Top Ten Tuesday – Favourite Books Of 2015 (So Far)

By Rachel

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Favourite Books Of 2015 (So Far)

I feel like I’m finally getting to grips with reading this year – I had a great start to 2015 with reading and blogging, but hit a slump in the Spring, but it’s beginning to feel like I’m back on track again! So, here are the top ten books I’ve read in 2015 (so far):

TTT Best Books of 2015 so far 1

1. Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas – While this wasn’t my favourite in the series so far, it was definitely still a fantastic read – it develops the plot, and introduces new characters, setting the scene and the pace for the next book. I can’t get over how much I love this series!

2. Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay – Mixing things up with a non-fiction text, I found this book of essays to be very accessible, well written, humorous and at times very emotional. I really enjoyed this read and want to get my hands on some more accessible feminist texts as a result!

3. Before I Go by Colleen Oakley – I originally picked this one up for review because it was described as being the next PS I Love You. It’s been a long time since I’ve read Cecelia Ahern’s offering, but I adored that book and was in the mood for a weepy. I reviewed this with Brandie for our Babes and Books feature, and I reached out and interviewed the author, Colleen Oakley.

4. How (Not) To Fall In Love by Lisa Brown Roberts – I think this is a really underrated YA contemporary! I took part in a blog tour for this one, and sometimes with those you manage to strike gold, this was one of those times. Great character development, great swoons, an all-round fab contemporary read.

5. I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios – I haven’t actually gotten around to reviewing this one on the blog (holding out for a Babes and Books review!). This was a gift for my Birthday in February from Stefani. It’s contemporary YA (crossover NA), but with much more grit than I’d be used to reading in contemporaries, with elements of the military, poverty, and mental health issues.

TTT Best Books of 2015 So Far

6. Confess by Colleen Hoover – Did you think Ms Hoover wasn’t going to make it on this list? Really?! Confess was one of my most anticipated reads for 2015, and it didn’t disappoint. There was a mysterious storyline, a swoon-worthy male lead, actual artwork included in the novel based on the confessions of real-life readers… Hoover’s imagination and originality continues to astound!

7. Slammed by Colleen Hoover – Hoover makes the list twice this year with one of her backlist offerings – Slammed was the first novel she published (which features slam, or spoken word poetry, get your mind out of the gutter!). This novel. There are so few words to describe how much I loved this series. OK, there’s two. Will Cooper.

8. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas – Another I need to get around to reviewing, I have review backlog going on at the minute… ACOTAR, as it has become affectionately called, is a fairytale retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It’s also considered NA Fantasy. Maas hit it out of the ball park with this one as far as I’m concerned and I can’t wait for the rest of the series! (PS that cover though).

9. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee – My surprise of the year so far was reading and ADORING this book. I tend to shy away from classics, but challenged myself to take some more of them on. This was a 5* read for me, such a deeply thought provoking, and yet highly enjoyable read, and one I know I’ll read again and again (if I ever manage to get around to rereading that is…).

10. The Good Psychopath’s Guide to Success by Dr. Kevin Dutton and Andy McNabb – Finishing off with another non-fiction book – when I was going through the books I’ve read so far this year, this one kept sticking out to me. Probably not because I remember large chunks of it verbatim, nor did I think it was perfect, but the essence of the book has stayed with me for a couple of months now, and I’ve thought back to some of the key points on more than one occasion, even putting it into practice, and that has to count for something!

Making this list has got me very excited for the books I’ll read in the rest of 2015 (which is going in FAR too quickly I might add!). Have you read and loved any of these books? Have recommendations for me based on them? Share your TTT post in the comments, we all know I need more books for my TBR… 

About Rachel

Avid reader & #bookblogger. Lover of all things business. A fan of drinks & dancing. Ever optimistic. Feminist.

37 Responses

    1. Rachel

      I guess it depends what you’re after with it? I really enjoyed it – I thought it was really accessible and written quite conversationally, with plenty of facts and strong points to back up claims. I read it from cover to cover and will dip back into it again in the future definitely. There were one or two stories/essays that weren’t as strong as the others, but overall I really liked it. Maybe it was just bad timing last time? R x

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Rachel

      Can you get library copies? Or is that forbidden on the 746? I think you’d really enjoy Bad Feminist! I just need to see the Mockingbird movie now! I’ve heard good things. R x

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  5. HOLLY

    I’ve heard a lot of positive things about Bad Feminist, and it seems like a really relevant read considering all of the talk of feminism and equality in the world today. I’ll have to check it out soon!

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    1. Rachel

      I think I might actually reread I’ll Meet You There soon, it really stuck with me! And yes, I have so much love for Mockingbird, but I’ve yet to pick up Watchman! R x

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    1. Rachel

      Tell me about it, Sista! It’s soul destroying. Why can’t I win the lottery, take a year out and just fill my brain full of wonderful words while building a personal library the size of my house? WHY? It’s not much to ask for really, is it? 😀 R x

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  9. Ben Sawyer

    I read To Kill a Mockingbird this year too, and it featured on my list as well! I thought it was very good when I read it, and I like classics, so you picked well!

