2014 Reading Year in Review!

JANUARY

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
2. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
3. Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover
4. Shadow and Bone (Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo
5. Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich
6. Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer
7. Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

FEBRUARY

8. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
9. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
10. The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
11. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
12. Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier
13. Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier
14. Private L.A. by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan

MARCH

15. Siege and Storm (Grisha #2) by Leigh Bardugo
16. The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
17. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
18. The Distance Between Us by Kami West
19. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
20. First Love by James Patterson and Emily Raymond
21. Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer
22. Black Horizon by James Patterson

APRIL

23. NYPD Red 2 by James Patterson and Marshall Karp
24. Panic by Lauren Oliver
25. The Giver by Lois Lowry
26. Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
27. Tempting Fate by Jane Green
28. The King (The Black Dagger Brotherhood #12) by J.R. Ward

MAY

29. The Target by David Baldacci
30. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
31. The Collector by Nora Roberts
32. Everything to Lose by Andrew Gross
33. Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline
34. Vicious by V.E. Schwab
35. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
36. Unlucky 13 (The Women’s Murder Club) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
37. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
38. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
39. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

JUNE

40. Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
41. The Immortal Rules (The Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa
42. A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey
43. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
44. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and Illustrated by Dave McKean
45. Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows

JULY

46. Invisible by James Patterson and David Ellis
47. That Night by Chevy Stevens
48. Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich
49. Ruin and Rising (The Grisha Trilogy #3) by Leigh Bardugo
50. If I Stay (If I Stay #1) by Gayle Forman
51. Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman
52. Cop Town by Karin Slaughter
53. The Sweet Spot by Stephanie Evanovich

AUGUST

54. The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) by Lemony Snicket
55. The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2) by Lemony Snicket
56. The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass
57. The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass
58. The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass
59. The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
60. Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson
61. The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events #3)  by Lemony Snicket
62. The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events #4) by Lemony Snicket
63. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim Kay
64. The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events #5) by Lemony Snicket
65. The Merciless (The Merciless #1) by Danielle Vega
66. One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
67. The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events #6) by Lemony Snicket

SEPTEMBER

68. Four: A Divergent Story Collection by Veronica Roth
69. The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicles #1) by Patrick Rothfuss
70. Private Down Under (Private #6) by James Patterson and Michael White
71. Murder 101 by Faye Kellerman
72. The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner

OCTOBER

73. Obsidian (A Lux Novel #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
74. Onyx (A Lux Novel #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
75. House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus #4) by Rick Riordan
76. The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan
77. 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad
78. Crave The Night (Midnight Breed #12) by Lara Adrian

NOVEMBER

79. The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken
80. Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins
81. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children) by Ransom Riggs

DECEMBER

82. The Escape (John Puller #3) by David Baldacci
83. The Prince (The Selection #0.5) by Kiera Cass
84. The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3) by Michelle Hodkin
85. Private: India (Private #8) by James Patterson and Ashwin Sanghi
86. The Guard (The Selection #2.5) by Kiera Cass
87. The Job (Fox and O’Hare #3) by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
88. The Exile: An Outlander Graphic Novel (Outlander #1.5) by Diana Gabaldon and Illustrated by Hoang Nguyen
89. Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
90. Burn (Michael Bennett #7) by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
91. Shopaholic to the Stars (Shopaholic #7) by Sophie Kinsella

No. 39 for 2014

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Rating: 4/5
Book: 39/50
Pages: 338 pgs
Total Pages: 14,766/15,000 pages
Library Book?: Yes
No. of Library Books read: 37
Version: Book
Next up: Natchez Burning by Greg Iles

I have to say that I liked this book better than “Anna and the French Kiss”. Overall, it was a nice, fluffy read and I really enjoyed the characters for the most part. Lola was a little much at times but not so much so that it affected my enjoyment of the book.

I definitely would recommend this for anyone who needs a light and fluffy summer love story, however, you must read “Anna and the French Kiss” first.

