Since December is flying by at record speed (seriously, I'm pretty sure Thanksgiving was yesterday?) I thought I'd go ahead and share my top 5 reads for 2015. When I searched through all my ratings for the year I discovered I only gave three books a 5/5 and only a handful more a 4.5/5. Apparently I was impressively stingy with my high ratings this year. Whoops. Below are the three titles that absolutely blew me away and left me no choice but to give them the highest rating possible, and two more that were outstanding and secured themselves a place on my shelf of favorites.
I want to live inside Leigh Bardugo's mind for an hour. I won't be selfish and demand more time than that, just an hour so I can see what it's like. I was initially wary of this book as I tend to struggle when I'm bounced around from person to person, but Leigh made every single character so intriguing and rich in personality that I was desperate for more time with each of them rather than less. I couldn't recommend this book more highly.
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Beauty and the Beast is my all-time favorite fairy-tale, so I jump at the chance to devour every retelling I can find. This version I thought was particularly well done, especially the final third where court politics really come into play and Feyre has to prove what she's made of. Sarah J. Maas can be brutal to her readers though, tearing beloved characters down again and again before building them back up, so I'm mildly nervous about what the next book holds in store but have no doubt it will be worth it:)
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Contemporary YA is not my go-to genre; those of you who read this blog with any frequency know I tend to gravitate toward the paranormal and fantasy, but I will forever read anything Emery Lord decides to write. Her characters always feel completely genuine and lacking in any unnecessary drama to cause me stress as I read. If you've yet to read any of her books, I hope at least one goes on your letter to Santa this year!
Kate and Curran. I feel like that's all that really needs to be said about this one.
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THIS HEART OF MINE
THIS HEART OF MINE
This one would have passed me right on by if not for Candace inviting me to be a part of the tour, so THANK YOU CANDACE! I have a soft spot for stories where a character has been grievously wronged and continues to be so through a good chunk of the story because I can't wait for the moment when everyone realizes their error. Phoenix spent 17 years in prison for a crime she didn't commit, and when she gets out she continues to be a pariah in her small town. Despite that however, she shows no weakness or self-pity, and holds no ill-will toward those who are cruelest to her. Instead she holds her head up high for the sake of her son and her own self. LOVED it!
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