Top Ten Books I Read in 2015
1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
I ignored this book for far too long thinking the movie was only getting hype because it starred Ben Affleck, but damn was this a good f-ing book! Not only can Flynn spin one hell of a mystery, but what she does better than anyone is paint the mind of some truly twisted human beings.
2. Winter by Marissa Meyer
Winter was an absolutely stunning conclusion to the Lunar Chronicles series. What at first seemed like a cool-yet-gimmicky adaptation of the Cinderella fairy tale became quickly became one of my all-time favorite series, with some of the most interesting characters, relationships, and action packed plot I have ever read. I'm biting my nails waiting for her next series and it was barely just announced!
3. Welcome to Nightvale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
The Night Vale podcast might be a trendy tween fad, but this book is nothing short of stunning literature. Not only can these men come up with an amazing plot, but the mere way they write turns traditional narrative on its head. They often describe their podcast as "a town where every conspiracy theory is true." Well, my boyfriend described this as "a book where every metaphor is literal" and I think that is the most apt description I can give. Absolutely stunning debut for these gentlemen.
4. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
Okay, why did no one make me read this sooner? I thought you were my friends... How can you go wrong with this? It's such an intricate psychological exploration of a deranged mind (see: Gone Girl) and a fascinating spin on storytelling and narrative (see: Welcome to Night Vale). Are you sensing a pattern here?
5. Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
Holy world building, Batman! I always put this one off because it seemed like a gimmicky teen romance, but no sir-ee, this is some high-fantasy level world building blended with a modern urban fantasy setting, with a backdrop of wonderfully blended mythology, topped off with some of the most kick-ass characters ever.
6. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
I'm ashamed to have this on my list given my utter boredom of TMI series and my general dislike of Clare as a person, but the woman earned her keep on this list. TID series reads like someone else wrote a (*ahem* good) fanfiction of Clare's original series. The world is more cohesive, the plot tighter, and I didn't want to punch the main characters every page. The steampunk Victorian setting was surprisingly well done, and--you'll never hear me say these words again--the love triangle was executed perfectly. This particular book, which is #2 of the series, earned the spot on here because I actually almost cried at the ending. Touche, Ms. Clare, touche.
7. Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
I cannot emphasize enough how important this book is. A best-selling teen author writing a complex and honest exploration of mental illness based on the experiences of his own son? Using pictures and vivid imagery experienced by a real sufferer of this disease? Not to mention how respectful Shusterman himself is of the topic and the notoriety he has received. Every time I listen to his interviews about it I blubber like an idiot. With all the amazing things he has written, he considers this to be the book he was always meant to write.
8. Blue Lily, Lily Blue
If you regularly follow my reviews, you'll here me gush about this series plenty. It's a bit of a literary jerk-off because let's me honest, it makes absolutely no sense, but it's so good. Every other sentence is a metaphor and each and every character is so deliciously full of angst. Blue-Gansey has to be the most overly dramatic and beautiful couple-that-isn't and I love every second of it.
9. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Speaking of guilty pleasures, this was just adorable. I'm pretty sure anyone who's reading or writing a book blog can relate to this book pretty hard core.
10. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
And finally, this snags slot number ten, mostly because of how much it surprised me. The previous novel, If I Stay, is about a girl who watched her family die in a car crash and has to make the monumental decision about whether to live or die. Where She Went is a book about a rock star wining about the girl who dumped him...and guess which one made me cry like a baby? This one right here.
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