1. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente
Why: So good I named one of my new kittens September! It is now one of my all-time favorite novels.
2. The School For Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
Why: It's a feminist fairytale written for an age-range that seriously needs a feminist fairytale on their shelves.
3. Cress by Marissa Meyer
4. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Why: It's my favorite of the Lunar Chronicles thus-far (though, sadly, I only have one left unread! Stay tuned for its appearance on next year's list, I'm sure.)
4. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Why: Because I'm not sure I would have been so strong this year without this book.
5. Vicious by V. E. Schwab
Why: Besides the fact that Victoria Schwab wrote it, it's rare to read a book so perfectly executed.
6. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
7. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Why: This book had been on my TBR so long, but finishing it was bittersweet in many ways! So. Good.
7. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Why: Featuring my favorite Raven Boy, Ronan, and a wicked-cool Ability with a capital A, this second installment to the Raven Cycle has officially won me to the series and I cannot wait for book three!
8. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
9. When Christmas Feels Like Home by Gretchen Griffith
Why: My favorite picture book of the year is both visually stunning and heartwarming. The narrative read beautifully.
10. Daughters of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
11. The Golem and the Jinni
Why: This has been an odd year in books for me; usually contemporaries dominate my Top Ten/Best I've Read list by the end of the year, however, in 2013, Just One Day is the only contemp I can say I adored- but let me tell you, it's brilliant!
9. When Christmas Feels Like Home by Gretchen Griffith
10. Daughters of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
Why: The final installment in Dray's Cleopatra Selene series is magnificent!
11. The Golem and the Jinni
Why: More adult books need to be like this book, a marriage of myth, historical fiction and a touch of fantasy, all cemented together with sensational writing!
12. My Blue is Happy by Jessica Young
Why: I love the message of this colorful picture book.
13. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Why: Unreliable narrator meets a boy who lies like its his JOB! Of course I loved it!
14. Love Monster by Rachel Bright
Why: I could hardly handle the cute the first time I read it, and I grow weaker and weaker each time I pick it up. I've gotten to the point of having cute-fits whenever I glance at the bookshelf it's sitting on.
15. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Why: A 2014 Debut with a unique spin on the classic Beauty & the Beast with an amazing cover and sensual romance. Yum!
4 comments:
Wow, that's a great variety of reads, many I haven't heard of but am now interested in. Especially 'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea'. Your short description makes it sound too interesting! LOL. The Raven Boys is definitely my favorite read this year, though I wasn't as fond of The Dream Thieves. Still, I can't wait for the next book!
I hope your academic year has been going well and I wish you the best in 2014!
I really enjoyed Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea and The Dream Thieves this year. I've read The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherynne Valente and loved it. I love how you included picture books too! Happy New Years. :)
You have a great list! I am so happy to see The School For Good and Evil on your list. It was my number two as well. I think there is not enough readers who know about it. I have been hearing readers rave about your number one pick and I can't wait to pick it up. :)
I love that you named your cat after a book character! My cats are Merry and Pippin from Lord of the Rings. I love too that they know their names. They were actually renamed from the names they were adopted with.
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