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Bustle made a list of “2014’s Best YA Books”.
You know me: lists are my favourite! (Remember my version Epic Reads’ 30 World Changing YA books?) Well, my friend NevilleGirl showed me Bustle’s list and naturally it sparked a million opinions in my cantankerous skull.
Did I like Bustle’s picks? Not, really.
Which, of course, made me want to make my own list. Naturally.
On Bustle’s post they listed: We Were Liars, Grasshopper Jungle, Panic, No One Else Can Have You, This one Summer, The Impossible Knife of Memory, Cress, She Is Not Invisible, Since You’ve Been Gone, The Truth About Alice, and Graduation Day.
I’ve read 4. A lot of them I’d call “good” but “best of the year”? Only Cress and We Were Liars would hit that list for me. I also notice that they’ve picked a lot of contemporaries. Why?! Epic and fantastical books can hit you in the feels too!
You want to know the truth about my list, though?
The Minnow by Diana Sweeney
[4-stars] Not my first pick for a “best of the half-year” list, but when it came down to picking books…The Minnow did hit me with magnanimous feels. Especially with the ending. There are theories about that ending, and I like the dramatic, feels-crushing version.The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas
[5-stars] THIS BOOK SMOTE ME. And I needed to go all Old Testament there with the “smote” because there’s no better word for this. I shipped Sam and Celeana so hard even though I knew the ending from Throne of Glass.Searching for Sky by Jillian Cantor
[4-stars] Again, not my first pick! But I realised (while scrolling through Goodreads) that this one does rate high on books that have most affected me this year. I was a teeny bit frustrated with most of the characters…but the simplicity won me over. See? I’m still rating this high even though I loathe fish.Unhinged by A.G. Howard
[5-stars] MOTH. There are other things to say, of course…like how Wonderland is even more wild and wacky and out of control. And can we mention the ending? THE ENDING, peoples, is enough to give a person a small heart-attack about the state our beloved author left her characters in. They’re all mad in this book.Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
[4-stars] This series grew on me the more I read. And while it lacked in the action, it more than made up with a) humour and b) character development and c) Warner.A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Walker
[4-stars] One of the few happy books I’ve read! I mean, mildly happy. Let’s not underestimate cranky families who hate your painting passions.We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
[5-stars] This one so deserves to be on this list. I’m…I’m still in shock. I never saw that ending coming. I never saw ANY of it coming. It took my breath away, honestly, it did.Cress by Marissa Meyer
[5-stars] Every time Marissa Meyer writes a book, she outdoes herself. I didn’t think anything could top Scarlet but then Cress happened. Thorne develops a backbone (that that is a little sad…he was funnier when he was slimy) and Cinder and Kai actually make eye-contact, OH, and it has an awful cliffhanger ending that makes me cry and long for Winter. Love that.More Than This by Patrick Ness
[4-stars] This book keeps growing on me. If I redid ratings (which I don’t), I’d probably give it a 5 now. It’s stuck with me. I have so many questions, and yet it was just all sorts of beautiful. And funny. You know, when they were dying or anything.Half Bad by Sally Green
[5-stars] If I could only pick one book, I might just pick this one. I love it! I adore it! I’m so excited for it I wish there was a ginormous fandom so I could party with them! I could not put it down…and I’ve never felt so much for a character like I felt for Nathan. Poor little mite. Talk about needing a hug.I absolutely want to hear your versions of this list.
Tell me in the comments, or write a blot post for it! DO IT. Then we can discuss. Just remember: they must be published in 2014. (And I’d like to know what you think of my picks. Any surprise you?)
Cait likes to read older books. It’s very exciting to read and review all the shiny newbie books, but she doesn’t want to miss out on the old diamonds of yesteryear. Like A MONSTER CALLS or FANGIRL. Those are masterpieces! But…not published in 2014. Late at night, when not plotting villainy, Cait likes to reflect on what 2015 might hold. More Sarah J. Maas and John Green she hopes.
