I was
planning on celebrating 5 years of writing for the Bookbag by doing a top ten
of my favourite books I’ve reviewed for the site, but did anyone REALLY think
I’d cut it down to ten? After much heartache (and helped by the fact that
there’ve been several of my favourites in that time period which other people
have reviewed for the site, like Love in Revolution by B R Collins,
which Jill reviewed, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein,
which Linda reviewed, and Flora
and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo and K G Campbell,
which Tanja reviewed) I finally managed to pin it down to fifteen! I’ve gone
for as wide a range as possible.
Confident Readers
The Unladylike Adventures of Kat
Stephenson series, starting with A Most Improper Magick by
Stephanie Burgis which Linda reviewed for the Bookbag - somehow the only one I’ve reviewed for the
site is A Reckless Magick by Stephanie
Burgis. This is without a doubt my favourite children’s trilogy for a long,
long time, and has perhaps my favourite ever heroine. Loyal, clever, and
altogether wonderful, twelve-year-old witch Kat is a truly brilliant creation,
while Burgis brings Regency England to life superbly. I am so staggeringly
excited by the thought of reading about her as an eighteen-year-old next week when
Courting Magic is released that I could explode. (But will try not to, at least
before reading!)
The
Pea’s Book series, starting with Pea's Book of Best Friends by
Susie Day – I’ve reviewed the first three for the site; my review of the
fourth hasn’t made it up yet because it’s close to completely incomprehensible,
semi-coherent, gushing about how gorgeous this series is. Fresh and timeless at
the same moment, somehow, this is an outstanding quartet and I can’t wait for
the upcoming spin-off series.
Teens
Bone Jack by Sara Crowe – I’ve spent much
of my life waiting for a book or series which I love as much as Susan Cooper’s
The Dark Is Rising. Sara Crowe’s debut is equal to it. A stunning portrayal of
a shell-shocked father, a village reeling from foot and mouth, and the old
legend which is recurring, this is one of the finest examples of UKYA.
The
Faith series, starting with Have a Little Faith by Candy Harper
– Everyone knows how much I love these. I’ve given away over a dozen copies of
the first to blogging friends because I want everyone to have the chance to
experience one of my favourite books for themselves. It’s warm, funny, and a
brilliant book to reread – as wonderful fourth time around as it is first time
around. Sequel Keep The Faith by Candy Harper is
equally superb.
The
Micah Grey series, starting with Pantomime by Laura Lam. I don’t actually
read all that much teen fantasy but when I find a series I love it can draw me
in more so than perhaps any other genre. Protagonist Micah is stunningly
written, the supporting characters are outstanding, and the romance is
beautifully handled. Add in really sensitive handling of LGBTQ issues and this
is breathtaking.
The
Department 19 series, starting with Department 19 by Will Hill (which Jill
reviewed); I’ve reviewed the other three. Latest, and best of all, is Department 19: Zero Hour by Will
Hill. Will Hill’s update of the Dracula tale – casting Dracula as the lead
villain, Frankenstein’s Monster as one of the heroes, and the descendants of
the men who originally stopped Dracula as the people running the secretive
Department 19 to protect the UK from supernatural threats – is truly epic. So
many amazing characters, and Hill switches between them superbly.
Amy and Roger's Epic
Detour by Morgan Matson – I love road trip books and I love books with
music involved heavily. Matson’s writing is stunning and the scrapbook format
this takes is awesome, with her second and third books being nearly as
wonderful.
The
Brookfield/Ashbury quartet – of which the only one I’ve actually reviewed is
the final one, Dreaming of Amelia by Jaclyn
Moriarty – is completely different to anything I’ve ever read. Thrillingly
imaginative and told from multiple viewpoints via exam answer, blog entries,
contents of a Scholarship File, a PC responding to an assignment, notes from
mysterious societies… no-one writes like Moriarty does. Sensationally good.
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy
Nelson – Gorgeous setting, wonderful characters, lyrical prose. And it’s so
beautifully put together with the pictures of the poems that it’s probably the
most perfect book I own. Outstanding.
This Song Will Save Your
Life by Leila Sales - Emotional, sometimes brutal, but ultimately hopeful,
and a great story of friendship and recovery from tough times. Utterly superb.
Far From You by Tess Sharpe - This one
absolutely destroyed me, with one of my favourite ever relationships, sizzling
chemistry, and a great narrator.
Adult
The
Dagger and The Coin series, starting with The Dagger and
Coin: The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham – Epic fantasy at its absolute
finest, with some of my favourite ever character arcs and an incredible plot.
The Great Gatsby by F Scott
Fitzgerald – Slightly weird in that I reviewed it after reading for the
eighth or ninth time, but it seemed wrong that The Bookbag didn’t have a review
of an all-time classic! Pretty much the perfect novel.
Non-fiction
People
Who Eat Darkness: Love, Grief and a Journey into Japan's Shadows by Richard
Parry – This deeply moving account of the tragic death of Lucie Blackman is
an upsetting, but hugely worthwhile, read, in which Richard Lloyd Parry studies
Japanese society while also keeping in close contact with Lucie's family and
finding out more about her, portraying them all with great sympathy despite the
acrimony between them.
Telling
Lies for Fun and Profit: A Manual for Fiction Writers by Lawrence Block –
Required reading for anyone who wants to be an author; entertaining enough for
anyone who just wants a good read. Everything Block writes is so fantastic that
it’s brilliant to take lessons from a true master of the craft here.
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