Maryse’s 2015 Top Ten Favorite Books List

Happy New Years Eve everyone!!! I can’t believe a new year is already here, and I’ve still got my enormous TBR list to conquer (YAY for conquering books – that’s my favorite, ’cause it’s so fun!!) 😀 AND! I have a NEW TBR that I’m building from 2016’s pre-orders. OMG there are SO many I’m highly anticipating that I can’t help but think 2016 is going to be a HUGE, book-wise! I’ll post it, soon. 😉

But 2015 was DARN good, too! In fact… I experimented this year, you guys!!! While I normally stick within the contemporary romance genre (with my past focus especially on new adult angst and my beloved bad boys), I dove into all sorts of new-to-mes, and even jumped back into my old-school love of paranormal, horror AND an autobiography or two!

I’d say for me, this year, for me, was the year of psych-thrillers, and I WANT MORE!!! Here are my 5-star favorites (from all my reads this year – and TWO authors appear twice on this list!!! 😀 ):

To start us off, I have pretty much TWO equal favorites this year, and they are both on opposite ends of the spectrum, mood wise. I found them equally enjoyable, clever, well-written and unputdownable (one was dark and morose, but so moving and enlightening and hopeful) and the other was my version of a perfect love story with just enough “funny” to make it fun, too (and not just romance)…

Badger by C. M. McKenna – But if I have to choose my ultimate favorite of this year’s favorites, I’d say it’s this one, simply due to the brilliant writing, the slow burn/unrequited love issues… and the ending. But especially the message I was left with… my realization of “love” (and being loved) in this one was an eye-opener for many. You’ll see what I mean. My Book Review – Badger by C. M. McKenna

From my review:

“Brilliantly written, unique and uncomfortably profound and so real in every single personal moment. Every single thought, action, reaction… honest. Often painful and yet laden in love. Just a different kind of love, I suppose. Harsh and at times emotionally distressing, but hopeful.“

Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre – And this would be the other one in my #1 spot of the year, simply due to the fact that had had me laughing, and cheering all the way through. Their clever antics and hijinks, her internal dialog (hilarious!!!) but it’s not a romance comedy. At least not to me. The “funny” and the witty banter came naturally, and I truly believed these characters exist, and they are just that fun, ya know? And best of all, this was pure contemporary romance, with just a touch of angst, “fantasy-style” ’cause she gets to fall in love with a famous actor! I just loved it, all around! My Book Review – Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre

From my review:

“If you’re looking for just a bit of everything, not too much of anything, wholeheartedly believable (but still total escapism) all tied up in undeniable pro-writing and story telling, this is it!!! I giggled, I chuckled, I cackled, I grumbled and I swooned!“

Jezebel by K. Larsen – Psych-thriller/love story extraordinaire! Another beautifully written tale of love, told from past to present that warmed the cockles of my heart… only to sucker-punch me with a twist I KNEW was coming, and that I thought I had guessed correctly… and I had. But there was more. SO. MUCH. MORE!!! *gasp* NO. WAY!!! That was my reaction, and this is a MUST READ! Here is my Book Review – Jezebel by K. Larsen

From my review:

“Is this a tragic tear jerker? Is this a psych thriller? *gasp* Will I cry? OMG. My friends. IT IS ALL OF THE ABOVE!!!! My perfect read! And I’m going to tell y’all now, if you haven’t read it, YOU MUST!!!!! If you like a thrill, if you love a deep, profound story of life (the good and the bad, the fair and the unfair), love and heartache and maybe love again, here it is!!!“

Tight by Alessandra Torre – Another psych-thriller that kept me guessing, and I just couldn’t stopguessing. LOL! And I was wrong. I LOVE when I’m wrong. Another HUGE hit from Alessandra Torre (she’s one of my ABSOLUTE FOREVER FAVORITES), that I found clever, and intriguing, and a touch scary. Plus it’s a love story, so even though I thrill over psych-thrillers, I especially thrill if there’s love involved, too! Here’s my Book Review – Tight by Alessandra Torre

