It's Top Ten Tuesday time! I'm linking up over at The Broke and The Bookish. I cannot believe that we are already half way through December, and ten days away from Christmas! Madness! Of course, it makes sense that these prompts revolve around the year ending and a new one beginning. Last week I shared the top books I'm looking forward at the beginning of 2015, today I am going to share the Top Ten Books that I Read in 2014. I decided to keep it as an overall list instead of doing a genre (they're all YA though, of course). It was hard to decide on the top ten, but here they are, counted down from ten (actually eleven, oops!) to one (my most favorite of the year).
11. How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love by Ken Baker
Why it Made the List: This was the first ARC I received, and I was so thrilled by the idea of it. Then I read the book and realized just how amazing it really is. It teaches a great lesson that everyone should read, and it has incredibly realistic characters and events.
10. Catch a Falling Star by Kim Culbertson
Why it Made the List: I requested this book through Netgalley, and was thrilled when I was approved. Of course, that means that I read this in ebook form. I thought that this was a wonderful, cute contemporary and it was perfect to read in the summer. I loved the characters and the romance, and how it certainly was not instalove, or even a love triangle. The ending was very satisfying as well.
Why it Made the List: I requested this book through Netgalley, and was thrilled when I was approved. Of course, that means that I read this in ebook form. I thought that this was a wonderful, cute contemporary and it was perfect to read in the summer. I loved the characters and the romance, and how it certainly was not instalove, or even a love triangle. The ending was very satisfying as well.
9. The Lost Souls Series by Tiffany Truitt
Why it Made the List: I was so excited when I was able to read this whole series in order to do a blog tour because the synopsis of all three books sounded amazing. They were so good once I start reading that I marathoned the whole series and read them pretty quickly. It was an intriguing and interesting dystopian series that I could not get enough of.
Why it Made the List: I was so excited when I was able to read this whole series in order to do a blog tour because the synopsis of all three books sounded amazing. They were so good once I start reading that I marathoned the whole series and read them pretty quickly. It was an intriguing and interesting dystopian series that I could not get enough of.
8. Divergent by Veronica Roth
Why it Made the List: Like a lot of people, I jumped on the bandwagon and began reading this series once I found out that it was going to be a movie. I did read the whole series before the first movie even came out, though. I was immediately drawn into the world, and really enjoyed the whole series. While the whole series was great, book one was definitely the best for me.
Why it Made the List: Like a lot of people, I jumped on the bandwagon and began reading this series once I found out that it was going to be a movie. I did read the whole series before the first movie even came out, though. I was immediately drawn into the world, and really enjoyed the whole series. While the whole series was great, book one was definitely the best for me.
7. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall
Why it Made the List: This is another ARC I received in the mail; the first that I had requested directly from a publisher, so it was very exciting! This was an adorable contemporary. I loved the couple, and I really enjoyed how we could see how cute they were through the eyes of so many other people, and not the main characters themselves. It was a fun twist on a love story.
Why it Made the List: This is another ARC I received in the mail; the first that I had requested directly from a publisher, so it was very exciting! This was an adorable contemporary. I loved the couple, and I really enjoyed how we could see how cute they were through the eyes of so many other people, and not the main characters themselves. It was a fun twist on a love story.
6. The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson
Why it Made the List: This is one of my more recent reads, once I was on my kick of reading memoirs. It is on the Lone Star this for the year, which is a list of award winning books for middle school students in Texas, so I wanted to give it a read. It was excellent, so much so that I read it in one day and could not stop thinking about it. It was so wonderful, emotion, and through-provoking.
Why it Made the List: This is one of my more recent reads, once I was on my kick of reading memoirs. It is on the Lone Star this for the year, which is a list of award winning books for middle school students in Texas, so I wanted to give it a read. It was excellent, so much so that I read it in one day and could not stop thinking about it. It was so wonderful, emotion, and through-provoking.
