best of 2014 (+ giveaway)

How long does it take one procrastinating book blogger to put together her list of best books of the year?  Almost a month, as predicted.  In past years I’ve lamented my lateness, but I think at this point it’s just the status quo.  Let’s make it canon: Cecelia posts her best of the year lists in January, late January.  The 2015 list will only be late if I post it in February.  I love re-framing goals like that (something about turning a negative into a positive? or perhaps because it feels like cheating, in a society-approved sort of way).

But yes, BOOKS!  The ones I liked best from 2014.  These titles weren’t necessarily published in 2014, but that’s when I read them (or reviewed them, rather).  They’re ordered alphabetically, because it was convenient.  And when I say ‘convenient,’ I mean that I have the hardest time making value judgments like this, and there’s no way I could tell you which ones I liked better than the others.  Oh, and because I’m an overachiever (read: I copy-pasted from last year’s list), feel free to peruse my previous ‘Best of’ posts from 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Best Books of 2014

Black Dog by Rachel Neumeier – Diverse teenage main character(s) and a dark and magical take on werewolf lore?  I’m longing for a reread!

Blackfin Sky by Kat Ellis – The girl everyone thinks is dead returns to her small seaside town, and there’s a mysterious circus in the woods… basically, this is enjoyable, atmospheric, and quirky in the best way.

The Castle Behind Thorns by Merrie Haskell – Historical-ish fantasy for readers of all ages, with lovely bits of religious mysticism, magic and science mixed together to form one heck of a fairy tale retelling.

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black – Twists, turns, and a fantastical world/society marching right alongside the ordinary human one.  Add complex and diverse characters, plus really excellent writing?  It must be a Holly Black book.  Darn, I loved it!

Gilded Ashes by Rosamund Hodge – This one’s a novella-length retelling of Cinderella.  An extremely dark retelling, at that.  Totally enchanting.

Hallelujah! The Welcome Table by Maya Angelou – On its face, this is a cookbook.  I’m here to tell you that the food may be good, but Angelou’s anecdotes and stories before each recipe matter most.  What a life, and what a vibrant soul.  Just… go read it!

The Midnight Queen by Sylvia Izzo Hunter – This is the sort of story I could get addicted to.  It just has me written all over it.  There’s a Regency-esque society, a scholarly environment, shapeshifting and magic, a nefarious plot that must be stopped, and a journey.  All of the fun things, and the story still works.  Glorious!

Pills and Starships by Lydia Millet – An engaging (and literary) take on pharma- and enviro-apocalypse, and what the final breakdown of society might look like for one family and one girl.

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker – This book is smashingly awesome fantasy, and it is at the same time a feminist critique of traditional literary tropes.  I don’t know how Barker does it, but I want more.

Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci – It isn’t every day you come across smart young adult sci-fi that doesn’t rely on a central romance for its main conflict and movement.  And when you do, you’re not going to see anyone do it better than Castellucci.  What a book!

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt – Southern Americana, environmental responsibility and the importance of family are the themes of this engaging animal fantasy.  I can’t wait to read it aloud to a certain new honorary niece…

Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke – Do you like graphic novels?  Comics?  Superheros?  Space?  After the money America shelled out to see Marvel’s film Guardians of the Galaxy, I think we can all say ‘YES.’  This is the book to give to young fans of those things.  Or readers of any age, really. 

Were any of these on your list (official or not) for the best of the year?

There were 12 titles on my list this year – last year there were 13.  I think the (slight) drop is due in part to the fact that I had a very slow fall and winter, reading-wise.  Well, reading published books, anyway (I went on an extended fan fiction reading binge, if you really want to know).  Here's the breakdown of my 'best' books: I had 2 middle grade, 6 young adult, and 3 adult books on my list, along with 1 graphic novel meant for younger readers.  Eleven books were fiction, one was nonfiction.  There were eleven female authors and one male author.  I also tipped the scales heavily toward American writers this year, with 10 from the USA, 1 from Canada, and 1 from England (Wales!).  I'll have to diversify a bit this year!

