Books that Influenced My Life in 2015 + My Favorite Fiction

For 2014, I had a really difficult time coming up with a list of my favorite books of the year, mostly because I didn't read a ton of books that I loved. :(

Thankfully, 2015 was a very different reading experience and I read a lot of really neat books. As I looked at all of the books that I read, I noticed that there was a theme connecting some of my favorites: books that influenced how I think about life and/or how I live. In addition, there were some great fiction books I read as well.

Thank you again for reading my blog! I hope that 2016 has lots of good books in store for all of us!

Let's start with my favorite fiction:
1. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Totally consumed one entire day of my life.











2. The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan

I usually am not a big fan of short stories, but I loved these.











3. Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

A small book with a mighty punch.











4. Wonder by R.J. Palacio

I cried twice while reading this book. We could all use some more kindness in our lives.










Onto the non-fiction books that changed how I think about life/organize/think about life:
1. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

I can see why this is required reading in school. It touches on what we all share as humans and the evil that exists in the world.











2. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

I haven't even written a review of this book on this blog yet because I am still in the process of tidying up my house, but already this book has changed my closet and my bookshelves.









3. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

What's really important and what's not? Good to think about before the days, weeks, and years pass on by.










4. Football for Dummies by Howie Long

Wow, this book really changed my life. Understanding more about the game of football has made watching the game so much more enjoyable. It's opened up great conversations with so many people about who's playing, injuries, management decisions, etc. And I read the sports page now. Sorry, Boomer, time to share!








5. The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande

I didn't love how this book was written or anything, but I sure do make way more checklists now that I've read it.