Every year for the last five years I’ve challenged myself to read a certain number of books. The first couple years I came up short, but since 2012 I have met and exceeded my yearly challenge. For 2014 I wanted to read at least 100 books – my biggest goal ever – and I ended up reading 112! For anyone interested, here’s the complete list.
In looking back over the year’s reads, there weren’t many with that coveted WOW! factor. So this year I’m sharing with you what I consider the best of what I read in 2014.
The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero (Published 8/12/2014)
You might expect a run-of-the-mill haunted house story, and you’d be wrong.
Instead you get a mysterious family history, a secret society, tons of riddles and puzzles, and one of THE best sidekicks ever. Oh, and said sidekick is also mute.
Highly recommended to the thinking reader.
My Review | Add it on LibraryThing | Add it on Goodreads
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill (Published 10/16/2007)
I loved this collection! It’s only one of two 2014 reads that I had to buy as soon as I finished with the library’s copy. (Einstein’s Dreams was the other.) My favorite thing about Joe Hill’s writing is how he takes a seemingly overdone, cliche theme, such as ghosts, and gives it a whole new perspective. Genre doesn’t matter; his are simply great stories.
My Review | Add it on LibraryThing | Add it on Goodreads
Bird Box by Josh Malerman (Published 5/13/2014)
What’s scarier than something you can’t see but know is right beside you? Eek!!
An impressive debut which I hope will lead to many, many more terrifying tales from Malerman.
My Review | Add it on LibraryThing | Add it on Goodreads
Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory (Published 6/28/2011)
One of the most touching zombie-themed books I’ve read to date. Gregory writes the (yes, often overused) subgenre exactly as I think it was meant to be written: as an allegory for society’s current events, issues, fears, beliefs, etc. I still haven’t finished writing my full review for this one – that’s how much it affected me.
My Review | Add it on LibraryThing | Add it on Goodreads
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (Published 4/15/2013)
Uses two mythological creatures to explore what it means to be human. Some might even call it a love story…without romance. The beginning has a slowish pace but I promise it’s SO worth your patience. Truly powerful stuff for those who want to dig below its surface.
My Review | Add it on LibraryThing | Add it on Goodreads
These all sound really good, in particular, the first two. I’m currently interested in ghosts and I’ll have to check them out. Thanks for the link to Einstein’s Dreams too, because THAT sounds amazing!
Einstein’s Dreams WAS amazing! But I think it’ll take a certain kind of reader to appreciate it, and I think you would be one of those readers. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished it and my writing journal has been exhausted with my ramblings, non-stop what-ifs and ideas.