After only posting for two weeks during November I put off doing an end of the month recap and decided to combine November and December into one end of the year recap.
I read a lot of books this year, exceeding my Goodreads challenge of 200 books. While I didn’t make as much of a dent as I’d hoped in my to-read list I did get through some amazing books and discovered a lot of new authors.
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
There was a lot of hype surrounding this book, and when I finally got around to reading it I could easily see why. The plot was brilliant and so were the characters but it was the format, layout and graphics that really set this book out from the rest. I’d highly recommend Illuminae to anyone and everyone.
The Lunar Chronicles
Marissa Meyer has become one of my all-time favourite authors. The Lunar Chronicles is possibly some of the best sci-fi books I’ve ever read. From the very first book, which introduced us to Cinder and set up the world, to the long-awaited last book in the series, which brings about Cinder’s revolution on Luna and the end of her journey, I don’t think there was a single aspect of this series I didn’t enjoy.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Winter by Marissa Meyer
Starbound Series
Between the Starbound series and The Lunar Chronicles I have been converted to a sci-fi fan. I read all three books of this trilogy this year but it still felt like a really long wait for the last book in the series. While each focuses on a different planet and a different couple their stories all weave together into one overall arc, and all the small connections that you may not notice at first are wonderfully written and put together.
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Soundless by Richelle Mead
I wasn’t a fan of Soundless, and looking at the reviews on Goodreads I don’t think many people where. It’s a shame because I have loved pretty much all of Richelle Mead’s other series, I just felt the development of the plot, the characters, and the world in Soundless was lacking.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
It took me ages to finally get around to reading this book, it was the one book on my to-read list i actually got around to this year, but once I was finished all I could think was; ‘why didn’t I read this sooner?’ Fangirl is a brilliant coming of age novel that, in my opinion, everyone should read at least once.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
If I had to pick one favourite book of 2015, well it would be between Carry On and Winter. Carry On takes the story of Simon Snow introduced in Fangirl and expands it into a full length novel. After reading this book and Fangirl Rainbow Rowell has become one of my new favourite authors, and I have more of her books on my to-read list for 2016.
The Bone Season Series
After a lot of my favourite series finished in 2015 The Bone Season has filled the gap left behind. There is nothing I can fault with this series, except maybe the fact that I have such a long wait for the next book in the series. The plot is fast-paced and interesting, the characters are well-developed and fleshed out, and the romance feels real and doesn’t overshadow the storyline.
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Fairytale retellings are probably my favourite subgenre of YA novels. I will read anything that has even a hint of fairy tales in it. Starting The Wrath and the Dawn I had only the barest of knowledge of the Shahrzad myth but I loved this story. Everything was so artfully written and I am incredibly excited for the second, and last, book in the duology.
I took part in five Top Ten Tuesday topics over the course of November and December.
Top Ten Quotes I Loved From Books I Read In the Past Year or So
Top Ten 2016 Debut Novels I’m Looking Forwards To
New-To-Me Favourite Authors I Read For the First Time In 2015
Top Ten Best Books I Read In 2015
Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For The First Half of 2016
I featured seven books as part of the Waiting on Wednesday tag.
Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor
The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine
Waging War by April White
Remembrance by Meg Cabot
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
Anyway, as it is still December here in the UK I hope everyone has a great new year and a brilliant start to 2016. Does anyone have any New Year’s resolutions they’re going to try and keep?
