Alba in bookland: Aven Ellis

This summer, one of the Top Ten Tuesday topics was exactly this. Back then I didn’t do it but I have been wondering since then which authors I have read the most books from and if they were actually my favourite authors.

After checking Goodreads and my memory (as I only started using it a couple of years ago), I was quite surprised to see the authors that came up. Some of them are from before I started blogging. I guess that’s because thanks to the blog I have discovered so many new and fantastic authors that I no longer have the time to read all the back lists of an author I enjoy. This is something I used to do a lot. When I discovered a new author, then I would read all the books they had published until then straight away. But now with all the new releases I want to read I don’t have enough time to do that.

Anyway, here are the top ten authors I have read the most books from:

1) Sophie Kinsella (14 books). No surprise here. I have read all she has written so far except for her latest Shopaholic release (which is on my kindle and I’m planning to read asap. Actually, I have also read one of her Madeilene Wickham books (even if I didn’t enjoyed it that much) which makes the grand total 15 books.

2) Lindsey Kelk (13 books). Also one my all time favourite authors. When I first discovered her, she was on her 5th book so I read them all in a couple of weeks and completely fell in love with her witty style.

3) Paige Toon (10 books). I first read her books when I started blogging as there were a lot of bloggers that were raving about her and her books and I absolutely loved her stories. In the last couple of years I have read all her books except for two (One Perfect Summer and I Knew You Were Trouble) but they are on my kindle ready for me.

4) JK Rowling (8 books). Obviously I have read all the Harry Potter books. Then I was a bit reticent to read The Vacant as the reviews were quite mixed. Last year I finally read her cosy crime novel The Cukoo’s Calling (written under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith) and really enjoyed it. I now have the other two books on the series and I am looking forward to starting them.

5) Holly Martin (8 books). An author I discovered thanks to blogging and who has become one of my all time favourites. Her stories are so fun and magical! The only books I haven’t read by her are her fantasy books. I have the first one on my kindle so I hope to get to it soon.

6) Marian Keyes (8 books). Another fantastic author. I have loved most of her stories and she is one of those authors I have on auto-buy. I still have one of her older books (The Mystery of Mercy Close) to read though!

7) Meg Cabot (8 books). Internationally known for her A Princess’ Diary Series, she has written tons of books. Although I have to admit I haven’t read any of her books for years!

8) Ken Follett (8 books). One of my mum’s favourite authors, we used to read his books together. I really enjoy his historical fiction novels.

9) Nicholas Sparks (8 books). I remember reading Message in a Bottle for the first time more than 15 years ago (also because my mum had loved it and passed it to me) and since them I have read and loved several of his novels. A bunch left to read still!

10) Aven Ellis (6 books). The fantastic and lovely Aven closes this list. I discovered her thanks to blogging too and I have read and loved all she has written so far. It’ll soon be 7 books as she’s just published a new story and I already have it on my kindle.

So here they are, some of my all time favourite authors are on the list. But I have discovered so many amazing ones lately that I hope to catch up with! But you know, so many books, so little time and all that…

It’s November already, can you believe it? Less than two months for Christmas! Which means lots and lots of Festive reads coming out this month. Actually, this month there are so many amazing books out that I don’t know how I am going to keep up with them. Here are the titles I am most excited about:

Breakout by Aven Ellis – November 4th

Blurb: While Texas is known for loving football, Lexi Stewart has always been drawn to the ice. Hockey is her passion, and she wants nothing more than to pursue a career in video editing for the home network of the Dallas Demons hockey team.

Lexi has an editing job for a corporate account, but it’s not fulfilling. Nor is her dating life, despite having the so-called help of The One Online Dating Service. Lexi knows there has to be more for her—on both fronts. She’s ready to take the next step, but it doesn't seem like it’s going to happen anytime soon.

Until a flying puck changes everything.

Niko Xenakis is the new Dallas Demons TV producer, and he’s looking to make his mark in his new role and hopefully work his way back to his hometown of Baltimore. But once he meets Lexi, he might just change his mind on what he wants for his future . . .

