Win £700 worth of the best books of 2015!

Love so many ... What an impoverished life without them! Think I would single out 'Orlando' by Virginia Woolf as a ground-breaking format (since, much imitated) and, of course, wonderfully well written.

Such a difficult decision but one book that really gripped me was Ken Follet's 'The Pillars of the Earth'....a story about the building of the magnificent cathedral of Kingsbridge and how men and women struggled against their primitive surroundings to create something eternally beautiful.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I found a paper back copy on my older brother's book shelf. I was in my early teens and having sprained my ankle I laid on the couch and read it in one day. It made such an impression I remember it to this day and obviously the time in my life. I still have that copy. I imagine it had been a school required read because my brother wasn't much of a reader at that time. I was so sorry for the main character and I really think it was the first time I put myself in some else's shoes.

A Kiss Through Glass - Anthony Nolan. Was the age of DS1 & I was emotionally involved after speaking to his mum. Fundraised & gave blood to help.

Villette - Charlotte Brontë’s last novel.
I could not believe the depth of emotion, angst and feelings demonstrated by Lucy Snowe the main character in this book. The different characters she meets and their realisation in the book is amazing, each is so clearly defined and their interplay with Lucy a real experience for the reader. These characters often appear in one chapter and they are interwoven through the book until they appear again later. This book is so different from Jane Eyre also written by Charlotte Bronte. Set aside some time in a quiet place to absorb the ambiance of this book and the various sub plots inside.

'Remember Me', the last in Melvyn Bragg's Quartet, was for me amazing: poignant, impelling, disturbing, tear-jerking but also inspirational and will remain 'in me' forever more.

Never Let Me Go. An unusual science fiction book. Terrifying because it is not beyond the bounds of possibility.

Watership Down by Richard Adams, I first read this when I was about 15 and loved it so much - even before the film came out that I saved my pocket money up for weeks so I could treat myself to the illustrated edition which I still have.

My favourite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte its a timeless classic and I never get tired of reading it.

The one I tend to return to most often is a complete collection of short stories by Saki. His early stories make me laugh and are so well-written, his later stories reflect how dreadful he is finding the war and appreciating quieter moments of natural beauty.

I read anything and everything, but only keep books that I know I will want to read again, which is rare. I get through about 5 or 6 books a week, so over the years have become very choosy.

Lately the book that has entered my mind most and just refuses to go away, is Maps for Lost Lovers, by Nadeem Aslam. I almost feel everyone should be forced to read it. It certainly made me think, and I have rarely read a more beautifully written book. Muriel Barbery's The Elegance of the Hedgehog is another that stays in my mind.

Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes. The story of Rachel's slowly dawning horror that she's an addict is raw, funny & beautifully written.

It has to be ''Rebecca.'' Beautifully written, brilliant characterisation and an amazing plot. I go back to it time and again, it always enchants me.

Going Postal - Terry Pratchett - Pratchett at his best, oodle's of wit, humour and a wry look at life.

I will never forget a book I had to read for O'level - John Steinbeck's, The Grapes of Wrath - such an amazing story.

My favourite book has to be Cheaper By THe Dozen about and written by the Galbraith family in the USA . I got it as a child and it is well worn now but I just loved it. It is about a family with 12 childen and there have been two films made about them but they are not a patch on the book. I was an only child so probably the thought of having all these permanent playmates would have been a wish for me. I remember seeing the first film as a child and at the end one of the little boys is sitting at the foot of the stairs saying " our daddy's dead " It still brings tears to my eyes and I can picture the whole scene .

My favourite book is The Copper Beech by Maeve Binchy. It's about children growing up in a sleepy village in Ireland and how their lives differ but they still remain friends. Beautiful.

To Kill a Mockingbird has it all, courage, humour, humanity, a strong message against inequality of various guises, a book to get lost in.

Consolations of the Forest by Sylvain Tesson . The author spent 6 months in solitude, apart from 2 dogs, living in a log cabin on the shores of Lake Baikal in Siberia, searching his soul, drinking copious amounts of vodka, fending off bears and fishing to keep alive. A lovely book, beautifully written, which improves on 2nd, 3rd and 4th reading.

A thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Just read this book and it is the most moving story about life in Afghanistan. Not just about the war but the lives of people and especially the story of the two heroines and their resilience in both their personal lives and the dreadful outcome of the war. Some of the tragic events are still going on; I will keep this book as a reminder of how lucky I am in this country.

Vanity Fair, by Thackeray, so many threads running through a great story.

I just love Rebecca by Daphne du Mairier I can read it over and over again and of course watch the film - the old original in black and white of course.

As a child I was given the full set of Heidi books by J Spry, I loved the books so much that 50+ years later I still have them on my book shelf.
They inspired me to visit Austria on honeymoon!

Life after life by Kate Atkinson. Interesting structure and well drawn characters. Combines history of 20th century with elements of a thriller.

A Scots Quair, Lewis Grassic Gibbon's salute to Scotland - the hills, farmlands, granite towns, fishing harbours, cloth mills, crofts. Profoundly moving.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, which I read as a little girl.