The BCF Book Awards 2015

[Kylie]

I may be a little early in starting this, but it's one of my favourite threads of the year and I can't wait any longer.

 

Welcome to the BCF Book Awards 2015!

 

Here's where we can share all of our favourites for the past year. I know there's a month to go, but feel free to add your answers now and come back and make additions/changes later if you want to. I don't read as quickly as many of you, so I'm pretty much ready to distribute my awards now.

 

Your favourite read of the year?

Your favourite author of the year?
Your most read author of the year?
Your favourite book cover of the year?
The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?
The book that most disappointed you?
The funniest book of the year?
Your favourite literary character this year?
Your favourite children's book this year?
Your favourite classic of the year?
Your favourite non-fiction book this year?
Your favourite biography this year?
Your favourite collection of short stories this year?
Your favourite poetry collection this year?
Your favourite illustrated book of the year?
Your favourite publisher of the year?
Your favourite audiobook of the year?
Your favourite re-read of the year?

 

 

[Nollaig]

Kylie, how am I supposed to choose one favourite book out of the 111 I've read so far? How?! I need categories!

I went with a 'top 15' in the 'best and worst' thread because I couldn't narrow it down any more than that!

 

Your favourite read of the year? To Rise Again At A Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris. It's not my only favourite, but if I have to choose one...

Your favourite author of the year? Scott Meyer. I read all of his Magic 2.0 series, loved it, and got to interview him. #winning
Your most read author of the year? Helen Fitzgerald. Very reliable go-to for thrillers.
Your favourite book cover of the year? Fly By Night
The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? Dead Romantic - CJ Skuse
The book that most disappointed you? The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman by Denis Theriault. Not what I expected at all.
The funniest book of the year? Off To Be The Wizard by Scott Meyer
Your favourite literary character this year? Saracen the Goose (Fly By Night)
Your favourite children's book this year? Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge
Your favourite non-fiction book this year? Haven't read it yet but it will be An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth - Chris Hadfield
Your favourite re-read of the year? Paper Towns by John Green.

[Kylie]

Kylie, how am I supposed to choose one favourite book out of the 111 I've read so far? How?! I need categories! I went with a 'top 15' in the 'best and worst' thread because I couldn't narrow it down any more than that!

 

That's what you get for reading so many books! I should have mentioned that it doesn't have to be just one answer for each question. I can never stick to that myself and I don't plan to this year!

 

Your favourite non-fiction book this year? Haven't read it yet but it will be An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth - Chris Hadfield

Ooh, I'd like to read this!

[Athena]

I love this thread . I'm going to think about my answers for a while, but I'll be sure to post them once I've figured it out . How to pick between all the good books!

 

EDIT: We don't have to choose just one answer? That makes it easier .

[Nollaig]

 

That's what you get for reading so many books! I should have mentioned that it doesn't have to be just one answer for each question. I can never stick to that myself and I don't plan to this year!

 

Ooh, I'd like to read this!

 

I just added a link to my post in the Best and Worst thread, if anyone actually cares they can follow the link

I'm reading it coz I'm going to meet him in January and I should know my stuff! Been meaning to read it forever, but I'm terrible at reading non-fiction.

[Kylie]

Your favourite read of the year?

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, closely followed by Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. And although I 'only' gave it a rating of 9/10, I'm going to include Mark Z Danielewski's House of Leaves. It's the most unique, intriguing, disturbing, exciting, difficult and rewarding book I've ever read.

 

Your favourite author of the year?
Very difficult! There's no way I can choose one. I'd probably choose Agatha Christie for consistently excellent stories. Alan Bradley, Boris Akunin, MRC Kasasian and Daphne du Maurier were authors I'd never previously read, and I absolutely loved them all.  Patricia Highsmith was predictably brilliant and is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.

 

Your most read author of the year?
Lois Lowry, with 5 books (the final 3 books in The Giver quartet, and two Anastasia Krupnik books).

 

Your favourite book cover of the year?
I'm quite partial to the covers for Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series and Chris Priestley's Tales of Terror from the Black Ship.

 

 

The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?
I still have a problem with abandoning books, but Inkspell and Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke have been testing me.   I started reading Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel early in the year but only read 100 or so pages. I loved it and intend to finish it, but it's a kind of heavy-going non-fiction book, so I found it difficult to pick up and read.

 

The book that most disappointed you?
Underground by Haruki Murakami. I'd been looking forward to it for a long time and it was really rather terrible. The book basically comprises interviews with victims of the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack. It's a fascinating historical event, but Murakami's poor execution made it very dull.

 

The funniest book of the year?
Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett. Loved it!

 

Your favourite literary character this year?
The narrator of Rebecca was a favourite, as she reminded me a lot of myself. I also loved the witty exchanges between Sydney Grice and March Middleton in MRC Kasasian's Gower Street Detective series.

 

Your favourite children's book this year?
Hmm...I'd have to say Roald Dahl's Rhyme Stew. Wonderful!

 

Your favourite classic of the year?
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I'd wanted to read it for years, and I had a feeling I'd love it. It totally lived up to the wonderful things I'd heard about it.

