I read a total of 50 books this year, which isn't my best by a long shot, so here's hoping to reading a lot more next year!
The quantity this year may be small, but the quality was amazing. Making this list was really hard! Every single one of these books was a five-star book for me, and I highly recommend every single one.
My top 10 books of 2015 are:
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Outlander and it's sequel, Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon were very easily my favourite books of 2015. The world building was absolutely amazing, the characters were very well developed, and I loved every second of both of them. I have reviews of Outlander
here and Dragonfly in Amber
here if you want to read more of my thoughts.
2. Vicious by V.E. Schwab
I had never read anything by V.E. Schwab before I read Vicious, and I was amazed by it. I read the entire book in one sitting, and I couldn't put it down. The characters in Vicious were some of my all-time favourite characters ever, and the character development was the best I have ever read. It's worth reading for just the characters alone!
3. Armada by Ernest Cline
I have always loved science-fiction books, and when I saw Armada I had to pick it up. I was surprised by how similar it was to Ender's Game, but also by how different it was. I have a full review
here if you want to read more of my thoughts!
4. The Martian by AndyWeir
I read The Martian in preparation for the movie with the same title that came out in October, and I was not disappointed. The book was fantastic, and had me laughing one second and on the end of my seat the next. I loved the science aspect of the book, and how all of the science and math was thoroughly explained in it. I have a book to movie review
here for any of you who want to hear more of my thoughts on the adaptation.
5. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
I have always loved magic, and Harry Potter was one of the first series I read when I was just starting to read. It was the first series that I remember reading and falling in love with and still loving to this day, so when I saw how much Carry On was compared to Harry Potter, I knew I needed to read it. The characters were witty and lovable, with just enough frustrating aspects to keep it enjoyable. The world was very similar to Harry Potter, but not enough that you will feel like it is copying. The story line was absolutely amazing, and Carry On is one of my new all-time favourite books. I have a full review
here for Carry On.
6. Landline by Rainbow Rowell
I read Landline right after I finished Carry On, and it was not as good, but still fantastic (kinda has to be to make it onto this list though). It made me feel so many emotions for the characters (mostly frustration and sadness), but I also feel that there was just enough of those emotions as to not scare the reader away, but enough that only those who can deal with such strong, painful emotions can read this book. It is an amazing book, but only for those who can deal with extremely strong, painful moments.
7. Looking for Alaska by John Green
I tried to read Looking for Alaska a couple of years ago, and I hated it. I tried to read it again earlier this year, and I absolutely loved every single second of it. I read it at a good time in my life, and was able to understand a few of the aspects in the book, which made it more enjoyable. I feel like LFA is one of those books that needs to be read at a certain time in your life, otherwise you won't enjoy it as much, a I didn't. Overall, I loved the characters and the plot of the book, and it is one of my favourite books as of the end of this year.
8. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
One of my good friends introduced me to Agatha Christie a year ago, and I have loved every book of hers I have read. I have always love mysteries, but I am quite picky with the ones I like. I had never tried one of her books before, this being the first one I had read, and it did not disappoint. I read the whole book in one sitting, and have continued reading as many of her books as I can get my hands on. I usually am able to solve who the perpetrator of a crime is, but I wasn't able to, even at the end of this book. I loved the characters, the clues, the mystery. The whole story keeps you on your toes, and the characters and clues keep you guessing the whole time. If you want to read an Agatha Christie book, I would suggest starting with And Then There Were None.
9. Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton
Ever since I got an instagram account, I have always been in love with Brandon Stanton's Humans of New York page. I love his photography style, and the stories that are in his book. I own both of his photography books, Humans of New York and Humans of New York: Stories, and I love both of them. His style is unique, and I love how he photographs the people who he interviews. There is so much time and love put into his work, and being a lover of photography and a (slight) photographer myself in my free time, I adore seeing how he uses his space and lighting in his photographs. I highly recommend his books to anyone and everyone who loves non-fiction books, and photography. I highly recommend his instagram account as well, which you can find and follow
here.
10. The Universe Versus Alex Woods
My good friends got me The Universe Versus Alex Woods for my birthday this year, and I was intrigued by the storyline. It seemed very different, and I hadn't read anything like it before. I picked it up almost as soon as she gave it to me, and I loved it. I found the characters slightly confusing and odd at times, but that makes sense with the story itself. The story was full of heart-break and very large decisions, but I also found it full of love and fondness for the other people in the main character's life. It was amazing how much a character can grow, and how circumstances can really affect what happens to us in life. Who knows, you may get hit by a meteorite while you're lying on the front lawn tomorrow..
Here's to many more books in 2016!
