2015 Book List - *Updated 10/01/15*

I think I'll join in this year with this, tho I'm dreadful at reviewing things, also apologies in advance if repeat something someone else has read at any point.

I'm re-reading the Harry potter series because I'm a child and have so far read :

1. harry potter and the philosophers stone

2. harry potter and the chamber of secrets

both by JK Rowling. I'm mainly re-reading as I love the last 3-4 books where they go a bit darker,, and I love the little twists in the storyline! these are easy reads (because they are for children!) and both feel a bit too short but again that's in comparison with the later books. Wizard school, goodies, baddies, inbetweenies, spells and monsters, great stuff!

3. We are all completely beside ourselves by Karen joy fowler

i thought this was a slightly odd little book tho it does make more sense about half way through with a little quirky plot line. I didn't LOVE reading it, can't explain why, I just didn't find the ending all that satisfying and didn't gel with the main character, Tho I think that may be part of the point, to find her a bit odd...

Ooh, explain more please!

And hurrah to a new year of books, may we find new treasures and rediscover old favourites, happy reading!

Definitely going to join in this year. Definitely one of my resolutions to re-discover my love of reading (and watch less rubbish on TV). Just one question - do audio books count? I will start a 40 min drive to work soon as opposed to a 10 min walk. Radio here is crap, but I'm looking forward to making good use of the time by expanding my musical range and indulging in being read to! (Haven't had anyone read a book to me since I was little, I think I'd quite enjoy the novelty!)

As far as I can tell, from what my kobo has told me you just photograph the book you've read and hashtag it with the readmore tag... Feel free to correct me anyone!

Im sure audio books can be counted.

Ooh i'd like to join in this year too. I got some lovely books for christmas that i'm hoping to make a start on soon. Now that my degree is finished i'm looking forward to reading for pleasure and not boring journals/text books!

Ha, yorkshire kiwi, i listened to an audiobook narrated by a comedian recently.. Just too funny. I couldn't concentrate at all. Had to give up and buy the written book!

I am definitely gonna join in with this. I didn't read anywhere near enough last year. I will use the hashtag on instagram!

1. Haruki Murakami- Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage

Amazing- for those who already know Murakami's work, I would say this book was easier to follow than some of his really really fantastical novels. I really enjoyed it, it was a fairly quick read, lovely light hearted story

9/10

2. Richard Flanagan- Narrow Road to the Deep North

Won the Man Booker prize last year. Found it hard at the start, but it gets going from half way through. Great characters but a very very sad tale, kind of depressing (it's about the death railway), but well worth the read if you can stomach the upsetting topic

I'm currently on Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch and I'm really enjoying it, lovely story, I was told it was a big book (I'm on a kindle), but actually I'm finding it quite fast paced so it doesn't feel like a drag to read.

1. Divergent - Veronica Roth

Seen the film, but have finally got round to reading the book. The book was brilliant, couldn't put it down. 9/10

Deception - Barbara Warren

It was a cheapy on my Kindle. I thought it was a bit predictable and had some strangely religious references (which I don't remember from her other book). It's easy to read though - 5/10

Here's my start to the year. I downloaded the Kindle app and got carried away with all the free stuff on offer. I think I should resolve to read quality as well as quantity.

1. Sentence of Marriage, by Shayne Parkinson. 5/10

Set in the region of NZ I live in, but in the late 1800s I was hoping for some insight into the lives of the early settlers, but there was so little historical detail that the story could have been set in any rural community. The story was an easy and pleasant read, but somewhat predictable. Not dreadful, but not worth paying for, I won't be going back to buy the rest of the series.

2. Georgiana Darcy's Diary (Pride and Prejudice Continued), by Anna Elliot. 7/10

Not bad for a freebie! I read the preface and nearly didn't bother as I thought it was going to be as predictable as the last one I read. To be honest, it ended exactly as I had thought it would, but there were one or two twists along the way that I hadn't expected. It's quite sympathetically written, you feel that the writer has stayed true to Austins depiction of the more well known characters (Darcy and Elizabeth), but you get a better feel for some of the less well developed characters of Pride and Prejudice. Not great literature and I have read better Austin spin-offs but this was enjoyable.

3. Just This Once, by Rosalind James. 2/10

Oh dear, oh dear. This freebie was not worth the memory space! I persevered to the end but it was just dire all along. Absolutely no development of the secondary characters. A romantic couple who seem completely incompatible, unbelievable and unrealistic dialogue, and why on earth would a writer make the lead character in their book a pro-rugby player and centre much of the action around a world cup when they clearly know less about rugby than I do (and for the record, I know very, very little!)

I have a few other free books downloaded, but I think I might give them a miss and head off in search of something of a bit higher standard, even if I have to part with a few pennies!

Flora was he at a book signing or a talk or something? My boyfriend is a huge fan so maybe it'd be a nice surprise for him for me to keep tabs on whether Murakami comes to town (like Santa)

1) Meridon - Phillipa Gregory

3rd book in the Wideacre trilogy and definitely the best of the three. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Very easy to read, gripping and well written throughout. Phillipa Gregory's historical knowledge never fails to astound me. 10/10

Hey! Does my book not count?! ?

I'm looking forward to joining in this year, I barely read anything last year, and I think belonging to this thread will encourage me to read more. I start the first one tonight ?