About the Book:

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion…she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit-the more sparkly, more fun, more wild-the better. And life is pretty close to perfect in Lola’s world, especially with her hot rocker boyfriend. That is, until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighbourhood and unearth a past of hurt and anguish that Lola thought was long buried. When talented inventor Cricket steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

No. 38 for 2014

Title: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
Author:  Jenny Han
Rating: 3.5/5
Book: 38/50
Pages: 355 pgs
Total Pages: 14,428/15,000 pages
Library Book?: Yes
No. of Library Books read: 36
Version: Book
Next up: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

I would rate this more of a 3.5 stars.

I liked the premise of this book but the execution of it was weak. Lara Jean is supposed to be in her Junior year of high school, yet her narrative voice sounds that of an eight year old. Also, for someone who had letters to boys that she admits to loving sent out to the boys, she doesn’t really feel too much fall out from it. She’s not mortified. She’s not thinking her world as she knows it is coming to an end. She feels nothing of the typical teenage angst that would surround something like this happening.

Overall, it was a pleasant read but I am happy that I waited to get it from the library instead of buying it.

About the Book:

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

No. 37 for 2014

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author:  Jennifer E. Smith
Rating: 4/5
Book: 37/50
Pages: 236 pgs
Total Pages: 14,073/15,000 pages
Library Book?: Yes
No. of Library Books read: 35
Version: Book
Next up: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

This book was cute and fluffy but it didn’t wow me. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed it as it was a fun read and I would recommend it if you are looking for something quick to read in between denser reads, this book is definitely for you.

About the Book:

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan’s life. Having missed her flight, she’s stuck at JFK airport and late to her father’s second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley’s never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport’s cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he’s British, and he’s sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

No. 36 for 2014

Title: Unlucky 13
Author:  James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Rating: 4/5
Book: 36/50
Pages: 384 pgs
Total Pages: 13,837/15,000 pages
Library Book?: Yes
No. of Library Books read: 34
Version: Book
Next up: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

I was solidly impressed with this book! The last few books in this series left me wanting more but this one kept me turning the pages and stressing over how the events were going to resolve themselves. The only thing I didn’t like about the book is the ending was a little too convenient for all the stuff that was happening but overall, it was an excellent read.

About the Book:

San Francisco Detective Lindsay Boxer is loving her life as a new mother. With an attentive husband, a job she loves, plus best friends who can talk about anything from sex to murder, things couldn’t be better.

Then the FBI sends Lindsay a photo of a killer from her past, and her happy world is shattered. The picture captures a beautiful woman at a stoplight. But all Lindsay sees is the psychopath behind those seductive eyes: Mackie Morales, the most deranged and dangerous mind the Women’s Murder Club has ever encountered.

No. 35 for 2014

Title: Rebel Belle
Author:  Rachel Hawkins
Rating: 4/5
Book: 35/50
Pages: 345 pgs
Total Pages: 13,453/15,000 pages
Library Book?: Yes
No. of Library Books read: 33
Version: Book
Next up: Unlucky 13 by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

This book was awesome. I have heard this book being reviewed all over BookTube so naturally I wanted to check it out. This book is a fun read with great characters, mystery with just the right amount of romance. I would compare it to Buffy with a touch of Elle Woods from Legally Blonde. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

About the Book:

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper’s destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can’t get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she’s charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper’s least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David’s own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

No. 34 for 2014

Title: Vicious
Author:  V.E. Shwab
Rating: 5/5
Book: 34/50
Pages: 364 pgs
Total Pages: 13,108/15,000 pages
Library Book?: Yes
No. of Library Books read: 32
Version: Book
Next up: Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

I loved everything about this book! I’m so glad that I was able to get my hands on a copy of this book through my library’s Inter-Library program as I have been hearing nothing but good things about this book! I loved the premise of this books as well as the characters. Schwab had a great writing style that just seems to suck you in from page one. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery with a touch of supernatural!