 

Your favourite non-fiction book this year?
The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule. Absolutely fascinating account of serial killer Ted Bundy.

 

Your favourite biography this year?
I didn't read any biographies this year.

 

Your favourite collection of short stories this year?
I only read one collection of short stories this year: Chris Priestley's Tales of Terror from the Black Ship, but it probably would have been my favourite even if I'd read other collections. I love Priestley's Tales of Terror books and wish he'd write more!

 

Your favourite poetry collection this year?
Only read Roald Dahl's Rhyme Stew, which was awesome.

 

Your favourite illustrated book of the year?
I read Quentin Blake's A Christmas Carol at the beginning of the year. I adore Quentin Blake and love A Christmas Carol, so I was always going to love this edition. 

 

Your favourite publisher of the year?
I'm going to say HarperCollins for their lovely editions of Agatha Christie's novels. I still have many to collect, but I'm getting there!

 

Your favourite audiobook of the year?
I don't listen to audiobooks.

 

Your favourite re-read of the year?

Quentin Blake's A Christmas Carol (although this illustrated edition was new to me, I've read the story many times) and Norton Juster's The Dot and the Line, which is a gorgeous little book.

 

 

 

 

[Athena]

Your favourite read of the year?

I've narrowed it down to the following:

Brandon Sanderson - Alcatraz series

Brandon Sanderson - Mistborn trilogy

John Flanagan - Ranger's Apprentice series

Peter F. Hamilton - The Void Trilogy

Jodi Picoult - Perfect Match

Diane Chamberlain - The Silent Sister

Scott Meyer - Magic 2.0 3: An Unwelcome Quest

A. C. Baantjer and Simon de Waal - De Waal & Baantjer 10: Een Tien met een Griffel

Holly Black and Cassandra Clare - Magisterium 1: De Ijzerproef (Magisterium 1: The Iron Trial)

 

Your favourite author of the year?

Brandon Sanderson, John Flanagan, Geronimo Stilton.

 

Your most read author of the year?

Geronimo Stilton: 47

Robert Jordan: 37

Thea Stilton: 24

Ann M. Martin: 23

Francine Oomen: 17

John Flanagan: 15

Brandon Sanderson: 14

A. C. Baantjer: 11

 

Your favourite book cover of the year?

I'm not sure, there were many nice ones. I was quite enamoured with Chrissy Manby - Benson Family 4: A Wedding at Christmas when I received it.

 

(mainly because of the sparklyness of the cover.)

 

But I'm sure there were lots of other covers of books I read or bought in 2015 that I really liked. The Stilton ones are always nice and colourful, and I love the covers of the Magic 2.0 series. I like a lot of covers to be honest .

 

The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?

I think that would be Various Authors - Stories on the Go: 101 Very Short Stories by 101 Authors (~11%). I read the first 10 stories but I didn't really like any of them. There were maybe two that were 'allright', the rest was just.. not so good. In total I abandoned 7 books.

 

The book that most disappointed you?

That would be Catherine Ryan Hyde - Earthquake Weather and Other Stories. I was also a bit disappointed in the short stories of Catherine Ryan Hyde - Always Chloe and Other Stories, but I quite liked the novella Always Chloe. So it would have to be Earthquake Weather and Other Stories. There were two or three stories I really liked, but the rest weren't much enjoyable at all I'm afraid to say. It was a disappointment, because I really love several of the author's full length novels.

 

The funniest book of the year?

This would definitely have to be Brandon Sanderson - Alcatraz series. They were hilarious.

 

Your favourite literary character this year?

I really wouldn't know.

 

Your favourite children's book this year?

It's hard to pick to be honest. I read a lot of good children's books this year. I guess it would be Brandon Sanderson - Alcatraz series and various Geronimo Stilton books.

 

Your favourite classic of the year?

That is definitely H. G. Wells - The War of the Worlds. I hadn't read this book until 2015 and I really liked it.

 

Your favourite non-fiction book this year?

If re-reads count and biographies don't (see next question for those), then Martine Delfos - Een Vreemde Wereld. If re-reads don't count.. then I'm not sure. I did read some new-to-me information books but none of them particularly stood out to me.

 

Your favourite biography this year?

I thought Anne Frank - Het Achterhuis: Dagboekbrieven 12 Juni 1942 - 1 Augustus 1944 was a really interesting read.

 

Your favourite collection of short stories this year?

I only read a couple of short story collections, and I'm going to have to go with Esther Verhoef - Nouveau Riche & Andere Spannende Verhalen. It wasn't brilliant by any means but it was good, and I think the other short story collections I read, I liked less (see the earlier 'disappointment' question).

 

Your favourite poetry collection this year?

I don't read any poetry.

 

Your favourite illustrated book of the year?

The Geronimo Stilton books, especially some of the Fantasia series.

 

Your favourite publisher of the year?

I never really have one. I read books from a wide variety of publishers.

 

Your favourite audiobook of the year?

I don't listen to audiobooks.

 

Your favourite re-read of the year?

That is Martine Delfos - Een Vreemde Wereld and Paul van Loon - De Griezelbus series (I read most of these many years ago). I also quite enjoyed re-reading The Babysitters Club books by Ann M. Martin.

