I didn’t remember until today, but the day before yesterday on September 15th, my blog reached 18 years old! Gosh, I never thought when I dipped my blogging toe into the water back on Blogspot that I’d still be going – but I just love talking and sharing about books. Thank you as always to everyone who visits, whether a lurker or commenter, your visits are much appreciated (unless you’re an bot or spam or pretending to be me of course!).
To celebrate, here are my books of the year for each year I’ve been going…
2025 – Muckle Flugga by Michael Pedersen
2024 – Orbital by Samantha Harvey
2023 – The Ghost Theatre by Mat Osman
2022 – Mischief Acts by Zoe Gilbert
2021 – Diary of a Film by Niven Govinden
2020 – Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
2019 – Slow Motion Ghosts by Jeff Noon
2018 – To Throw Away Unopened by Viv Albertine
2017 – A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
2016 – Golden Hill by Francis Spufford
2015 – Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller
2014 – Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton
2013 – Mr Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo
2012 – The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
2011 – The Sisters Brothers by Patrick de Witt
2010 – The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carré
2009 – Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
2008 – Blindness by Jose Saramago
There are so many books I adored in that lot. If I had to pick just one plus a runner up for best book of the years it would be Piranesi which was very special indeed, with The Spy Who Came in From the Cold as runner-up. But ask me again tomorrow and that may have changed.
And the front runner for this year so far – it’s Sympathy Tower Tokyo by Rie Qudan, but that could change too when I get to some of the new autumn releases…
I hope you enjoyed this tour through my books of the year. Back to reviews next.
Congratulations 🎊 No mean achievement to keep a blog going for so long and what a good list of favourites you’ve gathered over the years!