Best books of 2014
It was extremely difficult to pair this list down to my favorite 10 books published in 2014, but I made myself do it. Then I read Phoenix Island, and I decided to make the list 11 titles. I couldn't give any up. These are the books I can't stop thinking about, months after reading them. These are the most original, haunting, romantic, or moving books that I have found this year. If you are looking for the best, this is it, and you should stop by a library check one of them out.
Half Bad by Sally Green
The best book of 2014 was the first book I read this summer, Half Bad. Nathan lives in a black and white world. Witches are either good whites or bad blacks. The problem is that Nathan is gray; his father is the most feared black witch and his mother was a white witch. Uncertain which parent Nate would take after, he has grown up hated, feared, isolated, and abused. In the beginning of the book, Nathan is being held in a cage and trained like an animal to use his gifts to hunt his father and prove his goodness. When Nathan escapes, his must prove to the world and himself if he is good or bad or a little of both. This is the most fascinating and original novel that I have read in a long time, and I can't wait for the end of March to bring me book two, Half Wild. As you read, you are not sure if Nathan is good or bad, but it is easy to see that white regime of good has brought only horrors to him. You won't be able to stop thinking about this tale of good and evil and everything inbetween. This is a must read!
The best book of 2014 was the first book I read this summer, Half Bad. Nathan lives in a black and white world. Witches are either good whites or bad blacks. The problem is that Nathan is gray; his father is the most feared black witch and his mother was a white witch. Uncertain which parent Nate would take after, he has grown up hated, feared, isolated, and abused. In the beginning of the book, Nathan is being held in a cage and trained like an animal to use his gifts to hunt his father and prove his goodness. When Nathan escapes, his must prove to the world and himself if he is good or bad or a little of both. This is the most fascinating and original novel that I have read in a long time, and I can't wait for the end of March to bring me book two, Half Wild. As you read, you are not sure if Nathan is good or bad, but it is easy to see that white regime of good has brought only horrors to him. You won't be able to stop thinking about this tale of good and evil and everything inbetween. This is a must read!
Tease by Amanda Macial
Emma Putnam is a slut! Emma Putnam has stolen my boyfriend. Emma Putnam has killed herself. Emma Putnam has ruined my life. Sarah Wharton hates Emma Putnam, especially since everyone has started blaming Sarah and her friends for Emma's death. They are be criminally charged for bullying and harassment that led to Emma' suicide. Sarah doesn't understand why she is being blamed for Emma's death. She didn't make Emma kill herself. It was just a bit of teasing, and Emma took everything too personally. Read this haunting novel to watch how the perpetrator deal with the aftermath of taking mean to a whole new level. As you read, you can are horrified of and for Sarah and will hold your breath waiting to see if she ever takes responsibility for her actions. This book is better than Thirteen Reasons Why. I think it should be required reading for all high school students to make them rethink how much their words and actions affect others.
Emma Putnam is a slut! Emma Putnam has stolen my boyfriend. Emma Putnam has killed herself. Emma Putnam has ruined my life. Sarah Wharton hates Emma Putnam, especially since everyone has started blaming Sarah and her friends for Emma's death. They are be criminally charged for bullying and harassment that led to Emma' suicide. Sarah doesn't understand why she is being blamed for Emma's death. She didn't make Emma kill herself. It was just a bit of teasing, and Emma took everything too personally. Read this haunting novel to watch how the perpetrator deal with the aftermath of taking mean to a whole new level. As you read, you can are horrified of and for Sarah and will hold your breath waiting to see if she ever takes responsibility for her actions. This book is better than Thirteen Reasons Why. I think it should be required reading for all high school students to make them rethink how much their words and actions affect others.
The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by Kate Hattemer
"Life is art of drawing without an eraser." - John W. Gardner Ethan and his friends go to Selwyn Academy, an arts high school in Minneapolis. Most of Ethan's friends want to be famous for their art, but Ethan just wants to make it through high school. For the past school year, For Art's Sake, a reality TV show where Seniors from Selwyn create art and compete to win a scholarship, has been filmed at their school. Luke, Ethan's best friend, hates the show and believes it has perverted the aims of their school. Wanting to cause a little chaos, Luke convinces his friends to protest the show by creating and distributing a long poem that criticizes the integrity of the show. When their rebellion gains momentum, the producer's of the show school go to despicable lengths to keep people watching. Betrayed, Ethan, his friends and a gerbil named Baconnaise attempt one last, insane protest to take back their school. This book reads like your favorite sitcom, filled with hilarious, one-of-a-kind characters, doing crazy, impossible things. You will wish you were friends with this group of rebels with a cause. Ethan, our main character, is fine with letting his family and friends lead the way, spending time playing video games and teaching his best friend's gerbil circus tricks, until he is betrayed. Suddenly, he is a force to be reckoned with. It is great to finally have another witty and well-written guy humor book.
