2015 is drawing closer and closer to its conclusion, which freaks me out something chronic. It's been a good year on many fronts, and when it comes to books I think I've had my best reading year in ages. According to Goodreads I've read 83 books this year, this includes comics and also some magazines so it's probably not that high. Nonetheless I feel like this is pretty good going. Today I'm sharing part one of my favourite reads for 2015. Side note: Not all of these books were published this year but they're all fairly recent releases so you shouldn't have an issue tracking them down...

Wildflower by Drew Barrymore*-I was really looking forward to reading Drew's first self-penned book and it didn't disappoint. Inspiring stories, interesting anecdotes and marvelous insights are contained within its pages. It's a bloomin' good read, floral puns intended and would make a great addition to your Summer beach bag.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt-Also known as the paperback big kahuna, to me at least. This was a mammoth read and took me a good few months to get through. There's just something wonderful about Donna Tartt's writing. I think it's the fact that within her pages she manages to create characters with backstories and depth as well as building an entire world. Writers can do that across entire series but within one book it's more of a rarity in my opinion. She does it incredibly well though. I really enjoyed this book and it was the perfect one to dip in and out of. 

Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling-This year I read both of Mindy's books but her latest was my favourite of the two. If you're a fan of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's books then you're bound to enjoy this one. It's equally as hilarious. 

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes*-To me the measure of a good book is if I'm willing to sacrifice sleep over it. How do I know this? On a ten hour working day I woke up at 4am to finish this book because I knew I couldn't go the day without knowing how it would finish. I loved this. The story of Will and Lou was perfect and the intertwining of their character's stories and lives was lovely to escape into. Be prepared to feel all the emotions with this book though, and perhaps keep tissues handy. It's a wonderful tearjerker. 

Funny Girl by Nick Hornby-My cousin convinced me to buy this book and I am so glad I listened to her. I've been a fan of Nick Hornby's screenplays for a long time but this was the first novel of his that I had read. Side note: It's taken me until December to read another of his novels *taps wrist*. Anyway, Funny Girl tells the story of Sophie Straw, a girl swept away from Blackpool to London where she becomes a sitcom star. Think the British equivalent of Lucille Ball. Sophie's character was written with Rosamund Pike in mind, which I loved and even before I knew that I could visualise her as the protagonist. If you're a fan of Nick Hornby's already or love books with down to earth, relatable characters then you'll enjoy this.

-What have you read and loved in 2015? Keep an eye out for part two of this post, coming next week! 

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Well June, you've been interesting and over really darn quickly as always. Time flies when you're having fun? This month I feel like I've been wearing less makeup because my skin's been throwing a few tantrums and also because I just haven't been bothered with it. I also didn't really acquire any new makeup this month until about midway through the month, and then in the last week with some online shopping. So this month's a real mixture of favourites as a result but I've loved all of these nonetheless. Maybe you'll find some gems among this list too...

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, Florence & The Machine-Was anyone expecting this not to be here? Florence returned to the music scene after a bit of a hiatus and it did not disappoint. Perhaps slightly less melancholy in tone than some of her other albums, there's still the soaring vocals that we know and love as well as some amazing orchestrations. Those horn sections make me so happy, I can't really explain it. I think I've mentioned this already on here but in my imagination, this is the ideal US roadtrip soundtrack. Standout tracks: Caught, Delilah, How Big+How Blue+How Beautiful and Queen of Peace. 

Maybelline ColorSensational Rebel Bloom Lipstick in Blushing Bud*, out July-Maybelline have some wicked launches headed our way next month but more on that soon. Some of the standouts for me though have to be these new ColorSensational lipsticks. Creamy, longlasting, vibrant colour all inspired by Spring/Summer blooms are what you'll find in this collection. Blushing Bud is the perfect rosy pink and reminds me of the colours essiebutton wears on her lips. Hibiscus Pop and Power Peony are next on my wishlist.

Secret Garden by Johanna Basford-Colouring for grown ups has really taken off recently which is mainly down to Johanna Basford's intricate colouring books. These drawings are so detailed and you can really unwind for a good hour or two completing these illustrations. I also find colouring in so relaxing and really zone out from any distractions. It's great. 

Nars Luminous Weightless Foundation in Mont Blanc-I never thought a fuller coverage base would take my fancy but the newest foundation from Nars seems to have changed my mind. This foundation is so lightweight, it feels like you're wearing no makeup at all. I also love how flawless it looks on the skin. My favourite thing about it though is the fact it stays put really well without powder. Seriously, I powder maybe once or twice during the day if I'm wearing this. There's also a really wide range of shades available too and if you have combination or oily skin, you'll probably get along well with this one.