------

And now the fun part: a giveaway!  Two winners will receive their choice of any book from my Best of 2014 list (audiobook and/or ebook editions included, as available).  To enter, simply fill out the FORM. Giveaway is open internationally, will end on February 7th at 11:59pm EST.  Books will be shipped from Amazon or The Book Depository.  Winners will be selected randomly and notified via email.  Good luck!

best of 2013 (+ giveaway!)

It is on days like these, when I’m trying to put together a ‘Best of’ list, that I am beyond grateful for the written record I’ve kept of my favorite books.  Dear blog, You are the BEST!  Love, Me.  That didn’t sound strange, did it?!  Oh dear.  Anyway, this post is a celebration of the best books I read in 2013.  The books weren’t necessarily published in 2013, but that’s when I read them (and they’re ordered alphabetically).  Feel free to peruse my previous ‘Best of’ posts for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.  You can also check out my list of the top ten best new-to-me authors of 2013.

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle – A lovely, haunting little book set in Ireland, about a girl who meets a family ghost.  Doyle’s slightly fantastical meditation on family featured the best dialogue I’ve read in a long time, possibly ever.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein – Why can I not think of this book without coming to the brink of tears?  Because it’s an emotional, beautiful, and harrowing story of female friendship, flying and spying (in WWII).

Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud – Scary, clever, and funny: three words that describe this ghostly investigative story.  It was also thrilling and can’t-put-it-down good.  In other words, close to perfection.

The Lost Sun by Tessa Gratton – In an alternate version of North America, the biggest celebrities are the Norse gods.  When one of them goes missing, two teens set out on an epic roadtrip.  On the way they discover their destiny.  Now what about that DOESN’T sound awesome?  You’re right, nothing.

Mortal Fire by Elizabeth Knox – It took me two tries to get into this cerebral fantasy featuring math prodigy Canny, but once in I was absolutely amazed.  It was, quite simply, BRILLIANT.

Rose by Holly Webb – Orphan Rose’s story is funny and touching, and the heroine is clever and plucky.  Also, it’s set in Victorian England, and that’s always a draw for me.  Somehow, it avoids cliché and settles in at ‘just right.’

Saved by Cake by Marian Keyes – Novelist Marian Keyes’ first cookbook is a darkly funny meditation on cake, depression, and did I mention cake?  Laugh out loud fun AND delicious recipes…I really adore that combination.

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold – This first book in the Vorkosigan saga is a compelling science fiction romance.  It’s swoony AND complex, with well-matched characters on a dangerous journey.  Heart it!

Sidekicked by John David Anderson – Relatable, hyper-aware Drew stars in this nuanced tale of middle school problems, first crushes, and, oh yeah, advanced superhero sidekick training.  It’s perfect for young (and not so young) Marvel fans.

The Silvered by Tanya Huff – Fantastic world-building and an epic journey through a warring landscape seem to be two of my favorite story components.  Add in werewolves and a steampunk aesthetic, and you have one hooked reader, right here.

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton – Think Jane Austen, with dragons.  Whatever you’re imagining isn’t even close to the awesome that is Tooth & Claw.  I adored it, and have reread it already.  Also, many thanks to the lovely Ruby Scarlett, who sent me a new copy to treasure.

Under My Hat edited by Jonathan Strahan – Short stories of witchy magic by some of my favorite authors, all gathered up in one volume?  YES.  Strahan put together one of the strongest anthologies I’ve ever read.

Written in Red by Anne Bishop – I’ve reread this book twice for a reason.  It’s crazy-compelling.  I love how Bishop plays with emotion and describes the worlds she writes.  Just fantastic.

Were any of these on your list (official or not) for the best of the year?

By random chance and coincidence, there were 13 titles on my list for 2013.  I did a bit of a breakdown that may appeal to anyone who is a closet numbers nerd like me.  I had 4 middle grade, 4 young adult, and 5 adult books on my list.  Twelve were fiction, one was nonfiction.  There were 9 female authors, 3 male authors, and one anthology (the editor was male).  I also figured out where each of the authors hails from, because I worry that I’m heavily biased towards North America.  This year my list included 5 books by Americans, 2 by Brits, 2 by Irish authors, 2 by Canadians, 1 by a Kiwi, and 1 various (the anthology again).  Fairly well-rounded, I’d say.  I need to get an Aussie on the list next year, though!