[Alexi]

Your favourite read of the year?

I have narrowed this down to two - Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier and The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. Both completely different works of fiction, but completely unputdownable and stuck with me long after the last page. 

I'm jealous of anyone who still has the pleasure of reading these for the first time. 

Your favourite author of the year?

Graeme Simsion, Jodi Taylor or Agatha Christie. Read more than one from all of them and thoroughly enjoyed them all. 
Your most read author of the year?

Er, Enid Blyton! Thanks to the Malory Towers reread here on BCF. Other than that, Jodi Taylor - three novels and a short story because I discovered the St Mary's series which I'm itching to continue with and trying to space them out!
Your favourite book cover of the year?

Meh - I don't really look at covers. It's what's inside that counts
The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?

I didn't abandon any this year but I have got to get better at doing that because I did read and complete one or two stinkers. To borrow a phrase from Willoyd, my Duffer of the Year (and one I wish I had abandoned!) was The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud. Why did I give this a 2 out of 5? Definitely a 1! avoid. 
The book that most disappointed you?

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick. Sorry Anna!
The funniest book of the year?

The Rosie Project. I had to explain to my OH why I kept laughing to myself when reading in bed!
Your favourite literary character this year?

Er. Don Tillman? Or maybe March Middleton in the Gower Street Detective series. I love her sass and how far ahead (!) of her time she is. 
Your favourite children's book this year?

The Malory Towers series. A Pleasure to revisit. 
Your favourite classic of the year?

Rebecca. 
Your favourite non-fiction book this year?

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L Shirer. A definite 5/5, this covered Nazi Germany in forensic detail yet a readable style. It's a tome and took me weeks but was well worth it. 
Your favourite biography this year?

I'm going to hand this to my December read of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. He kept this interesting and gave a fascinating insight into a complicated subject - warts and all. 
Your favourite collection of short stories this year?

Hmmm... I guess The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes - the only collection of short stories I read this year!
Your favourite poetry collection this year?

Can't hack poetry I'm afraid. 
Your favourite illustrated book of the year?

Not for me this category!
Your favourite publisher of the year?

Or this one. I take zero notice of who publishes the books I read. 
Your favourite audiobook of the year?

I only listened to three, but Sissy Spacek's narration of To Kill a Mockingbird was wonderful. I read it a long time ago and was refreshing my memory of it for my read of Go Set A Watchman in the New Year and she brought the story to life. I enjoyed it more on this listen than my original read from memory!
Your favourite re-read of the year?

I don't reread much, but I really enjoyed our reading and discussion of the Malory Towers series. 

[Onion Budgie]

I only read 33 books this year, so my choices will be somewhat restricted, but here they are anyway!

 

Your favourite read of the year?  Perfume, by Patrick Susskind

Your favourite author of the year?  I'm on an Agatha Christie kick at the moment.
Your most read author of the year?  Agatha Christie.  I read five of her Poirot novels in 2015.
Your favourite book cover of the year?  Any of the Locke and Key covers.  They're stunning.
The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?  I didn't abandon any.  I'm a stoic.  
The book that most disappointed you?  A Little Life, by Hanya Yanigihara.  What a melodramatic, emotionally manipulative chunker THAT was.
The funniest book of the year?  I loved the sly humour in Patrick Susskind's Perfume.
Your favourite literary character this year?  Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, from Perfume.  What a stinker!  (Boom boom.)
Your favourite children's book this year?  I didn't read any.
Your favourite classic of the year?  Another Country, by James Baldwin.  (A modern classic!)
Your favourite non-fiction book this year?  The Essential Crystal Handbook, by Simon and Sue Lilly.
Your favourite biography this year?  I didn't read any.  I hope to read at least one in 2016!
Your favourite collection of short stories this year?  The Life to Come, by E.M. Forster.
Your favourite poetry collection this year?  I didn't read any poetry.
Your favourite illustrated book of the year?  Beautiful Darkness, by Fabien Vehlmann.  (A graphic novel.)
Your favourite publisher of the year?  I don't have any particular favourites.
Your favourite audiobook of the year?  I rarely listen to audiobooks.  I'll occasionally listen to the Sherlock Holmes radio series with Clive Merrison.
Your favourite re-read of the year?  I dipped in and out of Schott's Original Miscellany quite often.  It's a fascinating little book of facts.

[nursenblack]

Agatha Christie is popular this year!  I didn't read anything by her this year.   I did recommend her to a friend though.

[Anna Begins]

Your favourite read of the year?

It's a tie between Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult, Burial Rights by Hannah Kent

 

Your favourite author of the year?

Philippa Gregory

 

Your most read author of the year?

Philippa Gregory (9)

 

Your favourite book cover of the year?

Hands down- The Sisters Brothers By Patrick deWitt

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004CFA91Y?keywords=the%20sisters%20brothers&qid=1451329466&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

 

The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?

Coldest Girl in Coldtown By Holly Black, I found it ridiculous!  I abandoned 9 books this year!  I don't believe in torture    

 

The book that most disappointed you?

Skeletons at the Feast By Chris Bohjalian, I love this author, but this one wasn't for me.  Also Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (sorry BB!  And that's ok, Alexi  )

 

The funniest book of the year?

I'm not really into funny.

 

Your favourite literary character this year?

Day from Marie Lu's Legend trilogy

 

Your favourite children's book this year?

Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies by Carolyn Crimi 

 

Your favourite classic of the year?

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

 

Your favourite non-fiction book this year?

Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan or A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

 

Your favourite biography this year?

Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie

 

Your favourite collection of short stories this year?

Will You Please Be Quite, Please? or What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver

 

Your favourite poetry collection this year?

None this year, not too into poetry.

 

Your favourite illustrated book of the year?

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

 

Your favourite publisher of the year?

Random House, for FINALLY releasing Raymond Carver's material on Kindle

 

Your favourite audiobook of the year?
None this year! 

 

Your favourite re-read of the year?

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (4th time)

Edited December 28, 2015 by Anna Begins

[nursenblack]

Your favourite read of the year? NOS4A2 by Joe Hill.  It still really shocks me that my favorite read for the year is from the horror genre.

 

Your favourite author of the year? I have two.  First, Diana Gabaldon, author of Outlander series.  I'm reading the second book in the series now.  I'm so impressed by how she mixes genres and makes me believe it.  Also Joe Hill because his pacing and characters are fabulous.

 

Your most read author of the year?Joe Hill.(2) and Neil Gaiman (2)

Your favourite book cover of the year?    I love Alice, so this year my favorite cover was Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin

The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? I abandoned a few, but I think that Gray Mountain by John Grisham fell so flat that I couldn't continue.

 

The book that most disappointed you? Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin.  After reading Something Borrowed and really loving it, this was a major disappointment.

 

The funniest book of the year?  When I look back and remember scenes from books that made me laugh out loud I think of How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran and The Devil's Back by Marie Parsons

 

Your favourite literary character this year? I have two favorites from NOS4A2, Vic McQueen and Charlie Manx.

 

Your favourite children's book this year? Coraline by Neil Gaiman

 

Your favourite classic of the year? I didn't read a classic.  I'm very disappointed in myself. 

 

Your favourite non-fiction book this year?  Columbine by Dave Cullen.  I couldn't put it down

 

Your favourite biography this year? Didn't read any

 

Your favourite collection of short stories this year?  I read a few stories from The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter that I enjoyed, but not the whole book.

 

Your favourite poetry collection this year? Didn't read any

 

Your favourite illustrated book of the year?  The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman

 

Your favourite publisher of the year? Not a clue

 

Your favourite audiobook of the year?  I only listened to a few.  Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman was my favorite.  I listened to it while I painted a fence.

 

Your favourite re-read of the year?  I didn't re-read anything, and rarely ever do

Edited December 29, 2015 by nursenblack

[chaliepud]

Your favourite read of the year?

I've had so many good reads this year so it only feels right to mention my absolute favourites. Top of the shot is We Never Asked for Wings by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, it is only her second novel but she is definitely an author I am very grateful to have found as both of them (the other being The Language of Flowers) are just so real and they never fail to impress me with her detail of the human psyche. Other notable mentions are..

The Moonfield - Judith Allnatt

Johnny Got His Gun - Dalton Trumbo

The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes - Anna McPartlin

The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah

Starshine - John Wilcox

 

Your favourite author of the year?

Vanessa Diffenbaugh, without a doubt.

Your most read author of the year?

I read 4 by Kristin Hannah and 3 by Jojo Moyes.
 

Your favourite book cover of the year?

Probably The Moonfield by Judith Allnatt, it sums up the book perfectly. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18659174-the-moon-field?from_search=true&search_version=service

The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?

A Song for Issy Bradley by Carys Bray.

 

The book that most disappointed you?

The Lie by Helen Dunmore, a book set in my favourite era, WWII, I was so looking forward to it but it just didn't deliver.

 

The funniest book of the year?

Like Anna, I'm not really into funny, but The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes by Anna McPartlin had some wonderfully light moments despite the desperately sad subject matter.

Your favourite literary character this year?

It would have to be either the main (and only) character in Johnny Got His Gun, despte his desperate situation (I can't divulge the situation as the book has to be read to be believed and understood) he still tries to find something to live for, or Letty and Alex, the mother and son in We Never Asked for Wings, both very different characters with difference goals but who have to fight to achieve something in their lives.

Your favourite children's book this year?

None of my own but Robbie and I have enjoyed some of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.

Your favourite classic of the year?

Without trying to define what exactly  a classic is, I would have to say Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier or Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo.

Your favourite non-fiction book this year?

I've read more non-fiction this year than normally, mainly food and lifestyle books to help me with my paleo/primal lifestyle choices, but my favourite would have to be The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo. She is a slightly (ok very!) quirky Japanese lady who, for me, has revolutionised my home life. My home is now organised so much better and I am able to live with so much less around me, I very rarely cannot put my hands on something as soon as I require it, my drawers are tidy and my clothes are crease free. I feel more at peace after organising my house as per her methods.

