Top Ten Tuesday: My Favourite Books of 2014 (So Far)

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday theme is the ten best books I’ve read so far this year. This is a hard one, you guys, like they’re asking me to choose between my children. (Of course, in reality I only have one child, but that’s NOT THE POINT!)

So, grudgingly, here they are — listed in alphabetical order. I mention this because it’s hard to make this list as it is; asking me to prioritise it internally is just too cruel.

Now, two of these books are not currently available, due to the collapse of a certain, lame small press earlier in the year. I realise this sucks for you, because they are awesome — but I fully intend to shout from the rooftops when they come back to us. And one of them is already on the way.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Take Cinderella, stick her in a future Earth and make her a second-class cyborg. Stir in some political intrigue, a terrible plague and a handsome prince, and I’m so there! Review.

Forget Me Not by Stacey Nash. The romance between Mae and Jax is well-developed and, even though I’m firmly Team Will (Mae’s best friend), by the end I thought Mae and Jax were a cute and above all realistic couple. Review. (Forget Me Not is scheduled for re-release by Harper Collins later this year. Oh my frickin’ god!)

Haze by Paula Weston. This is The Rephaim #2. I could just write IT’S AWESOME GO BUY IT RIGHT NOW in all caps and then put in some animated gifs of people squeeing all over the place, but that’s not particularly coherent. I gather there’s at least one more book in the series, maybe two. Like Shadows, Haze has an ending that has equal parts closure and setup for the next book. I MUST HAVE IT NOW! Review.

Immagica by K. A. Last. With this book’s main character, Rosaline, being fifteen, I thought maybe I’d be a little old for the story. I should have remembered I loved Harry Potter back when he was a scruffy twelve-year-old. Review.

In Stone by Louise D. Gornall. Beau’s voice shines from the beginning. Even crying over her broken heart in the park, her sass came through. I wanted to take her home, make her a hot chocolate and watch chick flicks with her. Which is saying a lot, because I NEVER watch chick flicks. Review. (In Stone has been re-released with a pretty new cover.)

Running Home by Julie Hutchings. This book is a bit like riding a roller coaster. It starts clicking along the track, and there’s a slow build … and then you get to the top of the first incline and it’s all waaaaaah! The particular vampire mythology is also something I haven’t seen before, which is saying something given how many vampire books are on the market. Review.

Sleeper by S. M. Johnston. Sleeper sits somewhere between YA and NA; the main character, Mischa, is eighteen and about to start university, but the themes sit closer to the more-typical YA fare of self-discovery. And while there’s a lot of kissing there’s no graphic detail in here that might make some teens (or parents of teens) uncomfortable. Review. (Sleeper is currently unavailable. 😦 )

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Some of the moments in Stars are hysterically funny. I love the banter between Hazel, Augustus and Isaac. It’s often classic gallows humour, and although some people may find it shocking, if anyone is entitled to it, it’s those three teens, all with cancer that has cost them big time. When it’s not gallows humour, it’s still clever and wry. Review.

The Problem With Crazy by Lauren K. McKellar. For me to pick up a contemp, it has to be special. The Problem With Crazy blew me away. I stayed up till after midnight — on a work night, no less — thinking “just one more chapter”. Review.

Wicked After Midnight by Delilah S. Dawson. This is Blud #3. I love this series. Love love love. The world, a sort of medieval parallel to modern day Earth, is rich and dark and has clockworks and magic in equal measure. Plus Dawson’s love interests in each book are smoking hot, strong, dangerous to their enemies and respectful of their leading ladies (which is one of the reasons they are smoking hot, in my book!). Review.