The Impossible Knife of Memory! The Impossible Knife of Memory! I LOVES THAT BOOK SO MUCH. Umm, *scrolls through goodreads* Man, I need to get more organized with Goodreads, blaargh x IT'S SUCH A MESS. Okays, I have 2 5-star books…that is FREAKING TWOOOOO, ONLY TWO. Golly, mclolly, 2014, you better get yourself together, otherwise, IM GOING TO BE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU. TWO IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, YOU HEAR???!!! Ahem, *carries on scrolling through goodreads* My TWO 5-star books so far this year are: The Road to Gundagai and HEIR OF (FREAKING!!!) FIRE. I'm still in shock that I got APPROVED for it on Netgalley too! *holds offering of chocolate out to Netgalley* Other special mention books are: The Impossible Knife of Memory (would've been a 5, but Finn and Haley's behavior was really grotty at times, SO IT IS A 4 SOMETHING), Don't Look Back (BLARRRAGH, AWESOMESAUCENESSES), Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (YOU DIDN'T PUT IT DOWN ON YOUR LIST, HOW DARE YOU), A Girl Named Digit (HOLEY CRUMPETS, SOOOOO CUTTEEE *giggles hysterically*), Love-Shy (WHY DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE FRABJOUS AUTHORS, HMMMMPH), Me Since You (I NEED ELI IN MY LIFE, NEEEEED, NOT WANT, NEEEED) annnd A Breath of Frost. Oh and I hated The Minnow.FRABJOUS POST, CAIT <3333333333333
Aristotle and Dante wasn't published this year though. 😉 I had that problem too! I had it on my list and while it came out in Australia this year, it's technically like a 2012 book! So I took it off. >-< Same with Fangirl…gah. I had a bit of trouble, I tell you! And omg, Heir of Fire I'm so excited for. Not reading it until it's closer to release date though. I loved The Minnow.
Whenever I find Ella I find FRABJOUS and it's SO FRABJOUS.*creeps away*
I will definitely do one of these! Maybe for Saturday because I haven't planned that blog post yet. Great idea. I've read five of the books you listed and I'm reading We Were Liars right now (writing style = amazing). I SO want to finish it tonight but alas, schoolwork + NaNoWriMo = very busy Emily. I've only read 2 of the original list so yours is obviously better. I loved Cress, Searching for Sky, The Minnow, Unhinged AND More Than This, so obviously you have very good taste. Plus I'm thinking of borrowing Crown of Midnight because everyone says it's better than Throne of Glass 🙂
YAY I CAN'T WAIT TO READ YOURS. And I can't claim. hehe. I stole it off the internet. Ohhh, tell me what you think of the end of We Were Liars?! I was afraid it was too overhyped because I wasn't really into it until about 45%. And then I seriously could not put that book down. It was stuck to me, I promise, it was glued to my eyeballs. *whispers* Ohhh CoM is brilliant. But I'm not sure you'd like it better than ToG? I'm NOT SURE. But it was so so so good.
I know what you mean about Half Bad…amazing book.I haven't read Ignite Me, yet, but I liked Shatter Me a lot more than Unravel Me.And I really want to read We Were Liars. I have no idea what it's about, and I don't want to know, but I really, really want to read it.As for my list: Secret (Brigid Kemmerer), Panic (Lauren Oliver), Perfect Lies (Kiersten White), Split Second (Kasie West), The Forever Song (Kiera Cass), The Dark World (Cara Lynn Shultz) and Four: A Divergent Collection (Veronica Roth). So, basically, if it came out this year, and I've read it, then it makes the list.And I'm sure once Silver Shadows and Sinner come out, they'll be added to the list too.
