It’s that time of year again – the Best of 2015 lists are hitting the internet everywhere and we wanted to share some of our best books of 2015. However, we added a little twist.
You see, tons of sites are going to feature all of the top books RELEASED in 2015, but that gets boring after the first three posts. We decided to ask our team to list their favorites released in 2015, any they re-discovered, or books that were completely new to them (even if the book was published in the 1800s).
We’d love if you would contribute your favorites of the year, those you re-discovered, or ones that are new-to-you, no matter how old the publication date is.
Bonus: If you’d like to purchase any of these books, just click the book cover for a link to Amazon!
Now, drum roll please! It’s time to announce our favorites:
Larrisa’s Best Books of 2015:
Wool Trilogy by Hugh Howey, Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, & Matched series by Ally Condie.
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Hadas: I really want to read the Uglies trilogy!
Larissa: It’s pretty good! Really makes you think, even though it’s “only” YA fiction.
Lydia: What made these specific books stand out to you this year?And that’s great about the Uglies trilogy! There are so many YA books out there that prompt people to think about various issues. What did the Uglies make you think on specifically?
Larissa: I think I started all the trilogies last year but finished early this year. I read the description for Uglies and thought it was really interesting so I really got into dystopian fiction which led me to read all the other books!
Uglies made me really think about our perception of beauty. I also wondered what it would be like to live in this world, to never be sick and to be considered absolutely beautiful. Of course, there would be a price to pay so actually living in this world wouldn’t be great. I also found it interesting how the characters reacted to “remnants” of our time today as its set in the future.
Lydia: Would you suggest the series to fans of books like Hunger Games? Who else would you suggest it to?
Larissa: Yes, I would! The books all have “for fans of the Hunger Games” stickers on. Actually, the Hunger Games was the first dystopian story I read. I didn’t know I was interested in dystopian fiction until I read more of it. Maybe I’d suggest it to people interested in fantasy or sci-fi?
Estee’s Best Books of 2015:
This year – A.G. Howard’s Splintered series (of course I haven’t really read much else this year). I’ve been reading for the Fairy Tale Reading Challenge!
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Lydia: Was there anything in particular that made the series stand out besides not reading much else?
Estee: I enjoyed the modernized spin on the Alice in Wonderland story. I kind of want to cosplay Alyssa (the main character).
Lydia: Who would you recommend the series to? Like fans of reimagined stories, fans of fairy tales, etc.?
Estee: Yes to both! Particularly fans of the original Alice tales.
Hadas’s Best Books of 2015:
I’m loving The Lunar Chronicles right now. Hope to get the last part that was released this year, from the library, soon. Read each book in one sitting. They are so light, fun, and interesting!
Other favorite books this year? Creativity, Inc. and Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Eye opening, inspiring, and frightening all at the same time.
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Estee: How many are there total in the Lunar Chronicles? I thought about putting those on my challenge list, but they seemed kind of sci-fi and I wasn’t sure if I’d like them.
Hadas: The sci-fi is pretty light to be honest. I also don’t love high fantasy or sci-fi. This is goldilocks.
There are four, plus an extra book about the villain. It’s a great insight into the villain and really made me appreciate the story more.
Lydia: Hadas, what specifically was eye opening about the Steve Jobs book?
Hadas: Steve Jobs is lauded as a visionary and a hero of tech and our lives, even though we heard he was rude and hard to deal with its only the tip of the iceberg. He was cruel. No sugar coating there.
It’s pretty funny because in Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson you see ALL sides of his personality- the author and those he talked to didn’t hold back on the bad. In Creativity, Inc. (which is about Pixar) they discuss Steve Jobs in realistic, but softer terms. Ed Catmull (the author) even has a section called The Steve We Knew and comments on Isaacson’s account of something in the book called his Reality Distortion Field.
Basically, Catmull is too nice to feel comfortable not defending his friend. I read his book first so when I read Isaacson’s I was really surprised and a little upset.
Lydia: Does it make you think about Steve Jobs, and Apple in general, differently?
Hadas: Just Steve Jobs. Not Apple necessarily. He pushed people and was charismatic or convincing enough to make them do whatever he asked even when it actually seemed impossible. It’s a scary force and makes you understand why no one could reign him in. He was self-aware but didn’t care because he was an unstoppable bratty force that happened to continuously succeed.
I love my Apple products but wish the story behind them might have been less mean. I love reading about company cultures that are challenging yet supportive, not sure I could survive with a boss no matter how genius if he or she was a jerk. I’ve met a bunch of successful non-genius bosses that were jerks though so I’m not 100% sure. *catty Hadas*
Lindsey’s Best Books of 2015:
The Martian was fantastic. Yes Please. Yoga Girl.
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Lydia: I’ve heard great things about The Martian!
Debbie: I loved The Martian too! I really enjoyed how they explained the science behind everything Mark Watney was doing, and I love books that are written from different points of view. I read it before I saw the movie, and I liked that decision because in the movie they didn’t explain the science bits (nor should they have, it would have been so much voiceover!) but because I read the book I knew what was going on.
Lydia’s Best Books of 2015:
A few published this year that stood out to me are Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman and Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray. I discovered some great nonfiction (not published in 2015) including Flappers by Judith Mackrell.
I also enjoyed Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz; and finally read The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
All of these stand out for different reasons, but all were very interesting and captured my attention quickly. And most are definitely reread worthy.
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Hadas: Is Moriarty about what I think it is? *rubs hands together* I love villains.
Lydia: It is! It takes place after the Reichenbach Falls storyline by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Anthony Horowitz is the first author ever to be authorized by the Doyle foundation/estate and I can see why. It was a great read. Very fun, light.
