My year in books: 2015

Well, it's been a while... But the time I was not working, studying, doing homework, sleeping or commuting... I spent reading! Obviously.
I'm absolutely proud of myself. Last year, I had set a challenge of 50 books and I read 52. For 2015, I set exactly the same number of books, but I read 53 :) I did so much reading these last couple of weeks (vacations!). I took today off from reading (for a change), but I have one of Dale Carnegie's books right next to me and it is so tempting...

Link - someecards

Anyway, here is the summary of everything I've read this year. The first 20 books or so I reviewed them fully earlier in the year, but the rest are here...

Book 1/53
The Boyfriend List by e. Lockhart

Rating: ★★
Favorite character: I liked Gideon and Noel... and Ruby a little bit, but not too much :P

Favorite part: I liked the part where Ruby wrote the thing about loving Gideon and he saw it and was really sweet about it...
Favorite quote: "I swear, I have no understanding of other human beings."
Least favorite character: Her parents omg! and Kim
Least favorite part: The night of the Spring Fling dance thing (not sure if that's the right name)

Would I read it again? Probably not... I'll try The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Book 2-3 and 5/53

The Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth

https://thebookwars.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/divergent-trilogy.png

Right, so I'm reviewing these together...

Rating: ★★★★
Favorite character: Peter!!! I'm sorry, I can't help myself :P Also Tris...

Favorite secondary character: Christina

Favorite part: *sigh* It's going to be difficult. I liked Divergent, when you get to know about factions and stuff. Insurgent was not as good, but it had an incredible cliffhanger. And what can I say about Allegiant? It nearly broke my heart. Scratch that... It DID break my sad little blood pumping organ *sniff, sniff*
Favorite quote: (One of them at least)“People, I have discovered, are layers and layers of secrets. You believe you know them, that you understand them, but their motives are always hidden from you, buried in their own hearts. You will never know them, but sometimes you decide to trust them.”
Least favorite characters: Erick, Jeannine, David and Nita
Least favorite part: When good people died ;(

Would I read it again? Yes! I need to get the physical books!!! In a box set, hopefully!

Book 4 and 6/53

The Wide Window & The Miserable Mill [A Series of Unfortunate Events, 3 and 4] by Lemony Snicket

Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite character: I think it's still Klaus

Favorite secondary character: Violet and Sunny

Favorite part: I don't remember!!! Was this one about the lady with the huge library and she thought everything was dreadful and ended up getting eaten by fish?

Favorite quote: “If you are allergic to a thing, it is best not to put that thing in your mouth, particularly if the thing is cats.”

Least favorite character: Count Olaf

Least favorite part: Can't remember!

Would I read it again? Probably. I mean, I gave it five stars...

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: Let's say Klaus.... I honestly don't remember this very well...

Favorite part: Hmmm...

Favorite quote: “I'm sure you have heard it said that appearance does not matter so much, and that it is what's on the inside that counts. This is, of course, utter nonsense, because if it were true then people who were good on this inside would would never have to comb their hair or take a bath, and the whole world would smell even worse than it already does.”

Would I read it again? Maybe

Book 7/53

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Rating: ★★★★ (For me, the book's extremely good, even if I read very bad reviews about it... but I'm giving four stars because it is so sad! and I don't enjoy sad books like these)

Favorite character: Amir

Favorite secondary character: Hassan!

Favorite part: Ugh, how difficult! I think I liked when Amir met Soraya and his Baba went to ask for her hand in his name. Also, when he finally found Sohrab :)

Favorite quote: "She said, 'I'm so afraid.' And I said, 'why?,' and she said, 'Because I'm so profoundly happy, Dr. Rasul. Happiness like this is frightening.' I asked her why and she said, 'They only let you be this happy if they're preparing to take something from you.”

Least favorite character: Assef...

Least favorite part: Every time he remembers all the cruel things he did to Hassan when they were kids. Also, when the period of time between when he found Sohrab and when he finally took him to America.

Would I read it again? *sigh* I don't know...

Book 8/53

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Rating: ★★★★
Favorite character: Mara

Favorite secondary character: OMG, I love Joseph!!!

Favorite part: This is going to sound nerdy, but one of my favorite parts of the book was when Mara freaking nailed the Spanish oral exam: "'I'm not finished,' I said again, delighted by my own audacity."
Favorite quote: “In my rush, I hadn’t tied my shoelaces. Noah was now tying them for me.
He looked up at me through his dark fringe of lashes and smiled. The expression on his face melted me completely. I knew I had the goofiest grin plastered on my lips, and didn’t care.
“There,” he said as he finished tying the laces on my left shoe. “Now you won’t fall.”
Too late.”