Half Bad…ohhh, I love that book way too much. I'm so excited for Half Wild!! Have you seen the cover? It's beautiful. We Were Liars is BRILLIANT. I promise! It just is! I'm putting up a totally useless review on it soon. Heeh. I haven't even read half of your list, although I so want to read Four. *sigh* I need it in my life.I READ SINNER AND IT SHOULD BE ON THE LIST BECAUSE AFJDSALKFJDAFA IT WAS BRILLIANT. But I made the post and scheduled it before I'd read Sinner. (I like read it yesterday.) That's the only reason it's not on here. x)
"Any surprise you?" since I've been an avid reader of your posts, I am not surprised on the books on your list (maybe except for the minnow!) I badly need to start Splintered. I told myself I am going to give the series a try this year and I am still upholding to that AHA. I am most curious about More Than This! The synopsis and the reviews really made it hard to resist! Curiosity and interest are bugging meeeee!! And I tried reading We Were Liars but the e-reader was making the format turbulent and making me so lost with introduction, so I maybe I'll buy the physical copy and dive into the story that took your breathe away! XD
The synopsis for More Than This is useless, isn't it? 😉 I confess, that's half of what intrigued me sooo much! (And of course the John Green recommendation on the front.) Ohh, We Were Liars sucked in e-reader? Such a shame. I hope you get a physical book because the end. OH THE END. Not okay.
I might do my own version of this list as a blog post, but I'm unsure yet as to what I want to put on there! Definitely Cress, though. And The Coldest Girl in Coldtown – have you finished it yet? I adored it.Also, thanks for the shout-out! 🙂
OHMYGOD HALF BAD IS MY ULTIMATE FAVOURITE BOOK I'M SO THRILLED FOR IT TO BE ON THIS LIST!! Like seriously, I have a problem with loving that book waaaaay too much!Amy // The Blog Hermit
I contemplated writing a thesis length comment, and then I decided to just write my own post instead. I'll put it up first thing in the morning!!
Sadly, I've only read one book on this list which was Ignite Me, I plan to read Half Bad, A Mad Wicked Folly and We Were Liars sometime in the near future. I really need to get caught up on the Lunar Chronicles books, I read Cinder a million years ago and remember loving it but I don't remember anything about the actual plot so I'll definitely have to do a reread before moving on.
118 books? *bows down*The Assassin's Blade! I wasn't a huge fan if Throne of Glass, so I'm hoping these novellas will change my mind about Calaena and the rest of the story. Faye has been pushing me to read Searching for Sky! And I will when I can. I still haven't finished Unhinged. D: Splintered was really, really good though. Ignite Me… Err, I don't like Waner, so… ;P A Mad, Wicked Folly was so cute! We Were Liars is one of those love/hate books, and I think we're on the opposite ends, Cait. 🙁 CRESS. CAPTAIN THORNE. I'm really curious about More Than This. Half Bad, as well!Sorry if this comment's co cluttered. I wrote a longer one, but Blogger keeps eating all my comments!
YES YES YES TO THESE BOOKS AND CRESS AND UGHBNFMZS I NEED THE ASSASINS BLADE. But hey, have you not read the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series? OBVIOUSLY NOT OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE ON HERE. *glares* *mutters* *stamps foot*UNHIIIINNGEEEED<3333333But hm, Half Bad, yeah I liked it – I don't think as much as other people though. ;)I've not heard of The Minnow or A Mad, Wicked Folly so off I go to goodreads. 😀
THAT'S EXACTLY MY FEELINGS FOR THE ASSASSIN'S BLADE AJFDKSLAFS SAM. And no! I haven't read the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series and that is why. I haven't even touched it. really, what have I been doing with my life?? LOAFING I GUESS. Not many people do like Half Bad, but I'm obsessed with it. It was so sad yet perfect.MORPHEUS.
IF YOU DO NOT READ DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE I WILL QUIT READING YOUR BLOG. *mutters* *stamps foot* *looks around* not that it would matter to be honest YOU GET SO MANY READERS AND COMMENTS I AM UBER JEALOUS. ;D
I've only read thirty-six books thus far this year, and most of them are at least from last year, but almost every one that I've read from this year has blown me away – and most of them are indie published.RESISTANCE by Jaye L. Knight. I'd read other books of hers from her previous pen name, and adored them – and this one blew me away. I got to read it pre-release, too, which is always amazing.CINDERELLA THEOREM by Kristee Ravan. The fact that this was a combination of math and fairy tales was enough to sell me. But the world building was delicious.FLY AWAY HOME by Rachel Heffington. Not an era of history that I usually find myself reading, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.THE WORD CHANGERS by Ashlee Willis. I'd been following the hype for this book, and knew I'd love it (the premise reminded me of the premise of my own ANKULEN). Which I did.UNFAIREST OF ALL by Shannon Hale. This is the only "popular" book I've read from this year. I'd loved the first book in the series, and I wasn't disappointed in this one at all.I haven't read any of the books on your list, though I need to read Cress (after I read Scarlet … still need to lay my hands on that).
