#SixforSunday is created by Steph from A Little But a Lot.
The theme for this week is favourite books read so far this year. Some of the books I have chosen were not published in 2018, but I read them this year so I am counting them.
As always, it was incredibly difficult to narrow it down to just six books…
Check out some of my previous weeks here:
Books I would like to see as movies
Book characters I would like to stuck in a lift with
Animal companions in children’s books
Book characters I would like to be friends with
My six favourite reads of the year so far have been…
The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale
I know that I have mentioned this one before (Books I would like to see as movies) and have already written a full review here, but I just had to mention this book again. I went in completely blind, only knowing that it was a book set in a magical toyshop in London. It was more magical than I had ever hoped and has really stuck with me since I read it. I could not recommend this highly enough – if you haven’t read it, read it now!
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis
Picked this up from my local library thinking it looked quite interesting, but I wasn’t prepared for how much I would love it when I read it. It;s got a plucky main character who goes after dreams, prickly mentor figures, family relationships, dragons and chocolate. A real treat so read this if you need a pick-me-up on a rainy day because you will love it!
The Dollmaker of Krakow by R.M. Romero
I feel slightly guilty reading this book because it absolutely destroyed me. I just sobbed and sobbed for a long time after finishing this – so much so I had to excuse myself from talking to my boyfriend’s parents when they rang because I couldn’t pull myself together. This is magical realism and historical fiction done really really well. It will break your heart and put it back together again.
The Storm Keeper’s Island by Catherine Doyle
This is”t even out until the 12th July but I was lucky enough to get an advance e-review copy from Netgalley and absolutely devoured it. I will be pre-ordering my own copy, plus a few for the school library. Planning to write a full review soon and I will be pushing this book into many hands. Be prepared for me to talk about this book a lot this year!
A Far Away Magic by Amy Wilson
I loved A Girl Called Owl so was looking forward to this already. Then I read an excerpt in the lead-up to publication…went to buy it on publication day and it wasn’t in my local bookshop (probably sold out already!)…so, when I finally saw this in my local library I swooped in so quickly that I nearly knocked the librarian out of the way.
Stardust by Jeanne Willis and Briony May Smith
This is a gorgeous picture book about following your dreams and not being overshadowed by other people, even if you feel like they are doing better than you. See my full review (with pictures!) here and pick up a copy if you haven’t already to soak up the beautiful illustrations and absorb the positive messages.
Oh, it was so lovely to reflect back on some of the truly great reads I have had this year so far… All of these books come very highly recommended so please do pick them up if you haven’t already!
What did you think of my choices?
Did you agree or disagree with any of them?
Which books have you enjoyed so far this year?
Please link your posts in the comments if you have also taken part in #SixforSunday because I would love to read your answers!
While you’re here, why not check out my book reviews for Shelter, Sunflowers in February or Hold Back the Stars?
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Thanks for reading!
Your description of each book makes me want read all of them.
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Aw, thank you! I think you should definitely read all of the books in this post as they are my favourites so far this year and some of them have become all-time favourites too. Let me know if you pick any of them up and I hope you like them!
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I will add them to my list of books to read. Something to look forward. Thanks for your post.
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You’re very welcome!
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Very excited for Catherine Doyle’s MG when it comes out, I fell in love with the last two of her YA trilogy last month (kicking myself for waiting cover
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Waiting over a year to get to them, as I did quite enjoy 1st one as well 🙈.
Amy x
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I still haven’t read her YA books (am planning to get them from the library as soon as I’m back in England) but I really adored The Storm Keeper’s Island as I was really in the mood for a good fantasy set in Ireland to coincide with my visit home!
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My absolutely favourite read this year has been Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. I cried, and laughed, and then cried some more… Stayed up all nigh the second day after I picked it up just to finish it. It was so good!
From your list I haven’t read any but I’m looking forward to The Dollmaker of Krakow, specially now after you referenced crying. Weird perhaps, I know, but deeply emotional books like that tend to be the ones I enjoy the most.
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I just picked up a copy of Eleanor Oliphant last week so am hoping to read it soon. The Dollmaker of Krakow is deceptive – at the beginning I thought it was going to be quite light-hearted…then it just hits you where it hurts! I think books that you connect to on a deep emotional level stay with you and perhaps even change you in some ways. Let me know what you think of Dollmaker once you read it!
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Ah! I am loving the kids lit rep on your list. I would have to agree with The Storm Keeper’s Island… I absolutely loved it!
Thank you for joining in with #SixforSunday again! And making my TBR pile even longer! S xx
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It was the case of the right book at the right time for me, the same with The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart. I love Kids Lit so much and think it is really underrated – some kids books manage to pack a real emotional punch with any of the superfluous stuff sometimes added in novels aimed at adults. Let me know what you think of the books if you read them! And #SixforSunday is definitely responsible for the TBR pile getting even bigger for me too…
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Your first three picks were already on my radar (loved The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart) but the later three are new to me. I love the cover of A Far Away Magic and will have to check that out.
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Hope you enjoy them! I have definitely picked up books that I might not otherwise have read thanks to recommendations. 🙂
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