Best Book (Trails) of the Year!
The Christmas Celebration of BookTrails
It’s that time of year again when I take a look back at the best books of the year – the best booktrails of the year. The books I have enjoyed the most, the ones that have taken me on the most fun or interesting journeys, and the ones I remember months later…
The alternative Award ceremony
*The one with the scariest atmosphere
The Whistling by Rebecca Netley
This one grabbed me from the off. I had to hid behind the sofa. It was that good and ghostly. I still shiver when I think about it.
*The one with the most alluring setting
The Lighthouse Witches by C J Cooke
I love lighthouses and find them both spooky and alluring. When you involve a remote Scottish island and tales of witches, then this is a book I really enjoyed.
*The one with the best real life inspiration
The Collector’s Daughter by Gill Paul
I find the story about Tutankhamun’s tomb and its reported curse fascinating. When I read this and realised that the lady who lived in Downton Abbey (aka Highclere Castle) was part of the mission, then I was hooked. In the very capable hands of Gill Paul, this was always going to be good.
*The one with the most interesting title
Triflers Need Not Apply by Camilla Bruce
I didn’t know what a trifler was before reading this. I hadn’t heard of the real life serial killer this was inspired by before I read this. The cover and illustrations of the characters on the cover and publishing matter was really intriguing. It all came like a newspaper cutting and I was excited long before I started to read it.
*The one with the best nature
The Fair Botanists by Sarah Sheridan
I loved this one. Set in Edinburgh’s Botanical Gardens I went to the exact place only a short time after the book came out as I was that intrigued to be in the same setting as the book. So immersive and a fantastic reading and travel experience. The cover is pretty special too!
*The one with the best literary hunt!
The Dying Day by Vaseem Khan
From the start this was like going on a literary treasure hunt. The first clue, then the second and the story is just one big booktrail and treasure hunt all in one. The novel just got better and better from then on in….
*the one with the most stunning cover and story to match
The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea
Set in Iceland, this is inspired by the most amazing true story, Orkney, 1940. Five hundred Italian prisoners-of-war arrive to fortify the remote and windswept islands.
*the most bookish one
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
A book with a story about books and words. The story behind how the Oxford Dictionary came to be. Now that is one book for all bookworms everywhere! Very immersive and I loved Esme, the lead character.
*The one with the best lighthouse
The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
The lighthouse, the real story it was based on and the most intricate way the author weaves fact and fiction together. The striking cover might catch the eye but the writing, the story and the author’s inspiration and passion for the story reels you in and keeps you there.
*The best in a long running series
Deity by Matt Wesolowski
This series gets better and better. This was a long awaited novel for me and it did not disappoint. The writing is gripping, the story sadly relevant today and the format of the novel just the best!
A hard choice to make as this year I read so many good books. Which of the list would you have chosen?