That's good that you support so many indie-authors, too! I think I've read..maybe 1 indie-book this year? Cinderella Theorem sounds fantastic! I like epic world building. And I'm meaning to read something by Shannon Hale. x)
RESISTANCE and WORD CHANGERS each had epic world building as well – that's one of my requirements for fantasy.I would recommend her EVER AFTER HIGH series to start with. She has two writing styles – light and funny or on the heavy side. I haven't been able to get into her Goose Girl series (despite it being based on one of my favorite fairy tales) or her Princess Academy (Despite the fact that I own the first book) but I devour Ever After High.
*butts in* YOU MEAN YOU'VE NOT READ ANY SHANNON HALE BOOKS. ONE OF MY FAVOURITE AUTHORS. Cait Cait Cait. what HAVE you been doing. read The Goose Girl nOOOOWWW
Not sure who or what Bustle is, but I don't agree with many of their choices. Not that their choices are bad, but just that I think there are better books to highlight. If I were making a Best of 2014 list, I'd say: We Were Liars, Winner's Curse, Complicit, More Than This, and maybe Kiss of Deception.
I hadn't heard of bustle until my friend showed me the article either. But I have to admit…they haven't read a lot of YA this year, now, have they? 😉 I want to read Complicit…aghhhhh I NEED TO READ IT. And Kiss of Deception. More Than This was terrific, wasn't it?!!
Of these I've read Unhinged, Ignite Me and Cress… And I agree they were all awesome! I really want to get We Were Liars. And I just started Throne of Glass yesterday, so I hope to continue on with that series as well. Though I read different books than you, I really loved Five Ways to Fall, Clipped Wings, and On the Fence. 🙂
I want to try On the Fence! Everyone raves about it and yet I still haven't picked it up. 😉 Cress was just so so good. I'm really keen for Fairest now. x)
I haven't read a single book that was published this year. That'll change in the next couple of weeks when I read Shadows Beneath by the Writing Excuses podcasters.~Robyn
WHAT. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING???
Editing. And reading slightly older books. ~Robyn
Editing is hard. Editing is really hard. I'd offer you, like, editing-consolation chocolate, but I ate it all.
I read a lot of old books too. Most of the time, I kind of shy away fro new releases, especially if it's part of a series. I like it when the whole series comes out, so I don't have to wait a year in between to read each book. That's so painful! I love Cress and The Lunar Chronicles series so far. I'm kind of surprised that you thought Cress topped Scarlet, though. Scarlet, in my opinion, is the best of the three because he tension just kept escalating and escalating, and I absolutely could not put it down. I can't wait to read Winter! Unfortunately, the release date for Winter got pushed back to November 2015, which I am furious about. This is torture! I know that Fairest is now coming out when Winter was supposed to come out, but that book probably is not going to tell me what happens next in the series. Knowing the success of your blog, though, you'll probably get and arc of Winter. I'm so excited to see your review, because I know you'll review it. Right? Right?I think I've said this a million times before, but I really want to read We Were Liars and Searching for Sky. They both sound like amazing books. I also want to read Bird, which I just got from the library yesterday.
No, actually I think Scarlet was the best too! These are just my picks of my reads published this year not read this year. 😉 Ohhh, I didn't know the release date got pushed back for Winter. DARN IT I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO FEBRUARY. *wails* I will definitely review it…hehe. I might not get an arc, though! I did for Cress, but we'll see. 😉 WE WERE LIARS MUST BE READ. Bird was terrific too! I wanted to put it on the list but then I wondered if it was technically MG not YA?