"Life is art of drawing without an eraser." - John W. Gardner Ethan and his friends go to Selwyn Academy, an arts high school in Minneapolis. Most of Ethan's friends want to be famous for their art, but Ethan just wants to make it through high school. For the past school year, For Art's Sake, a reality TV show where Seniors from Selwyn create art and compete to win a scholarship, has been filmed at their school. Luke, Ethan's best friend, hates the show and believes it has perverted the aims of their school. Wanting to cause a little chaos, Luke convinces his friends to protest the show by creating and distributing a long poem that criticizes the integrity of the show. When their rebellion gains momentum, the producer's of the show school go to despicable lengths to keep people watching. Betrayed, Ethan, his friends and a gerbil named Baconnaise attempt one last, insane protest to take back their school. This book reads like your favorite sitcom, filled with hilarious, one-of-a-kind characters, doing crazy, impossible things. You will wish you were friends with this group of rebels with a cause. Ethan, our main character, is fine with letting his family and friends lead the way, spending time playing video games and teaching his best friend's gerbil circus tricks, until he is betrayed. Suddenly, he is a force to be reckoned with. It is great to finally have another witty and well-written guy humor book.
Phoenix Island by John Dixon
Carl hates bullies. A champion boxer with a short temper, Carl uses his skills to punish bullies for their crimes. Unfortunately, his fights have landed this foster kid in trouble time and time again. Finally, the court has decided Carl needs to be sent to Phoenix Island, a terminal facility for juvenile delinquents with no home or future. Once there, Carl and the other kids quickly that Phoenix Island is not your typical boot camp. At Phoenix Island, no one cares if you are tortured to death. No one is treated fairly, and no one is getting off the island without being changed forever. When Carl refuses to follow orders and ends up in the hospital, known as the "Chop Shop," he learns just how much Phoenix Island can change a person, for good and for bad. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book! Carl is the person everyone wishes they could be, able to stand up and fight for their beliefs. You cannot stop yourself from respecting him as he is willing to die in order to be true to his ideals. I can't wait to find out what happens to him in the next books! The action was non-stop, and I was shocked and horrified by the plot twists. Phoenix Island will sucker punch you and leave you begging for more. Libraries should buy multiple copies because guys are going to love this book. Highly recommended!
Carl hates bullies. A champion boxer with a short temper, Carl uses his skills to punish bullies for their crimes. Unfortunately, his fights have landed this foster kid in trouble time and time again. Finally, the court has decided Carl needs to be sent to Phoenix Island, a terminal facility for juvenile delinquents with no home or future. Once there, Carl and the other kids quickly that Phoenix Island is not your typical boot camp. At Phoenix Island, no one cares if you are tortured to death. No one is treated fairly, and no one is getting off the island without being changed forever. When Carl refuses to follow orders and ends up in the hospital, known as the "Chop Shop," he learns just how much Phoenix Island can change a person, for good and for bad. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book! Carl is the person everyone wishes they could be, able to stand up and fight for their beliefs. You cannot stop yourself from respecting him as he is willing to die in order to be true to his ideals. I can't wait to find out what happens to him in the next books! The action was non-stop, and I was shocked and horrified by the plot twists. Phoenix Island will sucker punch you and leave you begging for more. Libraries should buy multiple copies because guys are going to love this book. Highly recommended!
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Jude and Noah. Noah and Jude. These twins are two halves of one soul, always knowing each others thoughts, always having each others backs. Then year thirteen happened, and the crash that took away their mother and their own cruel secrets tear them apart. Told by Noah at age 13 (pre-disaster) and Jude age 16 (post-disaster), this is a story of humiliation, survival, healing, and hope. It is a story about the power of love, art, and family to make us whole again. Fans of Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park will fall in love all over again. I know I did. This is one of those books that gets better with each page, and by the end, you know you have your hands on a treasure. As you get to know Noah, a tortured boy dreaming of becoming an artist and Jude, struggling to move beyond the betrayals of her past, your heart will break and eventually, soar. Nelson writes in the book that "You have to see miracles for there to be miracles." This book is a miracle!
