It’s that time of year again! There are still two weeks left in the year, and that’s time enough to find another great book, I guess. But there was so much I loved about my 2014 reading year! I managed just over 50 books, and they covered a range of genres and styles. What were my top reads of the year? In no particular order, my best books of 2014.
[easyazon-link asin=”1439102775″ locale=”us”]The Storyteller[/easyazon-link] by Jodi Picoult: The first of my ‘read more Jewish books’ project, this book was a can’t-put-down, in spite of some minor flaws. I found the modern-day character a little cardboard, and Picoult is a little too fond of the ‘twist’ ending. But the wartime characters were well-drawn and their story fascinating.
[easyazon-link asin=”0061928356″ locale=”us”]Secret Daughter[/easyazon-link] by Shilpi Somaya Gowda: This book, set mostly in India, fascinated me. It, too, had some minor flaws—but it took me on a journey, and I love books like that. It’s hard to do setting really well, and this book evoked another world for me.
[easyazon-link asin=”0062110845″ locale=”us”]The Golem and the Jinni[/easyazon-link] by Helene Wecker: Far and away, the best book I read this year. When I reviewed it, I commented that in some ways, it’s a shame this was a library read for me as the author deserved her profit on this. It’s part fantasy, part historical fiction, part something else. But it was just a beautiful, beautiful book. Five stars for sure!
[easyazon-link asin=”0307949605″ locale=”us”]What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank[/easyazon-link] by Nathan Englander: This was a short story collection, and as I often find with what sort of thing, the quality varied. A few of the stories fell flat for me, but the ones which sparkled, sparkled very brightly. There were some stories in here that stayed with me long after I read them, and I will definitely be checking out this author’s other works.
[easyazon-link asin=”0805077642″ locale=”us”]A Night to Remember[/easyazon-link] by Walter Lord: This oldie-but-goodie was a Kindle daily deal one day, and it was well worth the $1.99 I spent on it. The book relates the tale of the sinking of the Titanic, but in a novel-esque style with a diverse cast of characters and a smooth narrative flow. Most of the fact stuff has still held up in spite of advances in forensic technology too, which is no mean feat for a book written so long ago!
[easyazon-link asin=”1501107739″ locale=”us”]Still Alice[/easyazon-link] by Lisa Genova: Another fantastic, immersive read. The story follows a professor named Alice who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Genova set herself no easy task when she picked a narrator whose mind was slowly deteriorating; she does an admirable job staying in Alice’s voice even as the disease progresses.
[easyazon-link asin=”0812975650″ locale=”us”]Identical Strangers[/easyazon-link] by Paula Bernstein and Elyse Schein: This memoir follows two identical twins who learn about each other later in life and discover they were separated at birth as part of a scientific study on the influence of nature over nurture. My one problem with this book was that they very liberally referenced another book on this subject which I had already read; I would have liked a little more them and a little bit less of the other book. But a reader coming at this cold would likely not have that difficulty and so I can’t really fault them.
[easyazon-link asin=”1491586486″ locale=”us”]Upstairs at the White House[/easyazon-link] by J.B. West: This book is a memoir written by the chief usher at the White House during the presidencies of FDR through to the Nixons. His behind-the-scenes look at the running of the White House and the personalities of the first ladies was so interesting, and I read several White House themed books after this one. This was another Kindle Deal of the Day bargain!
[easyazon-link asin=”0449000753″ locale=”us”]Dances with Wolves[/easyazon-link] by Michael Blake: Another oldie-but-goodie. I remembered the movie from years ago but had never read the book. I found it tasteful, sensitive and very well-done. It was another of those ‘evoking a time and place’ sort of books for me. I found the characters and setting well-drawn, the storyline gripping and the writing beautiful.
Overall, I had many four-star reads this year, many unique and interesting titles, and numerous books which deserve a place on the TBR lists of the world. These were the handful that stood out the most for me.
Here’s to a great 2015!
I also read, and enjoyed, “Upstairs at the White House” by J.B. West (followed the Kindle Deal of the Day link from here). I’d be interested in what other White House themed books you read.
I’ve read an amazing number of books this year, several of them were huge, but my reason for reading them isn’t one I’d recommend to anyone. I reread all the Harry Potter books (most of them only took me 1 or 2 days to read as I had nothing else to do but read). I also read the LOTR trilogy, but if I hadn’t just watched the movies and been chatting with hubby about the books I wouldn’t have bothered with them. I enjoyed several book from the pen of Michael J. Tougias; and I entertained myself with “Nero Wolfe” mysteries.
There were only 2 books that made my “Best Of 2014″ list:
~~”Breaking the Worry Habit … Forever!” by Elizabeth George
~~”Act of War” by Brad Thor
~~”Mrs. Mike” by Benedict and Nancy Freedman. This is the story of Katherine Mary O’Fallon, a young girl who goes to Boston for health reasons. There she meets Sgt. Mike Flannigan of the RCMP, and falls in love. Their honeymoon is an adventure by train and dog sled over rough, rugged territory. It’s not an easy book to read. Life was hard in the early 1900’s, and life was very different from what we now live. You have to read this with an open mind and heart. Kathy and Mike face hardships, joy, sorrow, happiness and love. They grow together, and the reader grows with them. I’ve been reading this book yearly (or every other year) for over 40 years now and the story still touches my heart.