But the road to love is never easy, complicated by the fact that they both carry emotional baggage from the past in their hearts. Can these two “breakout”of the past to find love in the present?

Why so excited: Aven Ellis is back with her Dallas Demons Series, how could I not be excited?

A Christmas Tail by Cressida McLaughlin – November 5th

Blurb: This book was first published as an e-serial Primrose Terrace Parts 1-4. Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Lucy Dillon and Debbie Johnson.

A Christmas Tail was first published as a four-part serial set in Primrose Terrace.

Catherine ‘Cat’ Palmer realizes that bringing an adorable puppy into work is a bad idea, especially when it gets her the sack. Deciding it’s the perfect opportunity to launch her dog-walking business, Cat enlists the help of flatmates Polly and Joe. After all Primrose Terrace, the street where they live, is full of home-alone hounds.

Getting to know the owners and their precious pooches isn’t all plain sailing, but soon Cat is making friends, particularly with sexy Mark and his Collie, Chips. But is he the right man for her?

With her talent for misadventure, Cat’s new life starts to show some cracks, and when one of the street’s loveable schnauzers gets ill, it looks like this Christmas could be turning into a dog’s dinner. But Cat has never given up on anything in her life – and this is one Christmas that’s definitely worth saving…

Why so excited: After realising her debut in 4 short stories over the year, Cressida is finally releasing the complete novel in this beautiful paperback. I’m definitely not missing it.

How to Stuff Up Christmas by Rosie Blake – November 5th

Blurb: 'Tis the season to be jolly. Unless you've found an intimate picture of another woman on your fiance's phone...

Eve is heartbroken after discovering her fiance is cheating on her. Being surrounded by the joys of Christmas is more than Eve can bear, so she chooses to avoid the festivities by spending Christmas alone on a houseboat in Pangbourne. Eve gets gets an unexpected seasonal surprise when handsome local vet Greg comes to her rescue one day, and continues to visit Eve's boat on a mission to transform her from Kitchen Disaster Zone to Culinary Queen.

But where does Greg keep disappearing to? What does Eve's best friend Daisy know that she isn't telling? And why is there an angry goose stalking Eve's boat?

A hilarious and heart-warming novel about Christmas, catastrophes and cooking, containing exclusive Christmas recipes, from the talented Rosie Blake.

Why so excited: I loved Rosie’s hilarious debut, How to Get a (Love) Life and her second book looks and sounds fantastic.

The Winter Wedding by Abby Clements – November 5th

Blurb: Hazel never set out to be a wedding planner. She was just helping her stressed sister Lila with cakes and décor for her big day. But when Lila and Ollie's summer ceremony is a runaway success, with guests raving about the food and styling at the pretty venue, word about Hazel's expertise soon spreads.

But Hazel's clients expect the very best - she's promised lawyers Gemma and Eliot a snow-covered castle in the Scottish Highlands, and laidback couple Josh and Sarah a bohemian beach wedding in a Caribbean paradise. But as weather, in-laws and wilful brides conspire against her, can Hazel get two very different couples to walk up two very different aisles to say 'I do'? And will she find her own happy ending if she does?

Why so excited: I love Abby’s stories but surprisingly, I have never read her festive stories. I am sure that they are just as specials.

A Girl's Best Friend by Lindsey Kelk - November 5th

Blurb: First Tess was a girl with a plan.

Then she was a girl with a dream.

Now she’s a girl who’s come back to earth with a bump.

When the opportunity arises to join her best friend, Amy, in New York for Christmas, Tess jumps at the chance. The only fly in ointment is that Nick, the man who broke her heart, lives there. And Charlie, the man she turned down, has just started talking to her again. And she has just four days to take a photo for a competition that could save her career.

But aside from that, everything is going to be great: it’ll be the best Christmas ever. Won’t it?

Why so excited: Tess is back! Finally! I so want to know what happens next!

The Marble Collector by Cecelia Ahern – November 5th

Blurb: A forgotten childhood. A discovered life.

What if you only had one day to find out who you really were?

