Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday with "The Broke and the Bookish"! :) This week's prompt is: What were the ten best books you read in 2014?



(These books are in no particular order, as it's almost impossible to rank them from best to "worst." They're all so good!)

1. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1)

This was one of the first books I read in 2014, and it was a fantastic one. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, not being into sci-fi at the time. ("Doctor Who" has changed that.) Also, I LOVE the cover. Great covers tend to bump up the rating. ;) And for those who hate insta-love as much as I do, this book is definitely the romance for you. Lilac and Tarver are ready to practically kill each other for the first hundred pages or so.

2. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Attachments

I definitely prefer Eleanor & Park and Fangirl to this one, but it's still a four star read! It's super cute, clever, and "fluffy." And it's told through dual perspectives! That's always a big plus for me. It's good for getting over a book hangover.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Perks hooked me right away. For a day and a half, I couldn't stop reading. I picked it up every time I got a few minutes. I didn't really know where the book was going until, about ten pages from the end, plot twist! Fantastic from start to finish.

4. Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

I love everything Kate DiCamillo writes, and Flora & Ulysses is no exception. It's so adorable! Whether you're eight or eighty, the humor and simple story will not be lost on you. It makes for a great read-aloud book for the whole family. You can read my review HERE.

5. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Out of My Mind

One of the best books I read in 2013 was Wonder by R.J. Palacio, and I saw this book recommended along with it in nearly every review. It's a simple, sweet, middle-grade novel. Very character-driven, and guaranteed to make you cry.

6. Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)

The first two Lunar Chronicles books were really good, but Cress was amazing! We got to see a lot more of Thorne (one of my favorite characters from the series) and Cress was a great addition to the gang. Even though throwing it would have the same effect as throwing a brick, it reads very quickly. I highly recommend the Lunar Chronicles to anyone and everyone.

7. The Program by Suzanne Young

The Program (The Program, #1)

One of the better dystopian novels I've read in a while. I'd put it up there with Divergent, as it's a little more sci-fi than The Hunger Games is. It's extremely hard to put down.

8. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars

Recommended to anyone who likes fluffy reads, terrible writing but a fun story, a cast of characters that you'll instantly love, a typical romance, and happy and predictable endings. I lied.

9. Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Because of Mr. Terupt

At first, reading a book told through the perspectives of seven kids was a little confusing. But as thte story went on, it was absolutely necessary that they all played a part. The simplicity of the story, the sweet relationships the characters had with one another, it all made for another great middle-grade novel. Also recommended to fans of Wonder and Out of My Mind. You can read my review HERE.


10. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

All Our Yesterdays

This book was really good. If you like time travel and/or "Doctor Who," I highly recommend it. Action-packed from page 1, I couldn't put it down. There were lots of plot twists and a few tears at the end. And it seems like it's going to be a series, so I'm very happy about that!

What were your favorite books from 2014? Leave a comment! :)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed reading These Broken Stars! Great list :)

Susan said...

I think you and my almost 13yo daughter would get along very, very well. One of her absolute favorite books is WONDER! I thought OUT OF MY MIND was also a good one for teaching people to be more kind and patient with one another.

Unknown said...

Flora & Ulysses!! I just read this one this month and oh my word, SUCH a cute book. I absolutely adore Kate DiCamillo's books, and this one was no different!!

Also, your description for We Were Liars is fantastic. At first I was super confused--"Wait, fluffy romance? Happy and predictable ending? Are we thinking of the same book?"--but then I got it. Best description of this book ever, honestly. ;)

The Magic Violinist said...

@Kayla The Bookish Owl I haven't met anyone who didn't like it. :) Thanks!

@Susan I'd love to meet her! Does she have a blog?

I thought so, too. Those two books are some of my favorite middle-grade novels.

@Taylor Lynn You're like the first person I've met in the blogging universe who's read it! I LOVED IT. :)

Ha ha, glad you liked it. ;) I couldn't resist the opportunity to get creative.

Boquinha said...

So, I'm ridiculously late to commenting and now I'm trying to remember what I read this past year. :P I'd say one of my favorite reads from this past year has to be "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," by Maya Angelou. Beautiful book.

Love reading through your list and hearing your thoughts on these books. "These Broken Stars" - do we own that one? I'm thinking I should put it on my TBR pile.

The Magic Violinist said...

@Boquinha Ha, I predicted that that would be your answer. ;)

Yes, we do! You should totally put it on your TBR pile. I know you're not a huge sci-fi/fantasy person, but I think you'd like this one. It's fantastic.