This is a list of the books I've read in 2014.
Since this is the time of year we start seeing all the "Best Of" lists, I decided to post my own "Best Of" list. But, it's hard! So, instead, I'm posting the entire list like I do the end of each year. If you're interested in past lists, here are the links:
You can see my 2010 list here -
And, my 2013 list -
If a book is on my list, it means I liked it.
A lot.
I am not one to finish a book I don't care for, or am even feeling lukewarm about. I know there are people out there who feel like they can't put a book down once they've invested some time in it, and that's fine. That's just not me.
If you look at this list closely, you'll see a pattern. A pattern of "binge reading."
If I discover a "new to me" author and fall in love with the first of their books I find, I'm going to then gobble up the rest of the series. In order, of course!
There were several of those this year.
Some will surprise some of you because you were lucky enough to discover their work earlier than I did. I'm just tickled pink to have finally found them.
My biggest and happiest surprise was Julia Spencer-Fleming. Can you believe it?! WHAT took me so long? One of the best series being written right now, and that's the truth.
I'm a big fan of Mark de Castrique's Sam Blackman series, but was late to the party for his Buryin' Barry series. Probably because something about "Buryin' Barry" is kind of jarring to me. I'm glad I got past that, 'cause the series is terrific.
Other new discoveries were Terence Faherty and Carla Neggers. Very different from one another. Both wonderful.
And then there's Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's Special Agent Pendergast series. I am SO hooked. I'm going to be a mess when I finish the books in this series knowing I'll have to wait a year or more for the next one.
You might notice a lot of Margaret Maron titles on the list. Her DESIGNATED DAUGHTERS came out earlier this year and is the latest in her Deborah Knott series - a series not to be missed in my most humble of opinions. Every once in awhile, I want to revisit her Sigrid Harald series, so I've been reading them in order. I took a little break there, but plan on getting back to it by reading CORPUS CHRISTMAS this month. Actually, this is one I try to read every year during the holiday season because it's one of my favorite Christmas books.
So - here's my own version of "Best Of."
My "Very Favorites of the Best Of," have been entered in bold letters.
I'm not highlighting the binge reads because the very fact that I'm reading them all in order boom boom boom should speak loudly about how much I like them.
And, those very few you see in red. They're my "wow" reads.
And, because it's only the 6th of December, there will be more added right up until the end of the year, so check back from time to time to see what's new (and what's good).
For those who aren't familiar with the "(ARC)" you see on some of these titles, it means "Advance Reading Copy." Some of those titles were "ARCs" when I read them, but have now been released. Some, however, are not due to be released until next year, so I'm afraid you'll have to wait.
Happy Reading, Everyone!!
Right now I'm reading Lisa Goldstein's WALKING THE LABYRINTH
A TOUCH OF STARDUST by Kate Alcott (ARC)
CORPUS CHRISTMAS by Margaret Maron
WINTER SOLSTICE by Rosamunde Pilcher
THE DUCHESS OF BLOOMSBURY STREET by Helene Hanff
84, CHARING CROSS ROAD by Helene Hanff
ECHO by Pam Muñoz Ryan (ARC)
WHITE FIRE by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
COLD VENGEANCE by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
