My Top 5 Books from 2015

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I read 75 books last year.  I covered a lot of ground in the course of those 75 books.  I thought it would be fun to revisit my favorite books one last time.  In no particular order, here are my top five reads from this past year.  Wow.... when I looked back through the list of titles and the reviews, holy cow did I cover some literary ground!  This year, I'm not going to try to set a goal on the number of books read, but I am going to continue to review the books I do read.  I do enjoy a good read!

image: amazon.com

1) Earthquake by Aprilynne Pike.
Tavia lost her family in a plane crash a few years ago.  The sole survivor of the crash, she doesn't remember much except for a few earth shaking details: 1) Someone is trying to kill her.  2) She is an Earthbound eternal being, searching for her eternal mate, who is somewhere in the world and must be found, soon.  3) The earth is being destroyed by a continent eating virus.
and 4) She is the only one who can save the planet.

image: amazon.com

2) The Wright Brothers by David McCullogh
The detailed story of the Wright Brothers, and the work that went into getting the Wright Flier off of the ground and into the air that magic day in Kitty Hawk.  Sure, we all know that they were the first to achieve manned flight.  But, do you have any idea about all of the work that went into getting that airplane into the air, and how hard they had to fight to get the recognition for the work that they did from the United States?  Like all stories, this is a much deeper story than we were ever taught in school.





3) Capital Days: Michael Shiner's Journal by Tonya Holden

If you know anything about the history of slavery.Michael was outstanding in so many ways.  As a black man, he was able to read and write at a time when it was against the law to be able to do so.  He kept a book where he detailed small happenings in and around the place where he worked - the Washington Naval Yard.  He met people who have since become staples of United States History.  His journal runs from around 1812 - 1870.




4) Bear in the Back Seat by Kim Delozier

Picture: Amazon

Kim Delozier reflects upon his 30 years of service to the NPS in this wonderful romp down memory lane.  Kim worked with the wildlife, and the love that he has for the park, for his job, and mostly for the bears in the park come through on every single page.

The Smokies are my favorite National Park, and we have been there many times.  We have been to talks given by Kim back when he was a ranger working at headquarters.  (As opposed to out in the field, where the real action is going on.)  I had never stopped to think about the wildlife management aspect of working in the park.  Kim brings the very real struggles that park rangers have, maintaining the safety of the animals when millions of tourists are walking obliviously next to them, and how many tourists are unwittingly endangering the lives of these bears with their actions.

image: amazon.com

5) The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki
This fascinating tale is based upon the life of Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria.  She was beloved by her people, and considered to be the most beautiful woman of her time.  The author has done endless research into the intrigues of the Hapsburg Court at this time, and it shows in the rich attention to detail: from the court protocols, to the clothing, to the descriptions of the castle and the countryside.  You will find yourself swept into 19th century Vienna.