Best Books of 2015

The promised list of my favourite books of 2015! Please note, these are books I read in 2015, not necessarily ones published in 2015. I'm not that fancy.

Image from Michelle Seixas
 on freeimages.com.

So most years I have a couple of books that stand out in my mind as outstanding, and for 2015 that book is Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. If you do any writing at all, it needs to be on your to-read list.

Before I get to the rest of my list, since Friday is usually (ish) my green living day, here's your reminder to make use of your local library and used bookstores for your reading needs. The problem I run into here (and I suspect many of you do, too) is that of course we all want to support the authors who write the books. Balancing a limited book-buying budget and a desire to live as lightly on the earth as possible with the equal desire to honor the work of talented writers whose words I enjoy requires planning and thought.

Here's what works for me:

1. I make use of the library or free Kindle books first, always. If I haven't read something by the author before, I don't buy the book.
2. However, if I do love a book and can possibly fit it into my budget, I do--again, to show my appreciation for the author's hard work at creating something spectacular.
3. Once I know I like an author, I have no qualms about purchasing subsequent books by the same author (although it isn't automatic--the purchase does still have to fit into my budget).
4. When I have to make a choice budget-wise, I try to buy books by less well-known authors over bestselling, famous, or otherwise wildly popular authors. 
5. I put all of my rules on a shelf when I walk into a one of those "all books 50¢" sales, where I just go wild with choosing the prettiest covers and most enticing blurbs until I run out of money. Even worse are the Friends of the Library sales where you can load up an entire paper bag for a couple dollars. I can do some damage at those events.

Anyway! Your mileage may vary. So, the rest of my Best Reads of 2015 list (in order of when I read them):

A Life in Stitches: Knitting My Way through Love, Loss, and Laughter, Rachael Herron

Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card

The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd

All My Friends are Dead, Avery Monsen and Jory John

Best of reading to you in 2016!