Least favorite character: Ummm....
Least favorite part: The part when they have to cross a lake filled with FREAKING ALLIGATORS!!!! I hate those animals, I almost died reading that scene :(

Would I read it again? Maybe...?

Book 9/53

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Rating: ★★☆ (most difficult decision... I think the first 55% deserves one star, but the last part gets considerably good... so I'm thinking 2 and a half stars.)

Favorite character: Ugh... a tie between Sky and Holder. Not that they're characters that I'll hold dear in my heart forever, but...

Favorite part: Is it bad that I can't think of any part that I really loved?
Favorite quote: “It's real, Six. You can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It's the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off."

Least favorite character: Well, the obvious, you know? Her dad
Least favorite part: When she remembers what her father did to her... and how they kept bringing up right before they had sex... eww...

Would I read it again? Probably not. I'll try other Colleen Hoover books, though.

Book 10/53

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite character: Hazel Grace + Gus (don't make me choose!)
Favorite secondary character: Isaac!
Favorite part: Dinner in Amsterdam + that part in the airplane on their way to Amsterdam when he tells her my #1 favorite quote.
Favorite quote: So many... but I think my #1 is: "I am," he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you."

Least favorite character: Cancer? I kinda liked Van Houten, so...
Least favorite part: When Gus goes out in the middle of the night to get cigarettes and he gets really sick and has to call Hazel :(

Would I read it again? Yes, of course. Every February!

Book 11/53

Sickened by Julie Gregory

from Amazon.com

Rating: ★★

[Not going to include characters because it feels weird, them being real people and stuff...]

Favorite part: When Danny was born, you know? and everybody felt happy for a while and she stopped being sick...
Favorite quote: “Books are my friends, where it's okay to be silent, where you're not a freak if you don't want to get drunk, peel out in the parking lot, tip cows.”

Least favorite part: The surgery. When they cut her thigh and she saw the whole thing. I think that was when she first said that her mom was making everything up. Also, what the fuck with the Kleenex eating part?!

Would I read it again? Yeah... probably not

Book 12/53

Perdona si te llamo amor by Federico Moccia

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: Alex (I'll forgive him for taking Elena back)
Favorite secondary character: Niki (I liked Diletta)
Favorite part: I think the birthday's celebrations were pretty cool. I also enjoyed when Alex got the idea for LaLuna when Niki was sleeping.
Favorite quote: "Se quedan un momento en silencio -¿Alex? -¿Si? -Eso que estás pensando lo pienso yo también. -Y cuelga"

Least favorite character: ELENA!!!!!
Least favorite part: From the moment Elena came back to the moment when he finds out that she was with Marcello. Also, the ending was not as good as I thought it would be

Would I read it again? Maybe. I'll read Scusa ma ti voglio sposare so, who knows?!

Book 13/53

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: Hermione + Ron
Favorite secondary character: George and Fred
Favorite part: The tasks, especially the last two. Oh and Harry's duel with Voldemort...

Favorite quote: “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

Least favorite character: Snape's and the Divination professor are always kind of annoying. But I think I hated Crouch (and his son). Also, the Dark Lord :P
Least favorite part: Voldemort's rising :S

Would I read it again? Probably

Book 14/53

The D.U.F.F. by Kody Keplinger

Rating: ★★

Favorite character: Hmmm...
Favorite part: Ok, here comes the silly, hopeless romantic part of me... I loved it when Wesley left her a piece of paper in her desk that said something like Wesley Rush doesn't chase girls, but I'm chasing you. Yeah, kinda melted right there.

Favorite quote: “I skipped the crush kiddie pool and jumped right into the deep, shark-infested ocean of emotions. And, if you'll forgive the dramatic metaphor, I was a lousy swimmer.”

Least favorite character: Bianca wasn't very likable and she hated everything! But I wouldn't go that far as to say she's my least favorite. I kinda hated her mom more.

Least favorite part: When her father relapsed.

Would I read it again? Don't think so.

Book 15/53

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Rating: ★★★

Favorite character: If I had to chose one, it would probably be Finch
Favorite part: The first part of the wandering.