FEVER DREAM by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
CEMETERY DANCE by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
A BOWL OF OLIVES: ON FOOD AND MEMORY by Sara Midda
THE WHEEL OF DARKNESS by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
THE BOOK OF THE DEAD by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
DIE AGAIN by Tess Gerritsen
DANCE OF DEATH by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
BRIMSTONE by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
STILL LIFE WITH CROWS by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
RELIQUARY by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
RELIC by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
FIVE FIRES by Laura Lippman (ARC)
THE UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES OF LOVE by Jill Mansell (ARC)
LETHAL LETTERS by Ellery Adams
BENNINGTON GIRLS ARE EASY by Charlotte Silver (ARC)
THE SWAN HOUSE by Elizabeth Musser
THE GIVEN WORLD by Marian Palaia (ARC)
FIRST FROST by Sarah Addison Allen (ARC)
TRUE LOVE by Jude Deveraux
THE BLUE LABYRINTH by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (ARC)
ESCAPE THE NIGHT by Richard North Patterson (ARC)
THE ART FAIR by David Lipsky
MONDAY'S LIE by Jamie Mason (ARC)
PARNASSUS ON WHEELS by Christopher Morley
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP by Christopher Morley
RUN by Andrew Grant (ARC)
A THING OF BEAUTY by Lisa Samson (ARC)
THE WEDDING BEES by Sarah-Kate Lynch
BABY DOLL GAMES by Margaret Maron
THE SECRET HISTORY by Donna Tartt
A SECOND BITE AT THE APPLE by Dana Bate (ARC)
THE ROSIE EFFECT by Graeme Simsion (ARC)
THE RIGHT JACK by Margaret Maron
HIDDEN IN PARIS by Corine Gantz
DEATH IN BLUE FOLDERS by Margaret Maron
DEATH OF A BUTTERFLY by Margaret Maron
ONE COFFEE WITH by Margaret Maron
BITTERSWEET by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
REUNION by Hannah Pittard (ARC)
TO DWELL IN DARKNESS by Deborah Crombie
INDISCRETION by Charles Dubow
THE MOMENT OF EVERYTHING by Shelly King
HARBOR ISLAND by Carla Neggers
ROCK POINT by Carla Neggers
DECLAN'S CROSS by Carla Neggers
HERON'S COVE by Carla Neggers
SAINT'S GATE by Carla Neggers
THE RETURNING TIDE by Julia Sokota (ARC)
BROADCHURCH by Erin Kelly
SWEET DAMAGE by Rebecca James (ARC)
WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart
THE DRESS SHOP OF DREAMS by Menna van Praag (ARC)
WINDIGO ISLAND by William Kent Krueger
THE SECRET PLACE by Tana French (ARC)
SOMEWHERE SAFE WITH SOMEBODY GOOD by Jan Karon (ARC)
DESIGNATED DAUGHTERS by Margaret Maron
MURDER IN THE MYSTERY SUITE by Ellery Adams
CANCEL THE WEDDING by Carolyn T. Dingman (ARC)
COMING UP FOR AIR by Patti Callahan Henry
THE MAGNOLIA LEAGUE by Katie Crouch
THE INTERESTINGS: A NOVEL by Meg Wolitzer
THE VACATIONERS by Emma Straub
THE FEVER by Megan Abbott
SMALL BLESSINGS by Martha Woodroof (ARC)
STORM FRONT (THE DRESDEN FILES, BOOK 1) by Jim Butcher
THE MOCKINGBIRD NEXT DOOR: LIFE WITH HARPER LEE by Marja Mills
THE GOVERNOR'S LADY by Robert Inman
CROSSOVER by Judith Eubank (ARC)
THE NIGHT GARDEN by Lisa Van Allen (ARC)
TIBETAN PEACH PIE by Tom Robbins
THE ANATOMY OF DREAMS by Chloe Benjamin (ARC)
PERSONAL by Lee Child (ARC)
THE STORIES WE TELL by Patti Callahan Henry
THE YEAR SHE FELL by Alicia Rasley
DELICIOUS: A NOVEL by Ruth Reichl
A SUDDEN LIGHT by Garth Stein (ARC)
THE SILENT SISTER by Diane Chamberlain (ARC)
THE HATMAKER'S HEART by Carla Stewart (ARC)
TERMINAL CITY by Linda Fairstein (ARC)
TRUTH BE TOLD by Hank Phillippi Ryan (ARC)
DOLLBABY by Laura Lane McNeal (ARC)
BEST TO LAUGH by Lorna Landvik (ARC)
THE HAWLEY BOOK OF THE DEAD by Chrysler Szarlan (ARC)
