My top 20 of 2015

It's been absolutely fantastic year of reading with 147 books read, so it was quite hard to whittle it down to my top 20 reads of the year.

A lot of the books are so completely different and brilliant in their own right, so I don't think I could pick an absolute favourite.  After much deliberation and without further ado, in no particular order, my top 20 reads of 2015 are:

Click on any book cover to be taken to my review and then on to Amazon where you can purchase these fabulous books for yourself.

With such amazing reads in 2015, I am really looking forward to a book-filled 2016.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2016.

A Boy Called Christmas - Matt Haig

You are about to read the true story of Father Christmas.

It is a story that proves that nothing is impossible.

A Boy Called Christmas is a tale of adventure, snow, kidnapping, elves, more snow, and a boy called Nikolas, who isn't afraid to believe in magic.

What did I think?

This is a truly magical book - if you don't believe in Father Christmas, you certainly will after reading this.

Nikolas is like Cinderella, being left in the abominable care of his Aunt whilst his father goes on an expedition to find the legendary mythical elf village of Elfhelm.  Nikolas decides to leave home and follow in his father's snowy footsteps, meeting Blitzen the reindeer along the way.  We learn all the secrets of Christmas; how Father Christmas gets down chimneys; how reindeer fly; why Santa wears a red hat; and the best lesson of all - why 'impossible' is an old elf swearword.

The illustrations are outstanding and the prose is magical, making this an instant hit with kids of all ages...ahem...and adults.  It's definitely my festive favourite and I will read it again every Christmas to reignite the magic and sparkle of this most wonderful time of the year.

I bought this treasured signed edition from Canongate Books.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

The Astonishing Return of Norah Wells - Virginia Macgregor

One ordinary morning, Norah walked out of her house on Willoughby Street and never looked back. Six years later, she returns to the home she walked away from only to find another woman in her place. Fay held Norah's family together after she disappeared, she shares a bed with Norah's husband and Norah's youngest daughter calls Fay 'Mummy'.

Now that Norah has returned, everyone has questions. Where has she been? Why did she leave? And why is she back? As each member of the family tries to find the answers they each need, they must also face up to the most pressing question of all - what happens to The Mother Who Stayed when The Mother Who Left comes back?

From the author of What Milo Saw, comes this powerful, emotional and perceptive novel about what it takes to hold a family together and what you're willing to sacrifice for the ones you love.

What did I think?

This is an absolutely delightful story, beautifully written in a style unique to Virginia Macgregor.  I have named What Milo Saw in my top 20 books of 2015, so I was absolutely delighted when I was invited to read an advance copy of The Astonishing Return of Norah Wells.

Norah's daughters, Ella and Willa, are such vibrant characters that they were an absolute pleasure to read.  I found it hard at first to remember who was who as their names are so similar, but once they made it into my heart I could tell them apart.  Ella remembers her Mum, Norah.  She didn't know why Norah had left them and had set up a Twitter campaign to find her Mum.  Willa was just a baby when Norah left and Norah's friend, Fay, is the only Mummy that she knows.  Their lives are thrown into turmoil when Norah returns.

Norah's story is so emotional.  It is clear that she never stopped loving her family so it's really hard, as the reader, to understand why she left.  Virginia Macgregor tells Norah's story so compassionately that, by the time all of the jigsaw pieces fell into place, the whole Wells family felt very dear to me.

The conflicting emotions of Ella and Willa were portrayed so sympathetically.  Ella is so angry that her Mum doesn't appear to have a good reason as to why she left.  Willa, on the other hand, is quite accepting and is more than happy to have two Mums.  They are both amazing girls and Ella is a perfect example of how we lash out at those we love whereas Willa reminds us to accept people for who they are.

This is a truly magical book with an unconventional family that you will surely fall in love with.  Without a doubt, The Astonishing Return of Norah Wells is sure to become one of the big hits of 2016.

I received this e-book from the publisher, Little Brown Book Group, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Pre-order now from Amazon - to be released 14 Jan 2016

Destiny - Louise Bagshawe

Kate Fox was a teenage orphan from the rough side of the Bronx. Now a beautiful woman, Kate wants wealth and security for life. When media mogul Marcus Broder proposes, it seems the dream has come true. But a life of pampered luxury does not make Kate happy. When she walks out and forges a career of her own, a humiliated Marcus is furious. Bitterly jealous, he is determined to destroy her. Wall Street's favourite entrepreneur, David Abrams, has heard the rumours that Kate Fox is a gold digger. But is Kate still the woman she once was? When irresistible passion flares between them, David has to decide if winning Kate is worth the gamble of losing everything he has...including his heart.

What did I think?

After reading and enjoying Sparkles by Louise Bagshawe, I decided to pick up another of her books.  I was quite disappointed with this one - it seemed rather flat and trashy in comparison with the glamour and excitement of Sparkles.

I have remarked before on Louise Bagshawe's descriptive writing whereby she ensures that the reader knows what each character is wearing, both clothing and makeup.  Destiny seemed to go a little bit too far, in my opinion.  I'm all for reading that somebody is wearing a Chanel suit but stating that your main character is wearing Sure Ultra Dry anti-perspirant made me feel like I was being hit with subliminal advertising.

Kate is a likeable character, even though she set out with the purpose of snaring herself a rich husband.  She soon finds out that money can't buy happiness and leaves her husband.  It's not long before she truly falls in love with another rich guy, although will he see past her gold-digger label?

It wasn't a bad little story, although very predictable and far too many mentions of what a fabulous ass some people have.  To the point where I was thinking, oh we haven't read about her amazing ass in this chapter yet...oh there it is.

This isn't one I would recommend, so I'm glad it was loaned rather than bought.  Now I'm off to buy me some Sure Ultra Dry...

