June 4, 2015

Fifteen 2015 Reads Check-In

I shared 45 books last year in three Fifteen 2015 Reads posts. I realized I couldn't leave it at just those recommendations. I had to tell y'all what I thought of the books! I'm planning to do a final wrap-up at the end of the year, but I wanted to do a little check-in now since 2015 is almost halfway over. Both posts will only include the first 30 choices, solely because I chose the ones for the last post based on their covers.


READ AND LOVED/LIKED

All Fall Down by Ally Carter
I'm an Ally Ambassador so I got to review this one! Ally's latest series didn't disappoint.

Emeralds & Ashes by Leila Rasheed
Another one I got to review! (That's going to be a common theme for this post...) I love, love, love this YA Downton Abbey series and highly recommend it. I'm still sad this final installment is only available as an e-book. Its cover is stunning and deserves to be on a physical copy.

Ensnared by A.G. Howard
The only series with a love triangle I enjoy. As stated in my review, this final book in the Splintered trilogy was quite the adventure.

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
My review for this one is going up in just a few days, and I think it's quite possibly the best book I've read in 2015. It's been about a year and a half since Tamara's last book came out, and it was well worth the wait! 

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
Not quite as good as her prior contemporary romances. I shipped the ship, but wasn't feeling particularly swoony or excited about the rest of the book by the last page.

The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough
Historical fiction! Didn't always like the narration style, but it was a cool book. Plus, points for a rocking cover.

Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout
Fun, fun, fun and some nice much-needed diversity in the YA world. And say hello to my review.

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga
This was the first Fifteen 2015 Reads book that I got to read and it didn't disappoint. To make my rec even stronger, I got to meet Jasmine in March and she is so kind and adorable and smart. (My review is here.)

 The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
Holy whoa. That cliffhanger is definitely worth all the mention it gets.

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Not quite as good as To All the Boys I've Loved Before, but still quite wonderful. Lara Jean isn't perfect, but she's very realistic and that's why I enjoy her as a protagonist.

Rogue Wave by Jennifer Donnelly
I read the first book in the Waterfire Saga series last year. It was good, but wasn't amazing. Let me just say that Rogue Wave is one of the best sequels I've ever read. As implied in my review, this could be the best mermaid series out there.

We Can Work It Out by Elizabeth Eulberg
Liked, but didn't love. Enjoyed Penny trying to balance her friends and boyfriend, which was incredibly realistic. (Seriously, I know college students who can't do that.)

A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas
I know so many bloggers didn't like this one, but I really did. Rhiannon Thomas really played with the idea of what happens to Aurora after she wakes from the curse and doesn't know the guy who supposedly gave her true love's kiss.

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne
Important questions raised, a coming-of-age story, and I really liked Kate.

READ AND WAS NEUTRAL ABOUT

5 to 1 by Holly Bodger
Great diversity and unique idea, but that open ending and the chapters in verse kept me from loving this one. (My review.)

Kissing in America by Margo Rabb
Less road-trippy than I was expecting and wanting. As I said in my review, it felt like too much of a stereotypical YA novel at times.

The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things by Ann Aguirre
Liked it, but I doubt I'll reread it and I don't want it for my own library.

READ AND DIDN'T LIKE

The Cage by Megan Shepherd
The only DNF of my Fifteen 2015 Reads so far (thankfully, although I have DNFed other books).

Love, Lucas by Chantele Sedgwick
*sigh* See my review as to why I didn't like this one.

Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham
This turned out to be way more paranormal than I expected. I was all for the diversity and since I recently binge-watched Veronica Mars, I was looking forward to those comparisons, but this just wasn't good enough.

STILL WAITING FOR

Court of Fives by Kate Elliott
Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty
A Million Miles Away by Lara Avery (well, technically I've read this one but my review won't be up for another month, so I'm keeping my thoughts to myself)
NEED by Joelle Charbonneau
The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi
Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan (got pushed back to 2016)
The Trouble with Destiny by Lauren Morrill
Very in Pieces by Megan Frazer Blakemore
When I Wake by Elizabeth Norris
Winter by Marissa Meyer (800 glorious pages that I'm eagerly anticipating)

Have you read any of the books I made my Fifteen 2015 Reads? What did you think? Or will you add some of them to your TBR list now?

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