CRUEL BEAUTY. Oh gosh, it was heartrending and beautiful. And have you read it? Cause you SO should 😉 Sad to say, I haven't read too many books published this year yet…I'll have to fix that.
I LOVED CRUEL BEAUTY. It came out in 2013, though. 🙁 So no go for thi slist.
Ha! I haven't read any of them! I don't even know which books I've read that were published in 2014. Oh wait. ARCs. Chances, are, I'm bound to find one… let's see… Shinobi by Cole Gibsen, Knight Assassin by Rima Jean… Salt by Danielle Ellison… yep. That's about all I can think of.
I've read a lot of books published this year. 😉 Although my favourites come out later in the year and I was trying soooo hard to only include books from the first half of this year (so like Jan to July).
Oh well TRAITOR'S BLADE ….is the only that comes immediately to mind as a must read I loved so diehard this year so far. I'd have to do some digging to come up with some others. Last year was definitely a great year.
Wait I think I gave Cress five stars ….
CRESS WAS BRILLIANT, RIGHT?!! Last year was the best…and I'm hoping '15 will be really good too, actually, since some epic series will be finishing then, too? And possibly a John Green book coming out? Plus a Stiefvater book…and ohhh, more Sarah J. Maas of course. x)
I've read five from that list, but I completely agree…the book doesn't have to be contemporary to hit you full on in the feels. I mean, just look at The Assassin's Blade. I have never felt (or loved) Celaena Sardothien more. Well, except now that I'm reading Heir of Fire. Talk about feels. I'm hard-pressed to come up with a list on the fly like this, but there would be some major fantasy and sci-fi on there, I'm sure.
I have never felt (and loved) Sam more. hehe. OKAY I'M KIDDING. Celaena is still my favourite, but my feels were mauled by Sam, I swear, I didn't think I could ship anyone as much as Chaol…but then: Sam.
UGH I don't think I've read many 2014 books, BUT UNHINGED IS ON MY DESK BESIDE ME AND I'M GOING TO READ IT SOON GAH! Yeah… I just checked Goodreads, and there are only two books I really liked, The Girl with all the Gifts, and then the Art of Lainey. Again not AMAZING AMAZING, but still really good. I want to read Patrick Ness so bad GAH
YOU NEED TO READ PATRICK NESS. I PROMISE YOU WON'T REGRET IT. Eeeep! I hope you like Unhinged. It is beautiful. I like to look at the beautifulness of its cover. And I want to try The Girl with All the Gifts, mostly because I keep spelling it gifs and I won't lie. That would be my life's biography: The Girl With All the GIFs.
I agree with you on Ignite Me. I read The Impossible Knife of Memory and I really liked that one! I really can't remember any books I've read this year that were published in 2014… OH WAIT. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge, The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet, Open Road Summer by Emery Lord, On the Fence by Kasie West… Ugh I can't think of any more. I think I read mostly from OTHER years xD Anyways that's a great list. And GAH you read a lot. I feel ashamed of my "slow" progress with my challenge this year xD
Ignite Me was positively swoonworthy. But nooooo I'm pretty extra sure Cruel Beauty came out last year. 🙁 Or else I would've stuck it on my list! But same…I keep thinking of all these books from other years that were epic.
YES. Cress WAS AWESOME. I absolutely adored it. It was SO much better than Scarlet, which surprised me, because I thought Scarlet was soooo much better than Cinder. I mean, there's usually middle-book syndrome, but for once? There was NO such thing.
Really? I think Scarlet is my favourite. XD It definitely did not have middle-book-syndrome! HUZZAH.
K…ready for this?1). We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (DUH! Love that book so much!)2). Something Real by Heather Demetrios3). The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski4). Torn Away by Jennifer Brown5). Landry Park by Bethany Hagen (Cait…you'd love this! It's like A Mad Wicked Folley…but better!)6). Uninvited by Sophie Jordan7). Cress by Marissa Meyer (this series is so darn good! <3)8). Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor9). Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang10). More Than This by Patrick Ness (Here's my epic theory…the Driver was imaginary!)Thanks for sharing! <3
Yup. Hit me. I'm ready. YES to WE WERE LIARS SO SO SO MUCH. I really couldn't get on board with The Winner's Curse. I know! I'm so snarky. Hey but I'm reading Falling into Place right now!!! It's awesome. OMG YES I CAN TOTALLY SEE THE DRIVER BEING IMAGINARY THAT IS THE BEST THEORY I'VE HEARD SO FAR.
