Favorite Books of 2015

I read a lot of great books this past year, but these are the best of the best in no particular order. I will link each book's Goodreads description so you can see what it's about, unless it's a sequel, then I'll link the first book in the series to keep the spoilers away. Here's the list!

1. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
I love sci-fi, and this is probably my top sci-fi book right now. I loved the characters, the plot was exciting, and the aliens were terrifying.

2. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
A contemporary book has to have something special about it for me to really enjoy it, and this one was unlike any other I've read. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a unique contemporary.

3. Angelfall by Susan Ee
Dystopian is not my favorite genre, and I don't typically like angel books, but this was incredible. The entire series is great if you like books with an amazing heroine, a fast-paced plot, and a lot of unexpected twists.

4. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
This book made a lot of favorites lists this year. I read all of the currently published Throne of Glass books in 2015, and they got better with each book. Queen of Shadows, the fourth book, is the best so far by a landslide.

5. The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima
This is the fourth and final book in the Seven Realms series. This may be my favorite fantasy series of all time, to be honest. Cinda Williams Chima is an incredible writer; if you like fantasy at all, read this series!

6. Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
This is the third book in the Raven Cycle. I don't even know how to talk about these books; they're so complex and nuanced that you just have to read them for yourself. The final book in this series, The Raven King, is my most anticipated new release for 2016.

7. The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
This is the sequel to The Winner's Curse. Of course, this is another fantasy book. This was a heartbreaking but wonderful book. It's different from a lot of other young adult fantasy series in the way that it's very politically-focused, which is quite refreshing.

8. Vicious by V.E. Schwab
I read this in January 2015, but I thought about it throughout the entire year. I feel like it's good to read this book without knowing too much about it, but just know that it's a gritty anti-hero story.

9. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Another fantasy! This was such an incredible book, especially for a debut novel. The setting is ancient Rome-inspired, which was something that I've never read about before.

10. The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson
This is the sequel to The Kiss of Deception. This is a fantasy series that has well-developed characters and an incredibly well-written love triangle.

11. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
This is a Peter Pan retelling narrated by Tinker Bell, and it follows the character Tiger Lily. I love Peter Pan and I love reading different retellings, and this one is darker and more realistic than most.

12. Cress by Marissa Meyer
This is the third book in the Lunar Chronicles. I read the first three books in 2015, and I just finished the final book a few days ago. This series is just so much fun. I love the characters, the relationships, and the world. If you like sci-fi or fairy tale retellings, give this series a try.

Hooray! Awesome books!