Favorite quote: “And then I think, Yes, that's it. Theodore Finch always knows what to say, better than I do. He should be the writer, not me. I feel jealous, just for a second, of his brain. In this moment, mine feels so ordinary.”

Least favorite character: His family, all of them, except maybe Decca.
Least favorite part: These moments when you could feel Finch slipping away, but he kept fighting the Asleep. Terrifying.

Would I read it again? Probably not.

Book 16/53

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: Margaret
Favorite secondary character: Miles Benedict (first year teacher...gotta love him!)
Favorite part: When she went to church and the synagogue :P

Favorite quote: "Are you there God? It's me, Margaret. I've been to church. I didn't feel anything special in there God. Even though I wanted to. I'm sure it has nothing to do with you. Next time I'll try harder."

Least favorite character: Nancy! :P
Least favorite part: None.

Would I read it again? Maybe.

Book 17/53

Love Letter to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

Rating: ★★

Favorite character: I don't remember!
Favorite part: ...

Favorite quote: "´There are a lot of human experiences that challenge the limits of our language,' she said. 'That’s one of the reasons that we have poetry.'"

Least favorite character: May!
Least favorite part: Whenever she tried to be like May. Also, the ending.

Would I read it again? Nope

Book 18/53

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite character: I liked Georgie... and her girls!
Favorite part: When the puppies are born :P The whole thing about Georgie's sister and the pizza "boy" and obviously when she goes to Neal ❤

Favorite quote: "I love you more than I hate everything else."

Least favorite character: I didn't hate anybody, I think... Maybe Georgie was a little too annoying or stupid at times
Least favorite part: The times she thought that everything was lost.

Would I read it again? Yeah!

Book 19/53

Struck By Lighting by Chris Colfer

Rating: ★★★

Favorite character: Hmm... Carson? Malerie?
Favorite part: There was this part were he talked to the cheerleader and he understood her, he even said thanks and stuff... I liked that scene.

Favorite quote: "Like having a great idea, life comes at you fast. It hits you and tries to escape and be expressed in any way possible. In a way, it's a lot like...lightning."

Least favorite character: Carson, at times
Least favorite part: Ugh, every time he was a pain in the ass!

Would I read it again? I don't know. Maybe???

Book 20/53

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite character: Jon and Arya!!! I just loved both of them! Tyrion was really funny!!
Favorite part: I think my favorite part was realizing that I was enjoying the book! It has too many good parts :)

Favorite quote: "The things we love destroy us every time, lad. Remember that."

Least favorite character: Sansa! I hated her with all my heart! Also, the Lannisters (except Tyrion) were pretty shitty, especially Joffrey (that little asshole!)
Least favorite part: I hated when Eddard and Drogo died. Also, poor Bran (he's not my favorite, but still...)

Would I read it again? When I finish the series... yes, this is a book I'll definitely reread!!

Book 21/53

Paper Towns by John Green

This was the first book I reviewed on my blog :')

Here's the link for that first entry: http://i-cornerinthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/02/paper-towns-john-green.html

Book 22/53

Mariposas Bajo La Piel by Susan Spencer-Wendell

Rating: ★★

Favorite character: Susan. She truly was an inspiration... she had too much to lose (and she did), but she never stopped fighting.
Favorite part: The trips with her children. But also when she said all her husband did for her. Oh, and when she spent time with her real mother.

Favorite quote: "“Fearing the possible is no way to live."

Least favorite part: When she started noticing she couldn't do certain things.

Would I read it again? I might try it in English... but not any time soon.

Book 23/53

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Rating: ★★★★★
Favorite character: Eleanor
Favorite secondary character: Park
Favorite part: Many, but I think one of my very favorite is when he starts giving her comic books in the bus.
Favorite quote: "You saved me life, she tried to tell him. Not forever, not for good. Probably just temporarily. But you saved my life, and now I'm yours. The me that's me right now is yours. Always."
Least favorite character: Eleanor's mother. Ugh, so irritating!
Least favorite part: When she left!!! :'(

Would I read it again? YES!!

Book 24/53

Firestarter by Stephen King

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: Andrew McGee (one of the best fiction dads)

Favorite part: I think when they escaped from the farm and Charlie burned it down. Also, at the end, when they were in a house, during winter in the middle of the forest.

Favorite quote: “The world, although well-lighted with fluorescents and incandescent bulbs and neon, is still full of odd dark corners and unsettling nooks and crannies.”

Least favorite character: I don't remember who were the bad guys...