Max Factor Masterpiece Glamour Extensions Mascara*-This mascara has been my holy-grail since I ran out of Roller Lash. I curl my lashes first, apply this and then it's like bam, hello fluttery elongated lashes. It really does hold a curl well throughout the day and is fairly water resistent even though I don't think this mascara is waterproof. Max Factor mascaras are pretty pricey here in NZ but I think they do some of the best 'drugstore' priced mascaras around so they're worth the hype.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt-So finishing this book has been a long time coming. 800 hefty pages does take a while to get through. I've read The Secret History which is also by Donna Tartt and really enjoyed that and The Goldfinch was just as good. I had no idea what this was about going in and really had no clue what was going to happen in this book which I think appealed to me most. I like a non-predictable storyline. This story also takes place through a number of different time periods and is mainly set in New York which I liked as well. I highly recommend this if you like mystery, drama-laden novels.

-What did you love throughout June?

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Given how busy last month ended up being, I'm not sure I'll make a major dent in these books but hey it's worth a try. As always there's some fiction, including a book I've been looking forward to read ever since I started the series, two memoirs which look promising and that gigantic novel I ambitiously tried to finish in April to no avail. Here's what's on May's reading list..

The Heir by Kiera Cass, not pictured-The fourth novel in The Selection series is out on Tuesday but I preordered my copy. It just hasn't arrived yet. The first twelve chapters are available here now though. There's even some cats to make the whole experience even better. I've only read the first seven chapters but this book seems promising, and Eadlyn seems even more feisty than America. I'll try to remember to do a review here or over on Instagram once it arrives though. 

Traveling to Infinity by Jane Hawking-After seeing The Theory of Everything and being inspired by the Hawking's story, I knew I had to read the book. I'm not far into this yet but it tells the story of Jane and Stephen Hawking's life together. It also goes a bit more into detail than the film does. For instance, I got the impression they both met at university but it turns out they'd met before that, and had even crossed paths when they were both at school. This looks set to be an inspiring read.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt-Given how busy April was it was awfully ambitious of me to expect to get through this 700+ page novel within four weeks. I'm about 200 pages in now and I love this book. There's just something about the way Tartt writes that just gets me y'know? I'm taking this one away with me to Australia so no doubt I'll make a bit more of a dent in it should the in-flight entertainment leave a lot to be desired. *Update: Theory of Everything and Gone Girl are on the in-flight entertainment. Sorry The Goldfinch, you may be left untouched....

Just Kids by Patti Smith-I don't remember how or when I heard about this book, I just know it's one that often comes up in interviews with anyone I admire. Many of them say how inspiring this is and everyone seems to love it so I have high hopes. There's even a New York Times bestseller sticker or something like that on the front. Again, high hopes, people. 

-Have you read any of these books? If not, what do you plan on reading in May?

Ayoade on Ayoade, by Richard Ayoade-Aka the one that Maurice Moss wrote. Well, his creator did. Richard Ayoade is fast becoming one of the UK's greatest creative talents. Whether he's writing, directing, or starring in film or television projects. His first book consists of a series of interviews, with himself. I feel like if you're not already an Ayoade fan, this book might baffle you a little. I'm really looking forward to reading this though. The introduction yesterday had me in hysterics.

The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt-You may remember last year I read The Secret History, Tartt's debut novel. It's safe to say it blew my mind. It was brilliant, and I recommended it to a few other people as well and they all seemed to love it. The Goldfinch is her latest novel and I'm probably the last to read it but oh well. I can't tell you much about it yet as I have only just started but apparently it is brilliant. I mightn't finish this book during April as it is a good 700 ish pages, but we shall see.

The Glam Guide, by Fleur De Force, not pictured-It seems like all the YouTubers seem to be writing all of the books nowadays. I'm beginning to get a little skeptical about this too but given Fleur was the first beauty guru I watched on YouTube, and she wrote this book by herself I felt like it deserved a chance. This book is a combination of all the things Fleur loves; travel, beauty, fashion and lifestyle. There's some really great tips in there and the book is gorgeously presented with beautiful illustrations throughout. I really liked this one.

Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, by Robin Sloan-This was one of the books Jess sent me as part of our blogger's book swap last year. I spied it on Emily's blog last week and was reminded that I owned it so onto the reading list it goes. A book about bookstores sounds like my cup of tea so I'm looking forward to reading this one.

*Have you read any of these books? What have you been reading lately?