Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Books I've Read so Far in 2015

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic from The Broke and the Bookish is my Top Ten books so far this year.  While this has been a pretty good reading year I'm not sure if there have been too many standouts.  At least not at first thought anyway. Once I started thinking about it though it ended up being a pretty easy topic.  I've found some really great books this year.

1.  Recipes For a Beautiful Life: A Memoir in Stories by Rebecca Barry - I had been in a restless reading mood and this book was the only one that made me really settle.  There was just something about the warm chatty feel of this one that I just loved.

2.   The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower - If there was an award for book I talked the most about this would win it.  I found pretty much every detail of this book fascinating and I liked that for the most part it managed to stay unpolitical and really focused on the personal lives of the staff, the President and the First Family.

3.  Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals that Brought Me Home by Jessica Fechtor - This would definitely be a finalist in the Book I Talked About the Most award category.  While it didn't dwell on food as much as I was expecting for the bulk of the book the information about her brain and all the treatment was absolutely fascinating and Fechtor and her family and friends were incredibly likable.

4.  Behind Every Great Man: Women in the Shadows of History's Alpha Males by Marlene Wagman-Geller - This was such a great book because it covered such a wide range of people.  Getting a little more information about the women married to men whose names are household names was fascinating.  

5.  Death and the Redheaded Woman by Loretta Ross - I absolutely loved the feel of this mystery.  It was interesting, not overly cutesy, had a little bit of history mixed in and fantastic characters.  Not to mention the fact that I love the basic premise (auction house and a bounty hunter).  I'm really looking forward to this series continuing.

6.  The Hexed by Heather Graham - When I settle in to a Heather Graham book I know I'm in for a good read.  More than anything her settings and story lines always grab me with just the right mix of modern day crime, history and paranormal.  So far this is my favorite of the Krewe series.  If you haven't read read any of hers feel free to jump in at the one that interests you the most.  While they're loosely linked they all read as stand alones.

7.  If the Viscount Falls by Sabrina Jeffries - I'm always a little nervous when I read the last book in a series that I really enjoyed.  What if they don't do a good job?  What if I don't like how they ended up?  With Sabrina Jeffiries I shouldn't have worried.  She never lets me down.

8.  Twisted Threads by Lea Wait - This was one of my favorite new cozy series I read this year so far.  This is another one that the potential for future stories is so exciting!  Plus, the MC is a PI which always makes me happy.

9.  Langston's Daughters by Juliette Harper - I love a good family saga and this was a particularly great one.  I loved the three sisters and how they rebuild their relationships and the way different romantic relationships are handled.  There's another one coming out I think this fall and I can't wait to see where the story goes.

10. Fat Girl Walking: Sex, Food, Love, and Being Comfortable in Your Skin...Every Inch of It by Brittany Gibbons - I've followed Brittany's blog for years but I'm never quite sure what to expect when a blog turns into a book.  This was interesting and funny with a fantastic message about accepting yourself for who you are.

So it turns out there have been some standouts so far!  What book have you absolutely loved so far this year?

34 comments:

  1. I haven't read any of these yet, but Recipes for a Beautiful Life and The Residence are both on my wish list!

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    1. I think you would enjoy both JoAnn. They're very different but great in their own way!

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  2. I haven't read any of these! But one of my favorites so far this year, was one recommended by you! I bet you can guess which one it is. :)

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    1. I think I may have a guess :)! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I love that series!!

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  3. I like how a lot of people are saying this has been a great reading year so far. I whole heartily agree. Like so any 4* or higher ratings for me. I'm liking it!
    It's great that you have some non-fic mixed in with your mysteries. Yay for being well rounded in your reading! :D
    Happy reading!
    Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life

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    1. Thanks! I'm always surprised by how many nonfiction books end up on my favorites list every year. When I like a nonfiction I seem to usually really love it.

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  4. What a great mix, Katherine! I like how you have non-fiction and cozies and mysteries all together. Interesting to see a few memoirs on your list-- I also like to read memoirs, preferably of average folks who go through adversity and come out the other side better for it, but don't see too many of my blogger friends with similar taste. I'm jotting every single one of your titles down to check into further.

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    1. I've been in a memoir mood lately and for the most part I like books by regular people as well. Somehow I just have a harder time being interested in or connecting to someone who is famous. I hope you find some that interest you!

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  5. I'm intrigued by your number four. Sounds like it would be a fascinating read!

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    1. I really loved that one! Definitely recommend it!

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  6. I haven't read any of these, but you make them all sound so interesting. I'm going to have to hunt some of them down!

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    1. I hope you find some you enjoy! I really loved all of these.

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  7. Death and the Redheaded Woman and Twisted Threads both missed my list by only a whisker - I almost went ahead and made it a top 15 list, just so I could squeeze them in! I think I have The Hexed on my Kindle, along with a few other Krewe books. Since I haven't read any of them, perhaps I'll take your advice and jump in with that one. :-)

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    1. The Krewe books really all work well on their own. They're only very loosely connected. Graham isn't the most perfect writer but I love her storylines and settings.

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  8. I haven't read any of these, but Death and the Redheaded Woman does sound interesting...maybe because I have red hair. :)

    Check out my TTT.

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    1. I love redheaded characters too! I'm more reddish than red but close enough!

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  9. Wow. What a different list than most of the other lists I've looked at this TTT. Many of the books look really interesting and I'd like to take a closer look.

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    1. Thanks! I try to mix up my genres a bit so that always makes for a weird mix!

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  10. Great picks. I have been meaning to pick up a Juliette Harper book.

    Megan @ http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. This is the only Harper series I've read but I loved it!!

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  11. Hexed was a good one! I have Brittany Gibbons book in my audio book queue, thanks to you. I am looking forward to listening to it. Great list, Katherine!

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    1. Hexed was so good! I have 3 more Krewe books on my Kindle and no idea why I haven't read them yet. I hope you like Brittany Gibbons. Her perspective is so interesting.

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  12. Behind Every Great Man sounds like an interesting book, I might check it out. Great list!

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    1. I loved Behind Every Great Man! Every chapter was more interesting!

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  13. I used to love Heather Graham's books. It's been a long time since I read one and this post makes me want to read them again.

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    1. She's one of those authors that every time I read one of her books I always wonder I haven't read more!

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  14. Stir and Recipes both sound fascinating. Off to add both to my wish list. Thank you!

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    1. I loved both of those! They are about very different things but both revolve so much around friends and family.

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  15. I haven't read any of these, but STIR and the White House book both sound fascinating. I love family sagas, so LANGSTON'S DAUGHTERS is one I'll definitely be checking out.

    Thanks for stopping by my TTT!

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  16. I haven't really heard of any of these - which is great! Many new books to research :) Behind Every Great Man looks fantastic! As does Death and the Redheaded Woman. Will definitely be looking into those :)

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  17. Off to read your post on Recipes for a Beautiful Life--sounds like one I can really relate to!

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  18. I haven't read any of these books but I think The Hexed would be something I'd enjoy. Recipes are always fun to try too.

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  19. Nice mix of books, Katherine! I really need to start the Krewe series...

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  20. I think I have Stir on my Kindle. Langston's Daughters sounds like something my sister would enjoy. I will covince her to buy the ebook, and then I will have her lend it to me. Ha! My top book so far this year has been A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. It is an Adult Fantasy.

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