My Top Ten Books of 2015

With 2015 coming to a close, I've decided the best way to wrap up my year of literature is to make a list of my top ten best reads of the last 365 days. Each of the books on this list has taken a special part of my heart with it as I turned the final page, and I am sure that these will become staple books in my collections that I will reread in the years to come. Every one of these books is a piece of brilliant artwork, and they have truly changed my life for the better. Without further ado, here are my top ten books of 2015:

1. All The Bright Places

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven is decidedly my favorite book of the year (and maybe ever!!). After I read it, it stayed on my mind for weeks. Everything I read following it paled in comparison. I began to recommend it to every one of my friends. Before I knew it, I had a pack of teenage girls confronting me with anger that I made them love a book so much. I haven’t met a single person that had anything bad to say about this book, nor have I met a person who didn’t sob like a baby at the end. ATBP is truly a masterpiece, which is apparent in the way it rests in my mind months after reading.

Read my full review: All The Bright Places Review

“You are all the colors in one, at full brightness.”

2. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz is an extremely close second favorite of 2015. This book has the undeniably best ending I have ever come across. Ever. The last page is so good that after I finished the book, I would go back and reread the last page. In fact, I’m about to do just that. From the introduction- “To all the boys who’ve had to learn to play by different rules”- I knew that I had found a gem. I recommend Aristotle and Dante to almost every single person looking for a romance that falls outside the box. The characters developed throughout the novel are incredible, and finishing the book leaves the reader resentful that it is, in fact, a work of fiction, and no, Aristotle Mendoza cannot be their new best friend. With all the time in the world, I could not fully express the beauty of this book, and the love I have for it.

Read my full review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Review

“Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer morning could end in a downpour. Could end in lightning and thunder.”

3. Fans of the Impossible Life

Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa is, again, a very close third favorite book of the year. This book was so, so incredible. I honestly don’t know whether or not a book has ever affected me as this one has. Every chapter, every page, every character, every sentence, every word of this book carved itself into my heart. It is just so fully and completely outstanding that I feel no words I can provide will adequately describe this masterpiece. After I read this book, I felt understood in a way that I never had before. Only a truly magical book can make its readers connect to feelings they didn’t know they were feeling. I finished it, in awe, of how satisfying it was to finally feel like somebody got it. Fans broke my heart and put it back together again. I remember feeling an urge to thank Kate Scelsa for writing this book. Fans of the Impossible Life is completely and heartbreakingly honest, and if I’m being completely honest- you’re wasting your time if you have yet to read this book.

Read my full review: Fans of the Impossible Life Review

“May we live impossibly… Against all odds. May people look at us and wonder how such jewels can sparkle in the sad desert of the world. May we live the impossible life. "

4. More Happy Than Not

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera is the only book I read multiple times this year, if that can begin to express the caliber of my adoration for this novel. The first time I read it, it was an ARC a few months before release. The next, a few months after its release, in anticipation of seeing Adam Silvera at Boston Book Festival. My plans fell through and I didn’t end up attending the festival, but I still jumped at the opportunity to reread this amazing book. The themes of this book are very similar to those of the three novels listed above: coming of age, struggling with sexuality, and mental health issues. It is most similar to Aristotle and Dante, which may have been the reason I loved it so much. In More Happy Than Not, Adam Silvera confronts what others wouldn’t dare: the true struggles of being different in a place where it is best to stay inconspicuous; for example, being gay while living in the Bronx. When I saw the first published hardcovers on the shelves, my heart was racing like it was my own debut novel. I’ve been known to become excessively proud of the things/people that I care deeply about. Adam Silvera leapt into YA fiction with this outstanding gem of a novel that is absolutely unforgettable.

Read my full review: More Happy Than Not Review

“The boy with no direction taught me something unforgettable: happiness comes again if you let it.”

5. Beautiful Music For Ugly Children

Beautiful Music For Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills is short, sweet, and so very real. I picked it up on a bus ride to Quebec City. Before we even hit the Canadian border, I had finished the book and I was a blubbering mess. At that point, I’m sure my classmates were finished with me. The emotion displayed by every character in the book is so raw and true, it makes the reader look inside himself for signs of the same feelings. What I found most notable about this book is how it changed my perspective about so many things. After reading it, I paid much closer attention to the feelings of those around me, and what I could do to make strangers and acquaintances more comfortable in any given situation. If you are looking for a short, sweet read, this is not for you. But, if you are looking for a short, emotional read- pick up Beautiful Music For Ugly Children.

Read my full review: Beautiful Music For Ugly Children Review

“You shoved me off the cliff. Turns out I can fly.”

6-10:

I had started writing this post with the intention of listing my top ten books of 2015, in order, with a short blurb on each one. After reaching number five, I found that I could no longer put them in order because I love them all so much. Here are books 6-10, in no particular order.