About the Book:

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

No. 33 for 2014

Title: Keep Quiet
Author:  Lisa Scottoline
Rating: 5/5
Book: 33/50
Pages: 333 pgs
Total Pages: 12,744/15,000 pages
Library Book?: Yes
No. of Library Books read: 31
Version: Book
Next up: Vicious by V.E. Schwab

This book. You need to read this book (or anything by Scottoline for that matter) if you enjoy a good mystery that will keep you turning the pages until the very end. There was a few times I had to put the book down in disbelief of just how bad things were getting for the main characters.  I loved this book and Scottoline is one of my favourite authors now.

About the Book:

Jake Buckman’s relationship with his sixteen-year-old son Ryan is not an easy one, so at the urging of his loving wife, Pam, Jake goes alone to pick up Ryan at their suburban movie theater.

On the way home, Ryan asks to drive on a deserted road, and Jake sees it as a chance to make a connection. However, what starts as a father-son bonding opportunity instantly turns into a nightmare. Tragedy strikes, and with Ryan’s entire future hanging in the balance, Jake is forced to make a split-second decision that plunges them both into a world of guilt and lies. Without ever meaning to, Jake and Ryan find themselves living under the crushing weight of their secret, which threatens to tear their family to shreds and ruin them all.

 

No. 32 for 2014

Title: Everything to Lose
Author:  Andrew Gross
Rating: 4/5
Book: 32/50
Pages: 325 pgs
Total Pages: 12,411/15,000 pages
Library Book?: Yes
No. of Library Books read: 30
Version: Book
Next up: Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline

I really enjoyed this book! I found that it grabbed me from the very first page and I could not put it down! I loved the characters and the plot and I really think that Gross is an author to watch. I’m glad that he was able to get out from under James Patterson’s shadow and break out on his own.

The only thing I did not like about the book was the ending. Things were wrapped a little too nicely for my liking which made it a tad unbelievable.

About the Book:

While driving along a suburban back road, Hilary Blum, who’s just lost her job and whose deadbeat husband has left her alone to care for her son with Asperger’s, witnesses a freakish accident. A car ahead of her careens down a hill and slams into a tree. Stopping to help, she discovers the driver dead–and a satchel stuffed with a half a million dollars.

That money could prevent her family’s ruin and keep her special needs son in school. In an instant, this honest, achieving woman who has always done the responsible thing makes a decision that puts her in the center of maelstrom of dark consequences and life-threatening recriminations–a terrifying scheme involving a twenty-year-old murder, an old woman who’s life has been washed out to sea, and a powerful figure bent to keep the secret that can destroy him hidden.

With everything to lose, everything she loves, Hilary connects to a determined cop from Staten Island, reeling from the disaster of Sandy, to bring down an enemy who will stop at nothing to keep what that money was meant to silence, still buried.

 

No. 31 for 2014

Title: The Collector
Author:  Nora Roberts
Rating: 3/5
Book: 31/50
Pages: 496 pgs
Total Pages: 12,086/15,000 pages
Library Book?: Yes
No. of Library Books read: 29
Version: Book
Next up: Everything to Lose by Andrew Gross

This book got off to a slow start with me and I almost thought of putting it down but I’m glad I didn’t. When the book started to pick up, it got quite good.

The only thing about this book is that there was lots of filler scenes that didn’t have to be in the book. The characters were kind of cheesy and I don’t buy the whole insta-love between the two main characters. But that being said, I did enjoy the book.

About the Book:

When professional house-sitter Lila Emerson witnesses a murder/suicide from her current apartment-sitting job, life as she knows it takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the woman with no permanent ties finds herself almost wishing for one. . . .

Artist Ashton Archer knows his brother isn’t capable of violence—against himself or others. He recruits Lila, the only eyewitness, to help him uncover what happened. Ash longs to paint her as intensely as he hungers to touch her. But their investigation draws them into a rarified circle where priceless antiques are bought, sold, gambled away, and stolen, where what you possess is who you are, and where what you desire becomes a deadly obsession. . . .