Would I read it again? This hasn't been one of my King favorites... so I guess I won't be re-reading it soon.

Book 25/53

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: Ponyboy!

Favorite secondary character: Johnny

Favorite part: The letter at the end :S

Favorite quote: “Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold.”

Least favorite character: The bad guys (It's amazing how I forget things so easily... shame on me!)

Least favorite part: Johnny

Would I read it again? Yes.

Book 26-27-29-32-33-34-36-39-40-41-42-43/53

The Cirque Du Freak Saga by Darren Shan

I have to review the saga as a whole. All 12 books together... after reading them almost one after the other, I'm pretty sure I'd get my facts wrong.

Rating: ★★★★★ (The saga as a whole gets 5 stars... some books are better than others, though)

Favorite character: Darren (obviously) and Mr. Crespley

Favorite secondary character: Harkat!!!

Favorite part: OMG... how can I choose? There were really awesome parts in each of the books. I remember Darren traveling to the Mountain, meeting Debbie in the high school, fighting the vampets, becoming a prince!! So, so many...

Favorite quote: “Even in death may you triumphant”

Least favorite character: Steve (even though he's played by Josh Hutcherson in the movie...)

Least favorite part: When they're fighting , and Mr. Crespley dies... but you think he's not dead, but then you realize that he IS dead... too many feels *sob*

Would I read it again? YES!! I plan to get all the books! Box set!!!

Book 28/53

Cosas por las que llorar cien veces by Kō Nakamura

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: The guy... but I don't remember his name

Favorite part: When they start living together

Favorite quote: “La única esperanza existente era la esperanza de ir hacia atrás.”

Least favorite part: When she dies and after...

Would I read it again? I don't know.

Book 30/53

Animal Farm by George Orwell

I absolutely dislike reviewing super popular/classic books... I feel dumb.

Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite character: Hmm...

Favorite part: The whole book was awesome. Why had I waited so long to read this?!

Favorite quote: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

Least favorite character: Napoleon

Would I read it again? Yes, maybe

Book 31/53

The Austere Academy [A Series of Unfortunate Events 5] by Lemony Snicket

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: Klaus?

Favorite part: I don't remember, but I'm pretty sure I have one :P

Favorite quote: “If you have walked into a museum recently - whether you did so to attend an art exhibition or to escape from the police - you may have noticed a type of painting known as a triptych. A triptych has three panels, with something different painted on each of the panels. For instance, my friend Professor Reed made a triptych for me, and he painted fire on one panel, a typewriter on another, and the face of a beautiful, intelligent woman on the third. The triptych is entitled What Happened to Beatrice and I cannot look upon it without weeping.
I am a writer, and not a painter, but if I were to try and paint a triptych entitled The Baudelaire Orphans' Miserable Experiences at Prufrock Prep, I would paint Mr. Remora on one panel, Mrs. Brass on another, and a box of staples on the third, and the results would make me so sad that between the Beatrice triptych and the Baudelaire triptych I would scarcely stop weeping all day”

Would I read it again? Yeah, why not?

Book 35/53

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

Alright, so I've seen Sophie Kinsella's books in the bookstore... and Goodreads.com, but I've never read one. I thought she was great... but oh, the disappointment!

Rating: ★★★

Favorite character: I don't know... Amy?

Favorite part: Well, when she sees the plants in Jon's apartment (what were they sunflowers??!)

Favorite quote: “The trouble with giving yourself a pep talk is, that deep down you know it's all bullshit.”

Least favorite character: Lexi

Least favorite part: When everybody hates her and makes fun of her when she's the boss :P

Would I read it again? Nope

Book 37/53

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite character: The father and the son

Favorite part: When they find the bunker with a whole lot of food :)

Favorite quote: "Then they set out along the blacktop in the gunmetal light, shuffling through the ash, each the other's world entire."

Least favorite part: The ending

Would I read it again? Yes?

Book 38/53

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: Ron + Hermione

Favorite secondary character: George and Fred

Favorite part: When they all meet to practice the spells.

Favorite quote: “Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.”

Least favorite character: Dolores Umbridge

Least favorite part: Whenever Umbridge was bothering Harry... Also when Sirius died :(

Would I read it again? Yep

Book 44/53

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I might have read a version of it... not the real, original one. I might need to find another copy of the book.

I gave it two stars, but I am going to read it again and re-think my rating.