    Like

  10. Haraiah

    The only book I read in this list is Slammed by Colleen Hoover and that was years ago. That is a bit depressing. Most of them are in my TBR though especially A Court of Thorns and Roses and anything by Heather Demetrios. Glad to see them in your list 😀

    Haraiah @ Random Things In Action

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  11. barefootmegz

    Oh, I’m glad TKAM made your list! I’ve never read any Colleen Hoover… which book should I start with?
    Bad feminist also sounds good – I think I may try it out.
    Happy reading!

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    1. Rachel

      I LOVED TKAM!! So glad I read it!

      Colleen Hoover… I’d start with Maybe Someday, then Confess or Ugly Love, and just go from there. Maybe Someday is a great introduction to her books, but generally I’ve really liked/loved them all. Bad Feminist was very accessible, I read it from cover to cover and then dipped into my favourite essays after that. As with most essay collections, I preferred some to others, but generally I found them all to be very good. Hope you enjoy them! R x

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    1. Rachel

      ❤ for Mockingbird. Have you seen the spoilers for Watchman? Way to go Internet!

      No problem! I hope you pick that one up, I know it's not what you usually read, but I think you might like it! R x

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  14. journeythroughfiction

    I loved A Court of Thorns and Roses! I had really high expectations going into that book, and it was even better than I expected 🙂 And Slammed! I read it a couple of years ago, and I loved it so much. I kinda want to reread it now! I haven’t read the next book yet, so a reread probably wouldn’t be a bad idea 🙂 Fab list!

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    1. Rachel

      I had high expectations too, but I really didn’t know what to expect as I avoided all talk about it until I read it. I’m loving Maas at the minute and need more books by her in my life! A reread of Slammed and then the next two in the series (This Girl and Point of Retreat) would be excellent! I really enjoyed all three books. R x

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  15. Jenn

    For some reason, I find the cover of I’ll Meet You There really makes it stand out to me. I don’t read a lot of contemporary YA with that and your description I’m thinking about it…

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    1. Rachel

      That cover is delicious! This could probably be considered a YA/NA crossover. There’s definitely a lot more depth in it than you would expect from many YA contemporaries, with very dynamic characters. You should give it a try! R x

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  16. Ale-alejandra

    Heir of Fire made my list too! It’s my favorite one of the series to be honest. I have Bad Feminist on my TBR and I am hoping with the good things I keep hearing about it I am actually going to read it soon! Very curious about it, since it’s a topic that fascinates me. i have read books by Hoover before but none of these and WTF omg I should change that right now! ACOTAR is another one I really want to read. What a good list!

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    1. Rachel

      Heir of Fire was the favourite of the series for a lot of people – I’m definitely the exception with that one. I preferred the first two because it focused more on the relationships between a smaller number of characters, whereas the third book introduces new characters and opens up the world more to progress the story. I still loved it though, just not as much as the first two. Can’t wait for the next one, only two months to go! Bad Feminist was such a great read, I flew through it and will definitely be rereading it. Read all the Hoover books! I think pretty much all of her books are 4*+ for me. I adore her. And ACOTAR – YES! Get on to that ASAP!! Thanks for commenting, enjoy reading! R x

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  18. Kathy

    Oh! TKaM is one of my all time favorites, and I get so excited when I see somebody else loves it, too. Before I Go is one of those books I promise myself to read this year. I’ve heard it was great. 🙂

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    1. Rachel

      I’m so glad I finally got around to reading it, and I love finding other people who love it now too – not that they’re hard to find! Lol it had such a nostalgic, childlike and southern feel, mixed with the heavy and serious stuff. It was so good. Before I Go was excellent, and a debut, so I can’t wait for more! R x

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  20. Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity

    I’m getting all caught up on my blog posts and I love your picks, I completely forgot about I’ll Meet You There! That was such a good book, probably one of my favourites but since I didn’t remember about it it didn’t make my list. I’ve just begun reading Slammed as well, why did I wait so long to pick it up it’s awesome! I love your list, some fantastic reads on here.

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    1. Rachel

      Yay! Both for I’ll Meet You There (I ADORE that cover) and Slammed (#coverfail). Let me know what you think of it, and get the rest of the series too!! Hands off though, Cooper’s mine 😉 R x

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  21. Charnell @ Reviews from a Bookworm

    ACOTAR!!!! YES!!!! I LOVED ACOTAR!!! 🙂 Such a wonderful and amazing book and everything I could possibly have wanted. Maas has yet to disappoint me. I also had all the love for Heir of Fire. I am going to do a Throne of Glass series reread in time for the ToG series.

    Also read Slammed and I’ll Meet You There this month and really enjoyed both of those. Although I have yet to truly make my mind up about I’ll Meet You There.

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    1. Rachel

      I LOVED ACOMAF too! In fact, I loved it more! How did you feel about it?!

      Maas is making some brave decisions in both series, but I’m excited to see where they go. R xx

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