Well, there are a lot of them.
All (or mostly all) of the books I’ve read from the start of 2011 onwards are on Goodreads. Books from 2008, 2009, and 2010 are on Google Drive.
Ratings are Goodreads-style, from 5 for books I loved to 1 for books I wish I had skipped.
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Want to see my favourite books?
Check out my Goodreads favourites shelf.
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Or my very favourite books of each year?
These are the ones that had my top ratings each year and hold a place on my keeper shelves. They may not necessarily be technically perfect (in fact, I’ll probably be the first to admit some of them are flawed), but they have that special something and captured my imagination.
I’ve listed them by genre and the year is when I first read the book (not publication year!). YA books are listed separately at the bottom.
Also bear in mind that these are purely based on the books I’ve read since I started blogging in late 2006 – I’ve many other favourites read in my pre-blogging days.
Fantasy
Traditional fantasy
| Kate Stradling | BRINE AND BONE | 2018 |
| Jodi Taylor | AN ARGUMENTATION OF HISTORIANS | 2018 |
| Naomi Novik | SPINNING SILVER | 2018 |
| CS Pacat | THE ADVENTURES OF CHARLS, THE VENETIAN CLOTH MERCHANT | 2017 |
| Beth Brower | THE Q | 2016 |
| Naomi Novik | UPROOTED | 2015 |
| Kate Elliott | COLD STEEL | 2015 |
| Martha Wells | THE SIREN DEPTHS | 2014 |
| Martha Wells | THE GATE OF GODS | 2013 |
| Andrea K Höst | MEDAIR duology | 2012 |
| Tanya Huff | THE SILVERED | 2012 |
| Juliet Marillier | FLAME OF SEVENWATERS | 2012 |
| Juliet Marillier | HEIR TO SEVENWATERS | 2009 |
| Sarah Monette | CORAMBIS | 2009 |
| Lois McMaster Bujold | THE SHARING KNIFE: LEGACY | 2008 |
| Juliet Marillier | SEVENWATERS trilogy | 2008 |
| Jacqueline Carey | KUSHIEL’S JUSTICE | 2007 |
| Sharon Shinn | READER AND RAELYNX | 2007 |
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Urban fantasy
| Seanan McGuire | ASHES OF HONOR | 2012 |
| Seanan McGuire | LATE ECLIPSES | 2011 |
| Patricia Briggs | SILVER BORNE | 2010 |
| Ilona Andrews | MAGIC BLEEDS | 2010 |
| Seanan McGuire | AN ARTIFICIAL NIGHT | 2010 |
| Patricia Briggs | BONE CROSSED | 2009 |
| Ilona Andrews | MAGIC STRIKES | 2009 |
| Karen Chance | DEATH’S MISTRESS | 2009 |
| Patricia Briggs | IRON KISSED | 2008 |
| Karen Chance | EMBRACE THE NIGHT | 2008 |
| Patricia Briggs | BLOOD BOUND | 2007 |
| Kelley Armstrong | NO HUMANS INVOLVED | 2007 |
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Mystery
Historical
| PB Ryan | A BUCKET OF ASHES | 2013 |
| Diana Gabaldon | LORD JOHN AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE BLADE | 2007 |
| Elizabeth Peters | THE FALCON AT THE PORTAL | 2007 |
| Elizabeth Peters | HE SHALL THUNDER IN THE SKY | 2007 |
| Jacqueline Winspear | MAISIE DOBBS | 2007 |
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Contemporary
| Lisa Lutz | THE SPELLMANS STRIKE AGAIN | 2010 |
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Romance
Historical romance
| Eloisa James | WHEN BEAUTY TAMED THE BEAST | 2011 |
| Diana Gabaldon | AN ECHO IN THE BONE | 2010 |
| Eloisa James | WHEN THE DUKE RETURNS | 2008 |
| Lisa Kleypas | MINE TILL MIDNIGHT | 2007 |
| Eloisa James | AN AFFAIR BEFORE CHRISTMAS | 2007 |
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Contemporary romance
| Lucy Parker | PRETTY FACE | 2017 |
| Susanna Kearsley | THE WINTER SEA | 2014 |
| Kylie Scott | LEAD | 2014 |
| Kelly Hunter | RED-HOT RENEGADE | 2011 |
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Romantic suspense
| Mary Stewart | NINE COACHES WAITING | 2008 |
| Mary Stewart | THE IVY TREE | 2008 |
| Suzanne Brockmann | FORCE OF NATURE | 2007 |
| Suzanne Brockmann | ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT | 2007 |
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M/M romance