Book 45/53

La Oportunidad Perdida by Andy Andrews

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: Dorry and Dylan :3 Also the grandma, I don't remember her name... As usual.

Favorite part: OMG, I don't know... there were many times in which I went all crazy when they found a link between the little thingies.

Favorite quote: “It is not enough to recognize what is right and true. One must control the impulse to do what is wrong and easy.”

Would I read it again? Maybe

Book 46/53

The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite character: Lola, definitely Lola

Favorite part:Well, there were many times... like every time there was a link that made me go "ohhhh... so that's how it got to whatever person"

Also, when she met her mom's family.

Favorite quote: “A book is more than the sum of its materials. It is an artifact of the human mind and hand.”

Least favorite character: The bad guys who burned books! Why would you do such a thing?! Also, Hanna's old teacher.

Would I read it again? Could be... not yet.

Book 47/53

The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite character: Robert + Sophie

Favorite part: Oooohhh.... discovering all the hints. Plus, all the cool theories. Also when Sophie found her grandma.

Favorite quote: “Life is filled with secrets. You can't learn them all at once.”

Least favorite character: Jacques Saunière

Would I read it again? Yes!!! But I need to read the others before.

Book 48/53

My True Love Gave to Me by Stephanie Perkins

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite part: Many of the stories were just AMAZING! Midnights, by Rainbow Rowell :3 It was just awesome! Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Peña; Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White and Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter were the best!!!

Favorite quote: “I need you to be my person. I need to see you. And hear you. I need you to stay alive. And I need you to stop kissing other people just because they're standing next to you when the ball drops.”

Least favorite part: I didn't particularly enjoyed Polaris is Where You'll Find Me or The Lady and The Fox or The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer

Would I read it again? Maybe for next Christmas... but maybe only the ones I liked ;)

Book 49/53

Calle de Magia by Orson Scott Card

Rating: ★★★

Favorite character: Mack and Cecil

Favorite part:When he discovers that his neighbors' dreams become true in an awful way... and to actually see what they turn out to be.

Would I read it again? Hmmm....

Book 50/53

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: Mare

Favorite secondary character: Cal... Or Farley...

Favorite part: When she scares Evangeline. Also when she discovers that there are others like her.

Favorite quote: “Anyone can betray anyone.”

Least favorite character: Maven and his mother... ugh!!!

Least favorite part: When they make Cal kill the king. When Mare realizes that Maven lied to her and used her.

Would I read it again? I cannot wait for the sequel! But yeah, I'd read it again.

Book 51/53

Cujo by Stephen King

Rating: ★★★★

Favorite character: I would probably say Tad or Vic

Favorite part: Uhm...

Favorite quote: “...it was amazing, wasn't it, how bad you could hurt when there was nothing physically wrong.”

Least favorite character: Joe, Donna and Steven

Least favorite part: When Vic finds Tad, dead in the backseat :(

Would I read it again? Meh... Don't know

Book 52/53

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

OMG this book's awesome. I thought that Gone Girl had been a lucky strike. I thought that Flynn was a one-hit author... but jeez, this one's better! I just couldn't stop reading and I was surprised to see (or to not see) all the lies and twists.

Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite character: Libby

Favorite secondary character: Lyle

Favorite part: Finding out the truth!

Favorite quote: “The truly frightening flaw in humanity is our capacity for cruelty - we all have it.”

Least favorite character: I don't like Runner. I don't like Trey. I didn't mind Diondra, but I hated her at the end.

Least favorite part: Every time the murder of the little girls were mentioned.

Would I read it again? Oh, yes!!

Book 53/53

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Have I written here that I love Rainbow Rowell? Oh, I do!! I really, truly do!

Rating: ★★★★★

Favorite character: Lincoln!! I love him so much it hurts (basically what hurts is the knowledge that he is fictional!)

Favorite secondary character: Tough... Are Beth and Jennifer main or secondary characters?

Favorite part:Oh, I don't know... all of the times when Lincoln was adorable!

Favorite quote: “I’d know you in the dark,” he said. “From a thousand miles away. There’s nothing you could become that I haven’t already fallen in love with.”

Least favorite character: Chris

Least favorite part: When Chris told Beth he would never marry her (what can I say?!)

Would I read it again? Yes!

Whoa, I can't believe I'm done.

How awesome it is to see everything I've read... I hope to read the same amount (or more!) next year (which is now...btw).

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PS. All the book covers are taken from Goodreads.com unless it is specified :)

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