• Confess by Colleen Hoover
• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (and the other two books that go along with it, Isla and the Happily Ever After and Lola and the Boy Next Door)
• The Accident Season by Moira-Fowley Doyle
• Suicide Notes for Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten
• Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly

Notable Mentions:

And of course, what kind of person would I be if I didn’t mention my other favorites of the year.

• Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
• The Fog Diver by Joel Ross
• Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
• The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
• Broken Skies by Theresa Kay
• I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
• Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
• Fault Line by C.Desir

If you are interested in hearing more about any of these books, there is a review of each one posted on this blog. Head over to the Review List and find it from there! I hope you all had as successful of a year in literature as I did, and I hope to hear from you in 2016. Happy New Year, and cheers to another year of great books and great friends! 

Just My Luck

The Bookworm says... Yes! Just My Luck by Cammie McGovern is an uplifting story about having a family member with a disability. The summer before fourth grade, Benny's best friend moves away. He's trying to find a replacement, but it's to no avail. Another thing Benny can't succeed at- bike riding. His older brother, George, who has autism, can ride a bike better than he can. While Benny's dad is trying to help him learn to ride, an accident happens and days later, Mr. Barrows is in the hospital. Benny is trying to follow his mother's advice: be kind to everyone, especially when you are experiencing a hard time. But with his dad in the hospital, possibly because of him, this is easier said than done for Benny.

I really enjoyed Just My Luck! I had previously read Cammie McGovern's Say What You Will, and though the stories have a similar baseline, I don't think that they can be compared to each other. I am very glad I didn't form my opinion of Just My Luck based on Say What You Will, because I do not think I would have liked it as much as I did. Benny is a prime example of what it feels like to be the sibling of a child with a disability, especially being the sibling that knows best how to respond to their quirks. A household struck by chaos has never been depicted so truly- if you are struggling to understand how to prevail in a time of chaos, or if you are trying to understand what it's like to love someone with a disability- READ THIS

"Everyone has bad days. You have to make the good ones."

DISCLAIMER: This review is based off of an uncorrected proof. Tentative on-sale date is February 23, 2016.

Blue Voyage

The Bookworm says... Yes! Blue Voyage by Diana Renn is a thrilling story of teen rebellion, travel, and smuggling rings. After a series of events send Zan's picture perfect life into a downhill spiral, her mother decides it would be best If she and Zan visit Zan's Aunt Jackie in Turkey. They meet Jackie at the dock to catch a Blue Voyage cruise that her recently deceased husband was supposed to be a guest speaker on. In an attempt to forget the pressures waiting in America and mourn her late Uncle Berk, Zan tries to make the best of the trip that seems like a punishment. However, it's hard to enjoy a cruise when you find yourself wrapped up in an international smuggling ring. Suddenly, Zan is the prime suspect, accused of trying to smuggle stolen artifacts across country lines. If she can't find a way to clear her name, Zan may find herself stuck in Turkish prison- forever.

I cannot express enough how much I loved Blue Voyage. It had been catching my eye on the shelf for a while, and I was meaning to pick it up. But then, I had the chance to attend a writing workshop with Diana Renn at Buttonwood Books and Toys and picked up a copy then. Her personality was so endearing that I knew any writing that she produced would be incredible. This book is perfect for not only people who love adventure and crime novels, but for lovers of travel and history of artifacts as well!

"The beckoning counts. Not the clicking latch behind you."

Humans of New York: Stories

The Bookworm says... Wow! Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton is truly fascinating. Humans of New York began as a photography blog on tumblr. Then, Brandon began to ask for short quotes to accompany the photos. Eventually, he was conducting fifteen to twenty minute interviews with all of his subjects. HONY is a concept that is taking social media by storm, and having a lasting impact in American hearts through it's latest featured segment on Syrian refugee families.

In Humans of New York: Stories, Brandon Stanton includes hundreds of stunning photographs with captions ranging from nothing at all, to a short quote, to a whole story. Some stories are heart breaking, and some heart warming. Some are just plain adorable ("Today in microfashion...). I can't think of a simpler way to say it: HONY is so cool. Read this, and then mail Brandon Stanton an aggressively long letter thanking him for doing this, because that's what I'm about to do. There is no better way to get to know the real New York City than to read this book.

"There are two books in America: one for the rich and one for the poor. A poor person does a crime and gets forty years. A rich person gets a slap on the wrist for the same crime"(241).