| Anna Butler | THE JACKAL’S HOUSE | 2018 |
| KJ Charles | BAND SINISTER | 2018 |
| KJ Charles | THE HENCHMEN OF ZENDA | 2018 |
| Alexis Hall | LOOKING FOR GROUP | 2016 |
| Harper Fox | MARTY AND THE PILOT | 2016 |
| CS Pacat | KINGS RISING | 2016 |
| KJ Charles | A GENTLEMAN’S POSITION | 2016 |
| Kate Sherwood | MARK OF CAIN | 2015 |
| KJ Charles | A FASHIONABLE INDULGENCE | 2015 |
| KJ Charles | A SEDITIOUS AFFAIR | 2015 |
| KJ Charles | THINK OF ENGLAND | 2014 |
| CS Pacat | CAPTIVE PRINCE VOLS 1 and 2 | 2013 |
| Harper Fox | THE SALISBURY KEY | 2011 |
| Suzanne Brockmann | WHEN TONY MET ADAM | 2011 |
| Jordan Castillo Price | GHOSTV | 2011 |
| Sean Kennedy | TIGERS AND DEVILS | 2010 |
| Steve Kluger | ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE | 2010 |
| Josh Lanyon | FAIR GAME | 2010 |
| Josh Lanyon | THE DARK TIDE | 2009 |
| Josh Lanyon | DEATH OF A PIRATE KING | 2008 |
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Paranormal/fantasy romance
| Lynn Kurland | PRINCESS OF THE SWORD | 2015 |
| Nalini Singh | KISS OF SNOW | 2011 |
| Patricia Briggs | HUNTING GROUND | 2009 |
| Nalini Singh | MINE TO POSSESS | 2008 |
| Nalini Singh | CARESSED BY ICE | 2007 |
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SF
| MCA Hogarth | FROM RUINS | 2018 |
| MCA Hogarth | HER INSTRUMENTS trilogy | 2018 |
| Glenn Stewart | OPERATION MEDUSA | 2017 |
| Lois McMaster Bujold | GENTLEMAN JOLE AND THE RED QUEEN | 2015 |
| Kate Elliott | JARAN | 2013 |
| Debra Doyle & James D MacDonald | BY HONOR BETRAY’D | 2013 |
| Catherine Asaro | CARNELIANS | 2012 |
| Lois McMaster Bujold | CAPTAIN’S VORPARTRIL’S ALLIANCE | 2012 |
| Lois McMaster Bujold | CRYOBURN | 2010 |
| Sara Creasy | CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS | 2011 |
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New Adult
| Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy | HIM | 2015 |
| Allison Parr | RUSH ME | 2013 |
| Diana Peterfreund | RITES OF SPRING (BREAK) | 2008 |
| Diana Peterfreund | SECRET SOCIETY GIRL | 2008 |
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YA
| Ellen Emerson White | LONG MAY SHE REIGN | 2011 |
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Fantasy
| Sarah Rees Brennan | IN OTHER LANDS | 2017 |
| Leigh Bardugo | CROOKED KINGDOM | 2016 |
| Cinda Williams Chima | THE GRAY WOLF THRONE | 2014 |
| Cinda Williams Chima | THE CRIMSON CROWN | 2014 |
| Juliet Marillier | THE CALLER | 2014 |
| Kristin Cashore | BITTERBLUE | 2012 |
| Megan Whalen Turner | THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA | 2009 |
| Megan Whalen Turner | THE KING OF ATTOLIA | 2009 |
| Kristin Cashore | FIRE | 2009 |
| JK Rowling | HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOW | 2007 |
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Romance
| Rainbow Rowell | FANGIRL | 2014 |
| Stephanie Perkins | ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER | 2014 |
| Julie Cross | LETTERS TO NOWHERE | 2013 |
| Tammara Webber | BETWEEN THE LINES | 2012 |
| Stephanie Perkins | ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS | 2011 |
| Stephanie Perkins | LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR | 2011 |
| Sarah Dessen | THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER | 2010 |
| Jennifer Echols | GOING TOO FAR | 2010 |
| Eva Ibbotson | A COMPANY OF SWANS | 2008 |
| Eva Ibbotson | THE SECRET COUNTESS | 2007 |
| Eva Ibbotson | THE MORNING GIFT | 2007 |
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SF
| Diana Peterfreund | FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS | 2012 |
| Andrea K Höst | TOUCHSTONE trilogy | 2012 |
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Urban fantasy
| Sarah Rees Brennan | THE DEMON’S SURRENDER | 2011 |
| Sarah Rees Brennan | THE DEMON’S COVENANT | 2010 |
Me and My Books 