Top Ten Books of 2015


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My top ten books read in 2015. I looked back at my top ten of 2014 and see that I wrote that it was just an average year. I’m happy to report that this year was better. These weren’t necessarily published in 2015 (and probably weren’t since I mostly read from my own library of older books) and I’ve tried to avoid listing re-reads.

Cover of Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier

Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier–A retelling of Beauty & the Beast written by this author is pretty much a guaranteed 5-star read for me. This was my only 5-star book that wasn’t a re-read.

Cover of In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides

In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides–After a slow start, I couldn’t put this nonfiction book down. I had to know what happened to the crew of icebound Arctic explorers.

Cover of Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, read by Grayce Wey–I’ve seen bloggers rave about this book for years and now I’m adding my own voice. Kimberly is such a likable character and I wasn’t at all sure where her difficult life as an immigrant would lead her and her brilliant mind. The ending was unexpected but perfect.

Cover of The Supremes at Earl'sAll-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore

The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore read by Adenrele Ojo and Pamela D’Pella was a heart-warming tale of female friendships across decades. I laughed and cried along with these characters.

Frances and Bernard by Carlene Bauer, read by Angela Brazil and Stephen R. Thorne–I was surprised by how much I came to care about the titular characters in this epistolary novel.

All Over but the Shoutin’ by Rick Bragg–I have laughed and cried my way through Rick Bragg’s memoirs. He writes with such beauty about growing up dirt poor in a harsh South and the sacrifices his momma made for him and his brothers.

Cover of The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson, read by Steven Crossley, translated by Rod Bradbury–The adventures that Alan Karlsson has after climbing out that window are hilarious, as is his unbelievable life story.

Cover of Mississippi Jack by L. A. Meyer

Mississippi Jack by L.A. Meyer, read by Katherine Kellgren–The combination of Jacky Faber and Katherine Kellgren is an unbeatable one as far as I’m concerned. I have enjoyed the heck out of every book in this series. They’re outrageous tall tales that are indescribably fun.

Cover of I Am One of You Forever

I Am One of You Forever by Fred Chappell–A fictional story of a boy growing up fairly poor in the Blue Ridge Mountains but rich in the things that count.

Cover of The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty, read by Elizabeth McGovern–I enjoyed this tale of Cora, the  chaperone who, rather late in life, takes control of her own fate and happiness.

Honorable Mention:

Cover of Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett

Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett–I read this back in college so I didn’t want to include it in my official top ten, but it was so good I have to mention it somewhere. I loved this story of simple people in a simpler time in a beautiful part of the world. It was even more special this time since I read it while vacationing on the coast of Maine, the novella’s setting.

That’s it! What do you think? Agree? Disagree?


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3 Comments

  1. Great list! The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat made my list this year too! We read it in my evening book club and this month my afternoon group is reading it (because I am making them but they will love it! I hope). Girl in Translation is a favorite of mine. I read the companion novel (Kimberly is a minor character) but it wasn't as good.

    My book groups read The 100 Year Old Man also and we watched the movie earlier this fall. It is pretty funny and I think true to the book. If you liked this one you might also enjoy A Man Called Ove, another of my favorites from this year.

  2. I haven't read ANY of these, but now I'm seriously tempted by girl in translation.

    Have a safe and happy New Year's!

  3. I haven't read any of your top ten books. I'm tempted by the Juliet Marillier though. Seriously tempted 🙂

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