s Stephenie was able to address, it was a wonderful gift for the tenth anniversary of Twilight.

 

I also noticed that the colours red and blue (and black) dominate the covers of my favourites – a funny coincidence 🙂

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