Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books of 2015

Today's Top Ten Tuesday Topic from the Broke and the Bookish is Best Books of 2015.  It was really hard to determine what was really on my best list because I really enjoyed the majority of the books I read.  So these are my 10 that I really enjoyed and that stayed with me long after I read them.

Nonfiction

Recipes for a Beautiful Life by Rebecca Barry - I was in a slump when I stumbled upon this incredibly honest, interesting story of a woman moving with her family to a little town in upstate New York to start a magazine and write a book.  It was like a breath of fresh air and it completely kicked me out of my slump.

The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower - This was one of those books that I pretty much read aloud because it was just so fascinating.  Seeing the inner workings of the White House was so interesting and this is one I still talk about.

A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War, and a Ruined House in France by Miranda Richmond Mouillot - The ending of this one still sticks with me.  It was truly heartbreaking yet at the same time gave Mouillot the answers and the closure she was looking for.

Behind Every Great Man: Women in the Shadows of History's Alpha Males by Marlene Wagner-Geller - This is another book that I read mostly aloud and I do find myself quoting.  It covered so many fascinating women that it seems to come up in coversation quite a bit whether we're talking about Stephen Hawking, Oskar Schindler, Karl Marx or any major figure in sports, politics, science, or art.

Mystery

Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers - This was my first real introduction to Sayers and I really enjoyed it.  Her wit is so delightful and I loved how nuanced Lord Peter Wimsey is.  I can't wait to read more!

Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern - When the first one in this series came out it didn't really grab me but the reviews were so positive that I just had to pick up the 2nd one and I'm so glad I did!  The characters, mystery and pacing were excellent and I think this would be a great cozy for those that either aren't fans of cozies or are new to the genre.

Twisted Threads by Lea Wait - This is the first book in the series and I really enjoyed this mystery.  I loved that the primary investigation was into the past and I really liked the main character.  I enjoyed the 2nd one and will be starting the third very soon.

Fiction

The Other Daughter by Lauren Willig - The blurb on this one grabbed me.  I can't resist secrets from the past showing up in the present.  Add in the fact that I had been wanting to try this author AND that it was set in the 20s and I couldn't resist and I'm so glad I didn't!  The wardrobe alone was worth reading the book for but throw in interesting and likable characters and and a fascinating setting and it was definitely a win!

The Liar by Nora Roberts - I've been reading Roberts for years and years and she's one of the few authors I've been known to buy new but the last few I've been kind of meh about.  So my expectations weren't super high when I picked up this newest stand alone from the library.  But I don't know if it was my mood or what but I was immediately sucked in and along for the ride.  I loved the characters, loved the story and couldn't wait to see how it all ended.

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen - At the beginning of the year I made a list of authors I really wanted to read before the year was out and Sarah Addison Allen was on it.  I was a little nervous because my only experience with magical realism I hadn't exactly loved but I loved the way Allen wove just hints of magic into the story.  I can't wait to read more!

So what were your favorite books this year?