2014 was a really great reading year for me; I read
a lot of great books and read more than I have in a long time. Since 2014 is
over I wanted to look back at all of the books I’ve read this year and pick out
the ones that I enjoyed the most. And here they are! The top ten books that I
read in 2014:
Synopsis: Kestral a general’s daughter
and lives in a beautiful estate that used to belong to the conquered Herrani
nobility. Kestral has two paths in life; join the military and please her
father or marry and live the restrictive live of a noblewoman, yet she’s not
sure she wants either option. When Kestral surprises herself by purchasing an enslaved
Herrani boy she begins to question the roles people are expected to play in her
society.
Why it’s on my list: One of the things
that annoys me most about Young Adult books is when heroines are portrayed as
overly violent and aggressive in order to make them seem strong. The Winner’s
Curse, thankfully, does not have that kind of heroine. Kestral relies on her
intelligence and cunning to see her out of tricky situations and while she is
encouraged to develop her martial skills, she has no love for or finesse with
weapons. The writing in this book is also very strong and manages to be modern
without being so modern that it detracts from the regency-like historical
setting. This story is a good blend of plot and romance too. Overall The Winner’s
Curse manages to be engaging without resorting to clichés, and for that reason I
found it to be one of the best Young Adult fantasy books I read this year.
Synopsis: It’s Lincoln’s job to monitor
company emails and catch employees who are abusing their IT privileges, but he
has a problem; reading the personal emails between two colleagues (who he hasn’t
met) is the best part of his job. He’s supposed to give them a warning, but then
the emails will stop and he’s become so invested in their lives, he might even
be falling in love.
Why it’s on my list: I read Fangirl and
(listened to) Landline also by Rainbow Rowell and both of those were great books.
Attachments is my favourite of the three as I found the characters to be the most
relatable since Beth and Jennifer (like me) are in their late twenties, work in
an office and send too many personal emails. Much of this book is written in
email correspondence between the two women and their writing is funny and
addictive. The book lightly addresses the moral dilemmas of getting to know
someone from their private correspondence, but it is primarily a cute and funny
romance. I had a few little issues with the conclusion of the book but for the
most part I loved this story and already want to reread it.
Synopsis: Todd comes from a world where
all the women are dead and men can hear each other’s thoughts. He is days away
from becoming a man when unexpected events send him fleeing into the wilderness
where he will discover the truth about the world he lives in.
Why it’s on my list: I couldn’t put this
book down. Todd’s voice took a little getting used to, but once I had I was
hooked on his story of discovery and was flying through the pages. The setting
of this book is part western, part dystopian future. It’s hard to talk about
the plot without spoiling it, but the concept of the Noise, the thoughts of the animals and men in the book, is very unique. I love how
it’s depicted on the page too; in wobbly, chaotic fonts which are different for
each character. I have the rest of the series sitting on my shelf and I’m
looking forward to reading them soon and continuing with Todd’s journey.
Synopsis: The Lord Ruler conquered the
Final Empire a thousand years ago and forced most of the population into slave
labour. A group of thieves with a rare ability to internally burn metals to
achieve a range of different abilities are plotting to overthrow the Lord Ruler.
A young street urchin named Vin is unexpectedly swept along with events that
may change the Final Empire forever.
Why it’s on my list: I’ve heard a lot of
good things about Brandon Sanderson’s writing and The Final Empire, Book One in
the Mistborn trilogy, did not disappoint. The book is fast paced for an epic
fantasy and has a great cast of characters. The magic of burning metals, known
as allomancy, is really unique and allows for awesome action and fight scenes.
The book has several twists and turns to keep things interesting too. I’ve
heard the rest of the series is just as good and I will be getting to those as
soon as I can.
Synopsis: Two best friends, Victor and
Eli, are exploring the possibility of extraordinary humans when their
discoveries have horrible consequences. Years later, Victor breaks out of
prison in order to seek revenge upon his old friend.
Why it’s on my list: This book is an
interesting twist on superheroes with superb (haha) plotting. The story
switches between the present where newly escaped Victor is digging up a grave
with the help of a young girl named Sydney, and the past, when he and Eli are
researching extraordinary people. The book aims to show a morally grey
depiction of superheros and their motives and does this very well. I really
admire Victoria Schwab’s writing which is gripping and elegant (she’s also
really funny on Twitter – you should go follow her!). I’m looking forward to
reading more of her work, particular the upcoming release A Darker Shade of Magic.
