I have delayed this by a couple of weeks for a number of reasons. First reason, I did the Annual Book Survey a couple of weeks ago and secondly, I was busy with family last weekend and by the time I remembered to post, it was almost Monday and I was feeling under the weather. I am doing this without a list at hand and pointing darts and hoping that I get them somewhat right. So starting from Number 10, here is my Top 10 reads of 2014:
10. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - I know some of you are going to read through the review and see a 5/5 at the bottom of the review, but the reason it gets this spot is because it was a re-read. I did love Dickens' use of symbolism and language in the book and did say that Dickens was my literary boyfriend. Still love the book.
9. Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch - I approached this book with apprehension as I had mixed feelings about The Dinner when I read it during the summer of 2013, but there was something about this book that made it more readable and more enjoyable. Really liked how Koch drew the reader into the world he created.
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - I had heard a lot about this book throughout the blogging world over the years and for whatever reason it took me this long to actually read it. Actually it was a controversy in a town about 3 hours north of where I live to get me to read the book and see what the big fuss was and why the dad didn't want his grade 10 son to read the book.
7. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - Took me a few times to get around the book, but once I picked up the book, I was really hard pressed to put it down or even let go of the characters in the book. Very identifiable for me, as I used to write fanfic at one time.
6. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer - I had heard about this book from a number of sources throughout 2013 and I had tried reading the book, but due to reading other books, I was unable to get around to it. But when I was able to sit down and read the book, I was absolutely enthralled with the book and was bawling by the end, not wanting to let go of characters that I had learned to love.
5. The Children Act by Ian McEwan - Wow! Such a short book, but packed such a punch. I had only read Atonement before this a few years ago and really enjoyed reading the book and thought that was an excellent book, but there was something about how McEwan used language so effectively in such a way that it only took me a few days to read the book.
4. Mrs. Hemingway by Naomi Wood - I first heard about this book through the podcast You Wrote the Book! and was intrigued by the book. I didn't know how I would like it, but was surprised when I really liked it and became a favourite of mine.
3. The Martian by Andy Weir - I had heard a lot of hype about this book during the spring and early part of the summer and when I was able to obtain an e-copy of the book through my local library, I was thrilled and while it took me almost the entire 3 weeks that I had with the book, I really enjoyed it. I really liked that it was a science fiction book that didn't have too much science jargon and was fairly accessible.
2. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simison - was really able to identify with the main character in the book, as I also have ASD. I can get why Don does what he does. Definitely was the better of the two books by this author that I read in 2014.
1. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent - I had heard about this book throughout 2012 and 2013 and for whatever reason, I just was unable to start the book, but when my book club had chosen the book for a book club selection for this fall, I had no choice but to read it. When I got down to reading the book at the end of November, I was definitely in entranced by the world that Ms. Kent created and absolutely loved it.
There were also books that deserve honourable mention, as while they were really good, they just didn't make the cut:
• Boxers by Gene Luen Yang
• Saints by Gene Luen Yang
• While Beauty Slept by Elizabeth Blackwell
• A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
• Enchanted, The by Rene Denfeld
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley
• Levels of Life by Julian Barnes
• All the Lights We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
• The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
• Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers
• A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Maybe I should do a top 25 for 2015....
Happy reading
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