When Sabrina Boggs stumbles upon a mysterious collection of her father’s possessions, she discovers a truth where she never knew there was a lie. The familiar man she grew up with is suddenly a stranger to her.

An unexpected break in her monotonous daily routine leaves her just one day to unlock the secrets of the man she thought she knew. A day that unearths memories, stories and people she never knew existed. A day that changes her and those around her forever.

The Marble Collector is a thought-provoking novel about how the most ordinary decisions we make can have the most extraordinary consequences for how we live our lives. And how sometimes it’s only by shining on a light on someone else, that you can truly understand yourself.

Why so excited: I had fallen a bit out of love with Cecelia’s stories but last year I picked The Year I Met You and absolutely loved it. Plus, I’ve heard The Marble Collector is completely different to anything she has written so far, definitely on my wish list.

The Mince Pie Mix-Up by Jennifer Joyce – November 6th

Blurb: “I wish I could live your life. I’d happily swap lives with you.”

’Tis the season to be jolly but for Calvin and Judy the usual festive bickering has already begun! Judy’s convinced that her husband has it easy – no glittery wrapping paper, no playground gossip and absolutely no Christmas baking.

Calvin wishes he could trade in his obnoxious boss and dull nine-to-five job to spend more time kicking back with his kids – how hard can Judy’s life really be?

But after a magical mince pie mix-up, one thing’s for certain – by Christmas Day, life for Judy and Calvin will never be the same again. Perhaps the grass isn’t always greener after all…

Why so excited: After self publishing her first two novels, Jennifer has signed a book deal with Carina UK and I looking forward to finding out what she has come out with.

Lost Girls by Angela Marsons – November 6h

Blurb: Two girls go missing. Only one will return.

The couple that offers the highest amount will see their daughter again. The losing couple will not. Make no mistake. One child will die.

When nine-year-old best friends Charlie and Amy disappear, two families are plunged into a living nightmare. A text message confirms the unthinkable; that the girls are the victims of a terrifying kidnapping.

And when a second text message pits the two families against each other for the life of their children, the clock starts ticking for D.I. Kim Stone and the squad.

Seemingly outwitted at every turn, as they uncover a trail of bodies, Stone realises that these ruthless killers might be the most deadly she has ever faced. And that their chances of bringing the girls home alive, are getting smaller by the hour…

Untangling a dark web of secrets from the families’ past might hold the key to solving this case. But can Kim stay alive long enough to do so? Or will someone’s child pay the ultimate price?

Why so excited: Angela has already published two amazing and unsettling thrillers this year and I loved them both. She is back with more Kim Stone, what more could we ask for?

Why are all the books in the world out the 5th of November? I might die of excitement this Thursday!

Title: The Aubrey Rules (Chicago on Ice #1)

Author: Aven Ellis

Published: August 26th 2015 by Soulmate Publishing

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Some of the Aubrey Rules to Live By:

*If I’m going to indulge in French fries, I must add extra time to the treadmill the next day.

*Always keep your work and private life separate.

*Being open to new experiences will never involve eating kale.

*Never, ever date a professional athlete.

For Chicago social media professional Aubrey Paige, the rules are everything. So much so that Aubrey has painstakingly written her rules for living into a polka-dot Kate Spade notebook that she carries with her at all times. It’s her personal guidebook to living her life. These rules are the Holy Grail—ones never to be broken. They guide her actions for everything, from dealing with workplace drama to finding a great guy to date. After all, these are her own rules, built from her life experiences and observations. So they have to be perfect, right?

Or are they?

Because when Aubrey meets a cute Canadian, she suddenly finds her rules being tested and challenged in ways she never dreamed possible. Beckett Riley is the shy, quiet, determined captain of the Chicago Buffaloes, a hockey team on the verge of turning the corner to becoming a winning organization. He’s Aubrey's opposite, with so many qualities that Aubrey had listed as ones she’d never want in a man.

Yet Aubrey finds herself drawn to Beckett in ways she’s never known. And when she unexpectedly finds herself working with Beckett, she wonders if rules are meant to be broken after all...

