The Countdown Survey is created and hosted by the lovely
Christy & Erica at Novel Ink.
I'm a sucker for lists and surveys and wrap-ups and favorites (you get the idea) so when I saw Christy and Erica's post about their second annual Countdown Survey I knew I wanted to participate. So let's get the countdown started!
PLUS:
Torn (Wicked Saga #2) - Jennifer L. Armentrout
Fire in You (Wait For You #6) - Jennifer L. Armentrout
It Ends With Us - Colleen Hoover
I didn't love all the books (Has to Be Love and TSPoLaFS, I'm looking at you), but these covers are loverly. :)
Three Surprising Disappointments:
Saving Grace, I'll Give You the Sun, Has to Be Love
Five Surprising Gems:
Leo, Breathe Annie Breathe, The Story of Us, Kill Devil Hills, The Hook Up
Didn't happen in 2015... but they're at the top of the list for 2016!
The Feels! The Tears!
I loved every minute.
(And do we see a theme with Colleen Hoover? The woman must thrive on my heartbreak and tears.)
I've gone over and over my 2015 reads and there's really only one book that fits this category. I don't know that everyone necessarily *hated* this book, but it was definitely polarizing. I happened to loved it. I won't go into details here but my review shares all the reasons why 99 Days totally worked for me.
This one is tough because I don't watch TV and I rarely see movies. But... there are a few that I would love to see brought to life on the big screen.
The Nightingale - A WW II period drama dealing with the French Resistance. Oscar-worthy!
November 9 - A romance spanning several years. Tissues handed out at the door.
A Court of Thorns and Roses - If done right, this could be EPIC!
Wicked - an action-packed sexy/fun paranormal in New Orleans. Yes, please!
Never Never Pt 1 - Colleen Hoover + Tarryn Fisher = a story where I have *no* idea what's going on
Wait For You - Jennifer Armentrout can do no wrong. I adored Avery and Cam's story.
After - I binge-read all 4 books and still have a love/hate relationship with the series.
I'll Give You the Sun - This one seems to induce much gushing but I truly disliked most of this book. Unpopular opinion, but a perfect example of every book not being for everybody. The main source of conflict in the book stemmed from my #1 bookish pet peeve - a severe lack of communication. That definitely tainted my feeling for the book overall. And Nelson's writing style - not a fan.
Every Day - While I didn't dislike it, I also didn't get much from it. I was just distinctly... underwhelmed.
Seriously? Only ONE best book of 2015? How impossible is this?! But...
... it has to go to The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I read this back in February and it made an enormous impact on me. There were times when it was difficult to read, when the realism and the shocking atrocities of WW II were to painful to even read about, but there was also love and hope and and amazing examples of the enduring human spirit. The Nightingale was powerful and emotional and I knew as soon as I read it that it would likely be the best book I read in 2015. And that it was.
So there you have it! The countdown of my reading in 2015. The good, the not so good, and the very best. What were your top reads in 2015? Leave a link to a "best of" or "favorites" post if you have one! I'd love to check it out!
