Life On The Edge* by Jay Jay Harvey-To my non-New Zealand readers, Jay Jay Harvey is a well-known and respected personality here. She's one of the hosts of the Edge's breakfast  radio show here in NZ and has been for a number of years now. She actually used to have her own blog, Radio Chick which I remember reading. Her second book, Life On The Edge is an in-depth collection of stories and memories from her time at The Edge. From her early days in New Plymouth, through to Hamilton and then Auckland, Jay Jay shares anecdotes about listeners, pranks The Edge have played, some of their awesome campaigns they've run and many more. It's a really interesting, unputdownable read. You will laugh, you will cry and you should gift this to the women in your life this Christmas.

Eat Smart* by Niomi Smart-Admittedly this was a bit of an out of character book request from me. In saying that, I was always quite intrigued by this book because I felt like it was going to be a lifestyle book with recipes I'd actually enjoy. Like Estee's book, I am saving this for a more appropriate post next month so I will keep you posted. That and I haven't actually got around to making anything from this yet. Whoops..

What's A Girl Gotta Do? by Holly Bourne-The final book in The Spinster Club trilogy by Holly Bourne was released a couple of months back and I could not wait to read it. I have definitely drifted more from YA books in recent months but Bourne's writing is some I have a lot of time for. I think it's the fact she tackles heavier issues without romanticising them and she doesn't try to do anything flamboyant with her writing. It is what it is. I've not read this yet but from what I know, it deals more with the backlash of the internet age and the sometimes negative reaction feminist ideas generate. I'll definitely been reading this soon, well when I am in the mood for YA again.

The Sun Is Also A Star, available November 3rd* by Nicola Yoon-One of my favourite novels from the latter part of last year was Everything Everything, also by Yoon. This book explores the concepts of fate as it makes its way into the world of Natasha who is usually driven by science and fact. Twelve hours before her family is due to be deported to Jamaica she falls in love. "A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?" Now I've typed that blurb out it sounds like this may be a nauseatingly cute story but hey, lighthearted reads like this make a nice change.

Bridget Jones's Baby* by Helen Fielding-Last month saw the release of a new Bridget Jones film, the third in the series. This is actually the fourth book and in terms of timelines, this one sits between the third book and the second. Bridget becomes pregnant and of course diarises everything with the usual hilarity and relatable charm that Helen Fielding is known for instilling her with. It will differ from the film, in that Daniel Cleaver has more of a presence and I'm not sure if the Patrick Dempsey character makes it into the book. I've started this already and I am enjoying it so far but to be honest, the first and second Bridget Jones books are pretty hard to beat so they'll always be my favourite.

-Do any of these books take your fancy?

*Review copy

2015 may be done and dusted but judging by the state of my subscription boxes, the favourite declarations are nowhere near over. Today I'm finishing up my favourite reads for 2015. There's a fair few YA novels in the mix and also some of the best, diverse memoirs I have read in a long time. Enjoy!

Am I Normal Yet by Holly Bourne, not pictured-This was a library book, hence the lack of photographic evidence that it was read but trust me, it was! Am I Normal Yet is another book that explores the topic of mental illness, this time anxiety along with obsessive compulsive disorder and to an extent, depression. I remember really enjoying this and found myself identifying with aspects of this story as well as my own high school experience. There's something very special about Holly's writing, I have read two of her books now and I highly recommend you give them a read.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed-I really wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did but I loved it. Given I know next to nothing about tramping and the American outdoors I've found it extremely interesting. Cheryl Strayed sets out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in an attempt to rediscover herself and reflect on the last few years of her life, since her mother's passing. It's a true story which makes it all the more amazing and inspiring. The movie is just as good as the book too.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell-From memory this was one of the first books I read last year but I remember soaring through it because it was such an addicting, captivating read. Set in the eighties, minus all those pop culture stereotypes we know and love, it tells the story of two teenaged outcasts whose paths cross on the school bus. They bond over a love of mixtapes and comic books and the rest as they say is history.

Reckoning by Magda Szubanski*-There were quite a few memoirs read by me last year which isn't that surprising given it's one of my favourite genres. Magda's book explores two key threads of her life; her Dad's polish upbringing and involvement in WW2 and her sexuality. In among that there is snippets about how she became one of Australia's most-loved comediennes. It's one of the most interesting, insightful memoirs I've read in a long time and it was one of those books I couldn't put down from the beginning. Forget what you know about Magda already, there is so much more to her. 

Submarine by Joe Dunthorne, not pictured-Thanks to Emma for going on about this book+movie because it got me intrigued and this ended up being one of my favourite books of the year. Dunthorne's writing reminds me a lot of Nick Hornby which is a good thing, obviously. Submarine tells the story of Oliver Tate, a British high school student in the midst of his GCSE's and on the path to understanding the complexities of the teenage girl brain, or in his case, Jordana's mind. Each chapter is constructed as a diary-like entry so it's a quick read. This book is so hilarious though and at times a bit sad but the dialogue and Oliver's thought process were so entertaining to discover. I highly recommend you give this one a read if you haven't already done so.

You Deserve A Drink by Mamrie Hart-I really have Joan Rivers and Grace Helbig to thank for the discovery of Mamrie Hart. She's one entertaining lady and she makes a rather extraordinary cocktail, if her videos are anything to go by. You Deserve A Drink is presented as a book of boozy misadventures and tales of debauchery. To accompany each story there's a cocktail so if you wanted you could become the Julie and Julia equivalent of cocktail creation. Drink responsibly kids. I'm really looking forward to starting this and am expecting hilarity. 

-Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

*Review Copy