Best of 2015: Books That Gave Me All the Feels |

There are some books that are so brilliant, so moving, so intense that they soften my cold, dead heart or evoke such strong emotions in me that I essentially demand everyone I know to purchase said book. Following is a breakdown of those books for 2015:

Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum: I knew going in that this one was going to evoke strong emotion in me. I was warned. I didn’t expect to end up bawling (the loud, nasty, snotty kind) on a plane while reading it, though!
The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain: Oh, I loved this little book so! I picked it for a book club read as soon as I could. A tiny, beautiful, amazing book that packs a big punch.
Violent Ends: This book, a collaboration of several talented authors, is a book about a school shooting. I guarantee it is like nothing you have ever read.

Then, there are those books that moved me so profoundly that I couldn’t put into words just how much they moved me:

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff: This is the first in a sci-fi series that completely knocked my socks off. My breath was taken away, my heart pounded out of my chest. It’s visually and mentally stimulating and I can’t wait until the next book is released!
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates: Ta-Nehisi writes about race in a completely open, no-holds barred, yet simultaneously sympathetic and moving sort of way. I read the book, then listened to the audio, then read it again. Then I forced my husband to read it, then passed it on to several of my family members. Its a subject matter that many attempt to tiptoe around, yet Ta-Nehisi attacks it full on, unrelenting.
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara: I read this in early 2015 and it still evokes a whirlwind of intense emotions in me. This novel consumes you mentally and emotionally. Your stomach will churn, your heart will break, but you will persevere, for it is that good. Of all the books on this list, this is the one that has generated the most conversation, both negative and positive, that I have experienced in some time.

You tell me! Which 2015 reads evoked the strongest emotions or feelings in you?