It's the most wonderful time of the year!
Which is a thing you say when a) It's the holiday season, b) You have that song stuck in your head, and/or c) You are writing a "Favorites of the Year" post.
Which I am doing.
I haven't written a ton of reviews this year, mostly because for the first half of 2014 I was doing a lot of schoolwork and working 25-30 hours a week and when I wasn't doing either of those things, I was reading. I'll try to write more reviews in 2015.
BUT I am still doing this post right now because I love doing these posts, and also I have to tell you somehow what I've been reading this year.
So, I give you: Paige's Favorite Books of 2014*
*That is, 2014-release books that I have read.
I'm starting with the series-enders, because there's no way I could rank them amongst the other books. Also, there were a lot of them:
20. Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan
Fun fact: Unspoken is the easiest YA book in the world to sell to people looking for a book they haven't heard of before. I have proven it to myself by selling 13 copies of it this year — in an independent bookstore with a YA section that does not see a whole lot of action, that's a lot of copies. I have never, ever had a customer reject this book once I have told them about it. Maybe I'm just really good at my job, or maybe this series is magic. I'm betting on magic because Lynburns.
I actually reviewed this one! You know my issues with it, but you also know that it made me cry. Which is basically all that matters, so.
18. Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor
I finally read Days of Blood & Starlight, you guys! And this one, too! Man, this book is so good. I read half of it sitting around at my friend's house while she wasn't even there; that's how good it is. I want Laini Taylor's imagination and creativity and also her cats, because look at them.
17. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
I reviewed this one too! Perfect book is perfect. Juliette showed us what she was capable of. Kenji was awesome. Adam was awful. Warner was unapologetically Warner. My favorite thing about this series is that the prose had as much of a journey as the characters. It reflected its narrator in a way that you've probably never seen before, and Ignite Me didn't just show us or even tell us how far Juliette has come; it made us feel it.
16. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
THE RETRIBUTION OF MARA DYER FINALLY CAME OUT!!!! I had a near-death experience when I went to work to get my copy only to find out IT HADN'T COME IN YET, so then I went to [mumbles] and got one and read the whole thing that night because TWO YEARS, PEOPLE. And then I had several more near-death experiences while reading it because dang, this book is full of murder and dying and almost-dying and there's even one part that's like Romeo & Juliet and let me tell you something, I had to re-learn how to breathe. I'm pretty sure.
15. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER FINALLY CAME OUT!!!!! I got it 2 months early and read the whole thing in one night because a) Stephanie Perkins and b) THREE YEARS, PEOPLE. I actually felt guilty about it, because I knew there were people who had been waiting just as long as I had. But to be quite honest, my guilt did not last long — negative emotions never last long when you're reading a Stephanie Perkins book. Isla didn't quite live up to Lola for me, but there was no way I wasn't going to love it anyway. She is such a relatable character (I'm a strange mix of Anna and Isla, I think), I can't help but feel like there are probably legions of girls out there who feel like this book was written for them. [P.S. CRICKET, MY LOVE]
15. Ruin & Rising by Leigh Bardugo
My favorite series-ender of the year, oh man, did I love this book. Haters to the left because Leigh Bardugo knew what she was doing when she wrote this series, even though the majority of her fandom did not. I'm sorry but this is one fandom to whom I am not willing to give ample amounts of credit, because so many people missed the whole point. Alina made choices for herself in this book, she decided what her life was going to look like and who was going to be in it, based on what she wanted. If you ever for one second thought she wanted to be Sankta Alina, you're deluding yourself. So heck yes, I'm happy she got the life she actually wanted with Mal and didn't spend the rest of her life as the Darkling's plaything or being worshipped by a country of people who didn't understand her. The framing of this series is that of a dark fairy tale turned on its head — she had to kill the prince and she didn't want to be a princess or a queen. She was an orphan who just wanted a modest life, wealthy — as my friend Richard Campbell Gansey III would say — in love. A life without sun summoning or ruling is not a life without power; Alina exercised her power by simply choosing.
And now, for the rest:
14. This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
This one technically isn't even out yet, but it does come out in 2014 so here you go. It has more characters than the first book and more sources of tension and a woman of color as the protagonist! And she didn't get whitewashed on the cover! Plus, she's an awesome character, and so is her love interest, and this series is awesome at giving us complicated, well-written, believable characters, so read it.
13. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Morgan Matson is so good at writing my perfect read-in-two-sittings books. They're long enough that you can stretch them into two sittings, but fun enough that you want to keep reading them. Plus, friendship and slow-burning romance and music [aside: I felt so validated by the musical options in this book, because Emily's playlists were like my music from 2-4 years ago, which I still listen to occasionally, and Frank's playlists were what I listen to all the time now. So many of the songs mentioned are actually in my iTunes library, which NEVER HAPPENS for me.]
12. Veronica Mars: The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas & Jennifer Graham
25% of my year was spent in anticipation of the Veronica Mars movie, which was like a superlong, super-epic version of a Veronica Mars episode. Reading this book was like watching an actual, regular episode of Veronica Mars, and I loved it. How many things are better than watching an episode of Veronica Mars? How many things are better than reading a good book? NOT MANY.
