Top 10 Books of 2015!!

 

This is probably one of my favorite posts to do every year. I love sharing the Top 10 books that I read during the year with all of you. Note that they aren't books published this year but books that I read this year. I'll share the cover, GoodReads link and link to my review. So let's get right into it!! 

  

1. With Visions of Red: Broken Bonds, Book Three by Trisha Wolfe

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26116841-with-visions-of-red  

My Review: http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com/2015/10/book-review-with-visions-of-red-broken.html  

 

2. With Visions of Red: Broken Bonds, Book Two by Trisha Wolfe

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25920300-with-visions-of-red 

My Review: http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com/2015/07/book-review-with-visions-of-red-book.html  

 

3. With Visions of Red: Broken Bonds, Book One by Trisha Wolfe

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25482007-with-visions-of-red  

My Review: http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-with-visions-of-red-broken.html  

 

4. The Touched (The Descendants, Book One) by Jennifer Weiser

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25964260-the-touched 

My Review (as part of a blog tour post): http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com/2015/10/blog-tour-touched-by-jennifer-weiser.html  

 

5. Perfectly Imperfect by Harper Sloan

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27512229-perfectly-imperfect   

My Review: http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-review-perfectly-imperfect-by.html 

 

6. Seven Day Fiancé (Love and Games #2) by Rachel Harris 

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17926005-seven-day-fianc  

My Review: http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-seven-day-fiance-love-and.html 

 

7. The Squickerwonkers by Evangeline Lilly 

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22181566-the-squickerwonkers  

My Review: http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com/2015/02/book-review-squickerwonkers-by.html  

 

8. Air Awakens (Air Awakens #1) by Elise Kova 

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23127048-air-awakens  

My Review: http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com/2015/11/book-review-air-awakens-air-awakens-1.html  

 

9. Very Good Lives by J. K. Rowling 

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23731881-very-good-lives 

My Review: http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com/2015/10/book-review-very-good-lives-by-j-k.html  

 

10. Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman 

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16240792-make-good-art  

My Review: http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com/2015/12/mini-review-fantastic-mistakes-neil.html  

Giveaway Ends in Less than 5 Hours!!

Hey guys!! Check out this giveaway. It ends in less than 5 hours. Some really great prizes to be won. A copy of Transcendence (A Transcend Time Sage Bonus Packet) by Michelle Madow and a signed Earth's End (Air Awakens #3) bookmark. Yes, signed by the author, Elise Kova. This first prize is continental US only. I'm sorry, shipping is crazy. But there are two international prizes. Each for a chance to win a signed Earth's End bookmark. Michelle Madow is one of my favorite authors. I loved the entire Transcend Time Sage and I enjoyed the first book in the Air Awakens series. I'm reading the second book right now. So don't miss this giveaway!! 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review ~ My Secret Summer by Theresa Troutman

Title: My Secret Summer

Author: Theresa Troutman

Release Date: October 26th 2014 (first published October 25th 2013)

Page Amount: 85 pages, E-book

GoodReads Blurb:

Caitlin Conners is a loner; shy and artistic. Her only friend is her sister, Carly. When Carly dies in a car accident, Caitlin has never felt more alone. An overbearing mother makes her life impossible when she meets the boy next door, Dylan Rodgers. Dylan doesn’t fit in with the popular crowd either. He prefers skateboarding to football and is viewed by his fellow students as a pot head. 

Dylan helps Caitlin deal with her grief and awakens her sexuality. Somehow these two misfits strike up a friendship and fall in love, while trying to keep their relationship a secret from Caitlin’s parents. Caitlin resorts to various methods to sneak out of the house to be with Dylan. As the stakes increase, emotions run high and passion ignites. The thrill of ‘getting away with it’ is so addictive and makes Caitlin feel invincible. How long can she get away with the lies before she is found out? 

**Contain mature sexual situations**

Review:

I was looking for a quick read but one with substance to it, as well. A book does not have to be long to have substance. The book starts off right in the action (or en medias res, as I learned in English class.) 

