I really enjoy reading. There is a good chance that I have at least one book (or ebook) on me at all times. Typically, I read a lot of mystery or fantasy novels, but in 2015, I was trying to branch out a little bit more.
Side note: some of these books are classified as “young adult,” but don’t let that stop you from reading them if you’re not a young adult anymore. I think that most anyone would appreciate these novels regardless of age.
"Girl, Interrupted" by Susanna Kaysen
A memoir is written in 1993 about life in a psychiatric hospital during the 1960s in Massachusetts, the story follows Susanna Kaysen and her life after being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. If you’re at all interested in psychology or want to understand what it was like to be institutionalized during this time, then I highly recommend this book.
"Dark Places" by Gillian Flynn
This book came out back in 2009, but I only read it this year, which is why it’s on this list. Gillian Flynn is also the author of Gone Girl and Sharp Objects, which are also great books. "Dark Places" is a mystery novel that deals with class issues, poverty and the satanic cult hysteria that impacted the United States in the 1980s. As a heads up, some parts of the novel can be very detailed and graphic in terms of depictions of violence.
"The Maze Runner Trilogy" by James Dashner
This series is composed of three books: "The Maze Runner," "The Scorch Trials" and "The Death Cure." These books are young-adult post-apocalyptic dystopian science fiction, so if that’s not something that you enjoy then these probably shouldn’t be on your reading list. The story follows Thomas and his friends as they do their best to survive in a world that it really out to get them and push them to their limits. I read a book a day with this series because I just couldn’t put them down. All three books are great though the first book is probably my favorite.
"Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
I think this was actually the last book I read in 2015. This book is a young-adult thriller about the “perfect” Angel family living in New York City. The narrator, Tandy, immediately makes herself known as an unreliable narrator of her story. The story occasionally shifts from the present to flashbacks and side-notes from Tandy, but I found the flashbacks and notes to be very useful for understanding the intricate plot.
"The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
First off, this book is awesome. It came out in early 2015 and I can’t believe that it took me almost all year to finally get around to reading it! The story is told from three different points of view, but primarily from that of Rachel, an alcoholic whose life is kind of a mess. The shifting points of view can be confusing if you’re not paying close attention, but I think that it made the storytelling a lot more interesting.
For anyone who doesn’t really enjoy reading or would just rather watch a movie, all of these books, except "Confessions of a Murder Suspect," have been turned into movies. If you decide to read any of these books you should definitely let me know what you think of them.
