Book Lists
This post originally appeared on my old blog, which no longer exists, but I liked it, so I'm putting it here, even though it's old.
Every year I challenge myself to read as many books as possible. According to my Goodreads challenge, I was supposed to read 35 books in 2015. Instead, I read 88. I tried to cram 12 books into the last day of December to make it an even 100, but I didn’t quite make it. Without further ado, I present my favorite books that I read in 2015. (And, yes, these are in order beginning with my favorite.) 1. All the Rage by Courtney Summers If there are any questions about my love for this book, please refer back to the review I wrote about it. 2. Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett This book combines history with a bit of YA romance and throws in more than a dash of creepiness. And, if the ending leaves you unsatisfied (though it shouldn’t, because it’s perfect), the sequel comes out in September 2016. 3. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt If you have any interest in the rather colorful and mysterious past of Savannah, Georgia, this is the book for you. 4. Winger by Andrew Smith I laughed out loud several times while reading this, and for those of you who know me, you understand that it’s not easy to make me laugh. Despite the amazing humor, nothing prepared me for the dark, powerful twist this book takes. Also, there’s a sequel that does not disappoint. 5. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan If you like the movie The Village and you’re a fan of zombies, there’s a good chance you’ll love this book. And, if it’s your cup of tea, it’s the first of a trilogy. 6. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson One of my cooperating teachers recommended this book to me while I was student teaching, but it took me over a year to get around to reading it. The concept is intriguing and it appeals to that part of me that always wondered, “If I could go back in time, would I use my power to kill Hitler?” 7. I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak This book explores so many moral dilemmas, both in the main character and with everyone he encounters. I loved following him through all of his “jobs” that he was forced to complete, always wondering what he would be expected to do next. 8. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini Like everything he writes, this book does a beautiful job shedding light on the horrors of terrorism and war. 9. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle-Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg I fell in love with these characters within the first five pages. Their personalities and their struggles are so relatable, you feel like you’ve known these people all your life. 10. Greenglass House by Kate Milford I don’t read a lot of middle-grade novels, but I’m so glad I read this one. I’ve been a fan of mysteries since I learned how to read, and this one does not disappoint, weaving folklore and tall tales within the mystery. 11. Disclaimer by Renee Knight The twist in this novel is fantastic. However, I ruined it for myself by accidentally dropping my book and it fell open to the sentence that reveals the most important plot point in the whole thing. So, my advice, don’t drop your book. 12. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews Again, I’ve already reviewed this book, so refer to that if you’re wondering why I liked it. 13. Second Glance by Jodi Picoult Honestly, this was one of the first books I read in 2015, so I don’t remember a lot about it. I do remember, though, that I was very creeped out reading it in my house by myself at night. And if a book manages to creep me out, I have to love it. 14. How the World Began by Catherine Trieschmann Much like the main character in this play, I completely understand what it’s like to be a teacher in a small, backward, sheltered community. I also understand what it’s like to get in trouble for trying to implement lessons that will actually make kids think about things. 15. My Name is Resolute by Nancy E. Turner It has taken me years to really get into historical fiction. That being said, maybe I should’ve started with this book. It covers everything from the slave trade in Jamaica to the relationship between the Native Americans and the French-Canadian Catholics to the Revolutionary War. 16. 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad I started this book assuming it was going to be some boring science fiction space nonsense. I could not have been more wrong. This book, about three teenagers recruited to join a mission to the moon, was so suspenseful at times that I thought I was going to vomit. 17. Still Alice by Lisa Genova By this time, most people have probably either read this book or seen the movie, but if you haven’t, I recommend doing both. My heart ached for Alice and for the members of her family, all of them doing their best to deal with a woman who was quickly forgetting them. 18. Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick How much do you know about the genocide in Cambodia? Not much? Neither did I. To write this book, McCormick teamed up with a young man who suffered through this genocide, and was forced to behave rather questionably on occasion in order to survive. 19. The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson I love everything she writes, and this book holds up to her tradition of strong, relatable writing. However, I had to put it lower on the list because the romance between the two main characters was just a little too cheesy for my taste. 20. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins This book might have been placed higher if I hadn’t started it with the idea that it was the next Gone Girl. People need to stop comparing books to Gone Girl, because it only ends in disappointment for the readers. That being said, it was a pretty great book. 21. Fury by Elizabeth Miles Teenagers in Maine are being punished by the revenge seeking Furies of mythological fame. What could be better/creepier than that? Also, it’s the first book in a trilogy, so if you enjoy this one, there are more to follow. 22. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys I read this for a class, so I assumed I was going to hate it. However, I’m a sucker for a good backstory, and that’s exactly what this is. So, for all of you Jane Eyre fans, if you’ve ever wanted to learn more about Bertha Mason (a.k.a. the mad woman in the attic), this is the book for you. 23. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green This isn’t my favorite of his books, but it was still good. And, it also made me laugh out loud several times. I even enjoyed that parts that talked about math, which was good, since that happened a lot. 24. The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book and the flatness of some of the characters. That being said, Mathieu does a fantastic job of tackling high school bullying and the effects it can have on everyone involved. 25. Crewel by Gennifer Albin I had to take a break from dystopian novels before I could read this one, and I’m glad I did. Albin puts a new spin on YA dystopia, setting the book in a world that’s not quite Earth where selected females are forced to weave the world in and out of existence. However, the book contains a rather predictable love triangle, and I’m sick of those, which is why this is in the position it’s in. Honorable Mentions: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
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This post was originally published on my old blog, which no longer exists.
The opinions expressed in this list are mine and mine alone. I’m sure that many of you will disagree. I respect that. But I’m the one making this particular list, which means that I can rank the following novels in whatever order I please. Thank you for understanding. Feel free to express any disagreement or make any recommendations in the comments. Dystopia is the new vampire novel. Post-apocalyptic literature is dominating the shelves of bookstores, libraries, and the bookshelves of teens (and adults) everywhere. And I couldn’t be happier. All of the dystopian novels I’ve read so far have easily surpassed the aforementioned vampire novels (you know who you are) in terms of writing style, character development, and plot. These books are reaching off the shelves, grabbing teens by the collars, and forcing themselves on the population as a whole. They’re succeeding where so many teachers and parents have failed: dystopian novels are being visually devoured by reluctant readers. In fact, the most successful unit I’ve ever taught involved literature circles over dystopian novels. But how do these novels hold up against one another? Some believe that if you’ve read The Hunger Games, you’ve essentially read every other dystopian novel currently in print. In some ways, I can’t argue with this. However, the authors of these books have managed to weave unique themes and ideas into their novels, making each book stand out from its contemporaries. The following list is my ranking (from best to worst) of the dystopian novels (most of which are the first in a series) that I’ve read up to this point. 1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy 2. The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau (trilogy) 3. Pure by Julianna Baggott (trilogy) 4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (trilogy) 5. Unwind by Neal Shusterman (series) 6. Cinder by Marissa Meyer (series) 7. The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld (trilogy) 8. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 9. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (trilogy) 10. The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (series) 11. Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix (series) 12. The Giver by Lois Lowry (series) 13. Enclave by Ann Aguirre (trilogy) 14. Feed by M.T. Anderson 15. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (series) 16. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (series) 17. The Maze Runner by James Dashner (series) 18. 1984 by George Orwell 19. Divergent by Veronica Roth (series) 20. Matched by Ally Condie (trilogy) |
Jacinta M. CarterProfessional Book Nerd Archives
December 2018
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