By Golly, Ollie!

You know what? 2015 was a pretty great year. Aside from accomplishing some great leaps in terms of adulting (my own place, my own car, building up my savings account, and talking Jon into enrolling into 401(k)), it was also a great year for reading. Do you think one’s outlook on life influences the way the read and review books? Because I look back at my reviews between 2011 and 2014 (a rather dark period in my life), and all the books I reviewed were for the most part mediocre or sub par. However in 2015, I’ve given, for the most part, glowing reviews for the books I’ve read. Or, perhaps I’ve just gotten better at picking out books to read. Whatever the reason, it made my final post of the year quite a challenge because I had a hard time choosing my favorite books of the year.

I threw caution to the wind and dove into some pretty hyped books this year. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell all rocked my socks– two of them being book one of a series that made me eager to rush out and buy book two. Luckily, I have self-control so I didn’t do that I have a bunch of Barnes and Noble gift cards from Christmas so I can buy them for myself.

After getting a library card this Spring, I started working on one of my 2015 resolutions to explore new genres and new ways of storytelling. I read my first cozy mystery novels this year, and I also checked out more graphic novels. Exceptional books in these categories include Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls by Victoria Laurie, Ms Marvel by G. Willow Wilson, and Nimona by Noelle Stevenson.

My absolute favorites though? That’s easy! I loved the Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown, a non-fiction novel about the Oregon Trail and the Donner Party, and I loved the Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley, a wonderfully atmospheric novel about young love and self-discovery that takes place in Ireland during the 1990s.

What were some of your favorite reads in 2015?