By Jamie @ Perpetual Pageturner

Yeah, this is beyond silly. I just have a talent for semi-preparing these and then never finish them in time. But I had this one almost done so I just didn’t want to delete it all. And it’s kind of nice reminiscing last years books.

Number of books I read: 117
Number of rereads: 12
Genre I read the most from: Fantasy
(23 Contemporary Fantasy, 21 High Fantasy, 11 Historical Fantasy, 10 Science Fantasy)

1. Best book I read in 2015

Finnikin of the Rock (The Lumatere Chronicles, #1) by Melina Marchetta
In contrast to pretty much everyone else, I loved this one the most in the series. It just blew my mind! The characters! The world building! The plot! Melina Marchetta is a superb author who deserves much more recognition.

2. Book I was excited about and thought I was going to love more but didn’t

Rose Under Fire (Code Name Verity, #2) by Elizabeth Wein
I love Code Name Verity. It’s a fantastic and heartbreaking novel. Therefore, I had high expectations for RUF. Unfortunately, I just wasn’t feeling it. The setting should have triggered way more emotions than CNV, but I just couldn’t connect. The best part was seeing some of the CNV characters again. My precious babies. I cried so much for you!

3. Most surprising (in a bad way) book I read

Seelenkuss by Lynn Raven
Lynn Raven is one of my favourite authors. Her stories might be following the same pattern over and over again but I love her characters, world building, and style. This novel, however, is just so bad. It reads like a first draft, the plot being all over the place, and the characters are really weak and shallow.

4. Book I “pushed” the most people to read (and they did)

Not just one book, the whole Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta, because they’re just sooo freaking good!

5. Best series I started in 2015 / Best sequel of 2015 / Best series ender of 2015

A: The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta
I’m repeating myself. If you haven’t read it yet, what are you waiting for! ALL THE FEELS are ready to embrace you!

B: Nachtland (Die Seiten der Welt, #2) by Kai Meyer
I think I’m one of the few people who actually enjoyed this one much more than the first one. I just really couldn’t get into the first novel for a very long time, but reading this felt like coming home.

C: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4) by Marissa Meyer
This is one of my all-time favourite series and I’m sad it’s over. I’m desperately awaiting the graphic novels following Iko. So technically, it’s not quite over yet, but it’s officially the last book of the series.

6. Favorite new author I discovered in 2015

That would be Amie Kaufman. I read and loved both These Broken Stars and Illuminae, which she both co-authored. These are amazing scifi novels! I really can’t wait to read the sequels.

7. Best book from a genre I don’t typically read/was out of my comfort zone

Klammroth by Isa Grimm
I’m not really into horror but I loved this one. The gloomy, rainy atmosphere was perfect and so wonderfully spooky.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
This book! It’s gorgeous and breathtaking and I inhaled it. It was a roller coaster ride of emotions and twists and turns. Totally recommend it to everyone who loves scifi – and everyone else.

9. Book I read in 2015 that I’m most likely to reread next year

The Wrath & the Dawn (The Wrath & the Dawn, #1) by Renée Ahdieh
I’m cheating a little here because the sequel comes out in 2016 and I always reread the other books in a series prior to the new one if I can help it.

10. Favorite cover of a book I read in 2015

Just one?! No way! Here are my top 5:

11. Most memorable character of 2015

1. Kelsier [Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson]
2. Isis Nimmernis [Die Seiten der Welt by Kai Meyer]
3. Dimitri Belikov [Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead]

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2015

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
It’s the most beautifully written book of all time! It just speaks to my soul. I’ve never gushed so much about prose, but to be honest, I don’t have the words to do it justice.

13. Most thought-provoking/ life-changing book of 2015

It’s almost sad to say but I haven’t read a single book that fits this description. Well, I think there hasn’t been a single book that changed my life. The books I read may be all part of me and part of who I am and taught me a lesson or two, but they didn’t change my life on their own. It’s their combined force.

14. Book I can’t believe I waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read?

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Because this is the epitome of a great horse novel and I’m the horse novel queen! Fantastic atmosphere, great characters, most clichée plot imaginable, but it makes for a great read.

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book I read in 2015

Err, sorry, but I don’t add my quotes to GR and my handwritten notes are a mess, so I have no idea.

16. Shortest and longest book I read in 2015

A: Klickertraining mit deinem Pferd (Pferdewissen, #5) by Paulina Tufvesson [47 pages]
B: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4) by Marissa Meyer [823 pages]

17. Book that shocked me the most

1. The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta
2. Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1) by Brandon Sanderson
3. These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1) by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

These books had just some mean twists I didn’t see coming at all!

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (I will go down with this ship!)

Froi & Quintana (The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta)
Ohhh, the pain!

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year

1. Cinder & Iko [The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer]
   Because I love Cinder and Iko is LIFE! She’s my favourite character of the series!
2. Maddie & Verity [Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein]
   Because their friendship is so strong and beautiful and heartbreaking.
3. Kady & … [Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff]
   Because it blew my mind and I almost started shipping it. Which is suuuuper weird, but I liked their dynamic.

20. Favorite book I read in 2015 from an author I’ve read previously

The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta
It just never gets old to mention these …

21. Best book I read in 2015 that I read bases SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure

I never read books solely based on a recommendation and most certainly not solely based on peer pressure. If there’s not at least something about the book that piques my interest, I’m not going to waste any money on it.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book I read in 2015

Dimitri Belikov [Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead]

23. Best 2015 debut I read

Seeland: Per Anhalter zum Strudelschlund by Anna Ruhe
I’m not really reading many debuts, that’s why a 3 star book takes the crown here. It’s a lovely MG novel though.

24. Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting I read this year

There’s no way I just name one so here are my top five:

1. Le Cirque des Rêves of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
   Always and forever! Oh, what I’d give to be able to spend a night at that circus!
2. Lumatere of The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta
   Really loved the diversity in every way imaginable!
3. The Final Empire of Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
   One hell of a worldbuilding! The magic system is just so intriguing.
4. Thisby of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
   Carnevorous sea horses and a stormy, harsh island in November. What could I possibly want more?
5. The universe of These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
   This reminded me why I need to read more sci-fi! Starships and unknown planets are just so much fun!

25. Book that put a smile on my face/was the most FUN to read

1. All books Gail Carriger: Timeless, Prudence
   Gail’s books are just the best when you’re looking for an entertaining read! I really hope she’ll continue to write lots and lots of books set in that world.
   
2. All books Marissa Meyer: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Winter + short stories
   The characters make this such a fun read! Especially Iko, who’s just comedy gold!
   

26. Book that made me cry in 2015

The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta
I cried so often and so hard. These books completely wrecked me!

27. Hidden gem of the year

A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston
I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did but it’s a wonderful magical oriental tale I couldn’t put down. I recently found out that there will be a companion novel, so I’ll definitely check that one out as well.

28. Book that crushed my soul

The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta
Are you sick and tired of hearing me say it yet? Sorry. I can’t help it. They’re just that good they fit every section.

29. Most unique book I read in 2015

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Because this is a piece of art!

30. Book that made me the most mad

The Vampire Diaries #1-4 by L.J. Smith
I had the first quartett lying around since 2009 so I decided to finally read them. I wish I’d just given them away back then. These books are completely mental! I mean, the TV series isn’t the greatest although I did watch and quite enjoy the first three seasons. The books, however, are something else. Wanna know a nice little tidbit: Elena, age 17, and Stefan get engaged two months after they first met. Like, what the actual fuck?!

1. One book I didn’t get to in 2015 but will be my number 1 priority in 2016

My current number 1 priority are the books from the publisher I’m working for but apart from them, I really want to read Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. I got an ARC at the Frankfurt bookfair in October but didn’t manage to read it yet although I’m dying to get to it. [As of September, I still haven’t read Salt to the Sea yet. I did read lots of books for work, though.]

2. Book I’m most anticipating for 2016 (non-debut)

That would be The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath& the Dawn, #2) by Renée Ahdieh, because I haven’t even started most very anticipated series that’ll end this year. [Unfortunately, it couldn’t hold a candle to the first one, although I still enjoyed it very much.]

3. 2016 debut I’m most anticipating

Um, no idea. I actually never check whether an author has already written something else when I add a book to my to-buy list. I also don’t plan very much ahead but keep discovering most of the books during the year.

 4. Series ending/a sequel I’m most anticipating in 2016

I can’t wait to get my hands on Gemina (The Illuminae Files, #2) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff! I hope it’ll be just as gorgeous and thrilling as the first one.

5. One thing I hope to accomplish or do in my reading/blogging life in 2016

I really hope I’ll be able to balance working full-time, writing my master thesis, and reading and blogging on top of that. That would be lovely, but I think the latter will have to be cut short. [Cut short doesn’t even begin to cover it. I’m sorry I didn’t write a single post for 7 months.]

6. A 2016 release I’ve already read and recommend to everyone

I haven’t read a single 2016 release prior to 2016, because I don’t request arcs – and the only arc I got by chance I still haven’t read (basically, that’s why I don’t officially request).