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Billy and the Devil - Dean Lilleyman

Resonant of Irvine Welsh and Charles Bukowski, but unique in its style, voice and addictive central character. Billy and the Devil is a shocking, compelling and intimate portrayal of isolation, sexual misadventure, and addiction. Told in a series of brilliantly rendered observations and episodes from Billy's life, this controversial story charts an all-too real descent into alcoholism. It is an unflinchingly vivid journey to a place of no return, where love is lost in the darkest of woods - a boy, who becomes a man, who becomes his own worst devil. But ultimately, what choice does Billy have? Raw, poetic, with moments of pure imaginative visceral genius, Billy and the Devil is by turns funny and sad, brutal and tender, horrific and uplifting. You will be both challenged and moved by this astonishing debut novel from author Dean Lilleyman.

What did I think?

This is such an astonishing debut that I read this book in one sitting; it was so addictive that I couldn't bear to put it down.  I have never read a book like it - it is so poetic and beautifully dark.  The subject matter of an alcoholic spiralling into self-destruction was at times difficult to read but I was completely entranced by the devil in my inability to stop reading.  

From the moment that his father left his mother pregnant, Billy's path was mapped out for him.  It was a path he happily followed as long as there were bottles of Bells along the way.  Billy travelled through life like a tornado, leaving damage and destruction in his wake, not caring who he hurt or what he did as long as he could drink himself into oblivion.

As dark as this book was, there are some really funny moments in it.  The book is so realistic, emotive and raw that Billy's actions caused me to both laugh and cry.  There are incidents in the social club and in Burtons that made me cry with laughter but also to question the effect of alcohol to make Billy do these things in the first place.

This is a book that should be given to all alcoholics on their road to recovery - highlighting the damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption to your life and your body.  It is an absolutely amazing debut novel that shows the effects of alcoholism in a sobering light.

I received this book from the publisher, Urbane, in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Buy direct from the publisher
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Sparkles - Louise Bagshawe

Crossing decades and continents, SPARKLES is the totally compelling story of the Massot family. Fabulously wealthy, internationally adored, the Massots own one of the last great aristocratic jewellery firms in Paris.

But where is its owner Pierre, missing presumed dead for 15 years? And what will happen to his beautiful young widow Sophie? The answers lie rooted in the past and form part of the future - in a way no-one could ever have guessed...

What did I think?

Having read and enjoyed Beauty earlier this year, my lovely god-sister loaned me a few Louise Bagshawe books.  It was recommended that I start with Sparkles and I can see why - it's completely addictive reading, with more bitching and backstabbing than an episode of Dynasty.

As with Beauty, Louise Bagshawe goes into such descriptive detail, from the designer of the clothes to the cut of the diamond, that a multi-dimensional picture is created in your mind and the characters are almost jumping out of the page in 3D.

I loved and loved to hate all of the characters.  There is Pierre's widow, Sophie, who has to step in to save the business for her son, Tom.  Pierre's haughty mother, Katherine, who bends Tom's ear and convinces him that Sophie is devaluing his inheritance.  Tom, the son, and spoilt playboy who thinks he's a man but can't see when he is being played.  Not forgetting my favourite love to hate character of Judy, one of Pierre's mistresses, who intends to get her hands on the Massot business one way or another.

There is a massive twist in the story and I didn't guess all of it.  In fact it's a twist that, once revealed, keeps twisting.  It reminded me that hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned...but which scorned woman will have her revenge?  You'll just have to read it for yourself to find out!

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

How to Stuff Up Christmas - Rosie Blake

Eve is heartbroken after discovering her fiancé is cheating on her. Being surrounded by the joys of Christmas is more than Eve can bear, so she chooses to avoid the festivities by spending Christmas alone on a houseboat in Pangbourne. Eve gets gets an unexpected seasonal surprise when handsome local vet Greg comes to her rescue one day, and continues to visit Eve's boat on a mission to transform her from Kitchen Disaster Zone to Culinary Queen. 

But where does Greg keep disappearing to? What does Eve's best friend Daisy know that she isn't telling? And why is there an angry goose stalking Eve's boat?

A hilarious and heart-warming novel about Christmas, catastrophes and cooking, containing exclusive Christmas recipes, from the talented Rosie Blake.

What did I think?

This book has an absolutely gorgeous cover with sparkly lettering and mouthwatering gingerbread but, getting a hint from the title, we get the impression that this isn't going to be a story full of sparkle and sweetness.

As much as I liked the characters of heart-broken Eve and hunky vet Greg, it was Eve's dog Marmite who stole my heart.  When Eve's ex-boyfriend, Liam, broke her heart, she took Marmite as revenge as she knew how much he loved the dog.  As the story unfolds, Marmite is pivotal in mending Eve's broken heart and she finds out how much she really does love Marmite after all.

There was a really good will they/won't they going on with Eve and Greg that had me guessing right up to the very end.  Eve, understandably, is finding it hard to trust again and Greg has personal issues to deal with.  I kept thinking that the stars were about to align but then something happens and I thought fate was perhaps trying to tell them something.  I was also wrong in my guess as to whose body part caused the breakup between Liam and Eve, as Rosie Blake had very cleverly drawn my attention elsewhere.

The recipes at the start of some chapters were a lovely addition and give us a hint as to what culinary delight Eve was going to attempt next.  I say 'attempt', as Eve is not known for her cooking and you just knew that every time she heads into the kitchen a disaster is ready to strike.  Disaster or not, the prawn and leek linguine sounds delicious and I'll be copying out that recipe to try myself, with fully defrosted prawns of course.

This is not just a simple love story; there are surprises and twists with lots of laughs, making it the perfect festive read.

I received this book from the publisher, Corvus, in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon