Top 15 of 2015 | The Best and The Worst

Tomorrow, when we wake up, it will be 2016.

And we’ll start making jokes like, “Oh no! I haven’t taken a bath since last year!” because, really, we always say that. (You don’t? Well, unfortunately, I do!)

Before the year ends, I decided to kick-off my 3-day countdown to 2016 by giving you the 2015 releases on my wishlist, followed by my very own bookish awards.

Arranged in no particular order, today, I give you the best and the worst reads of 2015. I’ll be listing my top 7 worst reads and top 8 best reads – a total of 15! Totally cheating.

Here goes nothing!

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This list contains my Top 7 Worst Reads of 2015.
Some people might [have] enjoy[ed] these, but I just did not.
I do not intend to offend anyone nor discourage anyone from reading the following.
However, I do stand by my opinions.

1. Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker
I don’t want to remember any of this book. Traumatic.

2. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
See my full review of Ugly Love here so I’d no longer have to explain myself. LOL

3. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
I still get irritated whenever I see this book anywhere. I will never understand how readers enjoyed this book. I posted a review of this book on Goodreads, but it’s full-on rambling and includes spoilers and profanities so it might be fun to read. The comments are hilarious, too!

4. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Ugh. I have to admit, this was one of my most anticipated reads. It was incredibly praised and the synopsis sounded incredible. It seemed promising, and I really enjoyed reading about 3/4 of the book because the pacing is fast and the writing is good, but the other 1/4 simply didn’t deliver. I didn’t like the “plot twist” enough to read the next two books. Mara also tends to be irrational most of the time and Noah was just eh to me. Overall, this book didn’t appeal to me as good as I expected.

5. How To Love by Katie Cotugno
Another one of those books that just failed to deliver. Marketed as a teen-mom novel but… which part?

6. The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger
Oh my gosh. I remember being so surprised by this book. Surprised in a really bad way.
It was just terrible, nothing like the movie (which turned out to be really cute, actually!)

7. Slammed by Colleen Hoover
I expected so much more from this book. The main characters were immature and annoying at all times and the insta-love just didn’t work for me. I remember reading this and repeatedly saying “What the f*ck?” in my mind. My Goodreads review also said “It’s so bad. What a waste.” I think that’s all there is to say, to be honest.

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This list contains my Top 8 Best Reads of 2015.
These books gave me life. HA.

1. Just One Day series by Gayle Forman
Not enough words to describe how beautiful these books were and how they affected me. Bless Gayle Forman.

2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I can’t believe I read Gatsby this year! After watching The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for the first time ever, I was convinced to finally read Gatsby. Best decision ever! I also fell in love with Fitzgerald and read a bit of his biography. It’s a shame he died believing he’s a failure. Also, thanks so much to ROADS Publishing for sending me this book!

3. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
ALL. THE. FEELS. Cried my heart out, and ended up with a clogged nose. Not the best state to be in while on vacation!

4. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
This is the world’s best-selling crime novel and I DO UNDERSTAND WHY. This book played with my mind big time! It kept me guessing until the last page and doubt each and every one of the characters. I found it really hard to put down. I was so engrossed by both the story and writing but creeped out all the same. I didn’t get any of my guesses right, by the way.
Also, BBC just recently released a tv mini-series based on this book and it’s on point. 

5. The Secret Place by Tana French
Another crime novel, of course. This one’s the longest I read in 2015, with 512 pages! It was just so wonderful. The characters, the intricate relationships, and the red herrings! I wish I could obliviate myself and just read this book again.

6. The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
“He is certainly sailing above, he on whom my wishes depend, and in whose hands I should like to place the happiness of my life. I will venture all for him. . .”
THIS WAS JUST HEARTBREAKING. I CAN’T. DON’T LOOK AT ME.

7. Stolen by Lucy Christopher
This is one of the most unique books I read my whole life and it gave me an incredible feeling. The thing that really enthralled me is Christopher’s way of writing. I don’t know how she’s done it, but she gave life to the desert; her descriptions so evocative that I could picture them even with closed eyes.
It’s so rare for writers to make readers sympathize with the antagonists, but she did just that. Hashtag NikkaTotallyRecommends!

8. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
I’ll never forget the overwhelming feeling of reading this book. To Kill A Mockingbird is a real masterpiece! Definitely a story that I would share with children in the future. I would give anything to experience it all over again!

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Thank you so much for reading! This was so much fun to do. To be sharing with you all of this is an incredible feeling. Thank you for being a part of my 2015.

Here’s to more memories (and books) in 2016.
Happy New Year, you beautiful person.