Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Top 14 Books of 2014

I've read many amazing books this year so it was very hard to come up with a list of my favorites. I don't know about you but I know when I'm faced with the choice of picking my favorite books I always freeze up. How could I possibly choose from so many fantastic books? After much though and deliberation, here is my list of the Top 14 Books of 2014:


Read on for a short reason as to why each of these books ended up on the list!

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

I read this book early in the year and yet I knew it would be on this list the minute I turned the last page. This book just really makes you think about a lot of philosophical questions like what it means to be alive and be a person without being preachy or hard to digest.
Goodreads

Out of the Easy by Ruta Septys

Another stunning historical fiction by Septys. Her book, Between Shades of Grey made my list last year and she did not disappoint with Out of the Easy. I think what makes this book stand out is that it takes a time and place that never really makes it into historical fiction: 1950's New Orleans. Combined with beautiful writing, it makes for a stunning read.
Goodreads

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

If you're looking for a book that blurs the lines between right and wrong, good and evil. Look no further. Vicious is a book that makes you think and question who really is the good guy and who is the villain. Told in a non-linear fashion, Schwab crafts a story that makes you want to keep turning the page.
Goodreads | Review

Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens

This book really impacted me because of the tough topic it dealt with. If you are a fan of Laurie Halse Anderson's writing, I think you will love Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens. The characters are believable and the plot progressions adds to nature of the story. This is not a light story but I think that makes it that much more impacting.
Goodreads | Review

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

This has to be one of the best science fiction books I've ever read. What really kept me hooked was the alternative virtual reality the majority of the book takes place in. I'm not much a of a gamer myself but I could appreciate that aspect of the book. The suspense Cline created throughout the book kept me turning the pages.
Goodreads

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

I'm a huge fan of World War II era historical fiction and I could tell that Blankman put a lot of time into researching the era. It was the unique viewpoint that set it apart from much of the other historical fiction I've read from the same era. The synopsis plays up the romance a lot but it didn't feel at all forced or cheesy which I think is very important for a book that deals with such a ...
Goodreads

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

There are many books out there that deal with bullying but rarely do we see the side of the bully. Or in this case the bullies. Through their perspectives we see how a little gossip quickly snowballs into the twisted rumors that can crush the person they're about and how it is rarely just one person or one rumor. This book dealt with a tough topic and I think Mathieu did it with aplomb. I can't wait to read more of her books in the future.
Goodreads | Review

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

I was hesitant to pick up The Raven Boys at first and for the life of my I cannot tell you why. I am so glad I got past that hesitation because it quickly become one of my favorite reads of the year. The magical elements combined with rural Virginia life was just so different from anything I'd read before. That, along with characters you just want to root for made this book one of my top picks of the year.
Goodreads

Champion by Marie Lu

Champion was by far one of my favorite trilogy-enders of the many trilogies that I've read. Lu did not shy away from the tough decisions regarding the story and the characters but it was all worth it. I don't cry often while reading but I was tearing up by the time I got to the epilogue. The trilogy as a whole was one of the best dystopian series I have read.
Goodreads

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

What really stood out to me about The Book of Broken Hearts was the diversity. I wrote a short piece about how much this book made me realize the importance of diversity in literature because it was the first time I saw myself and my culture reflected in a book. If you are looking to read more diverse books this year I would highly recommend this one.
Goodreads | Review

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Rainbow Rowell is an auto-buy author for me. I know that I will love whatever she writes and Landline was no different. I don't often read contemporary adult books but I stayed up well into the night to finish Landline because I was hooked. Something about that magical phone and Rowell's beautiful prose did not let me put down this book until I finished it. I will definitely be rereading this in the future.
Goodreads | Review

Sammy Keyes and the Kiss Good-bye by Wendelin Van Draanen

The Sammy Keyes series has always been near and dear to my heart. I've been reading the series for over ten years, so saying good-bye to such a beloved cast of characters was hard. Nevertheless, Van Draanen did her characters and the series justice with this final book. If you haven't read the series before I highly recommend it. They are fast, light reads, but full of life and plot twists that will surprise readers of any age.
Goodreads

So You Want To Be A Wizard by Diane Duane

This is another series from my childhood that I think more people need to read. It's been years since I've read the series and I thought it was time for a reread. Ten years later and I still love the series as much as the day I first read it. It's a wonderful mix of urban fantasy and science fiction. I can't wait to continue rereading the rest of the series.
Goodreads

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

I don't know why I waited so long to read The Bone Season. It's been on my shelf practically since it was released but I just got around to reading it this month. The most captivating aspect of the book has to by the world and history behind the world that Shannon created. I can just tell that she put so much thought into it and I can bet she has pages and pages of notes. It's this richness that landed it in my top books this year.
Goodreads

What are some of your favorite books that you've read this year? Let me know down below in the comments!


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