I have had another slowish reading year with only 70ish fiction and non-fiction books. Though, there are a further 50+ picture books that I have read. I imagine that the closer I get to completing my thesis, this number will get lower. If you want a more comprehensive list of books I have read this year, click on the Goodreads dooblydob in the margin. I know that there is the whole of December reading to go but I am getting in early because I will be chatting to Linda Mottram on 702 about my picks today for the last The Blurb of the year.

I don’t want to call these books “the Best” as that is such a loaded term. Yesterday, I browsed through Penguins Best of 2015 and there wasn’t a single book on their list that I had read or that I wanted to read. I ask – best for whom? Instead, I am sticking with calling this list “My favourite”. I felt a little perturbed at the Penguin list, and then at the NY Times list. For a moment it made me question my choices. Am I that out of sync with the rest of society? And then I found Pop Sugar’s Best Books for Women 2015 and I relaxed. Lots of books that I had read and lots that sits on my TBR. Funny how I needed some validation for my reading.

Now for my faves (in no particular order):

Fave graphic novel

SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki

Not really a novel in your traditional sense, this book is a collected anthology of Tamaki’s quirky webcomic that can be best described as a mundane Hogwarts without the adventure and amped up teen angst. It is dry, disengaged with a queer sensibility where the teen witches and mutants grapple with magic, board games, crushes and teacher expectations. Tamaki also writes atmospheric graphic novels as well as running a popular tumblr. Continue reading →