Goodbye
2015, hello 2016!
I enjoyed
an interesting assortment of books in 2015 and I’m happy to report that I liked
most of what I read (3 stars or higher on Goodreads). I read 48 books,
and only found 3 (same number as last year!) that I couldn’t bring myself to
finish. In an odd turn of events, the
only book I gave 5 stars to this year was Stephen King’s The Stand- a book I’ve
read so many times that I decided not to include it in this year’s favorites
list as it’s been one of my favorites since I first read it in the 80s.
Without further ado, here are the books I’ve been recommending to people this year (in no particular order):
I
ADORED the first book in this series (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children), & I thought the second book in the series (Hollow City) was
okay, but not fantastic. I'm happy to say that I enjoyed this book almost as
much as the first. Library of Souls brought the story of the Peculiar Children
to a satisfying end or at least a place where continuing the story isn't
necessary. It was great to spend some time in the Peculiar world again for a
few days.
What
an interesting adventure! Amy wasn't a fan of the book, but I was thoroughly invested in the life & death
struggles of Mark Watney after he was stranded during a mission to Mars. What a
great protagonist- smart, funny, and a good attitude even in the most
unimaginable situations. If you can slog
through the scientific and mathematical details, this book has a great premise
and execution which will stick with you for a while afterward.
Frankly,
I'm shocked at how much I enjoyed this book! I've made no secret of the fact
that I do not enjoy historical fiction, in general, but Orphan Train held my
attention from the first page to the last. I adored the two main characters and
really appreciated their stories and how similar stories can play out over very
different time periods. It’s a story about friendship, discovery and acceptance
and I loved it.
A sequel to
Garden Spells, it was so wonderful to have the opportunity to spend more time
with the Waverly sisters. I really
enjoyed seeing how the family changed over the years and yet remained
fundamentally the same. The perfect book
for curling up with by the fire, or on the beach.
The end of
the world is coming and the champions of the twelve original lines of humanity
on Earth must battle to find the keys which will save their line. It’s brutal,
exciting, and full of non-stop action.
Honorable
Mentions:
As You Wish by Cary Elwes- This book
made me laugh and smile the entire time I was reading it. If you’re a fan of
the movie, The Princess Bride, this behind the scenes look at the film will make
you love it, and its cast of characters even more.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty- Last
year I had Moriarty’s Big Little Lies on my favorites list & this story is
just as satisfying. As usual, Moriarty has written characters who are vivid and
interesting and set them into a plot that leaves you wondering what is really
going on and what. When Alice wakes up from being concussed she's lost 10 years
of memory and possibly quite a bit more as she examines her current life
through the eyes of someone that has never, and in her opinion would never,
become the person her friends and family perceive her to be. Until her memories
return she has to see her own world through the eyes of others as well as the
eyes of her younger self.
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner- This
book was a lot of fun to read. It’s the story of Lilac & Tarver after their
poorly named spaceliner Icarus crashes (well duh! Would you want to fly on
anything named after a guy whose hubris made him fall out of the sky? Me
neither!). They work together to survive on an uninhabited planet, solve the
planet's mysteries & try to find a way to be rescued. I definitely enjoyed
getting to know both characters.
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