Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they post a new Top Ten list that you have to answer. You can find out more about this feature here.
This week's feature is: Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2015. So far I've read a grand total of 39 books so far in 2015 and I have to admit I've read some pretty great ones. I've also read some ones that I really had high expectations for and unfortunately they crumbled and I really didn't enjoy them. However, focusing on the positives, in no particular order here are the top ten books that I have read in 2015 so far!
1. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly BlackThe Darkest Part of the Forest is a fantastic stand alone from an amazing author. Holly Black presents the reader with a concise mystic fairytale like story with superb atmosphere build up. Definitely one for a recommendation. II think the only few things that would have pushed this novel to be absolutely perfect would be that the beginning could have had a little more plot development - I mean don't get me wrong I loved Black's fantastic atmospheric build up but at times the novel just seemed to drag a little bit. I would have also liked a bit more depth to the elven prince's character, he seemed to have so much potential but at times just seemed a bit banal and obscure. I think I would have liked a bit more depth to the monster as well. Yes we got a back story but I think we could have had a little bit more in terms of solving her mystery. Other than that this was a brilliant read for anyone who is looking for that little something different.
Well first and foremost I would say that it was definitely one of my most anticipated reads of 2015, so naturally I admit I did have quite high expectations of this book. When Victoria announced the initial book's conception and publication she gave away very few details, but what we were promised was: pirates, thieves, parallel London's and a whole lot of magic. Now tell me that premise alone doesn't grasp your attention? So does V.E.Schwab deliver with her promises? You bet she does! That and oh so much more! overall I absolutely adored A Darker Shade of Magic, it's definitely left me wanting more which means until then I will be stalking Victoria's twitter feed and spamming her with never-ending tweets about the sequel, yet untitled. But for now, ADSOM was a thrilling, adventurous read for those who do indeed dream of stranger worlds...
Does it really live up to all of the hype? Well hype wise I would say definitely, it's a fantastic read and clearly one of my new favourites of the year. I have to say that I utterly adored this book. It was just what I was in the mood for and what it delivered was very impressive. If you are looking for that medieval fantasy type read then this is definitely one for you to pick up and check out. It's that perfect blend between a high fantasy and a dystopian set in a very archaic type of world. While I have to admit although for the plot point of Mare being a red blood with silver abilities, it was predictable and frankly on the blurb of the book, it didn't take anything away from the storyline. Saying that, although the plot of the story does follow Mare and her learning to understand and control her abilities, the plot actually focuses more on her fitting into the lifestyle of the silvers and learning how to become a princess. Now don't get me wrong, this isn't some Princess Diaries kind of 'becoming a princess', yes there is learning about the history of the lands and about the heritage of the royal family, it's also learning about how to stay alive and making sure nobody in the silver kingdom finds out that Mare is secretly a red blood.
This book received so much hype when it was released over in the USA so I was instantly worried about whether it would live up to all of the praise. That is one of the major things I worry about when it comes to over-hyped books, but luckily in this case I'll Give You the Sun matches up to every single word of that hype. It was phenomenal. Absolutely so. It is quite possibly the best contemporary novel I have ever read, and I've read a few. t is clear to see that I thoroughly enjoyed this book to the extent that I claimed it my favourite contemporary ever. It resonates so personally with each reader and the way Jandy Nelson makes the reader view the world through the twin's eyes is nothing short of spectacular. If you haven't read or added I'll Give You the Sun to your TBR pile yet, I highly suggest you do because it's popularity proceeds it and gratefully so.
I need to state first of all that I had no idea going into this book that it would become my current all time favourite contemporary - that takes a lot of guts for me to say because frankly I have read quite a few and a lot of them have consistently wrestled the next book for the position of favourite. When it arrived I was so excited and when I read it on the train, I read it in a single sitting without pausing for a drink. I think that sums up my thoughts on the book pretty well, but incase you hadn't already picked up on my lack of words on Goodreads besides 'ASDFGHJKL. here is so much I could say about this book in regards to the love of the characters, the realism of the plot ect. Overall this book was fantastic, it was emotionally gripping and tackles strong yet sensitive issues that face a large percentage of teenagers in the modern age. Becky Albertalli does an amazing job at creating a very pragmatic story in an unidealistic and yet familiar setting. The pace was timely and overall the novel was perfection.This is definitely a book that will make you crave more than just Oreos!