Oh yeah, I forgot about the date thingy with Aristotle and Dante (I REFUSE TO WRITE THE WHOLE TITLE. IT TAKES TO LONG)! Bummer :/ OMG, CAIT YOUR BRAIN AND HEART WILL JUST BURST IN FRABJOUSNESS WHEN YOU READ HEIR OF FIRE. Actually, the image that comes to mind, when I think of brain and heart bursting are quite disgusting >.< DON'T BURST. I disliked Fangirl too, by the way. ;P And no, I don't hate all books, just SOME ;)I HAWWA YOU ARE FRABJOUSLY FRABJOUS.
I think you post these just so I can feel compelled to make more lists, Cait. SERIOUSLY. I must also do this one now 😉 Anyway – I actually haven't read many from your list either. But BIG YES to Ignite Me and The Assassin's Blade – both AMAZING books. Also: Warner is the only reason I need to read any book.
Yes, yes, I do. But what post is better than a post with a list? I swear, I make at least 5 lists a week. *sigh* One day, you peoples are going to throw things at me and tell me NOT to write a list. But it is not that day.
You're inspiring, that's for sure. 😉 I was surprised at how darn difficult it was to write this!! And OMG The Coldest Girl would've gone on there if it'd come out this year. x) I just…wow, that book really caught me up at the end.
IT IS MY ULTIMATE FAVOURITE BOOK TOO AND OMG I HAVE NO IDEA WHY IT IS UNLOVED?! I LOVE IT TO PIECES. AND MORE. TO THE MOON AND BACK AND ALL THAT FUN STUFF.
Excellent idea! I'm off to read yours. XD
I agree, I love a list too! Okay well. I haven't read even close to all of these. I agree with exactly NONE of the Bustle list. Of those I read on the Bustle list (Panic, We Were Liars, and Graduation Day) none would make my list. I liked Panic and We Were Liars, I suppose. Though, I did see the ending of We Were Liars coming. From like, probably less than halfway through the book, so I think that really bummed me out about it. It was still good. And Graduation Day was a disaster for me. Now, as for your list: YES to Ignite Me. All the yesses. And More Than This is en route to my porch as I type! So I'll be able to let you know about that one, and Searching for Sky (which, incidentally, your review inspired me to immediately purchase) is on my bookshelf for immediate consumption. And now, I am obviously going to have to buy Half Bad too. My bank account is going to start getting mad at you soon 😉 Mine would probably be, in no order: Ignite Me, Ruin and Rising, The Offering by ER Arroyo, Fire & Flood, The Half Life of Molly Pierce, The Vault of Dreamers, Tabula Rasa, Into the Still Blue, The Wounded by Lauren Nicolle Taylor, The Variables by Shelbi Wescott. This was hard. I feel like I have had a rough six months of reading, it took me far too long to come up with my list.
LISTS ARE JUST THE BEST. YES YES. Panic was a bit of a dive in my opinion, but I realise a lot of people like it, so I try to keep quite quiet. 😉 Hehe. Ohhh, you saw We Were Liars coming?! WOW YOU ARE SHERLOCK. I didn't. But I'm usually very clueless.I want to know what you think of More Than This, definitely! It was amazing and I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. x) Omg, you bought Searching for Sky?! LET ME KNOW IF YOU LIKE IT. It made me sob. Did I mention that? But hey, your bank account might be mad, but the publishers will love me. HALF BAD IS THE BEST OMG IT IS THE BEST AFJDLSKAFDS I HOPE YOU LIKE IT. I LITERALLY CAN'T EVEN SUM UP HOW MUCH I LIKE IT. *deep breaths* Oh and I also like your list, but haven't read many of them, which I feel vaguely bad about.