THE GIRLS OF AUGUST by Anne Rivers Siddons (ARC)
THE HURRICANE SISTERS by Dorothea Benton Frank
A PARIS APARTMENT by Michelle Gable
DEPT. OF SPECULATION by Jennie Offill (ARC)
LISETTE'S LIST BY Susan Vreeland
THROUGH THE EVIL DAYS by Julia Spencer-Fleming
ONE WAS A SOLDIER by Julia Spencer-Fleming
I SHALL NOT WANT by Julia Spencer-Fleming
ALL MORTAL FLESH by Julia Spencer-Fleming
TO DARKNESS AND TO DEATH by Julia Spencer-Fleming
OUT OF THE DEEP I CRY by Julia Spencer-Fleming
A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD by Julia Spencer-Fleming
IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER by Julia Spencer-Fleming
THE LAST OF SOMETHING by Susan Kelly
WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG by Elizabeth Gaffney (ARC)
LUCKY US by Amy Bloom (ARC)
RUIN FALLS by Jenny Milchman
THE BEEKEEPER'S BALL by Susan Wiggs (ARC)
STONE MATTRESS by Margaret Atwood (ARC)
THE LATE SCHOLAR by Jill Paton Walsh (ARC)
THE SUMMER WIND by Mary Alice Monroe (ARC)
MURDER IN MERINO by Sally Goldenbaum
THE GLASS KITCHEN by Linda Francis Lee (ARC)
CLAMMED UP by Barbara Ross
DRIZZLED WITH DEATH by Jessie Crockett
INHERIT THE WORD by Daryl Wood Gerber
THE PICKLED PIPER by Mary Ellen Hughes (ARC)
A ROUX OF REVENGE by Connie Archer (ARC)
ANY OTHER NAME by Craig Johnson (ARC)
THE LONG WAY HOME by Louise Penny (ARC)
THE BUTTERFLY SISTER by Amy Gail Hansen
SILVER BAY by Jojo Moyes
DATING CARY GRANT by Emelle Gamble (ARC)
WHAT STRANGE CREATURES by Emily Arsenault (ARC)
IT'S NOT LOVE, IT'S JUST PARIS by Patricia Engel
THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin
THE UNEXPECTED WALTZ by Kim Wright (ARC)
SECRETS OF THE LIGHTHOUSE by Santa Montefiore (ARC)
SUSPICION by Joseph Finder (ARC)
VERTIGO 42 by Martha Grimes (ARC)
A SNICKER OF MAGIC by Natalie Lloyd
THEN AND ALWAYS by Dani Atkins (ARC)
NORA BONESTEEL'S CHRISTMAS PAST by Sharyn McCrumb (ARC)
IF YOU WERE HERE by Alafair Burke
CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION by Peter Robinson
THE EDGE OF WATER by Elizabeth George
THE EDGE OF NOWHERE by Ellizabeth George
AN UNSPOKEN SUSPICION by Francoise Bourdin
THE BLESSINGS by Elise Juska (ARC)
MISSING YOU by Harlan Coben
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS by Lisa Verge Higgins (ARC)
THE HOUSE WE GREW UP IN by Lisa Jewell (ARC)
A WEDDING IN PROVENCE by Ellen Sussman (ARC)
SCARLETT SAYS by Julie L. Cannon
EASTWARD IN EDEN by Terence Faherty (ARC)
THE ORDAINED by Terence Faherty
MURDER AND MENDELSSOHN by Kerry Greenwood (ARC)
PROVE THE NAMELESS by Terence Faherty
DIE DREAMING by Terence Faherty
TRUE BELIEVERS by Kurt Andersen
STRONG SPIRITS by Alice Duncan
FATAL UNDERTAKING by Mark de Castrique
FINAL UNDERTAKING by Mark de Castrique
FOOLISH UNDERTAKING by Mark de
Castrique
GRAVE UNDERTAKING by Mark de Castrique
THE DAY SHE DIED by Catriona McPherson (ARC)
NORTHANGER ABBEY by Val McDermid (ARC)
THE TASTE OF APPLE SEEDS by Katharina Hagena (ARC)
FATAL ENQUIRY by Will Thomas (ARC)
REEL STUFF by Don Bruns
MURDER BY SYLLABUB by Kathleen Delaney
LYDIA'S PARTY by Margaret Hawkins (ARC)
THE ROSIE PROJECT by Graeme Simsion
THE PARTICULAR SADNESS OF LEMON
CAKE by Aimee Bender
SOMETHING BLUE by Ann Hood
LOST LAKE by Sarah Addison Allen
THE LOST HUSBAND by Katherine Center
THE BOOK OF SECRETS by Elizabeth Joy
Arnold
SIX YEARS by Harlan Coben
THE LOST SISTERHOOD by Anne Fortier (ARC)
THE HOLLOW GIRL by Reed Farrel Coleman (ARC)
THE MOON SISTERS by Therese Walsh (ARC)
PECAN PIES AND HOMICIDE by Ellery Adams
DANGEROUS UNDERTAKING by Mark de Castrique
THE YELLOW EYES OF CROCODILES by Katherine Pancol (ARC)
SNAPSHOT by Lis Wiehl (ARC)
A READER'S BOOK OF DAYS by Tom Nissley
