Win £700 worth of the best books of 2015!

Lord of the Rings by Tolkein is still my favourite book. I read it for the first time in the early 70's and was totally transported to Middle Earth. I fell for Aragorn, loved Lothlorien, the hobbits, the battle between good and evil. When I got to the end I started again at the beginning.

I love all the JO Nesbo crime books-always a brilliant read

The Clan of the Cave Bear,
1st book in the Earth's Children series written by Jean M Auel. Just an epic novel.

Lamentation by C.J. Sansom. I enjoy reading historical novels, makes all the jigsaw bits in my head start to make sense.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin- I read it on Kefalonia where it is set in WW11. The ending has me in tears- it is beautiful.A true love story amongst so much heartbreak.

I first heard of Gerald Durrell's - My family & other Animals when a stand in teacher at school read a chapter to fill in time - i was hooked!. My Mum bought me the book the next day. As well as loving animals it was the funniest book I had ever read and frequently had tears of laughter in my eyes. I re-read it every so often to remind me how funny and typical of every family it is - each family member a little eccentric in their own way but still a family. The animals were never as bad as the humans! This is my favourite book and i think it's time to read it again!!

The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold fry by Rachel Joyce

A delightful tale of getting old, a work colleague taking blame for what Harold had done and so the lady got the sack, but Harold lived with the guilt and one day he had a letter from the lady saying she was dying and wanted to see him before she passed.
You go a pilgrimage with Harold and his thought as he heads on foot to find the lady he let down all those years ago.
Wonderfully told that leaves you a few times with a tear in your eye.

I recently re-read my favourite book, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. I love that warm, loving, family feeling that isn`t as evident these days as it ought to be.

I read about 300 books a year, and find it quite difficult to choose a favourite, but the one I keep coming back to is The Kite Runner by Kaled Hosseini....a wonderful story, beautifully written.

Oh what a hard thing to do! Village School and all the "Miss Read" books....................I have taught in that school and met those children!! So sharply observed

Domini Highsmith's Frankie is a moving, disturbing tale of his deprived, neglected upbringing by a selfish, vindictive mother. The writing is superb and moved me to tears.

Pride and Prejudice – timeless, as readable today as when it was written, by a woman who knew how to develop a plot and who gave her characters real depth.

The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller. A story of love, family & sacrifice that is beautifully written and truly unforgettable. I challenge any woman to read this and not be affected by the poignancy of their sacrifice. Robert and Francesca will stay in you heart forever.

My favourite book of all time is Tom's Midnight Garden.
I've read this book at least once a year for years. It about a young boy who goes to stay with an aunt and uncle, lying in bed one night unable to sleep he hears the Grandfather clock in the hall strike 13!. Getting out of bed he is transported back to Victorian times, and many innocent adventures.

My favourite book is 'The Hare with Amber Eyes' by Edmund De Waal. It is an enchanting history lesson that stirs the soul and is worth rereading annually.

Oops!! I have just spotted the 140 characters requirement Not as easy as it seems, may I have another go?

Bess of Hardwick by Mary S. Lovell.
A powerful reminder that strong women are not necessarily an invention of the 20th or 21st centuries

So so hard to choose just one ..... So many brilliant authors. My first book by Peter May was the first in his Lewis Trilogy, The Blackhouse. Had me there on the Isle of Lewis, so beautifully written. Very descriptive and a great story with strong characters. I even felt compelled to send the author an email to say how much I admired the work. Such a lovely man, he took the time to reply and we exchanged a few emails at the time.
Loved it so much I went on to read all his books and even went on a road trip to Scotland for the first time. Such a beautiful country and no passport needed to enter. Xx

Too many books
Too little time
The Help (Kathryn Stockett)
Is quite sublime

Laugh -out -loud
So compelling
READ THIS BOOK!
Is what I'm yelling

Really difficult to single out one book - I have different 'favourites' depending on what sort of mood I'm in. From the classics, I'd probably go for Pride and Prejudice, but I also love all of William Boyd's novels. If I had to single out one particular novel, it would probably be Sebastian Faulks' 'Birdsong'. Amazing.

Wuthering Height by Emily Bronte, Heathcliffe was my first love with the intensity and passion that this masterpiece stirred up in me. It also got me interested, not just in literature but also in its authors. I persuaded my parents to take me to Howarth and its wild and magical moors.

I loved reading Rachel Joyce's "Harold Fry." It is a modern tale on loneliness and human disengagement which in the end turns out well, as the protagonist relearns what is really important in life.

My favourite book is Ardennes 1944 Hitler's Last Gamble. This is an excellent story from Antony Beevor explaining how the battle of The Ardennes, the biggest battle of the war in Western Europe, finally broke the back of the Wehrmacht.

One favourite book? How hard is THAT! I love all the Morland saga books by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles - I have learnt so much extra history just because she has set her stories in British history

Anita Shreve's Light on Snow is a very moving story about the relationship between a single parent father and his daughter sharing grief in their own personal way. A book worth re-reading.