The book had a good storyline and showed the different ways that people go about grieving. I liked all of the characters. Although Caitlin did get on my nerves sometimes. But when I think about it it makes sense. I liked the relationship between her and Dylan. I think it may have gone too fast. But I liked Dylan a lot. While the story was good and I liked the characters I felt that the story could have delved more deeply into everything that was going on. There were also several typos and I think that the ending was very abrupt. However, to be fair. Theresa released the one year anniversary extended edition but I'm not sure if that's the edition that I got. It was the only edition available through the Nook, though. So I'll check into that. Overall, I liked the story and I would check out other books by Theresa. 3.5 quills. 

 

Book Review ~ Perfectly Imperfect by Harper Sloan

 

Title: Perfectly Imperfect

Author: Harper Sloan

Release Date: November 17th 2015

Page Amount: 311 pages, Nook Book

GoodReads Blurb:

**Standalone novel**

Mirror, mirror ... who's the fairest of them all?

I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn't grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all 'mean girls.'

And those mean girls were right - it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world - and I knew the answer would never be me.

The women with long legs, flat stomachs, and perfect chests.

The type of women Kane Masters gravitated toward.

Well, that's definitely not Willow Tate.

No. That will never be me.

Because I'm completely imperfect.

And ... I hate myself.

I have no idea what Kane could possibly see in someone like me when he could have them.

Review: 

I started reading this book very soon after it was released into the world. I stumbled upon Harper Sloan's Facebook page and saw her posting about this book. Honestly, the first thing that drew me in was the cover. It's stunning. Then I saw the little blurb on the cover and knew that I had to see just what this book was about. Once I read the synopsis, that was it, I had to get it. I actually didn't intend to read it right away but I opened up the book on my Nook just to check it out and I couldn't stop reading it. I just kept "turning" the pages. 

The writing absolutely drew me in. As did the character of Willow. I loved Willow. Even though at times she could seem frustrating because of her insistence that she was not beautiful and not worthy of love or anything else for that matter. But this is something that people experience every day. It isn't something that just happens between the pages of books or in a movie or song or television show. This book dealt with real issues. There was a romance in it, yes, and there were definitely several steamy scenes. But I felt that the book did a wonderful job dealing with these very real life issues. This is one of those books that I feel could really help people. An example of why I love the written words so much. It really does have more power than people tend to give it credit for. 

I also loved Kane. He was great character. I loved seeing Willow through his eyes. I also just have to say that I love that he read romance novels. He was a very strong character from the beginning and his strength helped Willow to build up her own strength throughout the book. That isn't to say that he was without his vulnerabilities. Which is a other thing that I liked about him. 

There was another situation that came up in this book that also shows how this book dealt with very heavy issues. It is a feel good romance but it doesn't shy away from these issues. This situation was not at all what I was expecting, that's all that I can say without giving anything away. 

I honestly just absolutely adored this book. I'm having a hard time coming up with more to say because my review would just be a bunch of exclamation points. That's how much I love it. Not only did I order the paperback of this book but I ordered the signed paperback of it. It came a couple of days ago and I was so excited. It's even more gorgeous in person. And signed by Harper Sloan. This book will stay on my bookshelf forever. I don't reread books very often, but this is one that I definitely would. I loved it so much that I would sit down and reread it again right now. I would absolutely recommend this book. It was wonderful. 5 quills!! 

 

Book Review ~ The Madness Vase by Andrea Gibson

 

Title: The Madness Vase

Author: Andrea Gibson

Release Date: July 1st 2011

Published By: Write Bloody Publishing

Page Amount: 120 pages, Paperback 

GoodReads Blurb:

In 2010 Andrea Gibson's poetry was read by a state representative in lieu of morning prayer at the Utah State Legislature. In THE MADNESS VASE, her second book of poems, Gibson seizes us by the collar, hauls us inside some of her darkest moments, then releases us out the other side. The pieces in this collection delve intimately into the topics of family, war, sex, class, gender, and spirituality. They are a rally cry for action and a welcome mat at the door of heart's most compassionate room. 

Review: 
I saw this collection of poetry in a BookTuber's review. I think she's now known as JournalTree on YouTube. I was intrigued so I ordered myself a copy (along with a book on writing poetry that I think I'll read in 2016.) I really enjoyed this collection of poetry. It dealt with some very important issues like LGBTQ and gender identity. Andrea Gibson faced them head on, along with things like war, sex, spirituality. She isn't afraid to face these things and write about them with honesty. Unafraid of what society may think of what she's written. 