First of all I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: One of my favourite authors is back with a brand new series about hockey players! Obviously, when Aven Ellis announced she was writing a new series based around the hockey team, the Chicago Buffaloes, I was over the moon. I actually have no idea about ice hockey but thanks to Aven, I’ve learned the basics and the most important part: hockey players are real hotties.

In The Aubrey Rules, we meet the Chicago Buffaloes Captain, Beckett Riley. A beast in the ice but the most cute and shy guy you can find out of it. I found it endearing to read about how awkward he felt with the media and how insecure that made him feel. But when he was in his own element, you could see what a fantastic guy he was.

In fact, our heroine, Aubrey instantly sees the real Beckett and is determinate to make him feel more comfortable with the media and with his fans. They meet by chance, but soon their relationship flourishes at high speed. Their chemistry is palpable and their banter had me grinning non-stop during the whole story. These two really brought the better of each other out.

I always know that when I pick an Aven Ellis pick, I’m in for a real treat and The Aubrey Rules was no different. Aven delivers another flirty, fun romance with great dosis of laughs, banter and love. And I really hope the next book in this series is all about Beckett’s best friend in the team, you’ll know why when you read the story. There’s a lot of potential there!

Rating:

Title: The Definition of Icing (Dallas Demons #2)
Author: Aven Ellis
Published: May 27th 2015 by Soulmate Publishing
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Kenley Hunter finally has everything sorted out. Fresh from studying chocolate making in Europe, she's gambling everything on her new business, Confection Consultations.

All Kenley wants in life is people to take her seriously, to see the person on the inside rather than the blonde beauty on the outside. While pursuing her passion of chocolate, Kenley discovered people seek her knowledge. They see past the exterior and fall for the chocolate delights in front of them.

So with work as her focus, Kenley is ready to start her career in Dallas. Men are out of her recipe, because she fears that once they get past her looks, they’ll be disappointed in what they find. Kenley decides she's all about the chocolate now.

Or is she?

Because a chance meeting with new Dallas Demon hockey star Nate Johansson might change everything. Sent to Dallas in a blockbuster trade, Nate is somewhere he doesn't want to be, for reasons that have caused him heartbreak on multiple levels. Nate knows he will never trust a woman again after what happened to him in Minnesota.

But when he meets a woman with an intriguing name and a passion for chocolate, Nate isn't so sure about his theory. And he might just learn a definition of icing other than the one used in hockey with Kenley as his guide...

First of all I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: The Dallas Demons are back! One of my favourite books last year was the first book in the series, Waiting for Prince Harry, and when Aven Ellis announced that she was writing more about this hockey team's players, I was over the moon. Obviously, the part I was awaiting the most was checking on Harrison Flynn again. Luckily for us, Aven doesn't make us wait too much and he and his new wife, the lovely Kylie, have a big role in the new story (yes!).

The Definition of Icing is all about Kenley, who has the best job in the world: she's an expert in chocolate! Seriously though, where do I have to sign to have this job? So Aven gives us scrumptious descriptions of the most fascinating chocolates and chocolate based desserts and dishes. Just for this, you need to check this book. Really, I actually went to a gourmet shop to check their chocolates because you won't be able to resist chocolate while reading it.

And then there's Nate, the hockey player. Gorgeous, sexy and a good guy (he's no Harrison but I wouldn't mind settle with him). He had his own story and secrets but you could clearly see how he was falling for Kenley (and her chocolate). I have to admit though that I think that Kenley is not my favourite female character from Aven. I found her a bit too insecure of herself and her talent and she doubted too much. Luckily for her, Nate was the perfect match for her, and brought the best out of her.

The Definition of Icing is another extremely cute and lovely story from Aven Ellis. One I enjoyed immensely. She always pays so much attention to the details of the story that she makes you feel like you are part of it. All I have left to say is: chocolate lovers around the world, pick this book! Oh! and I cannot wait to read more about hockey (and hockey players) in Aven's next books.