Your favourite biography this year?

None

Your favourite collection of short stories this year?

I'm not a fan of the short story, the only thing close to it was one of the Quickreads books that I read this year, Paris for One by Jojo Moyes.

Your favourite poetry collection this year?

None

Your favourite illustrated book of the year?

It was my only illustrated book but I did thoroughly enjoy Library of Souls, the final book in the Miss Peregrine trilogy by Ransom Riggs.

Your favourite publisher of the year?

I don't actually pay attention as a rule to publishers but I thought I would have a peak at who published some of my favourite books that I read this year. It seems that there are too many to mention! The only one that came up more than once is Ballantine books which is in turn part of Random House, they have published a couple of the Kristin Hannah books and also We Never Asked for Wings.

Your favourite audiobook of the year?

None

Your favourite re-read of the year?

I don't tend to re-read as I have too many books on my TBR shelves (and cupboards!) that I need to get to!

Edited December 28, 2015 by chaliepud

[Kylie]

Great answers, everyone.

 

Chalie, I've now added Johnny Got His Gun to my wishlist. Thanks!

 

I also want to read Marie Kondo's book at some stage. I've started getting rid of some of the 'stuff' I have around the place, but I think her book could really help me (although mostly I think I'm beyond help!)

[chaliepud]

Great answers, everyone.

 

Chalie, I've now added Johnny Got His Gun to my wishlist. Thanks!

 

I also want to read Marie Kondo's book at some stage. I've started getting rid of some of the 'stuff' I have around the place, but I think her book could really help me (although mostly I think I'm beyond help!)

I don't think you will be disappointed with Johnny Got His Gun, it is an immensely powerful read though, despite it not being a long book I could only read a little at a time.

 

The Marie Kondo book is fab, it comes at decluttering from a completely different angle, you focus on what makes you happy and that you want to keep, rather than getting rid of this and that, our home is so much more organised and tidy now!

[lauraloves]

 

Your favourite read of the year? - Five Children on the Western Front - Kate Saunders

Your favourite author of the year? - Kate Mosse

Your most read author of the year? - Kate Mosse

Your favourite book cover of the year? -

The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? 1984 George Orwell - Just couldn't get into it

The book that most disappointed you? the Eyre Affair - couldn't get into this either

The funniest book of the year? - Shopaholic Takes Manhattan

Your favourite literary character this year? -

Your favourite children's book this year? - Five Children on the Western Front

Your favourite classic of the year? -

Your favourite non-fiction book this year? tornado Down - John Nicol

Your favourite biography this year? na

Your favourite collection of short stories this year? Na

Your favourite poetry collection this year? Na

Your favourite illustrated book of the year? Na

Your favourite publisher of the year?

Your favourite audiobook of the year?

[Raven]

(For the record, I've omitted the questions that don't apply!)

 

Your favourite read of the year?

 

I've read some good books this year (well, some books I thought were good, anyway!).  Right at the top of the year was the ever reliable Ben Aaronovitch with Foxglove Summer; February had the interesting A for Andromeda, by Fred Hoyle and John Elliot whilst in July I read the first book in Paul Cornell's Shadow Police series, London Falling.  I also read my first Agatha Christie novel, Sad Cypress, and the very enjoyable Murder Most Unladylike, by Robin Stevens.  But the book that I've enjoyed the most came right at the death:

 

The Iron Ghost, by Jen Williams

 

This is the second book in the Black Feather Three trilogy, following last year's The Copper Promise.  It is a fantasy story populated with imaginative characters, set in a well-drawn world with more twists and turns than a snake on a hot plate.  Add to this a good measure of humour, a smattering of blood (actually, there's quite a bit more than a smattering . . .) plenty of cussing and a dash of rum and we have a winner!

 

Your favourite author of the year?

 

Jen Williams (see above).

 

Your most read author of the year?

 

This is becoming a little predictable, but with the exception of three Marvel graphic novels by Brian Michael Bendis, it has to be Jen Williams again (by dint of my having read two of her books).

 

Your favourite book cover of the year?

 

Not books I have read (yet) but I do like the covers of C. Robert Cargill's books (Dreams and Shadows and Queen of the Dark Things) and also the covers of Marie Brennan's Lady Trent novels.

 

The book that most disappointed you?

 

This is a two-way tie between:

 

Seeing Other People, by Mike Gayle and The Gospel of Loki, by Joanne M. Harris

 

I've been reading Mike Gayle novels since he was first published and as time goes on I am finding each new one less enjoyable than the last.  This story was billed as a chap being haunted by the ghost of his spiteful ex after making a life-changing mistake, which I thought would be a good twist and a new direction for him to take, but ultimately the supernatural part of the story was downplayed in favour of seeing just how bad someone's life can get - all a bit too grim, and not very enjoyable, really.

 

The Gospel of Loki, on the other hand, was a good idea that just ran out of steam.  There's nothing bad here, it's just a one line joke that is amusing for a while but when the novelty of it wears off, there's not much else to recommend it.

 

The funniest book of the year?