Jude and Noah. Noah and Jude. These twins are two halves of one soul, always knowing each others thoughts, always having each others backs. Then year thirteen happened, and the crash that took away their mother and their own cruel secrets tear them apart. Told by Noah at age 13 (pre-disaster) and Jude age 16 (post-disaster), this is a story of humiliation, survival, healing, and hope. It is a story about the power of love, art, and family to make us whole again. Fans of Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park will fall in love all over again. I know I did. This is one of those books that gets better with each page, and by the end, you know you have your hands on a treasure. As you get to know Noah, a tortured boy dreaming of becoming an artist and Jude, struggling to move beyond the betrayals of her past, your heart will break and eventually, soar. Nelson writes in the book that "You have to see miracles for there to be miracles." This book is a miracle!
Divided We Fall by Trent Reedy
"I am Private First Class Daniel Christopher Write. I am 17 years old, and I fired the shot the ended the United States of America." Joining the National Guard in high school, Danny was just looking for a way to help fund his college and follow in the footsteps of his dad. He had no idea that one misfired shot could leave twelve people dead and ignite a war between the Governor of Idaho and the President of the United States. Now he and the nation has to live with consequences. With an opening line like the one above, you know this book is going to suck you in and keep reading. I have had guys who hated reading whip through this book and ask for the date of the next one, January 2015. Trent Reedy is veteran, and his military experience adds truth to this fast-paced tale of our duty to our country, state, truth, and ourselves. Give this book to anyone looking for something that will keep them hooked from page one.
"I am Private First Class Daniel Christopher Write. I am 17 years old, and I fired the shot the ended the United States of America." Joining the National Guard in high school, Danny was just looking for a way to help fund his college and follow in the footsteps of his dad. He had no idea that one misfired shot could leave twelve people dead and ignite a war between the Governor of Idaho and the President of the United States. Now he and the nation has to live with consequences. With an opening line like the one above, you know this book is going to suck you in and keep reading. I have had guys who hated reading whip through this book and ask for the date of the next one, January 2015. Trent Reedy is veteran, and his military experience adds truth to this fast-paced tale of our duty to our country, state, truth, and ourselves. Give this book to anyone looking for something that will keep them hooked from page one.
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
The winner's curse is phenomenon in auctions where the bidder overpays, never able to recoup their losses for the item. In this book, a girl named Kestrel is cursed when she pays a huge sum for a defiant slave based on their combined love of music. In doing this, a girl respected for her knowledge of secrets and strategy falls prey to powers of the human heart. In Kestrel's world, women must join the military or get married by age 20; no other option is allowed. Certainly, the general's daughter cannot fall in love with a slave, but she cannot stop herself, even when the slave fights destroy everything she holds dear. I loved Kestrel's contradictory nature. She relished her knowledge and skill at creating unbeatable war strategies, but she refused to kill. She hated slavery but owned slaves. Kestrel knew everything about secrets and strategy, but she was naive about falling in love. Equally, I appreciated the slave Arin's struggle as he came to love the girl whose father enslaved his people. I was transfixed as I sped through the tale trying to find out not only if Arin's people could be freed but if both Kestrel and Arin would fight for their heart's desire. When I finished The Winner's Curse, I was so angry at the ending. I read and reread the ending searching for more. Certainly an author so adept at making me fall in love with her protagonists would not be so cruel as to end the story as it was. Thankfully, Goodreads told me this book is the first in a trilogy, and I breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time in a long time, I am so happy to learn that this book is the first book in a trilogy. Lately, I am exhausted by the unending supply of series books; sometimes it feels like there is no originality. However, this book is no winner's curse; readers who take a risk on this original tale will come out ahead. I highly recommend it.
The winner's curse is phenomenon in auctions where the bidder overpays, never able to recoup their losses for the item. In this book, a girl named Kestrel is cursed when she pays a huge sum for a defiant slave based on their combined love of music. In doing this, a girl respected for her knowledge of secrets and strategy falls prey to powers of the human heart. In Kestrel's world, women must join the military or get married by age 20; no other option is allowed. Certainly, the general's daughter cannot fall in love with a slave, but she cannot stop herself, even when the slave fights destroy everything she holds dear. I loved Kestrel's contradictory nature. She relished her knowledge and skill at creating unbeatable war strategies, but she refused to kill. She hated slavery but owned slaves. Kestrel knew everything about secrets and strategy, but she was naive about falling in love. Equally, I appreciated the slave Arin's struggle as he came to love the girl whose father enslaved his people. I was transfixed as I sped through the tale trying to find out not only if Arin's people could be freed but if both Kestrel and Arin would fight for their heart's desire. When I finished The Winner's Curse, I was so angry at the ending. I read and reread the ending searching for more. Certainly an author so adept at making me fall in love with her protagonists would not be so cruel as to end the story as it was. Thankfully, Goodreads told me this book is the first in a trilogy, and I breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time in a long time, I am so happy to learn that this book is the first book in a trilogy. Lately, I am exhausted by the unending supply of series books; sometimes it feels like there is no originality. However, this book is no winner's curse; readers who take a risk on this original tale will come out ahead. I highly recommend it.