Ahh yes I read about the 3am queue in the papers!

Whoops! Sorry my lovely, will update now.

1. Hello from the Gillespies by Monica McInerney. Quite a light book about an Australian family's annual Christmas letters. An entertaining and easy read about family dynamics. 7/10

1. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult 7/10

Not one of her best novels. She's normally thought provoking but this novel just didn't tick the box at all. I won't spoil the plot for those who enjoy Picoult's books as I still think that it's worth a read.

2. The Eye Collector - Sebastian Fitzek

Unputdownable! This book was absolutely brilliant and surpassed all expectations. Easy to read as the chapters were short but left you wanting to read on - great twist at the end. 10/10

2. Insurgent, Veronica Roth.

No. 2 of 3 of the Divergent Trilogy. A lot more gripping than the first novel and am really loving the relationship between Tris and Four.

3. Allegiant, Veronica Roth.

The third and final chapter in the Divergent Trilogy. Gripping, emotional, draining. Couldn't put it down. Was absolutely devastated with the ending, but I loved it. Can't wait for the film now.

4. Peter -The untold true story, by Christopher Mechling. 7/10

I really enjoyed this real life account of Peter the Wild Boy. He was found in Germany and rescued/kept by King George 1. Although told in the form of a novel, a bit of research confirms that the bones of the story are historically accurate. I struggle to read historical non-fiction because it is usually lacking in emotion, so this fictionalised version based on true events suited me.

1. Rage against the dying - becky masterman

Almost finished but its taking me a Loooooooooog time to get through this book. Not clicked with it at all but I have to finish it, not one for part reading books. Will let you know a score when I eventually finish!

Next on my hit list is "Still Alice"...

1. The coincedence authority - J.W Ironmonger. 8/10

Oooh my first book of the year! I REALLY enjoyed reading this. Cleverly written with theories of coincidence weaved in to the story which I found fascinating and very readable. A mixture of romance, philosophy, psychology, moving between England and Uganda. Just beautiful!

5. The Thrill of Falling, by Witi Ihimaera. 8/10

I don't normally enjoy reading short stories, but this was on offer at my local book shop and having loved some of his novels I decided to give it a go. Thr first story just didn't do it for me, but I'm glad I kept going the rest of the collection were lovely. I particularly liked One More Night, and The Purity of Ice. The whole collection was interesting, with traditional Maori twists thrown in.

3) The Bed I Made, Lucy Whitehouse - 9/10

Brilliant book. Was gripped from the start and found the character easy to relate to. Author's local knowledge of Isle of Wight also very good.

6. Broken for a Purpose, by Gisela Yohannan 7/10

Mostly helpful and insightful Christian book about facing and overcoming personal struggles. Written for the Asian market so I will admit to finding some of the cultural references a little alien at times, but overall easy to read, both soothing and challenging, it was quite gentle in its approach. Not as 'preachy' as you might expect from a religious book.

Back to work on Monday so my pace is likely to slow down now.

Good to see so many people getting involved with this! I'm a late starter this year, as I began my 2015 reading with Richard Flanagan's Narrow Road to the Deep North (a Xmas present), but just couldn't get into it. So, I put it away to come back to later, and instead I read:

1) Boy, Snow, Bird. Helen Olowoyo - Boy Novak runs away from her abusive father at the age of 20, and travels to a small New England town where she meets and marries Arturo Whitman. Arturo has a captivating young daughter, Snow. When Arturo and Boy's daughter Bird is born, Boy sends Snow away. There's a lot more to the novel than this, but I don't want to give away any spoilers! Despite the boring description, this is a fascinating look at race relations in the USA in the mid-century, and the narrative manages to weave in allusions to Snow White in a subtle but intriguing way. 8/10

Hallelujah, I have finished my first book! It took me ages to pick one up, but it's only taken me two days to read it!

#1: The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson, 9/10

A brilliant read, dark and twisty, a bit different to the classic crime novel. The story is told from a few different perspectives, and I loved the way they contrasted yet ultimately intertwined. It isn't properly published until February, but I had a proof copy from an event at a literature festival last year. This is the author's second novel, I'm going to try to find his first as well.

I read Gone Girl just before the end of the new year, very much enjoyed that would probably give it an 8/10.

Anyway, the book I have read this year and just finished is 'The Fault in our Stars' I think by John Green. I expected the book to be fantastic based on reviews, and I enjoyed it but not hugely, it just felt like too much of a 'fake' story like it could never be realistic, too many coincidences and me thinking 'I know what's going to happen next' too much which annoyed me. I liked parts of it but I read it as a real 'storybook' and found it an easy read, rather than using my imagination and picturing the characters properly, like I usually would when I read. So - it was a good 'story' but I guess I expected too much from it, and was slightly disappointed - probably my own fault. And no I haven't seen the film. I would recommend it, and I would give it a 7/10.

I hope this is what I'm supposed to do? Need to find another book to read now

4. How to Fall in Love, Cecilia Ahern.

9/10 - Very easy to read. Romantic...funny... Loved it.

2. Any Seaside Town by John Peaseland. 0/10 what a horrible book! A mixture of alcoholism and mental health which wasn't anyway funny even though I think the author was aiming for it. I thought it was an autobiography when I first started it but it became farcical and down right nasty. I shalln't read any of his books again.