Can you believe 2015 is almost over? Wow, it's been quite the short year filled with many unexpected events. Anyway, I kinda of forgot to count slash keep track of every single book I read this year (That would be a difficult job) but I did manage to keep track of most of them on my Goodreads Reading Challenge, so I've compiled a list of my favorite {new} books I've read this year. I highly recommend each and every one of these books because they're great novels. Some of them aren't exactly in any order because I couldn't pick which one I liked best!
By far, though, my favorite book I read this year would have to have been Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas {Review Here}. The review in a nutshell, I freaking loved this book. The Throne of Glass Series (Queen of Shadows is book four) just keeps getting better and better. I don't see how the next book could possibly get an more fantastical than this, but I'm sure Sarah will be able to pull it off. I gave Queen of Shadows 10/10 stars, a rare rating from me, but THIS BOOK DESERVED IT. Full of nonstop action, mystery, suspense and a little bit of romance, this is the perfect book for me. I seriously cannot wait to see what Sarah has in store for the next (and last) two books of this series. (Which, by the way, is one of my all time favorite books and I highly recommend that you read it because it's sooooo amazing.)
The first book is not that good, I'll admit, but it just keeps getting better and better so even if you didn't really enjoy book 1, push on to book two, because it only gets more intriguing from there on out. Here's the synopsis for book one:
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.
Haha, back when the protagonist's biggest problem was a competition... Let me tell you, it definitely gets more intense and you never know what to expect with Sarah's books.
Alright, all the books after this aren't in any order because I couldn't decide what I liked better.
The first book is not that good, I'll admit, but it just keeps getting better and better so even if you didn't really enjoy book 1, push on to book two, because it only gets more intriguing from there on out. Here's the synopsis for book one:
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.
Haha, back when the protagonist's biggest problem was a competition... Let me tell you, it definitely gets more intense and you never know what to expect with Sarah's books.
Alright, all the books after this aren't in any order because I couldn't decide what I liked better.
This next book I obtained and finished yesterday. And it met and exceeded my expectations which were pretty darn high. {Review should be up soon} I actually just started reading the Falling Kingdoms series this year. After reading the first book {Review here} I was not totally impressed- rating it 6.5/10 stars. It was okay, but I felt as though i was dragging my feet through most of the book. I only liked two of the main characters and really, I just didn't enjoy that book too much. Luckily, I decided I'd give the series another chance and order the second and third books. The second book I found much more interesting and started to feel a lot more invested in this spectacular series- rating it 7/10 stars but I still only liked two of the main characters. And then I read the third book- Gathering Darkness and it sucked me right into the world. (8/10 stars). While reading Gathering Darkness, I was surprised to find myself beginning to like one of the characters I'd previously despised. Hey, you know it's a well written story if you go from hating to tentatively starting to like a character. And then I read Frozen Tides yesterday. It was amazing. This series is full of action, betrayal, deceit, suspense and romance and this last book really brought out the most interesting sides of all the characters. And that one character I was tentatively starting to like? I love his character now. This series is amazing and quickly working its way up to one of my favorites. The characters (well, most of them) are ones you'll grow quickly attached to and the plot is intriguing- you won't be able to tear your eyes away from the book. I highly recommend reading this series. Yeah, sure, the first book isn't so good, but it only goes up from there.
Synopsis for Book 1:
In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.
As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.
The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?
It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.
Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.
Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.
Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realise that the heart can be more lethal than the sword....
I'm giving Frozen Tides 8/10 stars. I absolutely loved it and hope y'all try this series out because it is fantastic.
Synopsis for Book 1:
In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.
As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.
The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?
It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.
Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.
Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.
Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realise that the heart can be more lethal than the sword....
I'm giving Frozen Tides 8/10 stars. I absolutely loved it and hope y'all try this series out because it is fantastic.
Here's a romance for all y'all romance lovers out there. It's one of those cliches that I seriously love. The tom boy girl falling in love and not being quite sure how to handle her feelings. My absolute favorite thing about this book is that there's a very unexpected plot twist that happens in the story. The thing with romance books is you think you know who the protagonist is going to end up with (which I love but-) this book makes a complete 360 spin about halfway through. I loved that about it. I rated it 8.8/10 stars. {Review Here}
Here's the synopsis:
ONE OF THE BOYS
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.
But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?
Here, I can tell you this. This series is one of my favorite romance book series ever. Seriously, each book in this series has a heart warming romance. I really think you all should read this excellent book.
Here's the synopsis:
ONE OF THE BOYS
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.
But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?
Here, I can tell you this. This series is one of my favorite romance book series ever. Seriously, each book in this series has a heart warming romance. I really think you all should read this excellent book.
Here's another one of Sarah J. Maas's books that were released this year. This is the start of a new book series she's writing, all of the books in it are going to be loosely based on a fairytale. A Court of Thorns and Roses is loosely based off of Beauty and the Beast. Key word loosely. The idea for 2/3 sounds slightly like Beauty and the Beast but the last bit of this book is very very very different. And also Sarah twists the story so much that it turns a lot darker than you would ever expect. I really loved this book. Sure, the beginning was a little slow, but I got really invested quite quickly. I gave this book 8/10 stars {Review Here} because it was suspenseful, witty, entertaining, full of action and there were quite a few plot twists. Sarah has an excellent style of writing and I fully plan to read the rest of this series as well as the Throne of Glass books.
Synopsis:
A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!
Synopsis:
A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!
Better Off Friends was a book I put off reading for so long. But when I read it, I seriously regretted that. This book is seriously good. It follows a pair of friends, Macallan and Levi, through their lives as seventh graders and ends when they're seniors in high school. It's witty and adorable, answering the question Can girls and boys be just friends? This whole novel was so quirky and very lovable. I've reread it several times since the first time and I still haven't lost any of my adoration for this excellent story. In fact, I think my adulation has grown even more. This is such a cute story, please, please, read it. I guarantee you won't regret it.
I gave this novel... I'm realizing now that I was enjoying this story so much that when I reviewed it, I forgot to rate it, ahah. Well, here's my review.
Synopsis:
For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.
Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?
From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?
I gave this novel... I'm realizing now that I was enjoying this story so much that when I reviewed it, I forgot to rate it, ahah. Well, here's my review.
Synopsis:
For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.
Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?
From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han. I absolutely loved this book just as much as I loved the first- To All The Boys I've Loved Before. Filled with realistic cute and quirky scenes, there's nothing not to love about this adorable duology. {Reviews for both} This is really one of my favorite romance book series (along with Catching Jordan books and Anna and the French Kiss) and I just strongly reccomend this book to anyone who wants an adorable love story, of course, you gotta start out with book one first, but believe me when I say, book two is no disappointment.
Synopsis for To All the Boys I've Loved Before
What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?
Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.
Synopsis for To All the Boys I've Loved Before
What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?
Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.
And there you go, these books were my favorites among all of the fantastic stories I've read this year. I hope y'all had as good a year of reading as I did, and if you didn't, well in 2016 why not try some of these excellent books? *wink* *wink*
Here's the links to buy them if you're interested.
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Thanks for reading and I hope you take some of these recommendations to heart.
-Anj
Here's the links to buy them if you're interested.
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Thanks for reading and I hope you take some of these recommendations to heart.
-Anj
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