LISTS. LISTS THROW THEM AT ME PLS. I LOVE LISTS. I constantly make every kind of lists. I luuuurve them. THE ASSASSIN'S BLADE is at the TOP of my tbr for sure. Top top top. Haven't read Cress yet and was planning this fall, but nope since Winter's push-back 🙁 THOUGH KAI AND CINDER? I love Scarlet and Wolf the best, but I wouldn't mind *ahem* would totally freak out *cough* K&C seeing each other lol. Eeeep! I liked WWL and I totally did not see that coming either. I cried angry tears when I talked about this to Nick and Rashika. Yep. I blame my Virgo sign for that emotional freakout. I'm so glad you have already read so many amazing reads this year! Cheers, mate! (Is that what they say in Australia lol?) 😉
*throws copious lists at you* THAT I can always do. LISTS ARE THE BEST, QUITE HONESTLY. Ohhhh, TAB can't really climb higher in awesomeness, can it?? Although why it's novellas I have no idea. It should just be another book. I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT WINTER'S PUSH BACK. *wails endlessly* How am I supposed to survive that??Ah…well. Sometimes, very Aussie Australians say that. I mostly say "Why are you still here?" when I finish a conversation. Not sure why I don't have many friends…
I'm currently reading THE ASSASSIN'S BLADE and LOVING IT. (Not really surprising, considering how much I love love love ToG and CoM) and so far I love Sam and Celaena. But ohh… the ending it going to destroy my feelings. I read UNHINGED a few weeks ago–and that was brilliant! I actually think I enjoyed it more than the first! I don't know why but I haven't yet read IGNITE ME, though I really really want to know how the series ends. (I'll admit that part of the reason I haven't yet read it is because of the AUS version of the cover. Yuck.)
The ending. is. pain. Like, I totally didn't think I could possibly ship anyone more than Chaol and Celeana BUT SAM. The AUS covers of Ignite Me kill me too. OHhh, they went so badly wrong in the designing there.
I SO agree with Searching for Sky's and Cress's. If I have to pick out my best books of the first half of 2014 so far, thes two would be a part of that very selective list. They were just so awesome… I kept crying on Searching for Sky and Cress got me flipping pages like there's no tomorrow. And you're right! Marissa Meyer does keep outdoing herself every time she churns out a new book. I seriously can't wait for Fairest. I feel like it would be a bang, esp. since we'd be looking at the story in Queen Levana's eyes o.o I hope she doesn't expect me to sympathise with her 😛 I hate her like a mofo!Faye at The Social Potato Reviews
I'm soooo deliciously excited for Fairest. XD It's going to be brilliant! I'm absolutely confident in Marissa Meyer now. I mean, 3 books where each outdoes the last?!! Is she a author superhuman?? XD
*whispers* I think Half Bad is the BEST. Though that's hard to tell right? heh. x) I actually originally dnf'd Cinder! I re-borrowed it from the library, though and absolutely fell in love with the series.
You may rise, mere mortal. (Hehe, I'm just kidding. I've read a lot of short books. xD) You didn't like ToG?!! WHAT. Okay! I'll forgive you for that too (and Warner, because gee, I'm in a forgiving mood) .I Was really impressed with a Mad Wicked Folly. It just made me happy. A nice book! x) Hehe. Blogger is being awful for comments right?! I commented on a blog twice yesterday and it ate my comment BOTH TIMES. I quit. -_-
Ooh, Cress for sure! 🙂 But other than that, I can't think of any book I've read published in 2014 that was on par or better than that. Kind of disappointing, to be honest. :/(I don't know if you take suggestions for your tutorials, but they've been really helpful to me so far, and I was wondering if maybe you could do one on Pinterest and/or YouTube? Because both of those sites confuse me to no end. :P)
I just think 2014 hasn't been as mindblowing as '13. I don't know why! Talent is taking a rest?? I mean I've definitely read some good books, but it bothers me that this list is mainly 4-star books. (A pinterest tutorial? I could do that! I wouldn't be much help with YouTube, because I don't have google+ and it's since locked me out of EVERYTHING and garrrhaaaa that makes me mildly angry.)