From my review:

“THIS BOOK!!!!!!! READ IT!! READ IT!! READ IT!!!! Psychological thriller/dark/erotica/romance/standalone-with-no-cliffhanger-but-an-incredibly-gasp-worthy-ending extraordinaire! I’d almost say this is my favorite one yet, in all of the books that I’ve read by this author, and it’s because of the profound message BEHIND the story. The depth of their strength, their will, their motivations. The reason behind it all… MOVED me.“

Marrow by Tarryn Fisher – Another psych-thriller that, even though I gave 4.5 stars to, this one is still HUGE in my mind. I remember every single crazy scene, and that INCREDIBLE ending and I want more. I realize sometimes, when it comes to books, even if I give it 4.5 stars (or even some 4 stars – from back when I first fell in love with indie books)… if I can remember it clearly, and I can think “ooooh yeah and that part, and OMG it made me feel *this* way!!!!” months or even years after I read it, it kind of just becomes a 5-star to me, at that point. So this is one of those! Creepy, and dark, and intelligent, and twisty, and totally *gasp-worthy* and a bit…. vigilante, but a bit psycho too. 😉 It’s signature Tarryn Fisher perfection, and I can’t wait for more!! Here’s my Book Review – Marrow by Tarryn Fisher

From my review:

“Clever lady, that Tarryn Fisher. Weaving us in and out of a nightmare. A few nightmares in fact. Tripping us right into a few surprises that totally threw me for a loop. Suddenly I was sure everything I had been thinking or knowing, up to that point, was WRONG. WRONG WRONG WRONG because, come on…  *that* reveal? And the circumstances where the reveal was… revealed? GAH!!!!“

The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar – Dark psych-thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish!!! Starting off with the heroine being kidnapped, and tortured somewhat (although not as dark as our other dark-reads but definitely terrifying nonetheless), telling such a complex and intriguing story of her childhood, and her adulthood, and just why she’s been kidnapped. What a surprise, and what a shocking delight! Here’s my Book Review – The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar

From my review:

“This author can throw in some turmoil like no other, yet as bad as it gets, it’s never overwhelming to the reader. I think it’s her magical prose that keeps the reader grounded and secure, even when all hell is turning loose.“

Book Review – The Deal by Elle Kennedy – AWESOME bad boy, “old-school” delightful, new adult romance angst at it’s finest. And I go “light” on the angst, ’cause while it’s in here, it’s not infuriating (even if I love infuriating). 😉 In this one, it wasn’t necessary ’cause there was enough substance and crushing, and friendship, and slow burn all around! Enough “story”, to keep us hooked! Plus it’s funny as heck and had me giggling like crazy. A few belly-laughs, too!! 😀 Here’s my Book Review – The Deal by Elle Kennedy

From my review:

“I was only 75% into the book when I publicly declared it a 5-star read. The author could have ended it, MID-SENTENCE, mid-angsty-fight moment, with “the end” and I still would have been 5-star wooooo-hooing it. YES. I loved it THAT much. Okay sure, had that been the case, I would have amended my review with a note warning y’all about the abrupt ending… TEE HEE! BUT I just knew, it didn’t matter how she ended it at that point, I was in LOVE with this read.“

Every Wrong Reason by Rachel Higginson – This one has me crying through the whole darn thing… so it deserves a 5-star and a spot in my 2015 favorites ’cause OMG. Seriously? Anything that could have me connecting and emotionally reacting like this, is one that I will never forget. And I know not everyone felt the same way I did (fellow readers saw my ugly cry pics and we’re sure it was going to tear them apart and were surprised when they didn’t actually experience this book on that level). I get it. And yet others did. I guess it just depends. 😉 Either way, I’m certain SO MANY can relate to this love story (or possible end-of-love story), in different ways. Sure she was infuriating… I was at my wits end, but overall? It had me! Here’s my Book Review – Every Wrong Reason by Rachel Higginson

From my review:

“HOLY. MOLY. It took me FOREVER to read this… but not because I didn’t love it. But because I could barely read through the darn tears. I cried… and I cried. And I sobbed. And I sniffled… and pouted… and giggled, and “virtually snuggled her dog” and sobbed and laughed, and cried and cried and cried and cried. I. AM. EXHAUSTED.

