Best Books of 2014

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“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” ~ Stephen King

I once heard that Stephen King reads 70-80 books per year (which ironically doesn’t seem too far off of how many books he writes per year). Which means I’m in good company having read just shy of 80 books this year, way more than I usually read. There were just so many great books!

Of course, not all the books were new releases in 2014; some were books that I finally got around to reading. My favorites were ones that resonated with me in some way, that I kept thinking about long after I turned the last page, and that helped shape my year.

Without further adieu, here’s the countdown of my top 5 favorite reads from 2014:

5. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King — For making a sequel worthy of The Shining, and all the cool and unpredictable things that happen.

4. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson — For the beautiful writing about art, and a unique narrative that tells an incredibly heartfelt story.

3. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling) — For an intriguing mystery, and taking the same lovable characters from Cuckoo’s Calling to the next level.

2. Flight Behavior by Barbara Kinsolver — For changing the way I look at monarch butterflies, and a powerful character-driven story.

1. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel — For an engrossing apocalyptic story that focuses on what makes us human, and why survival is insufficient.

What were your favorite books of the year? Did any of the ones I mentioned make your list?

What I’m reading: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

What I’m listening to: Blank Space — Taylor Swift