5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Why it Made the List: Yup, I jumped on this bandwagon as well. Once it was released there would be a movie, it became pretty difficult to get my hands on a copy of this book without buying it. I was about number 30 in the waiting list at my public library, so luckily the librarian at my school was able to get it for me. Since then I have re-read it twice, and purchased my own copy (or two...I ended up liking the movie edition as well). Such a good read.
Why it Made the List: Yup, I jumped on this bandwagon as well. Once it was released there would be a movie, it became pretty difficult to get my hands on a copy of this book without buying it. I was about number 30 in the waiting list at my public library, so luckily the librarian at my school was able to get it for me. Since then I have re-read it twice, and purchased my own copy (or two...I ended up liking the movie edition as well). Such a good read.
4. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Why it Made the List: I am sure that this one will probably show up on a lot of lists. It took me awhile to get to this one, mainly because I did want it to die down a bit first. Everyone was talking about how amazing it was, and I was afraid I would be disappointed at the one who didn't actually like it. Turns out it really IS amazing. I was intrigued by how it was written, and it was just so beautifully done.
Why it Made the List: I am sure that this one will probably show up on a lot of lists. It took me awhile to get to this one, mainly because I did want it to die down a bit first. Everyone was talking about how amazing it was, and I was afraid I would be disappointed at the one who didn't actually like it. Turns out it really IS amazing. I was intrigued by how it was written, and it was just so beautifully done.
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Why it Made the List: I cannot believe that this book took me so long to get to, especially since it sat on my shelf for a couple of years. I guess it was all the talk around the movie that finally convinced me to pick it up, and I am so glad that I did. This book was so, so amazing. It was incredibly sad, of course, but I loved how death was portrayed in it. It was incredibly unique.
Why it Made the List: I cannot believe that this book took me so long to get to, especially since it sat on my shelf for a couple of years. I guess it was all the talk around the movie that finally convinced me to pick it up, and I am so glad that I did. This book was so, so amazing. It was incredibly sad, of course, but I loved how death was portrayed in it. It was incredibly unique.
2. Positive by Paige Rawl with Ali Benjamin
Why it Made the List: I got this one from a fellow blogger who did not have time to read and review it on her own blog. Instead, she was offering them up to other bloggers. I had my eye on it for awhile, so I was thrilled that it was still available. This one was very eye-opening, and definitely a tear-jerker. It has so many amazing life lessons that everyone should read about.
Why it Made the List: I got this one from a fellow blogger who did not have time to read and review it on her own blog. Instead, she was offering them up to other bloggers. I had my eye on it for awhile, so I was thrilled that it was still available. This one was very eye-opening, and definitely a tear-jerker. It has so many amazing life lessons that everyone should read about.
And number one...
Drumroll please...
1. Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell
Why it Made the List: I was so completely blown away by this book! When I first read about the synopsis I was definitely interested, but I had no idea that it would be as amazing as it was. It was dark and twisted, and the exact opposite of things I usually like to read about, and maybe that's why I liked it so much. The writing was wonderful, and it was so vivid and believable. While the ending was not all I hoped, I do still think that this book is amazing, and it certainly holds the number one spot for me in 2014.
Why it Made the List: I was so completely blown away by this book! When I first read about the synopsis I was definitely interested, but I had no idea that it would be as amazing as it was. It was dark and twisted, and the exact opposite of things I usually like to read about, and maybe that's why I liked it so much. The writing was wonderful, and it was so vivid and believable. While the ending was not all I hoped, I do still think that this book is amazing, and it certainly holds the number one spot for me in 2014.
What were your top ten reads of the year?
OOOh nice! I agree, Divergent was the best out of the trilogy! There's always something about the first book that makes it extra awesome!
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Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
I agree that the first book in the Divergent trilogy was the best! And I really liked The Book Thief! :) I've heard We Were Liars is great and I really want to read it! Great list!
ReplyDeleteTina @ Pages of Comfort
I agree that Divergent was definitely the best book in the series! And The Book Thief is on my TBR also.
ReplyDeleteSO many great books on this list! I've read several of them and the others are all on my TBR mountain chain. Now I just have to find the time to read them all :)
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