I’m so very excited to share with you my top 30 books from this year that I want to shout from the rooftops about!
I think books recommended by others are the best kind of books so I hope that with this guide, you discover some authors that go on to become your favourites just like they’ve become mine! If you’re wondering where the books written by men are – I made a deliberate decision this year to read only books written by female writers for twelve months. And I’m the boss of me so I get to decide these things.
I used to read two books a week at the very least but I’ve slowed down lately and read fifty-nine this year (and started to read another handful that I couldn’t finish!) Last year I included all my four star and five star reads in my holiday reading guide, but this year I’ve gotten tougher and I’m sharing with you only the five star books.
I’ve listed the books by genre and with each title, I’ve added the link to my review as well as the Amazon link where you’ll find the blurb and the buy link to make the books super easy to purchase as an eBook today. Loads of these books are also available as paperbacks and you can have them delivered from Booktopia, Dymocks, Collins to name a few and you’ll find most of them on iBooks too.
So here it is, my ultimate holiday reading guide for 2016 - enjoy!
Contemporary Fiction
The Florentine Bridge – Vanessa Carnevale
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Florentine-Bridge-Vanessa-Carnevale/B01J2YK6QC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481474294&sr=8-1&keywords=vanessa+carnevale
Mercy Street – Tess Evans
Amazon blurb and buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Mercy-Street-Tess-Evans-ebook/dp/B01110WV4A/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1456278878&sr=1-1&keywords=mercy+street+tess+evans
Making Headlines – Jennifer Hansen
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Making-Headlines-Jennifer-Hansen/B015MBSW10/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481473519&sr=8-2&keywords=making+headlines
In the Quiet - Eliza Henry-Jones
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Quiet-Eliza-Henry-Jones/B00RSKZOVU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481473617&sr=8-1&keywords=in+the+quiet
The Drifter – Anthea Hodgson
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Drifter-Anthea-Hodgson/B01KIYDPPO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481474550&sr=8-1&keywords=anthea+hodgson
The Art of Keeping Secrets - Rachael Johns
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Art-Keeping-Secrets-Rachael-Johns/B01E83Q5TO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481472098&sr=8-1&keywords=the+art+of+keeping+secrets+Rachael+johns
The Patterson Girls – Rachael Johns
Amazon blurb and buy link: http://www.amazon.com.au/Patterson-Girls-Rachael-Johns-ebook/dp/B00U21XUOA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1453249963&sr=1-1&keywords=the+patterson+girls
Missing You – Kylie Kaden
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Missing-You-Kylie-Kaden/B00NURN4HG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481472170&sr=8-1&keywords=missing+you+kylie+kaden
Big Little Lies – Liane Moriarty
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Big-Little-Lies-Liane-Moriarty/B00K2JH9ZS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481473674&sr=8-1&keywords=big+little+lies+liane+moriarty
The Fifth Letter – Nicola Moriarty
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/Fifth-Letter-Nicola-Moriarty-ebook/B01M3UPO83/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481473739&sr=8-1&keywords=the+fifth+letter+nicola+moriarty
The Dangers of Truffle Hunting – Sunni Overend
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/The-Dangers-of-Truffle-Hunting/B01MQ3IHZM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481473819&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=he+dangers+of+truffle+hunting
Contemporary Romance
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Evan-Darcy-Melanie-Coles/B01GF8N5Q6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481474364&sr=8-1&keywords=melanie+coles
Don’t Mean a Thing (Got That Swing #1) – Renee Conoulty
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/Dont-Mean-Thing-That-Swing-ebook/B01M4RFBS6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481474422&sr=8-1&keywords=renee+conoulty
Click, Date, Repeat – KJ Farnham
Amazon blurb and buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Click-Date-Repeat-K-Farnham-ebook/dp/B00MXSLAJC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1460975665&sr=1-1&keywords=click+date+repeat
Feels Like Home – Lisa Ireland
Amazon blurb and buy link: http://www.amazon.com.au/Feels-Like-Home-Lisa-Ireland-ebook/dp/B00X51KM5Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453901315&sr=8-1&keywords=lisa+ireland
A Place to Stay – Jennie Jones
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/Place-Stay-Rangelands-Book-ebook/B01M0DLWXZ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481474698&sr=8-2&keywords=jennie+jones
Home to Bindarra Creek – Juanita Kees
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Home-Bindarra-Creek-Romance-Juanita-Kees/B018FP8OJK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481474758&sr=8-1&keywords=home+to+bindarra+creek
Summers with Juliette – Emily Madden
Amazon blurb and buy link: http://www.amazon.com.au/Summers-Juliette-Emily-Madden-ebook/dp/B00U21XULS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1456279064&sr=1-1&keywords=summers+with+juliette
The Vineyard in the Hills – Lily Malone
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Vineyard-Hills-Lily-Malone/B013UA1C2Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481474899&sr=8-1&keywords=so+far+into+you
Borrowing Trouble – Mae Wood
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Borrowing-Trouble-Pig-Barley-Book-Wood-Mae/B013AR0QO4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1481474959&sr=8-3&keywords=mae+wood
Dual Time-Line Fiction (My FAVOURITE kind of story!)
The Dress – Kate Kerrigan
Amazon blurb and buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Dress-Kate-Kerrigan-ebook/dp/B012LN0PX0/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1460975432&sr=1-4&keywords=kate+kerrigan
Recipes for a Perfect Marriage – Kate Kerrigan
Amazon blurb and buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Recipes-Perfect-Marriage-Kate-Kerrigan-ebook/dp/B014T7FP1S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1454475318&sr=1-1&keywords=recipes+for+a+perfect+marriage
The Other Side of the Season – Jenn J McLeod
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Other-Side-Season-Seasons-Collection-Jenn-McLeod/B0167565GY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481473984&sr=8-1&keywords=the+other+side+of+the+season
Under the Spanish Stars – Alli Sinclair
Amazon blurb and buy link: http://www.amazon.com.au/Under-Spanish-Stars-Alli-Sinclair-ebook/dp/B016NRW9NO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454226979&sr=8-1&keywords=under+the+spanish+stars
Historical Romance
A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald – Natasha Lester
Amazon blurb and buy link: http://www.amazon.com.au/Kiss-Mr-Fitzgerald-Natasha-Lester-ebook/dp/B0166ZKM3W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456279185&sr=8-1&keywords=a+kiss+from+mr+fitzgerald
Memoirs
I am, I can, I will – Bianca Plunkett Gooley
Buy link: http://www.vividpublishing.com.au/iamicaniwill/
Afternoons in Ithaka – Spiri Tsintziras
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Afternoons-Ithaka-Spiri-Tsintziras/B00FOFP11Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481474148&sr=8-1&keywords=afternoons+in+ithaka
Self Help
Ask Me Anything: (Heartfelt Answers to 65 Anonymous Questions from Teenage Girls) – Rebecca Sparrow
Amazon blurb and buy link: http://www.amazon.com.au/Ask-Me-Anything-heartfelt-questions-ebook/dp/B016HBWM8I
Suspense
All That is Lost Between Us – Sara Foster
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/All-That-Lost-Between-Us-ebook/dp/B013CSCVJY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458295642&sr=8-1&keywords=all+that+is+lost+between+us
Urban Fantasy
Who’s Afraid – Maria Lewis
Amazon blurb and buy link: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Whos-Afraid-Maria-Lewis/B01063XPSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481475197&sr=8-1&keywords=who%27s+afraid