Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Best Books I Read In 2015. I read a lot more good and great books than just OK books, but at the end it thankfully wasn’t too hard to whittle down to my very favorites of the year. I tried to put them in order to leave my absolute favorite for last, but sometimes exact order is challenging. 🙂 I chose these largely based on what has stayed with me.
10. The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand
I read this one because I thought it might be helpful with how someone might heal after someone close to them committing suicide (which is something my main character in my WIP has to go through) and wow, this was just so beautifully done. I don’t usually read heavy-issue contemporaries, but I’m glad I read this one.
9. Winter by Marissa Meyer
The ending of The Lunar Chronicles! Sob! So I haven’t reviewed this on the blog yet, so I will go ahead and say that I think the pacing of the book suffered a bit and made it lag a little in parts for me, but overall I was so happy to see all these characters again and how their stories would end!
8. All Our Yesterdays by Critin Terrill
I finally read this book I had heard so much fuss about, and it was worth the hype! I don’t know how to describe it succinctly, but let’s just say the ending was unlike anything else I’ve read in YA, but it felt really right for the story. I definitely recommend it if you haven’t read it yet!
5-7. (listed in series order not ranked order) Mistborn (of The Final Empire), The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
If you know Nikki at all, you know she “pushes” these books on everyone. Listen to Nikki. Talk about another shock ending! This is great fantasy right here, folks. I have a massive amount of love for these characters!
4. Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Out of all the HP books this is my second fave. After the first three feeling a bit juvenile (minus the ending of The Prisoner of Azkaban), this one was instantly darker and Rowling just really brought her pacing A-game. I loved everything about it!
3. Let’s All Be Brave by Annie F. Downs
I needed to read this book when I did. I probably need to reread it soon. It’s good to know you don’t have to think of yourself as daring to be brave in life.
2. The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord
THIS BOOK. Contemporary romance perfection. I never would have dreamed of a book like this being my second fave of the year but it was just very me. I mean, references to Pride and Prejudice AND Firefly? A friendship that slowly turns into more? I will probably reread this one next year because it’s just so enjoyable!
1. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
This was the book that sealed the deal on HP hype for me. I devoured the series finale and just loved every moment of it, even with all that camping. It was just the perfect ending with every question I had answered to my satisfaction.
Compare this list to my mid-year rankings here.
What were your favorite reads of 2015?
HP and the Goblet of Fire is my favorite of the series (both book and movie). This reminds me that I really need to read the Mistborn books. I haven’t read any from Sanderson besides the last three books of The Wheel of Time series he finished for Robert Jordan.
I haven’t read any of The Wheel of Time, but I’ve heard Sanderon talk about it on the Writing Excuses podcast. I’ve also read Steelheart and Firefight by him, which aren’t quite as amazing as Mistborn, but still good reads!
The Last Time we Say Goodbye, hmmmm, sounds heart wrenching, I enjoy emotional reads maybe I will add this to my TBR.
We are very much on the same page about HP! Deathly Hallows is my favourite followed by Goblet of fire!
It’s always nice to find people like-minded about HP!
Oh, I’m in love with this list. It’s so nice to see Harry Potter being read again and again – J.K Rowling is a genius. Goblet of Fire was my favourite book but I can’t decide which was my favourite movie. I’ve not read the Mistborn books but I think I will now, they sound fab! My TTT
They are wonderful! Definitely check them out!
Yay for Harry Potter! “Goblet of Fire” is my second-favorite too. Over the past two years I’ve been on-and-off listening to the audiobooks and they are so good — it’s a whole different experience from reading them. The only audiobook I have left is “Deathly Hallows” and I keep saving it because I don’t want the experience of listening to them for the first time to be over! 😉 I hadn’t heard of “All Our Yesterdays” but I added it to my to-read list. I’m intrigued by the premise — and this crazy ending you mentioned!
I’ve heard good things about HP on audio; I might have to reread them in that format one day. I don’t know if I’d say the ending is crazy… but it really surprised me!
I love EVERYTHING by Brandon Sanderson, he can do no wrong! So glad you enjoyed the Mistborn books 😀
My TTT
He is a really great writer!
Everyone is raving about The Start of You and Me, and even though I rarely read contemporary, I should probably get a hold of that one soon. AND YES FOR MISTBORN YESSSS. Still need to read the last book in that trilogy lol
Oh man I can’t wait to hear your thoughts when you read the last book. And The Start of Me and You is really good! Geeky banter and slow-burn romance for the win!
Nice list of books!!
Here’s a link to my Top Ten Tuesday post for this week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2015/12/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-best-books-i.html
I’m reading Harry Potter 7 right now!! AND PREPARING FOR FEELS ONSLAUGHT. (that was the most sad and exciting beginning of ever. afjdkslad) And I adored Winter and really liked The Last Time We Say Goodbye. I mean, I say “liked” but it did make me tear up. :'( Also one day I need to finish Mistborn. I LOVED THE FIRST BOOK.
Thanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!
I can’t remember if The Last Time We Say Goodbye made me tear up or not… I rated it 4.5 stars because it wasn’t 100% the emotional reaction I’d hope to have, but it was still very good and I’ve been thinking about it since finishing it.
We totally have the same favorites with the Harry Potter series and for a lot of the same reasons 🙂 I read Goblet of Fire on a train (twice) to and from home for the holidays one year. It was so nice that (finally) it wasn’t a kid’s book. Mistborn is going to be my very first read once I finish my audiobook and am finally reading books again. I’m so excited 🙂
Yay! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Mistborn!