Hadas: Ooh okay. Will check out. Will probably reread my Holmes stories first.
Margaux’s Best Books of 2015
I’ve been really into history related books this year, and I’m currently reading Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis and Affairs of Honor by Joanne Freeman, and loving it. I also really enjoyed Yes Please, and I reread Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (one of the rare YA that I still really enjoy reading), Stardust and Frankenstein!
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Lydia: Frankenstein! One of my favorites. I purchased a biography on Mary Shelley and her mother. I’m really looking forward to reading it.
What makes Aristotle & Dante, Stardust, and/or Frankenstein reread worthy for you? And what are you loving about the history books you’re reading?
Margaux: I read Frankenstein every year, It’s one of my favorite and I love rediscovering it. Each year there’s something you learn about; or following your own new experiences in life you can reinterpret it in a different way. I just love it!
Aristotle & Dante I just love the way it’s written. It’s genuine, doesn’t feel forced and it’s really cute. Stardust is my favorite light read, Neil Gaiman is a genius and yeah there isn’t much more there, I just love it.
History books are so interesting! And I’m really happy I found good books about American History. I’ve never been that into it (well everything from the 60s and after, I find incredibly interesting, older than that, always had trouble finding something interesting).
I’m kind of an English and French history nerd, but I’ve read Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton biography 2 years ago and loved it. It was the first time I could wrap my mind around those huge historical figures that you read about in school books almost as if they’re facts and legends.
I like that you get to understand their human side, their doubts, love, convictions, and just their life outside the strictly politic one you learn about. Founding Brothers is good in that sense, and Affairs of Honor is about the code duello, it’s quite fascinating!
Charee’s Best Books of 2015:
I’m getting the Game of Thrones audiobooks from the library because I love the show so much! I’m really liking listening to audiobooks.
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Hadas: I wonder if I should try that. Reading them was hard for me ha.
Charee: Yes, it goes a lot faster!! I just have to make sure I pay attention or I can miss things.
Hadas: I read much faster than audiobooks but with high-fantasy a good narrator might make it engaging.
Charee: Yeah, the narrator is great with the voices! I read much slower so I’m liking it.
Carolyn’s Best Books of 2015
Yes, Please by the one and only hilarious Amy Poehler
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Hadas: Did you find the book funny? I didn’t really, I found it more real and insightful. Like I expected to laugh my head off but found myself thinking more.
Carolyn: I think when she was talking about her journey to where she is now, there was a sense of whatever-ness that she felt happy to have in her life. It wasn’t super ROFL, but it made me smile and inspired to live life with improv principles.
Debbie’s Best Books of 2015:
I loved Felicia Day’s book, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost). I also got really properly into reading comics this year, and my favorites are Saga, Spider-Gwen, Silk, Bitch Planet, and The Wicked and the Divine. All of them have amazing characters that I love. Also Gotham Academy!
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Hadas: Felicia’s book was a super quick read. I liked reading about her control freak tendencies and how she broke out of them. Any fav parts for you?
Debbie: I liked reading about how she got into a bit of a creative rut as she was writing The Guild. I’m struggling with some creative projects myself so it was great knowing that someone I really look up to experienced the same thing
Lydia: Another book on my to-read list! So many books, so little time.
Hadas: I didn’t love this book, maybe because I’m not so informed about her and her world.
Christine’s Best Books of 2015:
The following books were the ones that really stood out amongst those that I’ve read so far this year:
All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr, The Joy Luck Club – Amy Tan (Yes, I’m crazy late to the party), Ms. Marvel Volume One – G. Willow Wilson, and Station Eleven – Emily St. John Mandel
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Hadas: Christine! I borrowed the Joy Luck Club from the library but the copy was so dirty I had to return it. I’m also late to it and really want to read it! Did you try her latest book too?
Christine: Hadas no, haven’t tried the latest book. I did read the Bonesetter’s Daughter a number of years ago and really liked it, though!
Lydia: What was it about those books/comic book that made them stand out to you?
Christine: Each has its own component. The writing in All the Light is amazing. How he tells the story is beautiful. And it’s a story of two different sides of a war (WWII) but has a unique approach. I definitely think Joy Luck is worth it. Seeing the different mother/daughter relationships and how they are told. Awesome stuff.
Ms. Marvel I love for all the reasons everyone does. A strong female that isn’t running in heels. Different cultures; not white with blonde hair, etc. can’t wait to get the second volume.
Station Eleven is such a fresh story. Never read anything like it and doubt I ever will. I think that was my favorite read of the year. I HIGHLY recommend.
David’s Best Books of 2015:
Really enjoyed reading The Graveyard Book, LA Confidential, and The Black Dahlia.
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Lydia: The Graveyard Book is really great.
Christine: So is The Black Dahlia!
Luke’s Best Books of 2015
I’ve read the Mass Effect series by Drew Karpyshyn, really great stuff. I also discovered Watchmen, the graphic novel by Moore and Gibbons. Really awesome insight into the anti-superhero.
Convo Sneak-Peek:
Lydia: I have one of the Mass Effect books on my to-read list, glad you like it! I actually read a Dragon Age book a few months ago. It was a fun book.
Luke: They’re so awesome. Avoid the last one though – they brought in a new writer who didn’t understand the lore, or even read the other books so it seems. It’s a real shame as I was really enjoying them.
There you have it!
Common Room’s Favorite Books We Read in 2015.
What are YOUR top picks of new
or new-to-you books from 2015?
Let us know!
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