My Top 12 Reads of 2015

My Top 12 Reads of 2015

I set up this book blog on December 30th 2014 and it's been a whirlwind of a year. I've met so many amazing people - bloggers, authors, publicists, publishers (many of whom have become 'real' friends, not just 'virtual' ones) - all with a love of reading. I have a huge 'To Be Read' pile that never seems to go down, as more and more brilliant books come on the scene. And I've had over 55.5K page views of my blog since I set it up.

Watching other bloggers choose their Top 10 Reads of 2015, I thought I should probably do the same. Until I looked at all the books I've read so far this year (which will be well over 200 by Dec 31st) and realised it's such a difficult decision. So here's my top 12 instead.

Here they are (in no particular order)…

How To Be Brave by Louise Beech
"How To Be Brave is a book about hope, courage, acceptance and love... It's beautifully written, heartwarming and passionate."

Read my full review

What Milo Saw by Virginia Macgregor
"What Milo Saw is a sweet touching book with an emotional message. It's all about hope, sadness, forgiveness, letting go of the people you love and finding out where you belong."















Read my full review

Asking For It by Louise O'Neill
"I read this in one sitting. It's thought provoking, sensitive and emotional… This is a book that pulls at your heartstrings and leaves you with tear-sodden tissues and a thumping heart."




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The Dandelion Years by Erica James
"What an amazing heart-wrenching story and beautifully written book. Over the last few days, I have cried at, laughed through and shared the memories of Saskia and her family."

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Lost Girls by Angie Marsons

"Angela Marsons' books get better and better. I love her style of writing, her believable flawed characters and her plot development. Lost Girls is very cleverly constructed and tackles a highly emotional issue."

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Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton

"Little Black Lies is filled with secrets, lies, betrayal, suspense and intrigue. I read it in just a few hours, yet the story lingered in my mind for some time afterwards. It's chilling, nail-biting and breath-holding writing at its best."

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Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson
"Snowblind is a literary whodunnit. Based in a remote Icelandic town, set against beautiful snow-covered peaks, this is an atmospheric chilling novel."



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Normal by Graeme Cameron
"This is a brilliantly written fast-paced novel and I read it in one evening. I don't give spoilers in my reviews, so can't say too much, but some of the book had me in fits of laughter (which felt so wrong, as serial killers are certainly no laughing matter)."



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Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller
"Our Endless Numbered Days is a beautifully-written tale, filled with mesmerising descriptions and haunting prose… This is a novel that will stay in my memory for a long time."



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Tenacity by James Law
"The submarine provides an intriguing setting, not just because of its size but also its claustrophobic environment, making the story chilling and highly atmospheric. Tenacity is a real roller coaster read and I held my breath for the last 10%."

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I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
"Wow, what a rollercoaster read… No spoilers, but what a twist… The best OMG moment I have ever read!"



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A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale
"I read A Place Called Winter in one sitting. This is a moving tale of hardship, violence, determination, betrayal, pride and triumph. It's not always an easy read, but it's certainly a fascinating one."















Read my full review

These are all books published in 2015, rather than books I have read in advance for next year. There are so many other books I would love to mention, but I'm having to limit it to these. Just visit my A-Z index to see more of my reviews and check out my Author in the Spotlight features for some great Q&As.

I have some great reads lined up for 2016, including Shtum by Jem Lester and Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman. Plus an amazing book by Lisa Hall, which will be published by Carina (Harper Collins) in March 2016 and has a twist to rival I Let You Go!

A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale

A Place Called Winter
By Patrick Gale
Published by Tinder Press (26 March 2015)
ISBN: 978-1472205292

Publisher's description
In the golden 1900s, Harry Cane, a shy, eligible gentleman of leisure, is drawn from a life of quiet routine into courting and marrying Winnie, eldest daughter of the fatherless Wells clan, who are not quite as respectable as they would appear. They settle by the sea and have a daughter, and conventional marriage does not seem such a tumultuous change after all. When a chance encounter awakens scandalous desires never acknowledged until now, however, Harry is forced to forsake the land and people he loves for a harsh new life as a homesteader on the newly colonised Canadian prairies. There, in a place called Winter, he will come to find a deep love within an alternative family, a love imperiled by war, madness and an evil man of undeniable magnetism.

My verdict
A Place Called Winter is a passionate and powerful novel written by a gifted storyteller. I admit that I haven't read a Patrick Gale book before, but will certainly now be checking out his other novels.

Set in the early 20th century, the book follows the path of a man called Harry Cane.  It's emotional and tragic, with beautiful descriptive passages and sensitive, tender writing. It's a story of forbidden love set against a backdrop of remote Canadian farmlands.

The reader first meets Harry as a patient in a Canadian psychiatric hospital. The book then jumps back and forth in time to uncover the reasons behind his confinement.

Harry is born into a privileged lifestyle in England. He is a shy, gentle man, whose naivety leads him to put too much trust and faith in other people. Following a passionate affair, he is forced to leave his wife and child and seek a new life in Canada.

I read A Place Called Winter in one sitting. This is a moving tale of hardship, violence, determination, betrayal, pride and triumph. It's not always an easy read, but it's certainly a fascinating one.

I received a digital Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but also treated myself to the hardback as it's such a stunning book (in more ways than one).