My Top 3 Novels of 2015!

I read some fantastic novels this year, books that have become some of my favourite books ever as well as my favourite books of 2015, but there were a select few I just had to take yet another opportunity to rave about in the hope that some of you pick them up, too!

Two of these books are 2015 releases. One thing I noticed about my reading habits in 2015 is that I was a lot better at reading books that were published in 2015. I was also a lot better at reading debut novels, because two of the books on this list are debuts.

So, without further ado, here are my Top 3 Novels of 2015!

The Goblin Emperor

by Katherine Addison

The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.

Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.

Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend... and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne – or his life.

My Review

Why I loved it: I was a little hesitant when I first picked up The Goblin Emperor; it had been so long since I'd read high fantasy that it was a genre that intimidated me, and while I had a feeling I would like it - I'd seen so many positive reviews - I wasn't entirely sure. As it turns out, I adored it. The world-building in this book is so exquisitely done, but what really gave this book a special place in my heart is the protagonist, Maia, who is one of the most charming characters I have ever encountered in high fantasy. I tend to enjoy high fantasy most when the world isn't at stake, and The Goblin Emperor isn't an end of the world story - this is both a coming of age novel and a novel of courtly intrigue. It blew me away, and whether you're a fan of high fantasy or not you need to give this book a try!

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

by Becky Chambers

When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that's seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past.

But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix, the friendly reptillian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the constantly sparring engineers who keep the ship running. Life on board is chaotic, but more or less peaceful - exactly what Rosemary wants.

Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet. They'll earn enough money to live comfortably for years... if they survive the long trip through war-torn interstellar space without endangering any of the fragile alliances that keep the galaxy peaceful.

But Rosemary isn't the only person on board with secrets to hide, and the crew will soon discover that space may be vast, but spaceships are very small indeed.

My Review

Why I loved it: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is a very recent read, but it's earned itself a firm place on my list of favourite books. Like high fantasy, science fiction is a genre that used to intimidate me, and there is some sci-fi that still does. This book is similar to The Goblin Emperor in that it's not about a group of people trying to save the galaxy, but about a group of people who are, quite literally, on a journey. This is another book that surprised me with how much I loved it; I finished it and immediately wanted to reread it and shout from the heavens how wonderful and life-affirming and heart-warming and touching and beautiful it is. Chambers' world-building is gorgeous, as are her characters; I wish I could go and live on the Wayfarer with them.

Signal to Noise

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexico City, 1988: Long before iTunes or MP3s, you said “I love you” with a mixtape. Meche, awkward and fifteen, has two equally unhip friends -- Sebastian and Daniela -- and a whole lot of vinyl records to keep her company. When she discovers how to cast spells using music, the future looks brighter for the trio. With help from this newfound magic, the three friends will piece together their broken families, change their status as non-entities, and maybe even find love... 

Mexico City, 2009: Two decades after abandoning the metropolis, Meche returns for her estranged father’s funeral. It’s hard enough to cope with her family, but then she runs into Sebastian, and it revives memories from her childhood she thought she buried a long time ago. What really happened back then? What precipitated the bitter falling out with her father? And, is there any magic left?

My Review

Why I loved it: I was very lucky to win a copy of Signal to Noise in a giveaway hosted by SciFiNow, before then I'd never even heard of it so I'm very, very glad I won that giveaway. If there's anything Signal to Noise has taught me it's that I always seem to love books I completely wasn't expecting. This book stole my heart because it's one of the only books I've ever read that's reminded me of what it feels like to be a teenager. I find it hard to relate to a lot of contemporary YA because so much of it is centred around romance, and there wasn't any romance in my school years - I was too busy thinking about Harry Potter and dipping my toes into feminism for a boyfriend. While there is a little romance in Signal to Noise, it's not a romantic story. It's about life and growing up and what confused, hormonal teenagers would really do if they found out they could do magic. It's such a fantastic book, and I can't wait for Moreno-Garcia's next book!

What were your favourite books of 2015?

Happy New Year! Thank you for reading my blog and for all of your comments, and I can't wait for another great blogging year in 2016!

Top Ten Tuesday | Best Books of 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Top Ten Best Books I Read in 2015', and considering how wonderful this past reading year has been I had a lot of books to choose from. There were a few graphic novels I loved this year too, but to make things a little easier for myself I decided to leave them out and just talk about traditional novels instead.

I've put these in the order I read them because I couldn't possibly rank them, although there are one or two that have made it onto my all-time favourite books list!

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent: This is the very first book I read this year, and it started a year of fantastic reading for me. It's a brilliant read for the winter months, so now is a perfect time to pick it up! It'll break your heart, but it's beautifully written.

My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland: This book made my list because it took me by surprise. I expected to like it - it sounded fun, and I loved the cover - but I flew through it and just loved it. It's such a great urban fantasy read!

Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: Another one that took me completely by surprise and wrung me out so it could collect all of my emotions in a little tin bucket. This is my favourite book of 2015. There. I said it. It's also a book that I'm desperate for more people to read, because other than my friend Natalie @ A Sea Change I haven't seen any other bloggers talking about it and it's so good. Please read it!

How To Be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis: I was really disappointed when this memoir ended. I just really enjoyed it, and if you're a fan of literary heroines I think you'd like it a lot, too. I know some people aren't keen on non-fiction, but I can promise you that this is a truly excellent memoir.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Yup. I finally read To Kill a Mockingbird this year and I loved it. It's such a shame that Harper Lee never wrote anything else. (Yes, I know there's Go Set a Watchman, but don't let publishers trick you - it's not a sequel, it's basically a manuscript of what To Kill a Mockingbird might have been if her editor hadn't told her to write more about Scout's childhood.) In Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear Elizabeth Gilbert talks a little bit about Harper Lee, and how the huge success that was To Kill a Mockingbird made Harper Lee afraid to write anything else because it could never be as good. I wish people didn't ask authors - or anyone in any sort of field - how they're going to 'top' their biggest success. You can't top your biggest success, that's why it's your biggest success, and I hope writers who do well continue to write for their own enjoyment like J.K. Rowling has done.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison: Another book that is one of the very best I've read this year. It's perfection. I've been wary of high fantasy for a couple of years, I found myself struggling to get into it as easily as I used to, but this I adored. I fell into this world and I was genuinely gutted when it was over. Maia is definitely my favourite character of the year.

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters: I bloody loved The Little Stranger, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I read that final page. If you like ghost stories, particularly ghost stories set in old houses, you'll like this.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: Definitely the best YA book I've read this year, and another one that took me completely by surprise. I knew people were rating it highly but, and I mean this with the greatest respect, I see a lot of readers on Goodreads rate every YA book they read 5 stars, so I was expecting this to be, well, like every other YA book out there. Boy was I wrong. It's so funny and realistic and just a genuinely good book. Loved it!

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton: Like Burial Rites, The Miniaturist is another gorgeous historical fiction debut. I loved it a lot, and I can't wait for Burton's next novel, The Muse.

Winter by Marissa Meyer: I couldn't not have this book on my list. It's not my favourite book in The Lunar Chronicles - that's probably Cress - but it did bring to an end one of my favourite series, so I had to include it!

Which books made your list this week?