Makayla's Top 10 Books of 2015

 

 

 

Let's start in no particular order...

 

1. My top contemporary novel of this year is Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of The Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

This book was absolutely adorable! The writing was fantastic, the story and characters were great! I loved how Benjamin Alire Sáenz incorporates diversity in many ways throughout this book for example; the main characters are Mexican (and not white or white washed), the story isn't an insta-love LGBT fanfic, instead it's written beautifully and unlike anything I've read thus far. Also unlike the usual YA novel he doesn't leave out the parental figures and takes his time to move the story along. 

If liked this you might also like: I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

Favorite Quote:

 

 

 

2. My favorite dystopian companion that I read this year is The Heir by Kiera Cass. 

The Heir was one of my most anticipated of this year, and I have to say I thoroughly. It took some time getting used to Eadlyn after reading about America in her story in The Selection, etc. Though the book left a HUGE cliffhanger that I wasn't too happy about I absolutely can't wait for The Crown!  “You can be brave and still be feminine. You can lead and still love flowers. Most importantly, you can be queen and still be a bride.”
― Kiera Cass, The Heir

3. My favorite dystopian-fantasy-sci-fi of the year is The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey.

I usually don't like sci-fi novels and I'm not big on dystopian (I wasn't sure it was dystopian but Goodreads says it is) either but I did get into this book more than I thought I would! 

 (I put Emma 

To be fair I did listen to this book completely on Audible which tends to make books more interesting. I thought the story was better than the other dystopians I have read. I liked that it didn't have much of a love story to it (it really didn't have any)  and it focused more on Cassie trying to find and save her brother. 

If you liked this you might also like: The Maze Runner by James Dashner  (Which is actually a better trilogy than people give it credit for.)

Favorite Quote: “We’re here, and then we’re gone, and it’s not about the time we’re here, but what we do with the time.” ― Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave

4. My favorie horror book of the year is The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.

Find it on Goodreads!

After reading the whole trilogy I can say that the first book was the best out of the three. This book kept me up not only reading but it made me paranoid! This is the creepiest book that I've read all year other than Miss Peregrine's! The way this book (and the others) gave me chills while reading amazed me because this is Michelle's first novel and usually first novels are a jumble but this was written very well! (though I didn't like the last books ending, but that had nothing to do with the writing just the story) But the first and second books were amazing!

If you liked this you might like: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl. 

Favorite Quote: “My name is not Mara Dyer, but my lawyer told me I had to choose something..."

 ― Michelle Hodkin, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

5. My favorite mystery/contemporary novel of this year is We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.

This is the first an only book I have read in one sitting, that's how great it is! It's also the only book to

Find it on Goodreads!

leave me surprised at the ending. If you're looking for an excellent, well written, quick mystery to read you will love this book! We Were Liars had me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. There's not much to say other than if you haven't read it, you should.

If you liked this you might like: Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard (Another series that is better than people give it credit for) 

Favorite Quote: "Be a little kinder than you have to." ―E. Lockhart, We Were Liars. 

6.My favorite artsy contemporary of the year is I'll Give You The Sun, by Jandy Nelson.

Find it on Goodreads!

I started this book in January but put it down because I loaned it from the library, so when Tyler sent me her old copy I procrastinated reading it because I didn't want to start it all over (I was a hundred pages in when I dnf'd it) and man am I sorry that I waited so long to read it! But then again I think I read it at the perfect time in November, it's funny how a book will call to you when you need it most. . .

I could not put this book down, it was We Were Liars and Aristotle and Dante all over again! I stayed up all night reading for two days! But it was worth it! This book has a very artistic theme which I myself being an artist loved and related to, and I thought the writing was such a different style than I've gotten myself used to, and I really loved the alternating point of views in the chapters. 

If you liked this you might like: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Favorite Quote: "The sun, stars, ocean, trees, everything. I gave it all up for you."― Jandy Nelson, I'll Give You The Sun.

 

7. My favorite summery novel of the year is Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson.

Find it on Goodreads!

This book made me miss my best friend, cry about missing my best friend, and well it made me cry and laugh and I just loved it. The way Morgan Matson wrote this book made you feel all of the feels of having a best friend and what it feels like to be away from them along with a love story and a mystery. 

I absolutely loved the playlists, it was one of my favorite parts about the book, and I even listened to some of the songs while listening. I have a full review on the blog (Click Here)

If you liked this you might like: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick 

Favorite Quote: “I don’t think you have to do something so big to be brave. And it’s the little things that are harder anyway.”
― Morgan Matson, Since You've Been Gone

 

8.  My favorite mystery/urban fantasty is Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

Find it on Goodreads!

After being told how great it was by everyone I decided to pick it up and what do you know I couldn't put it down! The last book in the trilogy 'Library of Souls' has to be my favorite Miss Peregrine book but I love them all the same really. This book has a creepy eerie tone to it but once to get into it it's not all that creepy other than the old photos. I love the world that Ransom has created with the peculiar world and all it's charaters, and how it's a mix of modern day and time travel as well. You'll probably like this is you like time travel!

If you like this you might like: (There aren't really any books similar to Miss Peregrine's but here's a suggestion anyway :P) The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

9. My Favorite high fantasy of the year is Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.

I heard a lot of great things about The Grisha Trilogy and I decided to track down all three books and start them so since I read Shadow and Bone, I waited for Siege and Storm to come in the mail and so I started a new book in the mean time and that kind of put the series on hold. I have all three books now (four if you include Six of Crows) and plan to finish the series soon considering I told Leigh at Y'all Fest that I would finish them ASAP. :P 

If you liked this you might like: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl. 

Favorite Quote: “And there's nothing wrong with being a lizard either. Unless you were born to be a hawk.”― Leigh Bardugo, Shadow and Bone.

 

  

10. My favorite relatable novel of the year is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.

Find it on Goodreads!

I've discovered that Rainbow holds a chunk of my fangirl heart and by that I mean she is one of my favorite authors! I loved Fangirl and it definitely is up there with Eleanor and Park. I love Rainbow's writing and when you read her books you can just tell they have this great writing that just screams 'Rainbow Rowell'. I also just got the sort of companion to Fangirl called 'Carry On' for Christmas so I am hopefully going to get to it soon!

If you liked this you might like: (Even though I haven't read it yet) Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

 

Favorite Quote: “Because I'm the kind of girl who fantasizes about being trapped in a library overnight.”― Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl.

 

 

 I hope you enjoyed my Top 10 books of 2015 and maybe you've read some of these too? Tell us on our instagram! https://www.instagram.com/ourstoriesareperfect/