Book Round-Ups

2014 in Books

Jay

I don’t know how this happened, but it’s 2015. 2014 has been a year of huge changes for me – mainly because I left for college in August. And I only read 89 books this year, 44 fewer than 2013 – the first time since I started tracking my reading in 2010 that the number has dropped below 100. A little disappointing, but still not bad.

So, to start the new year, I’ve put together three lists: My top 5 favorite books of 2014 (since I can never decide on just one), some 2014 reads worth mentioning that didn’t make the top 5, and the 5 books I’m most excited to read in 2015. None of the lists are in any particular order.

My Top 5 of 2014

  1. Cover of "Blackout," featuring a dark photograph of the Capital Building in Washington, D.C. with barbed wire in the foreground
    Image from Madeline Henry

    Blackout (Darkness #1) by Madeleine Henry. I had a deadline of one week to read and review this book, which I agreed to against my better judgement … and ended up devouring the entire book during the busiest week of my year. The characters, concept, and amazing execution blew me away, and I would be happy to read book two with a yesterday deadline if that means I get it soon.

  2. Etiquette and Espionage (Finishing School #1) by Gail Carriger. Steampunk is my current obsession anyway, but steampunk, in high-class Victorian England, at a finishing school, that teaches girls to be spies? Absolute perfection.
  3. New Sight by Jo Schneider. Giving a new twist to the idea of psychic powers, this Indie urban fantasy added beautifully dark, gritty tones of insanity and addiction to the traditional master-your-powers-help-the-good-guys plot.
  4. Win the Rings (Cracked Chronicles #1) by K.D. Van Brunt. Despite a vague blurb, bland cover, and seemingly nonsensical title, this Indie book was amazing. Tense, action-packed, amazing concept, and told from two perspectives that gave the best of both worlds – the hunter and the hunted.
  5. The Rithmatist (The Rithmatist #1) by Brandon Sanderson. This is the second year in a row a Sanderson book has made my top 5, and for good reason. Fascinating and original magic systems, great characters, a delightfully complicated plot, and I never could decide on a prediction for the bad guy.

Books Worth Mentioning in 2014

Cover of "Ballad of the Northland," featuring a black background with a small picture of a flying eagle

Surprise Hit/Didn’t Expect to Like: Ballad of the Northland by Jason Barron. It looked boring, but it was a fascinating look at life in rural Alaska.

Why We Don’t Read Friends’ Novels: Theory of Mind by Jacob Gorczyca. There was a good story in there (somewhere), but it should have gone through several more rounds of editing before it was published.

Classic I Wish I’d Read Sooner: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. A unique and fun fantasy with great characters and a fantastic setting.

Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen

Made Me Realize I’ve Outgrown Middle Grade: Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen by J.L McCreedy. It wasn’t a bad book, but it was just too young for me.

Far Too Dark: Tea Cups and Tiger Claws by Timothy Patrick. Only book ever to get the “too dark” distinction, I loved the sweeping multigenerational story but hated how horrible the characters were to other people.

Zombie Book I Actually Liked: Confessions of the Very First Zombie Slayer (That I Know Of) by F.J.R. Titchenell. Blending zombie action with exactly the kind of humor I like, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 Top 5 for 2015:

 

  1. Firefight (Reckoners #2) by Brandon Sanderson. The first book, Steelheart, was amazing (honestly, anything Brandon Sanderson writes is amazing), so I’m really looking forward to reading more of this fabulous series.
  2. Exposure (Virals #4) by Kathy Reichs. I’ve loved the Virals series since I discovered it, and after the way Code, the third book, ended, I need to know what happens.
  3. UnWholly (Unwind #2) by Neal Shusterman. Unwind has been a favorite for a while, so I was thrilled to find it was first in a series (I actually just bought this book – now I have to get around to reading it).
  4. The Shadow Throne (Ascendance Trilogy #3) by Jennifer A. Nielsen. I absolutely loved the first two books in this series, even though it’s middle grade, and I’m looking forward to finishing the series.
  5. Data Runner (Data Runner #1) by Sam A. Patel. Couriers running information in a high-tech world, including cool aliases and conspiracies – sounds like a fun, action-packed ride.

So that’s my year in books. What were your favorite books of 2014? What books are you looking forward to reading in the coming year?