Find Brandon Stanton and Humans of New York:

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork
Official Website- www.humansofnewyork.com

The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2015

The Bookworm says... Absolutely. The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2015, edited by Adam Johnson and series edited by 826 National, is a collection of the best literature available. Selected by a group of high school students in San Francisco, guided by Adam Johnson, BANR is full of short stories, excerpts, and poetry. Some of my personal favorite pieces: Dynamite by Anders Carlson-Wee, "You are in the dark, in the car..." by Claudia Rankine, A Speck in the Sea by Paul Tough, An Inventory by Joan Wickersham, The Future Looks Good by Lesley Nneka Arimah, and Sky Burial by Alex Mar.

Whether or not you usually read short stories or poetry, or whether or not you like stepping out of your safety zone, you have to read this book. From articles that open your eyes to the troubles of the world to poems that open your eyes to the troubles of the soul, this collection of literary genius is sure to leave its mark on each and every person that reads it. As stated on the back cover of the paperback copy, "The writing in this book is very essential, if not required, like visiting the Louvre if you're in Paris".

"Surviving what you were never meant to survive creates a hard rock of happiness under the bones of the chest." (from Isaac Cameron Hill by Ammi Keller)

The Possibility of Now

The Bookworm says... Yes!!! The Possibility of Now by Kim Culbertson is a perfect, uplifting winter read that changed my perspective on a handful of things. Mara has a full scale meltdown right before starting a calculus exam. Like, ripping up her test into tiny pieces and crying, full-scale. When a video of her meltdown goes viral, Mara needs to clear her head. In order to do that, she goes and stays with her biological father Trick in Tahoe. While she is there and immersed in relaxed ski culture, away from the competitive, private Ranfield High School, Mara begins to realize things about herself. Mara gets a chance to clear her mind, take a break, learn to live in the now, and possibly fall in love on her road to mental recovery.

I love this book. So much. Mara is incredibly resilient, and her journey is incredible. Watching her learn to live in the present made me remember to do the same. It brings to mind the familiar line from the popular rock-opera, Rent, "No day but today". The lessons that Mara learns are the same lessons that Kim Culbertson teaches to every single person that picks up this book, and I commend her for it.

"He's the fire in the woodstove you take totally for granted but, when it goes out, leaves everything cold."

DISCLAIMER: Review is based off of an uncorrected proof. Official release date is January 26th, 2016.

The Fog Diver

The Bookworm says... Yes. The Fog Diver by Joel Ross is an excellent middle reader novel. The fog took over the earth years ago, killing everything trapped inside it. The fog gets anyone that goes down too long- they might get attacked by a fog shark, or they might get fog sickness. Children dive into the fog every day to scavenge for things to sell so they can survive in the slum. Chess is one of these children- a tetherboy. Chess is an excellent tetherboy, maybe the best, and he is a secret that must be kept from Lord Kodoc- the tyrannical ruler. The woman that has been taking care of Chess and his crew of orphans becomes ill with fog sickness, so Chess and his crew set up to find a cure for her, all while keeping Chess hidden from Lord Kodoc.

I generally shy away from JUV books and stick to YAD,but something drew me to The Fog Diver. I'm not sure what it was, but I'm glad it happened- I loved this book. The quest, supernatural, and post-apocalyptic aspects of this story make it perfect for all lovers of The 5th Wave, Harry Potter, and Gone. The Fog Diver is truly a triumphant debut for Joel Ross, and I can't wait to see what the rest of this series brings.

"I'd dived into uncharted fog for three years and seen things nobody else had even imagined, but I'd never seen anything like Hazel"

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

The Bookworm says... Yes! Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli was an enjoyable read. Simon, under the alias of Jacques, exchanges emails with a peer under the alias Blue. The boys are in school together, they are both gay, and neither of them has come out. As they continue to email back and forth, Simon begins to fall for Blue. Not even Simon's closest friends know that he is gay, so anyone reading these emails would wreak havoc on Simon's life. Naturally, that is exactly what happens. When the class-clown Martin gets his hands on the emails, he puts not only Simon's privacy and sexuality at stake, but Blue's as well. Martin blackmails Simon with the emails, and Simon's life begins to enter turmoil. Suddenly, everything in Simon's life is a question. Who is Blue? Who does he love? Is he attracted to boys or girls? While fighting through tension from every direction in his life, Simon has to figure out why he's so in love with a boy he's  never met.

This was a quick, light (ish) read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The plot seemed vaguely familiar, but I can't place exactly what it is that it reminds me of. One of the best aspects of this novel is how true it is to teenagers. With the dominance of the internet in this day and age, relationships beginning online are not uncommon. That makes Becky Albertalli's story feel more real. The characters she created are so artfully crafted that you fall in love with them falling in love with each other. Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda is  a book that I would recommend to anyone looking for a quick, relaxing read that still has an eventful plotline.

"Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it shouldn't be this big thing whether you're straight, gay, bi, or whatever."