 

Too Much Information, by Dave Gorman

 

Anyone who is familiar with Dave Gorman's Modern Life is Good(ish) show on Dave will know exactly what to expect with this (indeed, a number of the stories recounted/observations made have been in the series).  Whilst he can occasionally come across as being a bit "Ranty-Man" that makes the book no less funny.  Some of the highlights include his breakdown of (often contradictory) Daily Express front page headlines and the futility of getting quiz show contestants to explain their thinking when the answer is bloody obvious.  Very funny.

 

Your favourite literary character this year?

 

Siano from The Iron Ghost.  Every time she appears you end up on edge - a very chilling character indeed!

 

Your favourite children's book this year?

 

Murder Most Unladylike, by Robin Stevens

 

Whilst it is the only children's book I have read this year, that should take nothing away from this.  Being a forty-something single male I'm probably as far from the intended demographic for this novel as you can get, but it is jolly good fun.

 

Your favourite classic of the year?

 

The War of the Worlds, by H. G. Wells is as close as I get to a "classic" this year.  Not sure it counts, but it is an excellent book either way.

 

Your favourite non-fiction book this year?

 

The Secrets of Station X, by Michael Smith

 

A revised edition of Smith's Station X book that was originally published in the 90's, updated with new interviews and material that has come to light since the original version was written.  If you are interested in Second World War history or cryptography this will already be an interesting read, but it is the personal accounts of the people that worked at Bletchley Park that make this such a good book.

 

Your favourite short story this year?

 

(I'm corrupting this one slightly to favourite short story of the year, because I haven't read any collections!).

 

Sorrow's Isle, by Jen Williams

 

A Black Feather Three short story that is a lot of fun.  I won't harp on . . .

 

Your favourite re-read of the year?

 

Mort, by Terry Pratchett

 

Whilst I think The War of the Worlds is the better book, of the three books I have re-read this year I would have to say that I enjoyed Mort the most.  I read this shortly after Pratchett passed away, my kind of a tribute in a way as he is an author I have been reading since my teens (which is a very long time ago now...).  I found that I enjoyed this more than I have his more recent novels and re-reading it, Mort seems to have a freshness or spark to it that his more recent novels, whilst still good, don't seem to have.

[Raven]

Agatha Christie is popular this year!  I didn't read anything by her this year.   I did recommend her to a friend though.

 

I found the one I read to be women=clever & men=stupid, unless name=Poirot.

 

I probably need to read more...

[Kylie]

I found the one I read to be women=clever & men=stupid, unless name=Poirot.

 

Her books reflect reality well, don't they? 

 

Sorry. You set it up so nicely that I had to do it. 

[Madeleine]

 

 

 

Your favourite read of the year?

 

The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson - great historical crime, based on a real place with real-life characters; it gave fascinating details of life in the notorious debtors' prison (it even had it's own restaurant and coffee shop!), with some grim incidents, but also a fair bit of humour, and a great lead character (see favourite character award)

 

Your favourite author of the year? - I don't think I can pick one out, I guess the author of my favourite read, as above

 

Your most read author of the year? - a tie between Winston Graham (Poldark) and Mary Stewart

 

Your favourite book cover of the year? - it has to be The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton - apparently they built a real dolls' house for the cover photo shoot

 

The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? - no DNFs last year but I skipped large sections of Prince Lestat by Anne Rice, and speed-read quite a bit of A Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin, both big disappointments

 

The book that most disappointed you? - the two mentioned above, both tedious, over-written reads

 

The funniest book of the year? - Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch, and Just one Damned thing after another by Jodi Taylor, both very funny in places

 

Your favourite literary character this year? - a tie between Tom Hawkins from Devil in the Marshalsea, and John Thornton from North and South

 

Your favourite children's book this year? - N/A

 

Your favourite classic of the year? - North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, actually the only classic I read but one of my favourites of the year

 

Your favourite non-fiction book this year? Notes on a Small Island by Bill Bryson, slightly dated now (some places have improved since it was written) but very amusing in  parts

 

Your favourite biography this year? - N/A

 

Your favourite collection of short stories this year? - Silent Nights, only collection I read, a bit hit and miss but a few goodies in there too

 

Your favourite poetry collection this year? - N/A

 

Your favourite illustrated book of the year? - N/A

 

Your favourite publisher of the year? - Gollancz, who publish both Charlaine Harris and Ben Aaronovitch

 

Your favourite audiobook of the year? - N/A

 

Your favourite re-read of the year? - N/A

Edited January 1, 2016 by Madeleine

[More reading time required]

Your favourite read of the year?

Time & time again by Ben Elton. Fabulous time travel story about trying to change the series of events that led up to the outbreak of WW1

 

Your favourite author of the year?

Based on the book I'm still reading now & the couple of spy type books I read by him earlier in the year, Ken Follett just gets the nod here over TP.

 

Your most read author of the year?

Terry Pratchett - this was before his death even. I had some companion books to read, plus Raising Steam & A slip of the Keyboard

 

Your favourite book cover of the year?

Raising Steam. Terry Pratchett covers are always fun (although not as good now as the old Josh Kirby covers.)

 

The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?

I don't abandon books in general, I'm stubborn!

