Finding New Favorites in 2014

Finding New Favorites in 2014

• Jun 10, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/top ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. I'm so obsessed with lists - so it makes perfect sense that I'd love this feature!

So, I've been on a reading streak this year and have somehow already read 81 books. I know, it's a little bit insane that I've devoured so many books. Typically, I'd have hit some sort of a slump by now. I can't believe I haven't gotten even a little burned out on books this year. However, it made it almost impossible to choose just 10 books for this list! I still can't be believe that I (kind of) did it.

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far This Year

Top 5 Standalones

1. I Shall Be Near to You by Erin Lindsay McCabe

"Rosetta became one of my all-time favorite characters by the time I closed the book. I could imagine all the real, flesh-and-blood women like her who risked it all. And it's the biggest compliment I can give this book to tell you that it made the past come alive for me. This book is exactly why I love historical fiction. I can't recommend I Shall Be Near to You enough!" | My Thoughts

2. A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

I love historical fiction, but I don't feel like I've read much of it in the young adult genre. So, I was really excited when A Mad, Wicked Folly got on my radar. I absolutely loved how the suffragette movement was depicted through an unconventional, sassy heroine like Victoria Darling. The research that went into this book was evident, as was the passion for this story and its characters! | Review to Come

3. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

"In Open Road Summer, Emery Lord has written a story about loyalty, love and loss... and all the complicated things in between. This book has so much heart, and you don't want to miss it! I was enchanted by the characters and their stories, and I can't wait for more readers to discover this talented author in her incredible debut." | My Thoughts

4. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

"I closed this book with a huge grin on my face, and I immediately wanted to read it again. I haven't re-read it yet, but I totally will before the end of the year. The Sea of Tranquility is emotional, romantic, heartbreaking, infuriating, hilarious, amazing, intense and just downright wonderful. Adjective overload? Maybe. But it's totally deserving!" | My Thoughts

5. Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"Well, this book completely surprised me. I loved the way it was written: flipping between flashbacks telling Ben and Elsie's story and Elsie's present-day life without Ben. Reid's writing really made me fall in love with the characters and connect emotionally to the story. This is one of my more recent favorite adult fiction favorites, and I'm looking forward to more from Reid in the future." | My Thoughts 

Honorable Mentions: Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen and Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Top 5 Books in a Series

1. The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutowski

"I almost didn't write a review for The Winner's Curse because it's already gotten so much buzz, and I'm not sure if I can even do it justice. But I do want to put my two cents in and tell you something very important: for me, this book absolutely surpassed all of my expectations for it." | My Thoughts

2. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

"The series is consistent overall: world-building and plot take second stage to characters, writing and emotion. To be completely honest, there isn't a huge change or shift in the final book when it comes to those aspects of the books. Ignite Me picks up right where Unravel Me (or Fracture Me) leaves off and ends in a way that remains true to the story Mafi started telling in the first place. It might not be the story everyone wanted, but I think it's a story worth reading and a discussion worth having." | My Thoughts

3. Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

I pre-ordered Dark Triumph before it released, but I always intended to re-read Grave Mercy before diving in. Somehow, before I knew it, an entire year had passed. I finally got my head on straight and read Sybella's story. While the tone is much darker than the first book, I only fell more in love with this series in these pages. Sybella is a fierce, richly drawn character, and I loved seeing her meet her match and find healing from her past. | Review to Come

4. The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

I'm almost surprised that a group of novellas is making my list of top ten books I've read so far this year, but I'm learning to never doubt Sarah J. Maas. With a deft hand, she portrays the events before Throne of Glass and shows how Celaena became the skilled, fierce woman that readers have come to know and love. Each story shows you an aspect of Celaena's past that has led to her present and will likely influence her future. | Review to Come

5. Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

"With evocative writing, a richly imagined world and epic characters, there's so much to fall in love with in these pages. Seriously, I can't even do Taylor's writing justice - it's so gorgeous! Be prepared to lose yourself in this world and fall head over heels in love with these characters as the battle between good and evil divides friends and foes." | My Thoughts 

Honorable Mentions: The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons, To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner