Monday, December 29, 2014

Best of 2014

Happy Holidays, friends! I'm just popping in with my favorite reads of the year - and I've happily dragged Jackie along to chime in with her top reads of 2014 as well. This was a bit of a tough list to pick out because I honestly was a tough reader to please these last few months. But I came up with a few that were actually spectacular and Jackie had some fantastic reading this year as well.


Hannah's Best Of


Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
This book is a Taylor Swift song and I loved every minute of it. It was really easy to let Emery Lord onto my shelves and into my heart. Keep an eye out for The Start of Me and You coming this spring - it's another amazing, amazing contemporary from an author who's become an insta-read for me. 

My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins
Reading MTLGTM has become a new (planned) tradition for me. I'm definitely going to return to this book in the holiday season to pull me into the excitement and magic that comes with this time of year. And you get a bundle of fabulous authors all in one go - Rainbow Rowell made me cry (yet again, because she's perfect), Myra McEntire made me laugh, and don't even get me started on how Laini Taylor proves again how she's one of the most skilled storytellers out there. 

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
I didn't know if she could top Etienne St. Clair or Cricket Bell, but Josh certainly belongs in the wonderful pool of Perkins' boys who aren't perfect, but perfect for who they end up with. And of all the Perkins' girls, I think I'd most like to be Isla. This one was well worth the wait. 

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Another fantastic addition to an epic, epic fantasy. I'm not a fan of faeries, honestly, but for Sarah Maas and Celaena, I'm all in. I so can't wait to see where this series leads. 

Jackie's Best Of


Scan by Walter Jury and Sarah Fine
This book blew me away. I was so surprised by how much I loved this one. The relationship in the story hooked me immediately, and the plot was so different from everything I've read. Loved it. 

Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass
 
I cannot gush enough about this book. NO OTHER book has made me feel the emotions that this one has. Alexis Bass nails life as a girl in high school...or at least what mine felt like. Incredible. It's a must read. 

A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier
I got my history on with this book and was absolutely blown away by the authenticity. The world is spot on incredible. 

The Treatment by Suzanne Young
This was an excellent sequel to a book I loved. Suzanne Young just gets me. The action and tension are awesome.

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
It's such a touching story and the writing is stand-out beautiful. This is such an important book
.
Hannah here: I had to throw in a few words on this one as well. It's a book I'm adding to my list of best of the year, too. Jackie and I so rarely like the same book - it's shocking really, considering how good of friends we are that we can never agree on things like best books (although she does have a fantastic list this year...) or even whether a book is good or not. But this one - we are totally on the same page. It's so, so beautiful, I'm highlighting practically every other sentence. If you haven't picked up this one yet, Jackie and I both recommend you do. 

Jackie and I would love to hear what your top reads were!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Best of 2014

Happy Holidays, friends! I'm just popping in with my favorite reads of the year - and I've happily dragged Jackie along to chime in with her top reads of 2014 as well. This was a bit of a tough list to pick out because I honestly was a tough reader to please these last few months. But I came up with a few that were actually spectacular and Jackie had some fantastic reading this year as well.


Hannah's Best Of


Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
This book is a Taylor Swift song and I loved every minute of it. It was really easy to let Emery Lord onto my shelves and into my heart. Keep an eye out for The Start of Me and You coming this spring - it's another amazing, amazing contemporary from an author who's become an insta-read for me. 

My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins
Reading MTLGTM has become a new (planned) tradition for me. I'm definitely going to return to this book in the holiday season to pull me into the excitement and magic that comes with this time of year. And you get a bundle of fabulous authors all in one go - Rainbow Rowell made me cry (yet again, because she's perfect), Myra McEntire made me laugh, and don't even get me started on how Laini Taylor proves again how she's one of the most skilled storytellers out there. 

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
I didn't know if she could top Etienne St. Clair or Cricket Bell, but Josh certainly belongs in the wonderful pool of Perkins' boys who aren't perfect, but perfect for who they end up with. And of all the Perkins' girls, I think I'd most like to be Isla. This one was well worth the wait. 

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Another fantastic addition to an epic, epic fantasy. I'm not a fan of faeries, honestly, but for Sarah Maas and Celaena, I'm all in. I so can't wait to see where this series leads. 

Jackie's Best Of


Scan by Walter Jury and Sarah Fine
This book blew me away. I was so surprised by how much I loved this one. The relationship in the story hooked me immediately, and the plot was so different from everything I've read. Loved it. 

Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass
 
I cannot gush enough about this book. NO OTHER book has made me feel the emotions that this one has. Alexis Bass nails life as a girl in high school...or at least what mine felt like. Incredible. It's a must read. 

A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier
I got my history on with this book and was absolutely blown away by the authenticity. The world is spot on incredible. 

The Treatment by Suzanne Young
This was an excellent sequel to a book I loved. Suzanne Young just gets me. The action and tension are awesome.

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
It's such a touching story and the writing is stand-out beautiful. This is such an important book
.
Hannah here: I had to throw in a few words on this one as well. It's a book I'm adding to my list of best of the year, too. Jackie and I so rarely like the same book - it's shocking really, considering how good of friends we are that we can never agree on things like best books (although she does have a fantastic list this year...) or even whether a book is good or not. But this one - we are totally on the same page. It's so, so beautiful, I'm highlighting practically every other sentence. If you haven't picked up this one yet, Jackie and I both recommend you do. 

Jackie and I would love to hear what your top reads were!