Rating:

Today I am very happy to welcome Aven Ellis to my blog. Aven is the author of amazing stories like Connectivity, Waiting for Prince Harry or Surviving the Rachel and a lovely friend of mine. Now, she is going to talk about her own Bookland, the place where she gets lost in her books and travel far far away. Aven, all yours:

Aven in Bookland (Cookbook Land, that is.)

When the lovely Alba first asked me to write a post on my idea of a visit to my favorite novel, I immediately knew what I wanted to write about, but I didn’t want to visit a novel...

I wanted to visit my cookbook collection.

I know, as an author you were expecting me to tell you what novels I’d love to live in, but cooking is a huge passion of mine. I cook almost every single day. I devour recipes on Pinterest, in magazines, blog sites but I love nothing more than finding a treasured cookbook, one with recipes I will use over and over, ones with sticky pages from being splattered on, one that helps me cook well for my family and provide healthy meals for my table.

I’m obsessed with them. Whenever I see one of my favorite chefs has a new cookbook out, I get super geeked out and preorder it immediately. So who are my preorders, no questions asked? Bobby Flay. I have found multiple recipes out of each cookbook of his that are incredible. I also love Giada De Laurentiis. Her cookbooks are beautiful, and again, I always find something delicious to make in them.

What are my favorite cookbooks, the ones I can’t live without and are my Holy Grail of cookbooks? Both books by Gwyneth Paltrow: My Father’s Daughter and It’s All Good. They are full of healthy foods, interesting flavors, and the recipes are easy to make. I love her soups-her tomato soup is perfection, and so is her butternut squash soup, her gazpacho...okay I’ll stop there but I’m a huge fan of these books.

Since I’ve tried to cut back on grains, Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain is a huge player in my weekly menu planning. In fact, we’re having her flank steak this week. The barbecue sauce is incredible, as are her salad recipes.

And I can’t leave out Gordon Ramsay. Gordon Ramsay’s Healthy Appetite is full of delicious-and healthy-recipes. Another favorite Gordon book is Gordon Ramsay’s Home Cooking: Everything You Need to know to make Fabulous Food. This one is worth it for the smoky pork sliders with barbecue sauce alone.

I also have inherited cookbooks from my grandmother Addie, who loved to entertain and cook. She did something super handy in them-she put notes on top if the recipe was V.G (Very good) or V.G for Company . Other recipes got a check mark and an O.K next to it. And my favorites-the ones that got a big NO. One that did get a V.G-and I kid you not, this is the name-was “Better than Robert Redford Cake.” How funny is that?

So there’s my journey through cookbook land. These books are my passion, and I love spending time with them. There’s a reason why MK in Connectivity loved cooking, Kylie in Waiting for Prince Harry loved baking, and Kenley is a Confection Consultant in The Definition of Icing. It’s a way of extending my cooking passion into my writing. And I’m sure you’ll be seeing more characters cooking in my pages very soon.

***

Thank you Aven for sharing your own Cookbookland with us! Who wouldn't want to get lost in some of these amazing recipes too?

You can connect with Aven on Twitter and on Facebook

And Aven's new book, The Definition of Icing is out next week. If you loved Waiting for Prince Harry (if you haven't read it yet, I don't know what you are waiting for), then you'll love this one too as the Dallas Demons are back!

Blurb: Kenley Hunter finally has everything sorted out. Fresh from studying chocolate making in Europe, she'sgambling everything on her new business, Confection Consultations.

Or is she?

But when he meets a woman with an intriguing name and a passion for chocolate, Nate isn't so sure about

his theory. And he might just learn a definition of icing other than the one used in hockey with Kenley as his guide...

Pre-order now on Amazon

Pre-order now Amazon UK

Welcome to Bookish Recipes, a feature on the blog where I cook or bake a recipe from a book I have loved and share the result with you. This week's recipe is inspired by Aven Ellis' latest book Surviving the Rachel. This lovely story is about a girl who after finishing college is a bit lost and the last thing she is looking for is love. But the gorgeous boy living next door is too cute to resist.