 

The book that most disappointed you?

The grapes of wrath by John Steinbeck as I expected to enjoy it much more than I did, based on how good Of Mice & Men was.

 

The funniest book of the year?

Not one of his best, but I'd pick Retromancer by Robert Rankin over Raising Steam as the latter is more clever than riotously funny.

 

Your favourite literary character this year?

Probably the evil torturer dude from Joe Abercrombie's series - the last book in that being Last argument of kings

 

Your favourite children's book this year?

Dragons of Crumbling Castle by Terry Pratchett. Not that I can remember what it's about, but I'm sure it was good! Also my only children's book of the year (if you discount all the numerous picture books I read to my son. )

 

Your favourite classic of the year?

By default, The grapes of wrath by John Steinbeck wins here. It was a hard slog, but I can still see the merit in it.

 

Your favourite non-fiction book this year?

A slip of the Keyboard by Terry Pratchett. A collection of brilliant articles on various topics.

 

Your favourite biography this year? N/A

Your favourite collection of short stories this year? N/A

Your favourite poetry collection this year? N/A

 

Your favourite illustrated book of the year?

Dodger's Guide to London by Terry Pratchett

 

Your favourite publisher of the year?

I don't really pay attention to such things very often.

 

Your favourite audiobook of the year? N/A

 

Your favourite re-read of the year?

Even though it's actually my only re-read of the year, The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan. I've still got some way to go before I get back to where I left off the series so it would finish (book 8) and then to read beyond to its conclusion.

Edited January 2, 2016 by More reading time required

[Karsa Orlong]

Your favourite read of the year?

 

Well I could say pretty much every book I read from Patrick O’Brian’s ‘Aubrey/Maturin’ series, as I loved them all.  If I had to pick one, for argument’s sake, it would be The Reverse of the Medal (#11).  Just wonderful.

 

Apart from those, my favourites were:

 

Blindsight by Peter Watts
Echopraxia by Peter Watts
Luna: New Moon by Ian McDonald
Caesar by Colleen McCullough
The Silence by Tim Lebbon
A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Empty Throne by Bernard Cornwell
Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold

 

 

 

Your favourite author of the year?

 

Patrick O’Brian.

 

My favourite new (to me) author was Peter Watts.

 

 

 

Your most read author of the year?

 

Patrick O’Brian (13 and a bit)

 

 

 

Your favourite book cover of the year?

 

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

 

 

 

 

The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?

 

The Martian – pretty much hated the bit I read of it.  But the Golden Globes filed it under ‘Comedy’ so maybe I was reading it wrong!

 

 

 

The book that most disappointed you?

 

There were a few but, purely because my expectations were so high for it, Death Descends on Saturn Villa (Gower Street Detectives Book 3) by M.R.C. Kasasian.  Just a nosedive in quality after the first two books.

 

 

 

Your favourite literary character this year?

 

Patrick O’Brian’s Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin – and Preserved Killick, of course.  Also Isabella, Lady Trent, from Marie Brennan’s A Natural History of Dragons.

 

Oh, and Valerie from Echopraxia by Peter Watts – the scariest character I’ve encountered in a novel in years.

 

 

 

Your favourite non-fiction book this year?

 

I actually read a few non-fiction books last year, for a change.  My favourite was Commander: The Life and Exploits of Britain's Greatest Frigate Captain by Stephen Taylor.

 

 

Your favourite collection of short stories this year?

 

Mr Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester.  Also, Ray Bradbury: Stories Volume 1, although I haven’t read every single story in it (there are a hundred of them!).  It’s worth getting just for ‘A Sound of Thunder’.

 

 

 

Your favourite publisher of the year?

 

Gollancz, as usual.

 

 

Your favourite re-read of the year?

 

The Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson

Edited January 13, 2016 by Karsa Orlong

[poppyshake]

Ooh .. I love doing this. Thanks Kylie
 

Your favourite read of the year?
Such a tough one. I can't chose one .. impossible .. alright then .. I'll try  
The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin, Campari for Breakfast by Sara Crowe and The Humans by Matt Haig

Nope .. I couldn't choose one   

Your favourite author of the year?
Again, difficult. I'm going to say Matt Haig. I really enjoyed the two books I read of his and he was new to me.

Your most read author of the year?
It has to be Enid I read twelve of hers and happily re-visited my childhood. 

Your favourite book cover of the year?
Ooh .. now you're asking ... very important question  

  

The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?
The book that most disappointed you?
I didn't abandon but the book that most disappointed me was Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn as I thought it'd be up my street but it wasn't .. it was up other people's street instead. Pity! I was also disappointed in Death Descends on Saturn Villa by M.R.C. Kasasian .. just because the two that went before were brilliant and it didn't live up.
The funniest book of the year?

The ones I laughed most at were .. The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers, Campari for Breakfast by Sara Crowe and Miss Mapp and Queen Lucia by E.F. Benson. 

Your favourite literary character this year?
Sue Bowl in Campari for Breakfast, Erast Fandorin in The Winter Queen and Daisy Wells & Hazel Wong in Murder Most Unladylike (and its two sequels.)

