2014… what a year of great reads in both book and audio format! A few days ago I posted my highlights for 2014, but I did not post about the books. Now in this roundup, here are the books that made my year of reading even better.
Early in the year, The Bookies Book Club read and enjoyed a heavy discussion because of the book Me Before You. This book is about Will, a quadriplegic young man who lost his vibrant active life to an accident. Enter Lou, a girl hired to be a companion to Will, spend time with him, talk to him and honestly, keep an eye on him. The book is incredibly engaging, definitely opinion enhancing, and over all an excellent read for yourself or for a group discussion.
In March I discovered The Martian on another blog and loved the idea of it. I listened to it on audio and 
loved it from the very first line. Log Entry: Soul 6: “I am pretty much f*****.” When Mark Watney is one of the first people to walk on Mars that was pretty cool. The fact that he may also be the first person to die on Mars…. not so cool. Wonderfully narrated by R C Bray, The Martian is all about one man’s journey of trying to get back to earth. It is so down to earth (no pun intended) and just a fun fun listen.
Love Life by Rob Lowe is one I had to think about before I added it to this grouping. Not because it was not worthy, but I had to consider if it really was best of the best. It makes the list because Rob Lowe’s autobiography’s have both been excellent to listen to. Rob is an amazing narrator and as someone who grew up in the 80’s, I really enjoy hearing about his life. While Rob’s first book was more about his childhood and getting involved in movies, Love Life is more of a look at where he is now as a husband and father… and that is pretty darn cool.
Don’t you just love books that make you go “WHOA!” and you know you need to read again at some 
point just to get the full impact? We Were Liars is such a read. This book centers around 4 teens Cady, Johnny, Mirren, and Gat who spend their summers at a beach house belonging to a grandparent. When Cady wakes up naked on the beach she has no idea how she got there… and for whatever reason, her family is not giving her the details either. Everyone in fact seems to be treating her as though she is fragile…. We Were Liars is a definite do not miss!
For the Foodie Book Lovers ( ME! ME! ME!) Delicious by Ruth Reichl offers up a fun fictitious (sort of) read about a girl who takes on a job at a food magazine as the person who handles the complaint calls. It is an incredible read and after hearing Ruth Reichl speak at the Book Expo this year I discovered that not all in the fiction read is fiction. 😉 I highly recommend this book. I listened to it on audio and it was wonderful.
Little Mercies is a hotbed topic and I devoured this book! Ellen Moore is a Social Worker who has seen
the worst of people and their actions. Yet when an early morning call involving children and domestic dispute calls Ellen to the scene, she finds herself on the other side of her position. Accused of child endangerment, Ellen finds everything to turn full circle and now she may lose everything.
It wouldn’t be a full roundup unless I included something from one of my favorite genres, YA. When I first discovered The Young World it was from a poster in the women’s bathroom at the Book Expo this year. No kidding. The poster said, “Flush while you still can!” and I knew I had to find the book. Wrapped around a dystopian world, a group of teens set out in the dangerous terrain of New York to try to find some sort of relief to this new world. Crazy awesome good… you know I am waiting for it to become a movie!
A little known title (from what I have seen), Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer amazed me and sucked me right in. I thought it was 
brilliant and gushed about it to everyone I knew and probably a few people I did not know. A YA setting, Jam is sent to a school for kids who are going through a hard time. With the sudden loss of her boyfriend, Jam has had a hard time coping in the real world. When their teacher assigns them the Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath to read and a leather bound journal to write in weekly, Jam thinks things can not get much lamer. Yet there is something amazing that happens when she writes in her journal, and when she opens up tot he other students, she finds out they are all experiencing similar happenings. Belzhar should remain on your list of books out keep an eye our for.
The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain not only blew me away… it opened my eyes to a whole lot of great reads by this new to me author. The Silent Sister is Diane Chamberlains newest release about a girl names Riley who’s older sister had committed suicide when Riley was very young. After Riley’s father passes away, Riley returns to the home of her childhood to prepare his home for sale when she comes across some papers that may very well mean that her whole life has been a lie. Breathtaking twists and turns – treat yourself to this author and this book!
There it is. That is my great reads of 2014. There are obviously many books that I never got around to reading that may very well have been on this list if I had made it to them. Perhaps next year… 🙂
Book Journey 
Great titles! I really loved The Martian too. Will have to check the rest of these out.
Thanks Belle. I love to see peoples best lists. gives me ideas of what I should be reading next 🙂
Loved We Were Liars! It was on my list as well!
I will need to read it again some day!
