Favorite reads of 2015

My last post summarized the books I read in 2015, and here were my top ten favorites from the year.

1. Armada - Ernest Cline
When I read this book, I thought it was specifically targeted to me because I could relate to so many of the references made. If you were a video-game-playing, sci-fi-loving kid of the 80's like I was, this book is for you! Despite the somewhat cheesy ending, I liked this book even more than Ready Player One.

2. Daughter of Smoke & Bone - Laini Taylor
Beautifully written, with characters and a story line that sprang from the pages to envelope me, this could have been my favorite book of the year just as easily as Armada was. Karou was a unique character who I found easy to root for. I look forward to finishing the series.

3. The Brothers - Katie French
The fourth and latest book in the Breeders series is my favorite so far! Read my review here.

4. The Benders - Katie French
Yup, two Breeders novels made my top 10 list this year! If you haven't started reading the series yet, you definitely should. Here's my review of The Benders.

5. A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
I liked Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking series, but A Monster Calls was even better. This story was touching and thought-provoking, yet simple and quick to read. Although the subject matter is best suited for a more mature audience, I think that readers from middle grade on up could benefit from this wonderfully written and illustrated book.

6. The One - Kiera Cass
Last year, The Selection made my top 10 list of favorite books. While The Elite suffered from Middle Book Syndrome, the series (or at least America's story) wrapped up nicely with The One.

7. Nil - Lynne Matson
I was skeptical at first about the premise of Nil (kids are mysteriously transported to an island where they have a year to escape or they die), but the plot and the characters wound up drawing me in. I plan to read the sequel this year.

8. Lake Ephemeral - Anya Allyn
Lake Ephemeral, the third indie book on my top 10 list, was a fun story that kept me guessing as to what was going on. Read my review here.

9. Choose Your Own Autobiography - Neil Patrick Harris
I loved the concept of an autobiography written in Choose-Your-Own-Adventure format. This book was as fun as I hoped it'd be. The only problem was, given the different lives that he lived depending on the paths I chose, I'm still a bit hazy on what really happened in Neil Patrick Harris's life. I guess I'll have to wait for his official autobiography to find out.

10. Love Songs - Jamie Campbell
Rounding out 2015's top 10 list is yet another indie book. You can read my review of this fun and touching love story.