Your favourite children's book this year?
Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens.
Your favourite classic of the year?

East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

Your favourite non-fiction book this year?

Hippy Dinners by Abbie Ross.

Your favourite biography this year?
Clothes, Music, Boys by Viv Albertine.
Your favourite collection of short stories this year?
Diving Belles by Lucy Wood. Just exquisite.
Your favourite poetry collection this year?

Oh dear   Another year and no poems! 

Your favourite illustrated book of the year?
The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers and A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig.
Your favourite publisher of the year?
I've only read one of them but I love the look of the books published by The British Library Publishing Division. They're calling to me which is most unhelpful to my purse and my resolve. 
Your favourite audiobook of the year?

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins which was brilliantly read.

Your favourite re-read of the year?
Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens .. the latter is probably always going to be my answer to this question  

Edited January 14, 2016 by poppyshake

[Raven]

Your favourite book cover of the year?

 

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

 

A Natural History of Dragons.jpg

 

 

I do like those covers. 

 

I was tempted to get the sequels on my Kindle but, but the books look far too nice so they will be bought, at some point!

[willoyd]

I've arrived a bit late at what is one of my favourite balls here, but hope the following are still of interest: Very, very unusually, I actually have candidates in each category this year
 
Your favourite read of the year?
My favourite overall read of the year was Middlemarch.  This was technically a reread as I studied it for A-level, but that's more than a couple of decades ago now (ouch!), and it felt as fresh as new.  Indeed, I didn't particularly enjoy it first time round, but this time was completely overwhelmed: a true great, and moves into my top dozen all-time.  My favourite new read was a toss-up between Waterloo (see non-fiction) and Annie Proulx's The Shipping News, another book that took my somewhat by surprise - gentler and far more involving than I had expected.
 
Your favourite author of the year?
Your most read author of the year?
Both Patrick O'Brian.  I reread the first four novels in the series to re-ignite reading the whole series, then added Desolation Island later on in the year.  Superbly realised - doesn't get much better than this, and a narrowly beaten runner-up to overall best read of the year.

Your favourite book cover of the year?
Shackleton's Boat Journey by Frank Worsley: a magnificently atmospheric effort from the artist Simon Pemberton and The Folio Society.

 
The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Jay Fowles.  Not the worst by any means, but the one I lost interest with quickest - basically, as soon as we got to the twist.

The book that most disappointed you?
Again, by no means the worst, but I expected so much more of both Consider Phlebas by Ian M Banks and The Humans by Matt Haig, both of which turned out to be distinctly average to mediocre.  Consider Phlebas probably edges it.  The worst book (surprised there's no category for this) was, comfortably, Veronica Roth's Divergent, which almost challenged the above two.  I didn't expect it to be great, but was staggered as to how bad it actually was.
 
The funniest book of the year?
I don't normally do 'funny' (like Anna and chaliepud), but I did find myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion whilst enjoying, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, another book that proved a pleasant surprise.  The book that was the most fun and had me smiling the most was The Grand Sophy.

Your favourite literary character this year?
Sophy Stanton-Lacy from The Grand Sophy

Your favourite children's book this year?
Another category I don't normally complete, but read a couple this year, of which The Eagle of the Ninth proved a belter: straight onto my six-star list.
 
Your favourite classic of the year?
Middlemarch.  With Virginia Woolf's Night and Day as runner-up.

Your favourite non-fiction book this year?
Waterloo by Tim Clayton.  Sadly, somewhat in the shadow of the distinctly mediocre but populist account by Bernard Cornwell, Clayton regularly writes superb history, but this is probably his best. 

Your favourite biography this year?
The Road to Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead. I really only read one genuine biography  (actually an autobiography) this year (Gwen Raverat's Period Piece), but this biographical / autobiographical memoir was far more engaging - a genuinely enjoyable read.

Your favourite collection of short stories this year?
I rarely read short stories, and am almost always disappointed when I do, but Michael Faber's Apple: The Crimson Petal Stories was genuinely enjoyable.

Your favourite poetry collection this year?
Guess what?!  I rarely read poetry too, but this year was an exception.  My favourite poetry of the year (on an admittedly still very short list!) was Simon Armitage's Gawain and the Green Knight.  But if it's a collection one is after then I enjoyed dipping into The Complete Robert Frost, a rare poet in that I do actually enjoy reading his work.

Your favourite illustrated book of the year?
The illustrations in Posy Simmond's Gemma Bovery were, obviously, vital to the story, and raised it above the potentially ordinary into something genuinely rather special.

Your favourite publisher of the year?
The Folio Society.  They may have gone more commercially orientated (probably necessarily), but their customer service is amazing, and they still manage to produce some brilliant books.  I've had to cut down on buying as their prices rise, but still find some of their work irresistible (see best cover above).

Your favourite audiobook of the year?
For the first time in years I listened to more than one this year, one of which was on my shortlist of favourite books of the year: South Riding by Winifred Holtby.

Your favourite re-read of the year?
Middlemarch, closely followed by the first four Patrick O'Brian books - see my comments above.

Edited January 24, 2016 by willoyd