Yea, you know, I don’t usually re-read books I just have too many I want to get to, but I would definitely be open to reading that book again.
I agree with you there 🙂 It is hard to get back to books again and I usually just dont 😉
Strange, but I haven’t read any of these!!!
Ahhhhh Deborah…. you must choose one 😀
Great, eclectic list! Little Mercies has gone straight onto my wishlist. I also loved We Were Liars – one of my top reads of the year too.
Wonderful – I hope you enjoy Little Mercies as I did!
Me Before You was a great read. I love all of the books I have read by that author so far. The ending for We Were Liars blew me away.
I agree – We Were Liars was amazing!
I loved some of those too! (Martian, Me Before You, We Were Liars)
They were all great reads this year! 😀
Me Before You……..while I think I read this in 2013, I would gladly put it on a list every year (yes, I thought it was that good)! I’ve also read The Silent Sister (5 stars from me), and I shocked my non-reader of time travel/magical realism self when I loved Belzhar 🙂 Still haven’t gotten to We Were Liars yet, but it’s on the list.
You will love We Were Liars!!! (Belzhar was so good right?) 😀
Great list! We Were Liars definitely had the shock factor. I’ve been thinking about doing an audio listen to revisit the story. The Silent Sister, Belzhar, Delicious and pretty much anything by JoJo Moyes is on my TBR for next year. I hadn’t really considered reading the Rob Lowe book but I think I should reconsider!
YES! I did listen to We Were Liars… maybe I should read it next time? 😀 Both of Rob Lowes books are amazing!
I remember those signs at BEA! I’ve read 3 of the books on your list and have a few more in my stacks.
I literally read the sign and went and found Little Browns booth right away. They were our of ARCS but Miriam said she would send me a copy and she did 🙂 (How they keep all that straight at BEA I will never know! )
wow, high praise considering how many books you read, Sheila!
I hope you read my earlier post from today – I mention you 🙂
You have some great books on that list.
I think so 😀
I enjoyed several of these: Little Mercies, The Silent Sister, and We Were Liars. I read Me Before You last year, but loved it. Belzhar was also surprisingly enjoyable to me.
I love reflecting on books I loved.
Ahhh… we read a lot of the same books Laurel 😀
I just discovered Jojo Moyes this year and I LOVE her!
I am trying to think if I have read any more by her. 😀
I am working on my favorite of 2014 post and Little Mercies and We Were Liars made my list.
Cool!
I see a couple of to be read books joining my ever growing list. Thanks.
Oh good 🙂
I’ve read and enjoyed a few of the books on your list. I will definitely check out the others. Thanks for sharing your list.
Sure! 😀
I’ve read and loved three of these… adding several of the others to my list!
Good 😀 It was a fun list to create 😉
I’m always looking for the ‘next great book’ to read – and am so happy I found you here! I’ve only read the first one on your list, Me Before You (which prompted me to read everything by JoJo Moyes, and have enjoyed all of her books). I can’t wait to try some of these other books you recommend. Just what I need for the beginning of 2015.
This looks like a good list from 2014. I liked and read the first two you mention. Happy holidays!
I always love seeing what people pick for their favorites. The Silent Sister looks very interesting.
Nice list – I always enjoy seeing what others’ top books of the year were. I have been trying to get one of my book groups to read Me Before You all year but it never gets voted #1 – I’ll keep trying!
I also enjoyed Belzhar and We Were Liars (both were great on audio) and want to read Delicious because I enjoyed Reichl’s memoirs. I gave The Martian to my husband, my dad, and my mother’s husband for Father’s Day and they all loved it! It’s still on my TBR shelf – hope to get to it soon.
Thanks for sharing your list! I’ll put mine together in the next week or two – still hoping to get another great book or two squeezed into 2014!
Sue
Book By Book
What a great list! The Martian made my list too and Me Before You made my list last year. I also like We Were Liars. And – I took Belzhar off my TBR list once I heard there was a magical element (not my thing), but I’ve heard from numerous people that I probably should add it back!
Yes, put it back on… it is not super magical…. 😀
I read Love Life and The Silent Sister too and enjoyed them both. The Stories I Only Tell My Friends was a favorite the year I read it but this one wasn’t quite as good for me. I do love listening to him narrate hie amazing stories though!
I really like Belzhar, but I didn’t love the ending, which made me not like the book overall. I haven’t read anything else on your list, which means I’ve just added a lot to my TBR!
So glad to have found your list! You confirmed several that have been on my to-read list for awhile. So happy for the confirmations!