In the book, Jack, Bree's love interest, has lived in Germany and works as a German translator. He takes Bree and her friend to one of these German places for tourists and tells them what they should order to have a real German experience. He is a big fan of Spätzle and Bree ends up having and loving Gulasch with Spätzle:

Suriving the Rachel - Aven Ellis

Since I lived in London with two German roommates, I have also become a big fan of Spätzle. As Jack says, everything is better with Spätzle but my favourite way to eat them is with cheese. So I'll share with you my recipe for Käsespätzle:

1) Gather all the ingredients and preheat the oven to 180ºC. If you can't find spätzle in your supermarket, you can make them yourself. It's actually very easy. Here's a recipe to follow.

2) Boil the spätzle. Usually when they are done, they float.

3) Cut the onion and cook it. I usually caramelize it.

4) In a platter, put the boiled spätzle, the bacon and the onion. Add the creme fraiche or cream. And put as many grated cheese as you like.

5) Let it cook in the oven for about 20 minutes. And voilà:

This dish is really easy to make and goes perfectly well with a nice German beer. Enjoy!

About the book:

Title: Surviving the Rachel

Author: Aven Ellis

Published: December 20th 2014 by Soul Mate Publishing

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Life after college graduation is not at all what twenty-one-year-old Bree Logan expected. Unable to find a professional communications job, dumped by the guy who was THE ONE, and stuck with a pricey city apartment she can’t afford, Bree ends up moving back home with her parents in the suburbs and working as a cocktail waitress at a posh Chicago hotel.

In a desperate attempt to get a fresh start, Bree goes to a hip salon and requests that the first available stylist chop off her long dark hair. Alarmed when the stylist suggests “The Rachel,” after the famous haircut from the show Friends, Bree is hesitant, but decides to go for it when she is assured it will be a “fresh, modern adaptation” of the infamous 90’s cut. Unfortunately for Bree, it turns out to be exactly the same cut, but with horrific heavy bangs added to it. Hideous doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Bree is convinced nothing will ever go right when she meets neighbor Jack Chelten, a twenty-five-year-old German translator. Not that Bree is looking to date anyone, but there's something quirky and intriguing about his freckle-splashed face and blue eyes. And suddenly Bree finds herself seeking out different opportunities and challenges . . . as well as the boy next door.

In her new adult life, Bree learns that sometimes you have to go through crises to get to where you need to be. And if you can survive The Rachel, you can survive anything, right?

Title: Surviving the Rachel
Author: Aven Ellis
Published: December 20th 2014 by Soul Mate Publishing
Amazon | Amazon UK

In her new adult life, Bree learns that sometimes you have to go through crises to get to where you need to be. And if you can survive The Rachel, you can survive anything, right?

*First of all I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: In the last year, Aven Ellis has become one of my favourite authors. She writes cute well thought stories that make you fall in love every time. And Surviving the Rachel is no exception, it put a smile on my face from the first page to the last. In the story, Bree is a bit lost after finishing college with no prospects for a job and a break up. Going back to her parents' hasn't helped either. But she is quite a positive girl and a hard worker so she is ready to take the world again, she just needs a new image. Here is where we find the first reference to Friends, she ends up with The Rachel, yes, the famous layered haircut that was so in in the nineties and is so out now.

Bree is a very lovable character, it's easy to relate to her and soon enough you find yourself really caring about her and cheering her on her job interview. And then there's Jack, the boy next door. He is a German translator and I loved his dedication to his job, his love for languages and especially his caring attitude. His chemistry with Bree was palpable and you could tell from the beginning that she was his lobster. Every scene with the two of them was a joy to read, even the most simple activity, like picking apples, sounded like the most perfect date.

One thing that always makes Aven's stories so especial are the details. She likes to describe the clothes they are wearing on especial occasions or the smell you can sense where the story is taking place and this makes you feel like you are also part of the story. I always love checking Aven's Pinterest as she always has boards with places, clothes or meals from her stories.

If you are looking for a sweet romantic story with believable lovable characters, this is your story. And if you love Friends, you just can't miss it. It was great to read all the references to the show and see how Bree and Jack teased each other with them.

