We are officially halfway through 2015, which feels very strange! But this week’s Top Ten Tuesday asks us to reflect back on the first half of the year and list our 10 favorite reads so far. I’ve read a lot of good books this year, but there are a few that definitely stand out! So, without further ado, here are my 10 favorite books of the year so far (not counting re-reads):
1. Naomi Novik, Uprooted — This is, without a doubt, my favorite read of 2015 so far! It’s everything I want my epic fantasy to be: great characters, a compelling plot, magical writing..honestly, I felt like this book was written just for me! My review is here.
2. Mary Doria Russell, Epitaph — Despite my general lack of interest in Westerns, I really enjoyed this sequel/companion novel to Doc, which describes the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral and examines its growth into an American legend. My review is here.
3. Jandy Nelson, I’ll Give You the Sun — I wasn’t expecting to love this one as much as I did! But I was blown away by the writing style, and I ended up really enjoying this story of love (both romantic and fraternal) and redemption. My review is here.
4. Genevieve Valentine, The Girls at the Kingfisher Club — This retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” is set in the jazz clubs and speakeasies of New York in the Roaring Twenties. If the premise appeals to you, you’ll love this one! My review is here.
5. Ellie Marney, Every Breath — The tagline on the U.S. hardcover edition of this book says, “What if Sherlock Holmes was the boy next door?” And that’s really all you need to know, isn’t it? 🙂 My review is here.
6. Heather Demetrios, I’ll Meet You There — Another teen romance that I unexpectedly loved! This one is about an ambitious young woman trying to leave her tiny town behind, and a Marine who comes home from Afghanistan missing a leg. The book doesn’t shy away from darkness with these issues, but the overall message is one of hope. My review is here.
7. Sarah Addison Allen, First Frost — This novel, a sequel to Garden Spells, isn’t my favorite of Sarah Addison Allen’s books. But it’s still a lovely, light, magic-infused novel that was a pleasure to read. My review is here.
8. Elizabeth Bailey, The Gilded Shroud — I have a soft spot for historical mysteries, especially those set during the Regency era, and this one is well-written and feels very authentic. The mystery was perfectly fine, but the real enjoyment for me was the period atmosphere. My review is here.
9. E.C. Bentley, Trent’s Last Case — This vintage mystery is an oldie but a goodie. Fans of the Golden Age will like this book but still be surprised by a few twists in the plot! My review is here.
10. Annie Barrows, The Truth According to Us — This novel, set in a small town in West Virginia during the Great Depression, is an excellent family saga about decades-old secrets, as well as a sensitive portrayal of a young girl’s coming-of-age. My review is here.
What are your favorite reads of the year so far? Are there any books you just want to shove into everyone’s hands? What should I add to my TBR list?
You Book Me All Night Long 
Awesome list! I haven’t read any of these though I am familiar with some of the titles and I am eyeing First Frost in particular since I read her other books 🙂
My TTT
Thanks! I think you will like First Frost, since you’re an SAA fan in general.
What a great list! I haven’t read any you mention, but several are on my wish list. Uprooted sounds like it will be really good and The Truth According to Us is one I’ve been wanting to read since I first heard about it.
I can’t say enough good things about Uprooted — I hope you like it! And The Truth According to Us is a great summer read, in my opinion.
I also really enjoyed I’ll Meet You There. Such a good book! 🙂
Right? I really liked it!
I love the I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN book, too. It was my favorite YA book of 2014. Good choice.
It’s definitely my favorite YA book that I’ve read this year! I need to check out Jandy Nelson’s other book, The Sky Is Everywhere.
Great list! Some are on my TBR list – really looking forward to Uprooted and I’ll Give You The Sun – and others I haven’t heard of but I’ll be sure to check out. 😀
Please, please read Uprooted! I usually try not to be pushy when recommending books, but I basically want to shove a copy of this one into everyone’s hands. 🙂
I’ll Give You The Sun isn’t something I would normally pick up but I have heard so many good things I might have to give it a try. Great list 🙂
Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up on my own either! Someone literally pressed the ARC into my hands at BEA last year, so I finally tried it out, and I’m really glad I did!
I’ll Meet You There didn’t make my list, but I still really enjoyed it. I also read I’ll Give You the Sun last year, but OMG SO GOOD.
C.J.
Sarcasm&Lemons
I’ll Meet You There didn’t make my list, but I still really enjoyed it. I also read I’ll Give You the Sun last year, but OMG SO GOOD.
C.J.
Sarcasm&Lemons
Ugggggh internet. Sorry for the duplicate.
LOL no worries. 😉
I like your list a lot. I definitely want to read Epitaph and Uprooted seems to be universally adored! The Girls at the Kingfisher Club is also very high on my TBR as it looks fantastic. The thing I’m most excited about from your list though is a historical mystery set in the Regency era that I haven’t heard of before! Yahoo! I kind of wish I could pick it up right now, lol.