Caged Warrior by Alan Lawrence Sitomer
Bam Bam is an undefeated underground cage fighter who trains ruthlessly. He is wanted by girls, and for each opponent he destroys, the payouts have gotten bigger. Outside the cage, Bam Bam is known as MCutcheon, a student who excels when in class, and a big brother who is devoted to caring for his younger sister since mom has disappeared and dad is worthless. His whloe life his dad has trained him to believe that cage fighting was their ticket to the good life, but when McCutcheon's name is drawn to attend an elite charter school, he has to decide if he and his sister are better off with him fighting in a cage or a classroom. Sitomer's taunt narrative is hard-hitting and face-paced. McCutcheon is a fighter with great depth, and you will quickly begin cheering for him. Full of twists and turns, I was shocked by the conclusion of this gritty tale. Why can't more 200 page books be as good as this? Just because a book is short doesn't mean it can't be powerful. Like Bam Bam, this book is unbeatable!
Bam Bam is an undefeated underground cage fighter who trains ruthlessly. He is wanted by girls, and for each opponent he destroys, the payouts have gotten bigger. Outside the cage, Bam Bam is known as MCutcheon, a student who excels when in class, and a big brother who is devoted to caring for his younger sister since mom has disappeared and dad is worthless. His whloe life his dad has trained him to believe that cage fighting was their ticket to the good life, but when McCutcheon's name is drawn to attend an elite charter school, he has to decide if he and his sister are better off with him fighting in a cage or a classroom. Sitomer's taunt narrative is hard-hitting and face-paced. McCutcheon is a fighter with great depth, and you will quickly begin cheering for him. Full of twists and turns, I was shocked by the conclusion of this gritty tale. Why can't more 200 page books be as good as this? Just because a book is short doesn't mean it can't be powerful. Like Bam Bam, this book is unbeatable!
The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
Ever since Callie had her innocence ripped away at her 12th birthday party, she has tried to hide herself away from the world, never telling anyone about the event because she feared retribution by her attacker. Now Callie is heading off to college, and there she finds a friend who encourages her to stop letting the past control her future. As Callie's confidence grows, she discovers that Kayden, a boy from her school with his own dark secrets, is attending her school. During Kayden's graduation party, Callie saved him from his father's brutal fists, and now Kayden is fascinated with this angel who saved him from death. As Kayden works to get close to Callie, he realizes she too needs to be saved. This new adult title from ebook to print author Jessica Sorensen has heart. Callie may be broken, but she is courageous as she begins slaying the demons of the past that control her. Moreover, her past doesn't stop her from defending the innocent and showing great kindness. She is a real life angel, and you can understand why Kayden soon feels he cannot breathe without her. Kayden is a football player with depth, and I am quite happy that I never had to hear Callie go on and on about his abs. Jessica Sorensen writes convincingly about broken characters on a path towards love and redemption, and I was caught up in the magic of The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden. Their romance continues in The Redemption of Callie and Kayden, and the final book in the trilogy comes out in September. I will definitely be downloading it!
Ever since Callie had her innocence ripped away at her 12th birthday party, she has tried to hide herself away from the world, never telling anyone about the event because she feared retribution by her attacker. Now Callie is heading off to college, and there she finds a friend who encourages her to stop letting the past control her future. As Callie's confidence grows, she discovers that Kayden, a boy from her school with his own dark secrets, is attending her school. During Kayden's graduation party, Callie saved him from his father's brutal fists, and now Kayden is fascinated with this angel who saved him from death. As Kayden works to get close to Callie, he realizes she too needs to be saved. This new adult title from ebook to print author Jessica Sorensen has heart. Callie may be broken, but she is courageous as she begins slaying the demons of the past that control her. Moreover, her past doesn't stop her from defending the innocent and showing great kindness. She is a real life angel, and you can understand why Kayden soon feels he cannot breathe without her. Kayden is a football player with depth, and I am quite happy that I never had to hear Callie go on and on about his abs. Jessica Sorensen writes convincingly about broken characters on a path towards love and redemption, and I was caught up in the magic of The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden. Their romance continues in The Redemption of Callie and Kayden, and the final book in the trilogy comes out in September. I will definitely be downloading it!
