Favourite reads in 2015

I always find it interesting to look back over the year and see which books turned out to be my favourites, and this year was an exceptionally strong field. Sometimes they're books released prior to 2015, which I've only gotten around to now, but most were released this year.

As usual, trends seemed to run toward UF and fantasy-based YA, though I read a lot of New Adult this year. Burned out on a lot of NA too. It's interesting to find that sports-related NA really agrees with him, considering most of it is based around sports this little Australian has never even seen – American football, and Ice Hockey, for example. I'm fairly competitive and love sports myself, so that's why I think I get it (:

Also found some time to dabble in some amazing fantasy worlds – my first love – and caught a few paranormal romances.

So here's the list:

1. The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher – classic Jim Butcher, with a steampunk spin, featuring an ensemble cast, the favourites of which were Captain Grimm, the captain of the airship Predator, and Bridget, or more particularly Bridget's long-suffering talking cat Rawl who gets his own POV's here, and considers it his lifelong duty to look after his blundering human companions. Amazing action scenes, political intrigue and a cool new world. What isn't to like?
2. Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews. As always, Kate Daniels, is one of my favourite go-to heroines, and I especially like that of the UF series out there, there have never been any love triangles, or stupid misunderstandings between Kate and Curran once they both decided they were each other's HEA. The relationship is evolving, but Curran is always going to be there for Kate. 
3. A Court of Thorn and Roses Sarah J. Maas. A YA featuring Feyre, a young girl with two sisters, who keeps them alive by hunting the forests for food, and Tamlin, the fae who steals her away when she kills one of his shapeshifting fae. Awesome, awesome YA which I loved, not least because of a curse, a heroine who has to save her lover, and Rhys the dark fae lord, who is going to play an interesting part in future stories.
4. The Deal by Elle Kennedy. Been reading a lot of NA this year, but this was the standout for me, by far. The Deal is what happens when Hannah, a smart, witty young woman with dreams of her own, runs afoul of Garrett Graham, the college hottie hockey player, who needs a tutor to save his spot on the team. The best bit? Hannah wants nothing to do with it, or him, and is the last girl to fall at his feet. The thing I liked best was the fact that they truly became friends before anything further happened, and that Garrett – whilst hilarious – was also protective and respectful of his ‘Wellsy'. I'm not going to lie though – the locker room scene – penis! penis everywhere! – had me in stitches.
5. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. Another YA from Sarah J. Maas, which was released in years earlier, but which I only came across this year. I fell in love with her snarky assassin heroine Celaena (in the first two books anyway), and the Prince who hides his own magic from his tyrant father, and his protective captain of the guard, Chaol, who would do anything for Prince Dorian. 
6. Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff. Kick-ass monster hunter Yukiko is another YA heroine who stole my heart this year. When she and her opium-addict father are sent to hunt the arashitora – AKA thunder tiger (griffin), in an oriental steampunk world – Yukiko finds herself caught between a power-mad emperor, and a rebellious group seeking to overthrow him. I like how Yukiko grew up over the course of the novel, and the world-building was simply amazing! 
7. Soulbound by Kristin Callihan. Callihan's PNR's are always a favourite of mine. This one features Adam, the GIM master we've been tempted with over the years, and Eliza May, his long promised soulmate who may be the only person to save him from the deal he made with a notorious Fae, Queen Mab. The catch? Eliza hates his guts, at the start, and Adam's not particularly fond of her, seeing her as only a means to an end, until he comes to realise just how much he likes her.
8. A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan. Finally, at long last, I got my hands on a copy of the final Wheel of Time novel, written by Brandon Sanderson years after Robert's death. This is a series I began when I was thirteen-ish, and the ending left me with that old nostalgic feeling, even though I still wish Elayne had died, instead of the heroine I loved from the very start of the series. My favourite scenes featured my favourite characters Egwene, and Mat, Lan (taking care of a dread lord nobody else seemed to be able to handle – I could just imagine him thinking, ‘I'm getting too old for this shit' as he headed after Demandred), and Perrin, and my new favourites Androl and Pevara, who were Sanderson's inclusions to the series. This book was basically one long battle, but it was the battle. Tarmon Gai'don finally arriving. And man, what a battle!
9. Entreat Me by Grace Draven. Basically a version of Beauty and the Beast, this is a fantasy romance featuring Ballard, the cranky old beast who's curse extends to his son, and Louvaen, the cranky older sister of the beauty, who is more than capable of handling any old curse. Beautiful writing, beautiful world building… It was a toss-up for me between Radiance and Entreat Me by Grace for this list, but I've always been a sucker for Beauty and the Beast stories, so this wins out, barely. 
10. Darkborn by Allison Sinclair. Torn apart by a curse 800 yrs ago, the Darkborn have cast aside their magical impulses and live in the dark, using sonar – or sonn – to get around, and the Lightborn cannot exist in darkness, and use magic. In a city divided by wary alliances, when Balthasar Hearne answers a knock on his door and finds an old friend, heavily pregnant, he sets off the start of a tale of deceit, danger, politics, and love. His wife Telmaine, is a dark born mage who hides her gift for magic, yet must accept it when their daughter is kidnapped, Balthasar is injured, and she must come to rely upon Ishmael, the shadow hunting dark born lord, who just might be the key to saving the city. 

BOOKS I CAN'T WAIT FOR 2016

1. Truthwitch Susan Denard
2. A Court Of Mist And Fury by Sarah J Maas
3. The Score by Elle Kennedy
4. Magic Binds Ilona Andrews
5. Monstress by Marie Liu (out already, but I won't get to read til Jan)
6. Peace Talks by Jim Butcher
7. King's Rising by CS Pacat
8. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
9. Gaslight Hades by Grace Draven
10. The Winds of Winter George R R Martin

So what books were your favourites in 2015? And what are you looking forward to in 2016?