Rating:

2014 has been probably one of the best years I've ever had for reading. I am very glad that I started the blog because it was one of the best things I've ever done. I've discovered so many new authors and books and I've met the most lovely bookish people. I'm already excited to see what 2015 is going to bring. But first, here are the books that had that something special, that have stayed with me long after reading them and that have shone during this year.

10. Desperately Ever After by Laura Kenyon

I am a huge fan of Disney and well, fairy tale princesses in general so when I read the blurb of this book I knew it was my kind of book. But wow! I loved it. Laura Kenyon brings the well known princesses to a contemporany fairy tale version of NYC and continues their story ten years later. A real winner.

9. Waiting for Prince Harry by Aven Ellis

Aven writes the most romantic stories, with the perfect male characters. In Waiting for Prince Harry I fell head over heels in love with Harrison. Plus the mixture of sports and romance works very well as Harrison is the most gorgeous hockey player in the world. I always look forward to a new Aven Ellis' book and I can't wait for more hockey books.

8. Love Like the Movies by Victoria Van Tiem

I love cinema, especially rom coms, so a book featuring some of the most famous scenes from my all time favourite movies is a winner for me. As soon as I read the blurb of this book I knew I was going to love it and I was right. Victoria writes a lovely story with the perfect touches of drama, humor and craziness.

7. One Hundred Proposals by Holly Martin

Holly writes the most romantic stories. I loved The Guestbook and I completely adored One Hundred Proposals. Her stories always have that special thing that makes you get lost in them and hug your kindle when you are done. Beautifully written and with some of the best locations of the planet, this is a story you don't want to miss.

6. What a Girl Wants by Lindsey Kelk

If you've been following the blog, you probably know Lindsey is one of my favourite authors. I have loved all her novels and What a Girl Wants is not an exception. This new series might even be better that the I Heart series, funny, witty and with the perfect crazy spark. Lindsey at her best. I can't wait for the next installment next year.

5. One Step Closer to You by Alice Peterson

One Step Closer to You is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time, one of those that you tell everyone that they need read it. Raw, emotional but also uplifting. Alice's talent keeps on surprising us and she is becoming one of my favourite authors. As I said, a must read.

4. The Judas Scar by Amanda Jennings

Lately I have been reading more crime books and thrillers and thanks to a lovely book blogger, Sophie from Reviewed the Book, I discovered Amanda Jennings. The Judas Scar captured me from page one. This dark thriller awoke such strong emotions in me that when I finished I just couldn't stop thinking about this story.

3. The Year I Met You by Cecelia Ahern

With The Year I Met You Cecelia has made me fall in love with her all over again. I might even dare to say that it is, for me, the best novel she has written so far.

She has written a thoughtful, captivating and uplifting story that captured me from the first page. I also was quite surprised to see that the second person narrative she uses when she talks about one of the characters worked so well.

A true tale of friendship and not judging before knowing that I will be re-reading really soon.

2. The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

The One Plus One is one of the firsts books I reviewed on the blog and I remember that I sat in front of the computer with a blank page in front of me with so many thoughts and things I wanted to say and no way of expressing them. Jojo doesn't write books, she writes epic stories that make you think about life and what is worth fighting for.

The One Plus One has it all: drama, heartbreak, comedy, laughs and love. Moreover, Jojo's writing is perfect and clever. I loved the structure of the book, a story told from differnt points of views. It made it unique and special.

And my Book of the Year is...

1. The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me by Lucy Robinson

Lucy is one of the fantastic author I have discovered during this year. I read her debut early this year and I fell in love with her writing: extremely funny but with a poignant touch.

But when I read her latest release on Septemter I instantly knew that it would be my book of the year. It made me feel so much, the characters became my friends and when I finished it I felt lonely, I missed them and I still do. No other book this year has touched me so much.

I am sure Lucy has a bright future ahead of her and I can't wait for her new book on April (I have to say though that I have an advanced proof copy on my kindle *does happy dance* so I will be reading it really soon).

Congratulations Lucy for this amazing story!

I can't wait for all the new books coming on 2015, I'm sure it will be filled with great stories! Have a wonderful New Year everyone!