6. Remix by Non Pratt
This book was in my Top 5 most anticipated releases of the year, and when Non herself offered me the chance of obtaining a proof copy after a pretty epic GIF competition, I had to jump at the chance and I'm so glad that I did because frankly there aren't words to describe how amazing Remix was! It definitely lived up to my expectations - blew them away in fact! I have definitely been in the mood for summer books lately and this one was just a fantastic addition to the ones I've enjoyed recently. Remix was a complete blast to read, it was witty, to the point and quite frankly was an extremely fun book to be absorbed in. Non Pratt is a genius UKYA author who targets her audience well and gives them something that both she and they can be proud to be a part of. An intense read for those readers who just want to explore and experience a little bit of freedom.
7. Talon by Julie Kagawa
A dragon book - something that I've always wanted to read but was never quite sure which book to explore to get into the genre. Realistically there are two main competitors in my mind and these were Seraphina by Rachel Hartman and the Talon Saga by Julie Kagawa. Both intruiged me but Talon won out my favours, except for a small detail that I was questioning. As this book involved The Order of St George I was questioning whether this was going to be slightly historical and sometimes that can turn my head away in books. Not always, but sometimes. Thankfully this was not the case. This book was a great introduction to what I can imagine is going to be a very successful and action packed series. Yes this book wasn't heavily packed with action scenes besides the ending, but I felt that a contemporary vibe introduction is exactly what the first book in this series required. The ending sets up the scene for book two, and I can tell you that as I am reading Rogue now, there is definitely more action for those readers who were clawing away for something more intense and suspenseful. Talon is just a fantastic read with all of the elements that a great book should have.
8. Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
This is the final book in my Throne of Glass re-readathon and I have to say I really enjoyed it! I'm debating with myself whether it meets all of the hype it receives. In my mind it's definitely the best book so far because it really opens up Celaena's world and allows you to get a glimpse into just what the King of Ardalan is up to in his advancements of his plans for domination. A really interesting twist in the story line - one that I'm hoping sets out the motion for the rest of the series! I eagerly await Queen of Shadows with great anticipation because where we got left in Heir of Fire just wasn't enough to quench my thirst for this series. I 100% need more of this world!
9. A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install
This is definitely a story of true friendship, love and the journey of self-discovery and I utterly adored it. The storyline was superb, the character's were solid and adorable and the writing was flawless. This is definitely a book that you should be looking out for if you want something adult but with the childlike adventure that we often strive for in adult aimed fiction. I have to be honest as well, I'm not a huge reader of adult fiction but this book might have just tempted me out of that bubble of adult fiction insecurity. A definite recommendation if you're looking for something new! It's fanTANGstic!
10. Fairest by Marissa Meyer
I thought this was a wonderful instalment in the Lunar Chronicles series and I feel is a necessary read before going into Winter so that you can fully understand the relationships behind the new character's introduced in the final book as well as understanding Levana's motives behind everything. I was expecting possibly just a small glimpse into why Levana wanted to marry Prince Kai, but never did I expect to receive what we get in this novel. We see Levana right before she became queen, back after her parents died and Channery took the throne. We get an insight into her relationships with Princess Selene and Winter as well as seeing how she became the spiteful and demented Queen Levana we all see throughout the Lunar Chronicles.Thanks for reading my list! Feel free to share your thoughts on my top ten books of 2015 so far in the comments below, or over on any of my social media platforms. If you feel like doing this then feel free to do your Top Ten Tuesday post and link me it, I'd love to read what you come up with!
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