Nat's Top Ten of 2015

I can't believe it's that time of year again.  This is my 5th Top Ten list and, just like the first, second, third and fourth, it was difficult to decide.  As usual, I chose from all the books I read this year and not just books published in 2015.  While putting together this list, I decided to go through my previous lists.  It was fun to see what I had picked for favorites previously and it was entertaining to find that my love of romance has not abated one bit.  I am linking to previous lists just for the hell of it.  

2011  2012  2013  2014  

 And now, without further adieu, 2015

Cut & Run Series by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban

Much like Ty and Zane, this series and I had a rocky start to our relationship.  There is a significant amount of head hopping in the first book which is usually a deal breaker for me.  But Zane and Ty were so fascinating I kept on reading.  The issues I had with book 1 were worked out for book two and what you are left with is an amazing story of two  men as they try to forge a lasting relationship while dealing with dangerous jobs and unhealthy addictions.  Not only did I read one of the best love scenes I've ever read in a romance (Book 5 - Armed & Dangerous), I also added a new book boyfriend to my roster.  Let's just say that I will fight Ty to the death for his Zane.  And that's knowing that Ty will win.    If you are looking for lots of action, two alpha males, a little bit of angst and a really slow burn, I can't recommend this series enough.


Galgorithm by Aaron Karo

I didn't read a lot of YA this year but of the ones I did get to, this was, by far, my favorite.  Aaron Karo delivers a romcom with the quirky and awkward humor that I adore in romance.  And to top it off,  it included one of my favorite tropes - Friends to Lovers.  The only other thing I can say is, Amor y Cacahuetes.   Love and Peanuts.

Just Business by Anna Zabo

Every time someone asks me my favorite read of 2015, Just Business is the title I give them.   I read this in May and I STILL think about it.   Eli and Justin are wonderfully fun and complex characters and Anna Zabo's writing is stellar.   There is an office filing scene where there is zero nudity, touching or dirty talk and yet it was one of the hottest things I've ever read.  I'm not sure I'll be able to do office work ever again without blushing.

Lonely Hearts by Heidi Cullinan

This is a super hot new adult title that includes, per the warning on the book, sex in a Tesla and kinky anime role play.  But it's not all about the sex.  Not even close.  Heidi's endless understanding and empathy bring together two broken young men that work through their chronic health (mental and physical) issues  in ways that are not always healthy.  Between their friends, a pastor and his wife who have a whole lot of love to give, and their desire to live, Elijah and Baz have what they need to become healthier people.   There is no sugar coating in this book.  Their struggles are realistic and sometimes painful.  But never so painful you doubt they will get the happy ever after they both deserve.



Off Campus by Amy Jo Cousins

I read Five Dates (a freebie) on a whim.  That was my first taste of Amy Jo Cousins' writing and I think we all know that I am now a life long fan.  I read Off Campus in August and I have read it 3 more times since then.  This has obviously become a total comfort read for me.   Even with all his paranoia, Tom is insanely nice.  The things he does to make Reese feel safe made me melt.  And I'm not any less in love with Reese.  This kid is a survivor.  After experiencing a horrific and life damaging assault the year before, he still returned to campus.  He's a strong and scrappy guy that is determined to survive.



Delivered Fast by Annabeth Albert

Annabeth Albert is another new favorite author that I discovered this year.  This is the third book in the Portland Heat series.  I enjoyed the entire series but I really connected to this book.  Chris is surprised to find himself attracted to a guy that is 15 years younger than him .  And he almost fell over when said youngster hit on him and asked him out. What starts out as temporary and beneficial arrangment quickly becomes something more.  The problem?  Chris doesn't want to be the older guy that holds Lance back from pursuing his dreams.  Fortunately, Lance has his shit together and realizes he can pursue more than one dream at a time.  Now he just needs to convince Chris.



Burnt Toast B & B by Heidi Belleau and Rachel Haimowitz

So I picked this up on a whim when it was on a sale.  The humorous title was a total draw for me.  What I didn't expect was a beautiful and romantic story between a gay man afraid of getting close to anyone because he might lose them and a transgender man that has yet to find anyone that completely accepts him for who he is.  Belleau and Haimowitz's empathy and accuracy when it came to writing these two characters was nothing short of amazing.  I look forward to checking out more of their books in the future.





Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

I don't think Katie McGarry can write a bad book.  It just isn't in her.  And after meeting her a few months ago, I have a new appreciation for her dedication and attention to detail.  Spending a month with members of a motorcycle club gave her a level of insight that produced a book that is fascinating and romantic but not always attractive.  If you are looking for some angst with certain style of grit and honesty, definitely pick this one up.






Undressed by Shannon Richard

This is one of my favorites in the Country Roads series.  It's super sexy and lots of fun.  It hits the ground running with an unbelievably hot opening scene and it never loses its momentum.   Of course, there was just enough angst to make me happy and more than enough fun and hockey hotness to make non-angst lovers happy too.

No Parking at the End Times by Bryan Bliss

This is a story of a teen girl that is desparately grappling with the knowledge that her father's faith in a scheister televangelist and her mother's unhealthy desire to please her husband has led to them living in a van with no income and has put their family in a situation from which they might never recover.  She and her brother independently seek comfort and seek a way to escape the hopeless situation their parents have put them in.  Definitely not a happy book but it certainly is a book that I think a lot of people can relate to in one way or another.

No Parking at the End Times by Bryan Bliss

****

Abigail’s parents have made mistake after mistake, and now they've lost everything. She’s left to decide: Does she still believe in them? Or is it time to believe in herself? Fans of Sara Zarr, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell will connect with this moving debut.

Abigail doesn't know how her dad found Brother John. Maybe it was the billboards. Or the radio. What she does know is that he never should have made that first donation. Or the next, or the next. Her parents shouldn't have sold their house. Or packed Abigail and her twin brother, Aaron, into their old van to drive across the country to San Francisco, to be there with Brother John for the "end of the world." Because of course the end didn't come. And now they're living in their van. And Aaron’s disappearing to who-knows-where every night. Their family is falling apart. All Abigail wants is to hold them together, to get them back to the place where things were right. But maybe it’s too big a task for one teenage girl. Bryan Bliss’s thoughtful, literary debut novel is about losing everything—and about what you will do for the people you love.

Review:

Even as an adult it is sometimes hard to admit the failings of our parents.  And if it’s hard for an adult, imagine how difficult it is for a young teen that is 100% dependent on their parents and who should be able to trust that their parents will nurture and care for them.  This is the reason that Abigail is so bewildered with her situation.  Because after her parents have sold everything to help Brother John spread his message about the End of Times and then traveled cross country to witness said event (which, of course, never happened) Abigail can’t help but wonder if her parents have failed her and her twin brother, Aaron.  

As the reader, the obvious answer to Abigail’s question is a resounding YES.  Her parents have given away everything.  Betting on the fact that the end has come and there is no reason to worry about anything else.  Now, they are living in their van and depending on the generosity of churches and shelters to feed them until God has decided the end is here.  Their neglect is reflected in Aaron’s behavior – he’s disappearing from their van every night and they don’t ever notice he’s gone.   It’s also reflected in Abigail’s internal struggle. 

Slowly, Abigail realizes that they haven’t just lost the physical things.  She and Aaron have also lost their parents.  And if they no longer have their parents, what will she do in order to survive her current situation?  This is such an overwhelming circumstance for anyone to be in, let alone a 16-year-old.  And getting the help she needs isn’t easy when the two adults you should be able to trust the most are no longer emotionally available. 

I knew what this was about going in and I knew I was taking a chance.  For me, personally, anything related to religion and/or faith has the distinct possibility of making me twitchy as I flashback to my religious upbringing as a child/teen.   But this book was remarkably thought out.  What I appreciated most is Bliss’ depth of understanding.  His obvious empathy and ability to put himself in both Abigail and Aaron’s shoes.  This wasn’t a book that tried to either encourage or denounce faith/religion.  Instead, it is a book about parental failure and one girl's struggle to reconcile that failure with her desire to live and do what’s right.

No Parking at the End Times is a very thoughtful book and an excellent addition to the YA contemporary world.  It opens up a lot of questions for discussion and it is one that I will be adding to my bookshelf for not only myself but for my kids as well. 

Nat

Waiting on Wednesday (137)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.


By Andrew Smith
Publication Date: March 3, 2015

Once again blending multiple story strands that transcend time and place, Grasshopper Jungle author Andrew Smith tells the story of 15-year-old Ariel, a refugee from the Middle East who is the sole survivor of an attack on his small village. Now living with an adoptive family in Sunday, West Virginia, Ariel's story of his summer at a boys' camp for tech detox is juxtaposed against those of a schizophrenic bomber and the diaries of a failed arctic expedition from the late nineteenth century. Oh, and there’s also a depressed bionic reincarnated crow. 




















By Elisa Ludwig
Publication Date: March 17, 2015

Willa’s string of good-hearted but ill-conceived thefts at her former high school catapulted her into a life she hardly knows. She became a cult hero, but soon afterward, her mom disappeared, leaving only a cryptic message. When Willa hit the California highway to find her, she discovered a dark family secret: Joanne Fox is not who she says she is-and neither is Willa. Now, Willa and fellow trouble-maker Aidan must race to St. Louis, Missouri, Willa’s birthplace. There, they hope to find answers about Willa’s past. But uncovering the truth requires solving a decades-old murder case.

Unfortunately, the perps are still out there . . . and willing to do whatever it takes to keep the case cold. With Willa’s face on the nightly news and the police hot on her trail, it might not matter that Aidan and her friend Tre are there to help. Willa’s only hope is to find the truth before it finds her first. 








By Bryan Bliss
Publication Date:  February 24, 2015

Abigail’s parents have made mistake after mistake, and now they've lost everything. She’s left to decide: Does she still believe in them? Or is it time to believe in herself? Fans of Sara Zarr, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell will connect with this moving debut.

Abigail doesn't know how her dad found Brother John. Maybe it was the billboards. Or the radio. What she does know is that he never should have made that first donation. Or the next, or the next. Her parents shouldn't have sold their house. Or packed Abigail and her twin brother, Aaron, into their old van to drive across the country to San Francisco, to be there with Brother John for the "end of the world." Because of course the end didn't come. And now they're living in their van. And Aaron’s disappearing to who-knows-where every night. Their family is falling apart. All Abigail wants is to hold them together, to get them back to the place where things were right. But maybe it’s too big a task for one teenage girl. Bryan Bliss’s thoughtful, literary debut novel is about losing everything—and about what you will do for the people you love.