Red Rising by PIerce Brown
For generations, humans have been working below the surface of Mars to make it habitable. Darrow and his family are Reds, proud miners who believe their short, poverty-stricken and dangerous lives are helping to rebuild humanity. Then Darrow's life is destroyed, and he learns that Mars has been built upon lives. Mars is habitable, and Golds, the ruling class, are living like gods while Darrow's people are left to suffer indefinitely. Darrow vows to change that and undergoes a terrible process to become a Gold, enter their ruling academy, and destroy them from within. This first novel from Pierce Brown was action-packed and thought-provoking. After terrible tragedy, Darrow is reborn like a phoenix from his former life. After Darrow gets into the Gold Academy, the true test of terror begins. The war games in Ender's Game have nothing on the brutality and brilliance of the Gold Academy. Darrow also struggles as he figures out how to become a winning, respected leader and must befriend the people he is trying to destroy. I cannot wait to read the next book, Golden Son, which is coming out in January, to find out what Darrow will do next to confound and amaze the Golds and who will join him in his quest for rebellion. HIghly recommended. Just won Good Reads Best New Author award.
For generations, humans have been working below the surface of Mars to make it habitable. Darrow and his family are Reds, proud miners who believe their short, poverty-stricken and dangerous lives are helping to rebuild humanity. Then Darrow's life is destroyed, and he learns that Mars has been built upon lives. Mars is habitable, and Golds, the ruling class, are living like gods while Darrow's people are left to suffer indefinitely. Darrow vows to change that and undergoes a terrible process to become a Gold, enter their ruling academy, and destroy them from within. This first novel from Pierce Brown was action-packed and thought-provoking. After terrible tragedy, Darrow is reborn like a phoenix from his former life. After Darrow gets into the Gold Academy, the true test of terror begins. The war games in Ender's Game have nothing on the brutality and brilliance of the Gold Academy. Darrow also struggles as he figures out how to become a winning, respected leader and must befriend the people he is trying to destroy. I cannot wait to read the next book, Golden Son, which is coming out in January, to find out what Darrow will do next to confound and amaze the Golds and who will join him in his quest for rebellion. HIghly recommended. Just won Good Reads Best New Author award.
Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
“When we are in love, we are both completely in danger and completely saved.”
“Truth is beautiful, no matter what the truth is. Even if it's scary or bad. It is beauty simply because it's true. And truth is bright. Truth makes you more you.”
“There are a lot of human experiences that challenge the limits of our language,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons that we have poetry.”
"You might want someone else to save you, or you might want to save someone so badly, but no one else can save you, not really, not from yourself."
Reading Love Letters to the Dead was a poetic and painful journey into one girl's fight to keep living after her sister dies. What starts as an English assignment to write to someone who has died becomes profound as Laurel pours out her worries and hopes in letters to famous dead such as Kurt Cobain, Amelia Earhart, and Janis Joplin. As she deals with the emotional fallout caused by her sister's death, she must face the terrible truths surrounding it that continue to haunt her. At the same time, she must navigate starting high school, finding new friends, and falling in love without the advice of her beloved older sister. Filled with quotable lines (see above) and powerful poems from the masters, this is a book whose story and language you will savor long after you finish the last line. Reminiscent of Chobsky's Perks of Being a Wallflower, fans of that novel should definitely pick up this one.
“When we are in love, we are both completely in danger and completely saved.”
“Truth is beautiful, no matter what the truth is. Even if it's scary or bad. It is beauty simply because it's true. And truth is bright. Truth makes you more you.”
“There are a lot of human experiences that challenge the limits of our language,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons that we have poetry.”
"You might want someone else to save you, or you might want to save someone so badly, but no one else can save you, not really, not from yourself."
Reading Love Letters to the Dead was a poetic and painful journey into one girl's fight to keep living after her sister dies. What starts as an English assignment to write to someone who has died becomes profound as Laurel pours out her worries and hopes in letters to famous dead such as Kurt Cobain, Amelia Earhart, and Janis Joplin. As she deals with the emotional fallout caused by her sister's death, she must face the terrible truths surrounding it that continue to haunt her. At the same time, she must navigate starting high school, finding new friends, and falling in love without the advice of her beloved older sister. Filled with quotable lines (see above) and powerful poems from the masters, this is a book whose story and language you will savor long after you finish the last line. Reminiscent of Chobsky's Perks of Being a Wallflower, fans of that novel should definitely pick up this one.