I've read two of them (on your list, 3 on the other, haha). Cress and We Were Liars which I loved loved loved Cress and my mind was blown with We Were Liars, haha. I do have A Mad Wicked Folly and The Assassin's Blade on my TBR (I love the covers!). There's a few others on that list that I'm eyeing, too! Like Unhinged. Definitely heard amazing thing about the series, I probably should check it out sometimes, haha. Lovely list, Cait!
Thanks, Cyn! XD It was surprisingly difficult putting all this list together actually. I just haven't read as many 2014-published mind-blowing books as I would've liked to.
Bustle's list was a bit of a disappointment for me. Your list is fantastic though, although the only book I've read so far is We Were Liars, and unfortunately I just didn't love it. This is another reminder for me to start the THRONE OF GLASS SERIES AND THE LUNAR CHRONICLES ALREADY! I also really need to read Splintered, so I can (hopefully) read Unhinged before Ensnared is released…I love lists, and this is a great idea, so I hope to have my own post up within the next week. 🙂
YES YOU NEED TO AT LEAST TRY THRONE OF GLASS AND THE LUNAR CHRONICLES. (I secretly think they are so so brilliant, and I'm pretty much willing to throw them at you until you try. Hehe. Aren't I nice?) Unhinged has the WORST cliff-hanger ending, so if you're going to wait until Ensnared's released, I actually say good idea. lol I'm still dying not knowing. XD
I definitely agree with Cress, We Were Liars and The Assassin's Blade which is one of my favourites of this year! Aristotle and Dante would probably be my favourite that I read this year, but I realise it wasn't published this year. I haven't seen much buzz about A Mad Wicked Folly but I want to read it now after your thoughts on it! Great picks Cait!
Same! I put Aristotle and Dante on my list and then I had to take it off. (Urgh, which actually meant I had to make a new graphic and everything which drove me slightly bonkers! I didn't realise it'd been out for so long because it's only pubbed in Australia this year.)
WHY THANKS*casually having a convo in another person's comment section..*
Amazing List! I'm really enjoying Patrick Ness at the moment, so very glad to see him make your final cut!
Good list.I did one too:http://ryebrynnsrandomrambling.blogspot.com/2014/07/best-books-of-2014-so-far.html-Ryebrynn
I made a chocolate-choking sound when I saw Cress was on Bustle's list and I got all happy again when I saw Assassin's Blade on your list. CAN I JUST WALK TO YOUR HOUSE AND BORROW YOUR COPY OF ASSASSIN'S BLADE? Oki thanks. (I do believe I squeak//squeal at least once per blog post of yours XD)BOOKS ARE WORTH CHOKING AND SQUEE-ING OVER.
I think for me Assassin's Blade is my favourite book of the year, though definitely from your list because I have not liked/read any of the others. The only other I have read is Searching For Sky which did not go well. Still, reading As Read As Blood (!!!) now and that is so, so good! I saw on goodreads you felt similarly about it. WOWZERS it's good.
I really need to read more of these from your list! I'm particularly eyeing Cress because I loved the first two! I don't know how or why it's taking me forever to get to it. I also really want to read A Mad, Wicked Folly because everyone has been raving about it! Was The Winner's Curse published this year? That's one of my recent favourites. I have so many others though so I can't name them all. 😀
I have read a lot of 2014 books this year and loved a lot of them. Of your list I have only read 2 – The Assassin's Blade and We Were Liars and they would have 100% made my list too. I have recently finished scheduling my AB review and it is the first Throne of Glass book to get a 5/5 from me, the rest got 4.5 as I knew I needed to save my 5, I was going to need it. AB was AMAZING! It broke my heart a lot, even though I knew what was coming. We Were Liars! Beautiful, unique and mind-blowing. That book had me sobbing on my lunch break, which was rather embarrassing but the book deserved my tears. I have wanted to pick it up and reread it ever since I finished it that first time. I have quite a lot of the others on my TBR list and am very excited to get to them 🙂