Best Reads of 2015, according to the Wicked WriterThe old adage is that in order to hone your craft as a writer, you have to be a reader first. At the beginning of December, I'm closing in on 200 books read. Not at all my highest yearly quota, but better than last year. Excellent, in fact, since I also wrote 2,100+ pages within 6 books and am currently working on another. The more I read, the better I write. Practice makes perfect. I'm also a reviewer for Wicked Reads- my brainchild. With the magical Angela G at the helm turning our budding blog into a well-oiled machine, Wicked Reads truly does feed my addiction one book at a time. Most of the books listed below were ARCs offered by the publisher for review, a handful were recommended, and the rest were happy accidents. A little about my reading style, since we all read differently. INTJ, meaning I'm an introvert who thrives on logic and ethics, and loathes bullshit and small talk. I'm also highly empathetic in person, which is uncomfortable to say the least. To de-stress, as reading IS work for a writer, I'm a gamer, an online shopper, a Facebook stalker, a Food Network foodie. My favorite shows are Black Sails, Game of Thrones, How to Get Away with Murder, Fargo, and Shameless. I'm about to try the Vikings and The Affair. Since I'm a serious person, in books I adore witty banter, dry humor, love-hate relationships, and a slow build to the climatic 'event'. Not a fan of insta-anything, be it love or lust. I'm not much on over-the-top comedy. As a realist, the more lifelike the better. Page length? I've read books I wish were longer, but I read more where I wish they were shorter. Call me Goldilocks. I want it just right. Not too much of anything, especially the overuse of sex to distract the reader from a plot hole or weak storyline. Don't get me wrong, I write sex for a living, and am a HUGE fan of smoking hot between the sheets action. But I'm a character-driven type of reader, so there better be something tying those lusty scenes together. As you can see, the majority of my books fit into the LGBTQ category. It's also what I write. Hmm... I don't believe out of 20+ of my creations that I have a single one that is entirely 'straight'- all are a little bit bent, dark, and most certainly twisted. What do I seek in a book? What makes it the best? Is it the best book ever written? Nope. The unexpected. I love to be surprised, because I usually see where the author is headed, can spot where the author unpainted themselves from a corner, or end up playing editor. I tend to give out more 5 star ratings to genres I'd find impossible to write. But, if I was thoroughly entertained, I don't care if the book was lacking. *Not all titles were released in 2015. My best list includes the books I read in 2015. *the book titles are linked to the corresponding Goodreads page. Just click the title to be redirected in another tab. *most books were reviewed for Wicked Reads. If you wish to read the reviews, visit my Goodreads Author profile, or press the buttons to visit Wicked Reads & Wicked Reads: YA Edition for a wide array of reviews from our stable of reviewers. * Denoted reviewed means an ARC was provided by the publisher for Wicked Reads, or Wicked Reads purchased a copy for reviewing purposes. Not reviewed is my personal copies, which may or may not have been reviewed on Goodreads, but were rated. -Erica Chilson
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