My favorites in this collection were:
- Andrew

- I Sing the Body Electric, Especially When My Power's Out

- Marriage 

- The Jewelry Store 

____________________________________________________________________

Her poetry was very abstract but also somehow concrete at the same time in her message. The imagery was terrific, as well. I enjoyed this collection of poetry and would definitely look for Andrea Gibson's other works. 4 quills. 

 

Book Review ~ A Letter to My Friend by Rebekah Palmer

 

Title: A Letter to My Friend

Author: Rebekah Palmer

Release Date: August 16th 2013 (first published July 1st 2013)

Published By: Launch! 

Page Amount: 70 pages, Paperback

GoodReads Blurb:

A book for teenagers written by a teenager. If you are a young person not quite on your own, in college or a young adult, this book was written with you in mind. The truths expressed inside will help you on your journey to becoming an adult who makes Holy Spirit-led decisions and takes on responsibility for those around you. 

Review:

Rebekah Palmer is a friend of mine. We met through Facebook through a community of people who have Cystinosis. Rebekah and I both have this rare disorder. She likes to write as well so we get along pretty well. I bought her book two years ago when it first came out but didn't read it until this month. 

Now, I'm actually not a particularly religious person and this book is obviously mostly aimed at religious Christians. I may not be religious but I do consider myself spiritual. I think that there were some good musings in this book. While they were targeted to a more religious audience I do believe that you don't have to be religious to get use out of the messages. That being said, there were some things that I didn't necessarily agree with. But the odds of always agreeing with everyone on everything are slim. One thing that I didn't like - it had nothing to do with the messages expressed - was in the about pages. Now, Rebekah has an amazing and inspirational story. That isn't at all what I took issue with. In the about pages Cystinosis is described as a kidney disorder. I think that Rebekah may have done this to simplify things for people to understand but Cystinosis itself is not a kidney disorder. Nephropathic Cystinosis causes a kidney disorder, it is not a kidney disorder itself. (I don't claim to know anything about the other two types of Cystinosis.) 

Even though there were some things that I didn't particularly agree with, the book was good. It was very well written. There were also some poems at the back of the book. Again, some of them were more religious than I am but the poems themselves were good. I enjoyed them. Rebekah is a good writer. And I am very sure that there is an audience out there for this book that would enjoy it even more because they relate more to the religious aspect. I would give this book 3.75 quills. Merry Belated Christmas, Rebekah!! 

 

Book Review ~ Emotion Amplifiers by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

 

Title: Emotion Amplifiers 

Author: Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

Release Date: December 4th 2014

Published By: JADD Publishing 

Page Amount: 72 pages, Nook Book

GoodReads Blurb:

When writing fictional characters, it’s hugely important to convey their emotions effectively so readers will be drawn in and become invested in those characters. The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression was written to help writers convey the quality and depth of their characters’ feelings through their thoughts, body language, and visceral reactions. But there are also ways to amplify what a character is feeling, thereby heightening their emotional responses. 

In Emotion Amplifiers, a companion guide to The Emotion Thesaurus, we explore 15 common states that naturally galvanize emotion. States like exhaustion, boredom, illness, pain, and extreme hunger can push characters to the limit, compromising their decision-making abilities and decreasing the likelihood of them reaching their goals. Emotion Amplifiers is a great tool for any writer wishing to tighten the screws on their characters and amp up the tension in their stories.

Review:

Last year I read three books that were writing related and I've decided that I want to read at least one book related to writing or some aspect of it every year. I actually have a pretty big collection of these. Some from the Creative Writing classes that I took in college. I have all three other books by these authors. "The Emotion Thesaurus", "The Positive Trait Thesaurus" and "The Negative Trait Thesaurus". I've referenced them all while writing - but admittedly should reference them more - so when I saw this I knew that I wanted to get it. 

I did read the whole thing straight through even though it is meant as more of a reference book. I'm sure that I will be going back to this as a reference often. But from my read through of it, I think that this book is very well put together. Easy to use and informative. It will definitely help when writing characters and their emotions. If you're a writer then I would definitely recommend this book to you. It was well worth the buy and the read. I will absolutely be going back to it many times. 5 quills.