------

And now the fun part: a giveaway!  Two winners will receive their choice of any book from my Best of 2013 list (audiobook and/or ebook editions included, as available).  To enter, simply fill out the FORM. Giveaway is open internationally, will end on January 31st at 11:59pm EST.  Books will be shipped from Amazon or The Book Depository.  Winners will be selected randomly and notified via email.  Good luck!

best of 2012 (+ giveaway)

When I look back at a year in reading, there are always surprises.  There are books I liked very much at the time but which now, after a couple of months of reflection, haven’t made the grade.  There are obvious changes in reading habits from year to year.  There are memories of bright and beautiful characters and precious reading moments.  This is my alphabetized-by-title ‘Best of 2012’ list, featuring books I read in 2012 (they weren’t necessarily published in 2012).  Oh, and remember to check out the end of the post for a giveaway!

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness – Ness writes spellbinding books that absolutely destroy your feelings. And then you want (or need) to read more.  A Monster Calls is part fable, part real-life falling apart, and after twelve months, I am still impressed by its imprint on my reading consciousness.

Above by Leah Bobet – I picked this one up for the cover art, and while I was surprised that the contents didn’t seem to match, I was impressed at how much the story exceeded any expectations I had.  A fascinating and intricate mix of fantasy and mental illness, played out in a world underneath Toronto.

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand – Creepy, old-fashioned middle grade horror, complete with charm, surprises and one of my favorite heroines of the year.

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce – Cosmic isn’t just engaging middle grade science fiction – it’s also a nerdy/clever/heartwarming take on the relationships between kids and their fathers, and a meditation on what growing up looks like.

Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones – Diana Wynne Jones is synonymous with story magic.  This all-ages fantasy features a boy, a dog, and a lot of things that aren’t-quite-right.  It made me glow with happiness for days.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund – Persuasion is my favorite Austen title.  This is a young adult post-apocalyptic sci-fi retelling of Persuasion.  You can believe I was in heaven reading Peterfreund’s latest, because that’s pretty accurate.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente – This second installment in the Fairyland series lives up to the first book’s perfection.  Valente’s middle grade fantasies are my favorite ongoing series of the moment.  No lie.

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley – In a year when I read several young adult contemporaries, this and Stupid Fast were the best of the lot.  Thoughtful, deep, and art-filled (though without images), Graffiti Moon is an unexpected treasure of a romance.

The Humming Room by Ellen Potter – If you enjoyed The Secret Garden, here’s a book for you:  a lovely little retelling of that story, featuring a heroine just as feisty as the original Mary.  Set in upstate New York, this reinvention keeps the focus on nature and relationships, and its quiet splendor wins the day.

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai – I read this award-winning book in verse for National Poetry month, and was moved by its beautiful, spare story of war and immigrant life. 

Plain Kate by Erin Bow – This Eastern European-based fantasy pulls heartstrings and comments on the nature of community, friendship and trust in the face of hardship.  Its courageous heroine and her cat will find a place in your soul.

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach – Oh, what a character!  Felton’s internal dialogue is hilarious, delightfully weird, and absurdly genuine.  Herbach has created an original, and I’m pretty sure that makes him a genius.

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan – Ms. Brennan has a lot to answer for.  Her book set my heart on fire, and I’m (still, all these months later…) having a hard time thinking of anything else.  I gave copies of Unspoken to three of my loved ones at Christmas. The second installment in her Lynburn Legacy series can’t come soon enough to please me.

Were any of these on your list (official or not) for the best of the year?

------

And now the fun part: a giveaway!  Two winners will receive their choice of any book from my Best of 2012 list (audiobook and/or ebook editions included, as available).  To enter, simply fill out the FORM.  Giveaway is open internationally, will end on January 27th at 11:59pm EST.  Books will be shipped from Amazon or The Book Depository.  Winners will be selected randomly and notified via email.  Good luck!