My Favourite Books of 2015 – For lovers of magic and unbelievable things
2015 was full of good reads. I got a stack of books for Christmas of 2014 so I was off to a great start from January 1st. I set a target of 60 books to read, and managed to finish 56 by December 31st. I loved most of the books I read, which made coming up with this list quite hard. But in no particular order here are my favourite books of 2015
Big Magic
Oh this book! If you’re a creative, or even wonder if you’re creative (spoiler alert: you are!), you’ll want this one in your arsenal to read over and over again. Elizabeth’s no nonsense approach to creativity will give you just the kick in the butt you need to get out there and get creating.
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
The twist in this book, )which comes way before the end so you’re not kept in suspense forever), was so unlike anything I was expecting that I had to put the book down and breathe deeply. And the story that continues after the twist is revealed, is possibly even more captivating than the bit before the twist.
Cutting for Stone
What can I saw about this sweeping story other than I loved every bit of it? I’ve never been to Ethiopia but yet I could clearly see the characters and situations. Probably because of growing up in a developing country that underwent an unstable period including a dictator, a coup d’etat and then another dictator.. Either way the story of this blended family is captivating in every way.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
This classic was one of the books on my 2015 to read list from the Rory Gilmore Challenge (free printable alert!). It didn’t disappoint and I devoured every beautifully written word.
Me Before You
A modern love story with a surprisingly un-relatable main character, which didn’t make me enjoy the book any less, and still kept me wondering how things would turn out for her in the end. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel this year!
The Secret History
One review called this “a thinking person’s thriller” and I have to agree. Nothing is obvious, and the twists and turns take quite a bit of unravelling. I was confused by the main character, probably because he seemed pretty confused about his life himself. The book contains dark and mysterious themes against a backdrop of life at a small New England college. Different and very good.
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
This book was so strange! There’s no other way to describe it. But it was so enthralling and mysterious and incredibly beautifully written that I read it voraciously until the end. And it’s long, but again beautiful. So beautiful that as I read it I wished I spoke Japanese so I could read it in the original language.
The Night Circus
Another weird and wonderful read. If you love fantasy this one is for you. You won;t know which of the main characters to root for, in fact like me you might end up rooting for both. Full of beautiful imagery, this one will meet you in your dreams.
Flight Behaviour
I’ve read everything by Barbabra Kingsolver and I’ll probably continue to do so because I love her story telling style. I am also an unapologetic environmentalist, so she’s preaching to the choir when it comes to me. All things considered though, this is a lovely story, and if you’re a mom you’ll surely relate to the main character.
2 a.m at The Cat’s Pajamas
Get this book now. You’ll love the main character, a feisty nine year old who’s in charge of her life. The story takes place over the period of 24 hours, and they are the most interesting 24 hours ever! Philadelphia natives will probably enjoying reading about their city too!
Parnassus on Wheels
This quirky book made me laugh out loud! It’s a fun romp, all about books and adventure, with the most unlikely of characters. You might want to pick up the sequel too, I just did!
The Storied Life of AJ Firky
A beautiful love story with the central theme being books! if you love romance, reading, bookstores and quirky characters you’ll want to add this one to your reading list this year.
You can see my complete list of books read here. What were some of your favourite reads last year? I’m starting to compile my “to be read” list for 2016!