Another fantastic reading month with the highlights being a rather jaw-dropping but enjoyable young adult series, and an outstanding Australian novel from a new-to-me author.

So, by a fraction of a whisker, my favourite read of the month was…

The Royals Series by Erin Watt

Which includes the books Paper Princess, Broken Prince and Twisted Palace.

This series was completely over the top bonkers and I loved every word.

Take one teenage stripper determined to drag herself out of the gutter, have her kidnapped/rescued by a man she’s never met yet who says he’s now her guardian, and plonked in a mansion with the dysfunctional, all-male family that is the uber wealthy Royals, and let the fun begin.

And brilliant fun it is too, with insanely spoiled (and twisted) rich kids, bitchiness, sex, murder, shenanigans, seriously hot bods and lashings of teenage angst. I read one book after the other in a matter of days.

An indulgence. But oh, so good.

Christmas Wishes, New Year Kisses by Michelle Douglas

A lovely seasonal read, featuring two Australian veterinarian best friends who’ve known each other forever, and you know what that means? Sweet, funny animals. And an even sweeter friends-to-lovers romance. Oh, and there’s a beautiful tropical beach setting thrown in to add to the gorgeousness.

This one made me smile and sigh a lot, just as a good romance should.

Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch

Book four in this hugely popular supernatural series and another great romp with PC Peter Grant through Aaronovitch’s strangely inhabited London. I really enjoyed this but the ending? WOAH! It left me so startled and intrigued I nearly went on to read book five straight after, but in the end decided to ration myself.

The wit in this series is a hoot. As are the characters.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Rowell’s Attachments moved me so much that it immediately became one of my all-time favourites reads, and while Eleanor and Park didn’t quite hit the same note – probably because it featured teenagers rather than adults, and the hero of Attachments was totally swoon-worthy – it was still a truly wonderful read. Two star-crossed outsider 16 year-olds fall in love despite all the odds against them, and the knowledge it probably won’t last. Wonderful.

I don’t know any other author who describes falling in love with the same exquisite detail and empathy as Rowell. Need more.

Fall by Candice Fox

This crime series is so dark it borders on horror at times, which means I love it. I’m so disappointed that Fox says she has no more plans for Eden and Frank. They were fascinating characters and the plots of Eden, Hades and Fall all took turns that kept me guessing until the end. I really like the way this ended too. Twisted!

The Rules of Backyard Cricket by Jock Serong

If it weren’t for the sheer jaw-dropping over-the-top fun of The Royals series this would have easily been my favourite read. Suspense? Crime? I’m not really sure, but what I do know is that the writing was incredible, as was the gripping plot. So clever!

The Rules of Backyard Cricket starts with our antagonist Darren Keefe having been shot in the knee, bound and dumped in the back of a car, presumably on his way to his execution. As he struggles with his predicament, Keefe takes us back through his notorious life and that of his even more famous cricketing star brother, Wally.

Amazing. Couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended, even if you’re not a cricket fan.

What were your favourite reads?