Synopsis: There has always been
something strange about Ava Lavender’s family; her grandmother talks to ghosts,
her mother has an unnaturally acute sense of smell and Ava was born with wings.
Ava tells the story of her family and the strange ways that they have all been
touched by love.
Why it’s on my list: This is a beautiful
book. Leslye Walton’s writing is so touching and lovely and haunting. The story
is character focused and is less about plot and is more of an exploration of
the ways in which people are marked by one another. The book can be described
as magical realism, so when characters are changed emotionally in some way by
their experiences, it is manifested physically in the story, such as turning
into a bird or literally fading away. The whimsical, fairy tale tone makes
it easy to accept the magic realism elements and enjoy the story. I highly
recommend this book. It is a short and beautiful read which you are likely to
remember for a long time after finishing it.
Synopsis: Princess Elisa is born with a
Godstone in her navel that signifies her important destiny. She isn’t too
comfortable with her supposed destiny and would rather study scripture and eat
pastries. When Elisa is married off to a foreign King she begins a journey that
will uncover the mystery of the Godstone and reveal her inner strength.
Why it’s on my list: This is one of the
best examples of Young Adult fantasy that I have read. Elisa is a very likeable
and relatable character; she is compassionate and brave, despite having issues
with her self-confidence and a tendency to comfort herself with baked goods.
The story has adventure, romance and action, making it very easy to read. It is
also very well written and surprised me several times. I’ve heard that the rest
of the trilogy is just as strong, if not stronger than the first book, and I’m
excited to continue on with Elisa’s story.
Synopsis: James Halliday, the creator of
the virtual reality world the OASIS, has died and promised that whoever can
solve the clues hidden inside the OASIS will inherit his vast riches. Wade, a
young boy living in near poverty, is the first to solve a clue and kick-starts
a race to claim the hidden prize.
Why it’s on my list: This book is a must
read for any gamer. Not only does the story largely take place inside a video game,
it is full of references to gamer culture. James Halliday’s obsession with 1980s
culture has been embraced by Wade’s generation who have cultivated an expansive
knowledge of 80s games, movies and TV shows in order to help them find Halliday’s
prize. At times this book reads like an exploration of obscure 80s references
which won’t appeal to everyone, but for the most part the book is driven the
exciting treasure hunt plot set in a dystopian future. I’m not a huge fan of
the 80s (being a child of the 90s) but I still loved this book and found it
difficult to put down.
Synopsis: Paige is a member of a
criminal gang in futuristic London with a rare clairvoyant ability to touch
other peoples’ dreamscapes. Clairvoyants are hunted and captured by the Scion
government because of their dangerous abilities. The story follows Paige as she
uncovers the mysteries behind Scion and her clairvoyant powers.
Why it’s on my list: The Bone Season is
so different from anything else I've read in a long time. I think it is best
described as paranormal science fiction. The book is set in a future version of
London, yet the clairvoyant aspects of the book take inspiration from 19th
century spiritualism including spirit mediums, tarot card readings and séances.
The two ideas blend really well together and create a unique and intriguing
setting. The first half of the book continued to surprise me with the
complexity of the world Samantha Shannon has created and the remainder of the
book was filled with action. I have high hopes for the rest of the series which
continues with The Mine Order early in 2015.
Synopsis: A dual narrative following debutant
author Darcy Patel’s introduction to the world of Young Adult book publishing
and the paranormal romance she has written about a young girl who can cross
over into the afterlife.
Why it’s on my list: I loved this book.
It’s the first book that I’ve loved enough to sit down and write a review for
(which you can read here). As a reader and writer of young adult fiction, the
subject matter of this book is very close to my heart. You don’t need to be a
writer to appreciate this book though. Both Darcy and her heroine’s story
are compelling and fast paced and I would recommended the book to any fan of Young Adult
fiction. This was one of those books that I dreaded finishing but couldn’t stop
reading. It is without a doubt my favourite book of 2014.
I hope you enjoyed my list of the top books I read
in 2014. I’ve love to hear what your favourites this year were :-)
