Best of 2015

With the year coming to an end in less than a week, I figured now was a great time to share some of my favourite books of 2015. Let me just say that, as always, narrowing down this list was HARD. To give you an idea, I've read 179 books so far this year and so many of those were books that I absolutely loved. Somehow, I managed to get that list down to 20 (well, 23 technically). Much like last year, A LOT of contemporary (of any "age category") this year, so much so that I've barely read from other genres. Like there's only one book on this list that isn't contemporary. Or two, depending on how you qualify one of them. And I guess, maybe a third when you go down to the Honourable Mentions. The point is, that's actually pretty representative of my reading for 2015. But I digress. So, in no particular order, here are my favourites from this year.

Emilie's Favourite Books of 2015

Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider - Robyn Schneider quickly became a favourite author after I read her debut a couple of years ago, and Extraordinary Means only solidified the fact that I will read anything she writes. This story was beautiful and heartbreaking and had me in tears by the end. But it was so completely worth it.

Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot - If I had to just pick one author as an absolute favourite, Meg Cabot would definitely top that list. I have been reading her books, the Princess Diaries series in particular, for half of my life. Royal Wedding was absolute perfection and so much more than I hoped for. I couldn't have asked for a better ending for Mia and Michael (even if I still totally want more books about them).

Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally - Miranda Kenneally is a favourite and I have yet to read one of her books and not love it. It was exactly the same with Jesse's Girl. I loved all the nods to eighty's music and the glimpses of characters from other books. And Maya and Jesse were pretty great, too, I guess.

The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick - I had been wanting to read Tim's story from the moment that I finished My Life Next Door. So The Boy Most Likely To was pretty much my dream book. And I didn't want it to ever end. This book exceeded any expectations I may have had and succeeded in making me love Tim even more than I thought I could.

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry - Katie McGarry is another favourite and I have yet to not love any of her books. I was curious about what this new series would be like and Nowhere But Here ended up becoming one of my favourite books by this author. 

Come Back to Me by Mila Gray - A recent read, Come Back to Me took me completely by surprise. I hadn't heard much about it until I read it and I found myself absolutely loving it. This story left me so many conflicting emotions but it just worked. And I loved it. 

Play On by Michelle Smith - Another book that took me completely by surprise. I didn't know much about Play On before reading it and I didn't expect the story to affect me as much as it did. This was a book that I read in the span of an afternoon and that left me in a puddle of my own tears. 

99 Days by Katie Cotugno - 99 Days was a very polarizing book. People either loved it or hated it. And I found myself solidly on the side of people who loved it. I had loved Katie Cotugno's debut and I loved this one just as much. Not always an easy story to read, but one I loved just the same.

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord - So I'm cheating because I totally included this as an "Honourable Mention" last year, but I reread it this year so it totally counts (also, this is my list and I can do what I want). I loved absolutely everything about The Start of Me and You and I can't help but want someone like Max in my life.

Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler - I actually read both books in this duology this year and Under the Lights easily became a favourite. I loved this story so much, both for the romance and for the friendships. I would have been happy to just keep on reading about Vanessa and Josh and Brianna forever. 

Loving Dallas by Caisey Quinn - I actually loved all three books in Caisey Quinn's trilogy, but I think that Loving Dallas was my favourite one out of all of them. There was just something about Dallas and Robyn's story and their second chance at romance.

Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy - On their own, Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy both became favourite authors for me. So it was impossible for me not to love a book written by both of them. And Him was just absolute perfection. This m/m romance is quite possibly the sweetest romance I've read all year, and one of the sweetest I've ever read, period.

November 9 by Colleen Hoover - Colleen Hoover is one of my go-to when it comes to romance. And I thought I knew which of her books was my favourite. But then November 9 came along and replaced it. I didn't expect this story to hit me the way it did and I loved it, regardless of what it did to my heart.

Trust the Focus by Megan Erickson - I'm pretty sure that Trust the Focus is one of the first m/m romance that I read. And because of that it will always be a favourite. But also because it's just a beautiful story about love and friendship. And it's in fierce competition with Him for my favourite romance of the year.

Truth & Temptation by Riley Edgewood - I love Riley Edgewood and her books. This could have just as easily been Surf & Surrender, but something about Teagan's story in Truth & Temptation did it for me. I had high expectations about this story and it more than surpassed them.

The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan - Like a number of other books on this list, this is one that took me completely by surprise. I so did not expect to love The Royal We as much as I did and once I read it, I just couldn't shut up about it. And I'm still waiting for the book all about Freddie.

Firewalker by Josephine Angelini - It's no secret that I absolutely love Josephine Angelini and her books. I loved Firewalker and what it did for the story that started in Trial by Fire. And I'm both scared and excited to see how it's al going to come together in the final book.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen - If I had to put my all time favourite authors in a list, Sarah Dessen would be at the top with Meg Cabot. Saint Anything was different and darker than her other books but I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli - People wouldn't shut up about Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda for a very good reason. This is quite possibly one of the most adorable stories I have ever read and just thinking about it puts a goofy smile on my face and fills my heart with all the feelings.

All Played Out by Cora Carmack - I love Cora Carmack and her books, especially her Rusk University series. Of the three that are out so far, All Played Out is absolutely my favourite. I loved Torres and Nell and would happily keep reading books about them if Cora writes them.

Honourable Mentions

(Because they didn't come out in 2015 or aren't out yet)

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - If I'm not mistaken, Jellicoe Road was the first book I read in 2015 after having been told repeatedly by my friend Ciara that I needed to read it. And she was right, I totally needed to read this book. Even though I didn't know what to do with my feelings when I finished reading, I still absolutely loved this story.

Remembrance by Meg Cabot - I was lucky enough to be able to read Remembrance, the upcoming seventh book in the Mediator series, early and it was perfection. I am loving that Meg Cabot is revisiting some of her older series and writing new stories set in the those worlds. As long as she keeps writing them, I will keep reading them.

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn - Firsts is definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but it's an important book. It might not have always been the easiest story to read, but it's one that I totally loved.

Have you read any books on this list? Were any your favourites?