Greetings Dear Readers,

I hope you’ve been well and are keeping warm as fall creeps up onto winter. Please forgive me for not posting last week. I must admit, I’ve been busy at work but also, I’ve been reading. A lot. Maybe it’s been the cloudy weather or the chill in the air but I’ve been tearing through books like a maniac over the last few months.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwrybM6tL-8

As I was pondering what to share with you this week, my nerdy heartbeat quickened its pace when I thought of sharing my favourite books of 2015. That doesn’t mean these books were published this year, just that I’ve come to know and love them this year. I’d like to humbly suggest these stories if you’re looking for a paper fort to run to. Escape between the pages of these, my top 3 (of about 15) books I’ve read in 2015.

3: The Orenda, by Joseph Boyden.

The Orenda is written by an award-winning Canadian author who has a passion for writing historical fiction about First Nations people. This story happens in 17th century Canada and takes a look at a Huron tribe, their rivalry with an Iroquois tribe and their relationship with the Jesuit missionaries trying to “save the savages.” It’s beautifully written and equally terrifying at some points of this story. Those with a weak stomach may want to skip a few pages of vengeance but overall it’s a fascinating tale of what makes a family, a tribe and a people. (Shout-out to Sarah for the recommendation!)

2: The Power of One, by Bryce Courtenay

The Power of One is another historical fiction story (I’m starting to see a pattern here) about an unstoppable young man by the name of Peekay. This is an old book (1989) but it was new to me as my father sent it over and recommended I give it a read. This story starts off in the 1930s and walks through about 15 years of Peekay’s life in pre-apartheid South Africa. I won’t say much more other than it’s got a ton of boxing in it which makes for a lot of action and if you’ve ever seen the movie – forget about it. It’s a horrible abomination of the book and doesn’t do the story the justice it truly deserves. I haven’t been so emotionally entrenched in a pack of main characters in years. This book stayed with me long after I finished so I highly recommend it for a heavy, yet uplifting story of perseverance, self-love and survival.

1: The Dark Tower (series), by Stephen King

To step away from my forays through history, I have recently delved into a life-long goal of reading the 7 books that comprise of  The Dark Tower series by the master of fear, Stephen King. I am currently burning through book 2, The Drawing of the Three and it is blowing my mind. The first book, The Gunslinger, is basically one giant tease that sets you up to dive into the fantasy world of the Gunslinger and all the dimensions of time and space he trudges through to get to The Tower. I’ve been up all hours since cracking the Gungslinger. Now that book 2 is underway, my fevered desire for one more chapter before sleep has only gotten worse. I may be premature on this one, but I’m pretty sure I’m on the money: This series is amazing and you should read it. Now.

That’s it for now folks, I’d better run. Mr. King awaits me for another sleepless night :)