2014 in review

Something about the end of the year begs us to look back. I think it’s the new calendar. Somehow the physical act of replacing Spiderman with Transformers makes us nostalgic. Ha ha.

In all seriousness, 2014 was a pretty amazing year for books. Of the 400ish books I read this year I picked 14 that really stood out to me. So, here it is, in no particular order:

14 noteworthy books published in 2014
1. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
    Really, read this one. It’s magic.
2. The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang
    The best controlling mother character. Ever
3. Tomboy by Liz Prince
    It was the first memoir I’d ever read about someone I really related to. Plus it’s an awesome graphic novel.
4. Plus One by Elizabeth Fama
    You’ll never read another dystopia that works out like this one.
5. The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand by Jen Swan Downey
    As a librarian, I’m a fan of any book that supports freedom of expression and portrays librarians as action heroes
6. Sekret by Linday Smith
    Psychics in Soviet Russia. Normally I’m not a huge fan of psychics but the setting really made this one work for me.
7. Noggin by John Corey Whaley
    Come on. It’s John Corey Whaley. Sure, head transplants are a weird topic but this book is about so much more.
8. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
    There is literally nothing I can say about this book without spoilers. Just trust me. If you haven't already, read this one. And if you have read it, you know exactly what I mean.
9. Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga
    I actually read the whole Jasper Dent trilogy this year. It’s grim but seriously engrossing.
10. The League of Seven by Alan Gatz
     An interesting take on the whole “mythology kids” subgenre
11. Revolution by Deborah Wiles
     The 60’s are quickly becoming my favorite decade for historical fiction. And this trilogy is absolutely fantastic.
12. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
     Troubled sibling relationships. Plus weird kids who are happy being weird.
13. In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
     An adventuresome graphic novel that includes a solid dose of social consciousness
14. Death Coming Up the Hill by Chris Crowe
     Read this one all the way through. Then read what Crowe was doing with the haiku form. Your mind will be blown.

So, there you have it. 14 books that stuck with me this year. Here’s hoping 2015 brings us another amazing assortment of books