And I started crying practically from the start, and didn’t stop to about ohh… I dunno… 85… 90%? *snort* You guys. Don’t let that scare you. I cried, because I KNOW…. I KNOW EVERY SINGLE PERSON can relate to this book in some way or another.“

The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson – Another one from this same author!! This one too, is a highly emotional, heartrending story about the end of a relationship that seemed… perfect. That seemed as if it would last forever. But this time, it wasn’t human error, as it was natural causes. The death of her wonderful, loving husband. And the young widow that has to survive without him, and raise her very young children through incredible heartache. And that sweet next door neighbor that sort of comes to her rescue… *sigh* Perfection! Here’s my Book Review – The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson

From my review:

“I loved this book to death! I cried and cried and smiled right through the tears at times. It’s not a book full of twists and surprises… you pretty much already know where you’re going right from the start, and have a good idea where you’ll end up. But, it’s the gorgeous journey getting there, with friends, family, past and present, and the beauty of love that comes in ALL forms. Pure unadulterated warmth. I felt comfortably hugged the entire way through.“

The Ground Rules by Roya Carmen – Remisncent of our old-school “indie-romance” angst-laden love triangles (yet in this case, it’s a square! Four of ’em!!) this one is fun AND shocking!! LOL! The wealthy couple and the “regular” couple, all gorgeous, all “happily” married but with a special arrangement. Once strangers, now swapping… but in privacy. With approval from the “other”. Yikes!! ‘Cause come on!!! You KNOW jealousy is gonna factor in, you KNOW feelings are going to develop and you just KNOW all hell is gonna break loose. And it does. 😉 Here’s my Book Review – The Ground Rules by Roya Carmen

From my review:

“I found myself delightfully overwhelmed, and it didn’t stop until the end! Pulling every emotion out of me from trepidation to titillation, from infuriation to elation. And then I cried. Good cry or bad cry? I’m not telling. But I couldn’t help but shed tears as my heart was so immensely affected. And being that this book was entirely from HER POV, that just made it even more affecting. Because every action or thought from the other parties was something that I could only experience from her eyes… making me second guess everything along with her. Yep. I love me some romantical-angst. Tee hee. I said romantical. “

So that is my top 10, and it was a bit of a struggle choosing for this specific list. ‘Cause trust me… I have read some DARN awesome 5 star (<— see them all, here!!) and 4.5 star (<— see them all, here!!) reads this year that truly belong on this list of what I consider the best of the best!

But I wanted to streamline it, and really highlight some of my favorite standouts. These are the ones that really stuck with me all year. The ones that I remember specific, unforgettable scenes, or my own intense feelings and reactions, or simply… the whole darn book!

Okay… darn it I can’t help myself! *snort* 😛 I can’t NOT highlight these, too. They were just too awesome, so here’s 5 more. 😉

These are truly NOT TO BE MISSED MUST-READS (honorable mentions):

• Rush by Emma Scott <— my review! (Emotional and beautiful!!!)
• Wild Reckless by Ginger Scott <— my review! (old school indie feel perfection, PLUS he’s a bully)
• The Man I Love by Suanne Laqueur and Give Me Your Answer True by Suanne Laqueur <— my reviews! Risqué real-lifelike angst & heartache!!
• Written In Red by Anne Bishop <— my review! Urban fantasy awesomeness, that was endearingly funny!
• Confess by Colleen Hoover <— my review! Pure Colleen Hoover awesomeness.

And even still… I want to add more. 😉