11. The Good Sister by Jamie Kain
I think this book has flown under most people's radar. I only found it because I do this thing at work where I stand in the YA section and look for spines I haven't seen before. No, really. Of course, I found this one the week it came out and was like, "Sure, why not," and wow. Wow. This little book blew me away — very emotional, very unique, slightly mysterious. You think you know where it's going, but you don't. Definitely read this one over, say, Belzhar, which I liked but think is a little overhyped when you've got debuts like this one happening.
10. The Young Elites by Marie Lu
I think this was one of the most hyped books of the year, and with good reason. Moral ambiguity for the win.
9. Landline by Rainbow Rowell
I read adult books this year, you guys. This is the only new-release adult book I read this year, and it was the second-most nominated book for the adult Summer IndieNext, and they chose MY REVIEW. That's how you know I think you should read a book: if I force myself to eloquently gush about it.
8. Panic by Lauren Oliver
I told you guys last year that this would be on the list in 2014. I read it so long ago that I don't remember a whole lot other than thinking it was really unique and obviously Lauren Oliver is ridiculously talented, but I will definitely be reading it again sometime.
7. Atlantia by Ally Condie
An atmospheric utopia with elements of politics and mythology? Sign me up. I've found that this is another easy one to sell because it's so different from other "dystopias" (utopias) out there, and it's a standalone! Which tells you right there that this book is never going to do what you expect — and it doesn't. If you want a book that never falls into cliche-traps, you want Atlantia. Honestly, it's made of awesome.
6. Cress by Marissa Meyer
I am so late to this series, I know. The first two books should have been on my lists for the last two years. I live in shame. Do I really even need to say why this book is awesome? Space Adventure Squad, fairytales, Cinder's sass, Kai's general excellence, Cress's adorable optimism, Thorne, Scarlet, Wolf, I could go on...
I reviewed this! So good. So important. I will probably read this book so many times.
4. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
I am ashamed that I never wrote a review of this because there is so much to talk about. Cady is a perfectly flawed protagonist (I hesitate to call her "heroine" because of reasons), you get so far inside her head in this book that you forget to look for the way out until it hits you in the face. Man, I read this book in one sitting with other people in the room and I guarantee if I had been alone I would have required a drainage system in my room so that I didn't drown in my own tears.
3. The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
This is the kind of book that's better to go into without expectations, so you can let it completely blow you away. Of course, I can't put this at number 3 for the year and expect you to not develop expectations, so here's what I loved about it: political intrigue (I love me some political intrigue), a solid frenemyship-turned-romance, NO MAGIC. A high fantasy with no magic, have mercy on my soul, this is what I've always wanted. Bless you, Marie Rutkoski, for this world and these endlessly clever and frustrating characters. (Also, I read the Winner's Crime a few months ago and just... wow. PUT THIS SERIES ON YOUR TBR RIGHT NOW.)
2.
1.
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I don't know
I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO IT
My favorite two books of the year, ALPHABETICALLY BY AUTHOR, are I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson and Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater. I cannot betray one by picking the other as my favorite, though of course they are both perfect books and would probably be all gracious and say that the other one deserved it more anyway, but SHUT UP YOU NOBLE BOOKS I WILL NOT CHOOSE.
Possibly I need to go to bed.
Let me tell you about I'll Give You the Sun. This book is like reading a work of art. Somehow it has bursts of color on every page; it captures the passion of an artist and the relationship of two characters whose lives inspire and defeat them; it is an accurate representation of what it is to be twins. Twins are like other siblings, but not. Nobody who's not a twin quite gets it, and that's not because of """twin telepathy""" or from being so much alike or any of those things; it's from having a built-in best friend from the moment you're born (you could say before, but let's not get carried away). There's resentment and competition, but there's also loyalty and an odd closeness and the ability to say things to each other that you wouldn't say to anyone else because they would probably look at you funny. It's knowing that a rift between you would alter your entire life. This book shows all of that and more, and it's just flawless. I'm going to own so many copies of this, my friends.
Now, you all expected Blue Lily, Lily Blue to be on my list. You expected it to be #1. None of you are shocked right now. What can I say about this book that I didn't already say about The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves? Honestly I've had a hard time finding sufficient words for how subtly different and surprising and somehow still consistent this installment of the series is, which is why I haven't really attempted a review. It definitely parallels TRB more than it does TDT, but it keeps the general excitement and adventure that TDT has as well. The magic, the new characters, the cave spelunking (I just really liked the symbolism of them all being tied to each other in the darkness of the cave — that Stiefvater and her metaphors). The relationships — ugh, the relationships, words, where are my words? It's almost 2am. Adam Parrish, he's gonna save my baby because his character development was through the roof in this book; Blue Sargent, she's gonna have some stuff to deal with and I can't wait to see her deal with it; Gansey, my baby, he's gonna be more human than king and he's gonna figure it all out and let his people save him and he's gonna survive; Ronan is gonna keep surprising us and being the fierce knight we all know he is; Noah is gonna find peace, one way or another. These are the things I want because I care about these characters so, so much. I don't know what I'll do if any of them don't get the ending they deserve — oh god, why does it have to end? Now I'm sad. 2015, please take your time because I'm not ready.
I need to sleep.
But, you know.
GOOD BOOKS, 2014. *pats 2014 on the head*
It's slightly unfortunate that only one male author made it onto my list, but I've already got a couple for next year and also the male authors I read this year were not new releases, so they didn't qualify. Sigh. I really honestly don't even pay attention to the author's gender when I'm picking which books to read.
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