I’m continuing my Fave Reads of 2014 series with Fiction. I didn’t get to review all of these, but I wanted to give them a shout out before we ring in the New Year. I’d also say that a lot of these books have crossover appeal too, YA fans!
2014 Favorites: Fiction:
Landline by Rainbow Rowell – This relationship dramedy is set during Christmas, so now is a perfect time to read it! Landline looks at a marriage in crisis and features a little time travel hocus-pocus.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – “Big Little Lies leaves your heart smashed in a million pieces just like that lollipop on the cover – who knew a book about kindergarten moms could be so delicious.” Hey, did you hear there is a TV adaptation on the way?
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin – “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is an unconventional love story and tribute to the printed word. If you love books in general you will love this one.” This one would make a great gift!
Redeployment by Phil Klay – I just this week finished listening to the audiobook of Redeployment (National Book Award winner). I think it’s a tough one to review so I don’t think I’m going to attempt it, but I wanted to mention it hear because I did rate it 5-stars. This is a hard-hitting book of short stories concerning soldiers serving in the Iraq war. Each of the twelve stories is in the POV of a different soldier, giving the reader insight into different wartime experiences. A haunting collection! I am gifting this one this year but I better not say to who just in case.
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel – Andrew loved this one: “If humanity should ever falter as described here, I hope that Emily St. John Mandel is around to write our memoirs—we couldn’t ask for better.”
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez – I think I’ve talked about this book before, though I haven’t reviewed it just yet. In this book, a group of immigrant families live in the same apartment complex and their stories are told through alternating narrators. There is also a teen love story featuring two characters that live in the building.
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion – I read this earlier this year, and now a sequel is just weeks away. I thought this one was offbeat, humorous, and utterly charming. Hope I like The Rosie Effect just as much!
We are Called to Rise by Laura McBride – This book is about four characters living in Las Vegas whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. “This story has a lot of emotion and heart, and though the book gets tense and gripping, it is hopeful as well.”
The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick – “Like Quick’s other books, The Good Luck of Right Now is offbeat and filled with quirky characters, with a focus on mental health, religion, and personal discovery. It’s happy, sad, heartwarming, strange, and very entertaining.”
Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin – “Max’s story is inspiring, heartbreaking, and thought provoking. If you’re interested in crossover books, gender issues and just great storytelling I think you’ll really respond to Golden Boy.”
When I look at the “best of the year” lists I see so many books I still need to read. There are definitely a few I’m making room for next year, like After I Do, Shotgun Lovesongs, An Untamed State, Ugly Girls, Everything I Never Told You, Wolf in White Van, Rooms, etc. (I own all of these- no excuse!)
What were your favorite fiction titles of 2014?
Hopefully, 2015 will be the year I read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry 😀 Redeployment sounds really interesting especially now that I have someone close to me in the Army. I’ll check that out for sure, even if its not within my usual genres 😀
Awesome post!
Redeployment was out of my comfort zone too, but a really compelling read! Let me know what you think if you check it out 🙂
I haven’t read any of those but do have a couple of them in my stacks. I gave A. J Fikry at my book club’s Dirty Santa and tried to get it back but someone else got it from me.
Oh, I hate when that happens! Hope you find a copy under the tree this year.
Rainbow is on my to try list 🙂
You might consider reading Rainbow’s Attachments first- it’s a fun one!
The only one I’ve read of these is The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, but I quite liked it! Big Little Lies and The Rosie Project both made it onto my Christmas wishlist though, so… *crosses fingers*
Big Little Lies is $3.99 for Kindle right now in the US store. Crossing fingers you get all the books on your wishlist!
I really liked AJ Fikry and have been recommending it a lot. I definitely need to read more adult fiction next year.
AJ Fikry does have a lot of appeal, doesn’t it? I should have gifted it more this year. Yeah, I want to read more adult fiction next year too, though I really like to rotate so I don’t get bored of any one category.
I have Big Little Lies on my To Read list. Thanks for sharing your favorites Lucy.
I have Big Lies Little Lies in hardback on my shelf and will get to it in 2015. I loved the audiobook of The Rosie Project and I hope I like the follow up as much.
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I wasa fan of AJ Fikry too and hope to read quite a few of these soon!