Top Ten Books of 2014

 

It’s been a while since I last joined in with the Top Ten Tuesday linkup, which is a bookish meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. So it’s more than time for me to share some of the books I’ve been reading. This week’s subject is a freebie, so even though it’s halfway through January already, I thought I’d recap my top ten reads from 2014. Here we go!

1. The Caller
Juliet Marillier 

 

Image Credit

This is the third and last book in the Shadowfell series, one of my favourite fantasy trilogies. It’s full of Irish style faeries, which is so cool, and is the conclusion of an epic quest to save both the magical and the mortal worlds from a tyrant. I was almost afraid to read this book in case the ending didn’t match up to expectations. But read it I did, and I was ever so glad. This is an epic ending to a great series.

2. Cinder + Scarlet
Marissa Meyer

Image Credit

Image Credit

These books both deserve to be on my list because they are as awesome as each other. I am a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, and these are some of the best I’ve ever read. They have androids, cyborgs, spaceships, and are still recognisable as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood retellings. I don’t know how Marissa Meyer did it. These books also inspired me to start writing my own series of fairy tale retellings.

3. The Sons of Scarlatti
John McNally

Image Credit

This book was a bit of a dark horse to me. It had something to do with a giant wasp, and that’s exactly the only thing I knew when I borrowed it. It turned out to be a story about miniaturised people, insects, and broccoli. It has hilarious humour too. It’s definitely one of my most fun reads from last year.

4. Bones of Faerie + Faerie Winter
Janni Lee Simner

 

Image Credit

Image Credit

Again, two books that both need to be on this list. I knew nothing about these books when I borrowed them either (that seems to happen to me a lot). Turns out it was a post-apocalyptic fantasy book with snooty faeries and man eating plants. Trust me, you do not want to go out and pick the daisies in this world. And it has the sweetest lead male I’ve ever met. Another great discovery.

5. The Blood of Olympus
Rick Riordan 

 

Image Credit

This was one of my two most anticipated books released last year. It’s the last book in Rick Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series. I’d like to say I was nervous about seeing whether he was going to wrap the series up well in this book, but this is Rick Riordan we’re talking about. I’ve only read about twelve of his books without being disappointed so far. Obviously he wasn’t going to disappoint me now.

6. Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Maggie Stiefvater

Image Credit

This was my other most anticipated book release of 2014. Some of you may remember that I was gushing over the first two books in the series earlier last year (those being The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves). So of course I was desperate to read this book too. And Maggie Stiefvater did not disappoint. Loved the book so much. I think the characters were even better in this book that they were in the last two. Can’t wait for book 4!

7. Fairytales for Wilde Girls
Allyse Near

Image Credit

This book is written in a really unusual story telling style, which I found rather cool. It also has ghosts in it, which I’m not normally into with my books. But the main character was so quirky and lovable that she make the book awesome. She kept introducing herself as different people, which is something I’d love to be able to do. And it had faeries. Hmm, a lot of my favourite books from last year had faeries. Coincidence?

8. Solitare
Alice Osman

Image Credit

I borrowed this book simply for that one line on the cover that says ‘This is not a love story’. Obviously that meant it was in fact a love story, but it definitely wasn’t conventional, which made it all better. It has a secret group terrorising the school, an unusual romance, and burning buildings. What else is needed for a great book?

9. All Our Yesterdays

Cristin Terrill

Image Credit

I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book when I started it. It looked a bit too romantic for my tastes (a very little romance will suffice for me), but I was really glad I stuck with it though. It has two different timelines for the same characters, which somehow managed not to be too confusing, and one of the funniest male romantic leads I think I’ve ever read about. Totally still sad about the ending though.

10. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Ransom Riggs

Image Credit

I mentioned this book a few times last year after I first read it, but it definitely earned its place on this list. It has really weird superpowers and people literally living in pockets of the past which are hidden in the present. Plus the old photos that are scattered through the book are super creepy. Still haven’t managed to read the sequel yet though. Maybe this year it’ll happen?

Have you read any of these books? What was one of your favourite books from last year?