Novel Novice’s Best YA of 2015

It’s hard to believe that 2015 is almost over — where did the time go?!?! — but as the year winds to a close, it is time to look back at highlights from the past twelve months. Today, we bring you our picks for the best YA books of 2015. In no particular order:

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

As someone who doesn’t normally like books about fairies/faeries/fae, this is a rare exception. For starters, Holly Black’s writing is just so dang gorgeous — and then she fills up this beautifully imagined world with deeply intricate and intriguing characters. The Darkest Part of the Forest is a sexy, engaging, and magical read.

See our review here.

I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Oof, this book, man. This was the first book I read in 2015 that really had me in agony over the characters, their emotions, and the intense situations they found themselves facing. This is just a gorgeously written book tackling some heavy subjects (most notably PTSD, but also emotionally abusive parents). The two main characters in this book really grabbed onto me and just never let go.

See our review here.

Boys Don’t Knit by T.S. Easton

This is such a charming, sweet book — and with such a uniquely refreshing premise! It’s funny and witty, but also quite serious in some of the subjects it addresses. This is a bright and new take on the coming-of-age story, and I loved every bit of it.

See our review here.

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

Such a stunning book! The Walls Around Us is beautifully written — like, such gorgeous prose — and really brilliantly woven together. Nova Ren Suma proves herself a master of magic realism, in this eerie ghost story about three girls and the dark past that refuses to let them go. The story builds and builds, and the ultimate climax and ending is just spectacular.

See our review here.

The Game of Love & Death by Martha Brockenbrough

This book has quickly become not only one of my favorites of 2015, but of all time. The Game of Love and Death is the kind of book that sticks with you long after you finish reading the last page. The story and its characters linger in your mind, and become a part of you. I was moved intensely by the message of this book — and it didn’t hurt that it came along exactly when I needed it to. This is a book of my heart, and I can’t say enough good things about it.

See our review here.

The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

It’s been months since I finished reading The Wrath and the Dawn, and I am still obsessed with it. I can’t get it out of my head! This rich story, inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, is a sexy and addictive read — and that ending! Oh, it will leave you physically aching for the next book in this series. (Seriously, it’s been months and I’m not over it. But in a good way.)

See our review here.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

A book that both parodies and pays homage to the best of young adult literature. Patrick Ness doesn’t miss a beat with this look at what the normal kids do when the “chosen ones” are off fighting aliens, vampires, the apocalypse, or some other disaster. As much as we all love the “chosen one” story, The Rest of Us Just Live Here is a story for the rest of us.

See our review here.

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

I have long been a huge fan of Jennifer Donnelly’s historical fiction, and These Shallow Graves is her triumphant return to the genre. (Her last foray, Revolution, remains one of my all-time favorites.) This book transports you to 1890 New York City in a very palpable way. Filled with lush imagery, a captivating and dangerous mystery, and a seductive romance — These Shallow Graves is also a deeply and well-researched story that offers up a glimpse at life in another era. It’s just spectacular.

(Full review coming soon!)

For the comments: What are your favorite books of 2015? Tell us below!