My Top Reads in 2014
Without a
doubt finding time to divulge into a novel is one of my greatest struggles
every year. Between work, school, family/friends and all the crazy things that
tend to come about, reading, though it is one of my favourite things to do,
finding the time can seem near to impossible. It does, however, keep me sane;
it teaches me things and allows me to further myself not only as a writer, but
as a person as well. This year I've read some of the most amazing books. Links to purchase them will be available by simply clicking the title of the book. So,
without further ado, here are the top 10 novels I read this year.
Challenging the norms of society is this dual narrated book by the famous John Green and David Leviathan. Two boys with the same name, meet in a store and their lives begin to intertwine in all sorts of ways. Not only is it an abundance of laughs but it was so heartwarming that I could not resist adding it to the list. Will, will, Tiny and the whole lot characters in this book all are brought to life in such lovely ways by Green and Leviathan.
For those who know me, they know the most influential author in my collection is Hemingway, with the simplest story, he can captivate a crowd. The Old Man and the Sea shocked me. The story, in it's simplest form, is the story of an old cuban man and his battle with a big marlin. It won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954 and is a beautifully written novella.
The famous rock and roll romance that I probably should have read years ago is Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist. This short, but sweet little novel is all about new beginnings, broken hearts and crazy nights. It's a lovely reminder that things can change in an instant, for better or for worse.
Ah, here it is. The notorious break up book. I have read this time after time and if you are trying to get over your ex, you probably should to. The tears and happiness this book brought to me are unimaginable but through this lovely letter to Min's ex-boyfriend Ed. I found peace. Hopefully you'll find the same.
Easily, I read
this one cover to cover. After promising it to a friend I successfully attempted to finish it in a week. Like other great tales of a utopian society being truly
catastrophic, the Giver focuses on the importance of knowledge and
emotion. Things we take for granted and
try to block out are what make us who we are. Humanity is rooted in the
memories we foster, the people around us and in the emotions that exist. Lowry
captures this like no other; give it a read.
Marian Keyes is your woman to go to if you are currently trying to re-discover yourself. This novel, though quite lengthy, was a novel I finished in under a week. From the beginning to the end I felt absolutely every emotion to be felt. It makes you laugh, cry and is easily one of the most relatable novels I have read. It contains all sorts of characters that compliment the protagonist, Stella. From her crazy husband, colourful family, bitter best friend to her charming doctor, The Woman Who Stole My Life sits right in the middle of my lovely little list.
In retrospect, I spend a lot of time coming up with little versus of nonsense that I end up deeming poetry. Around the time of march break, I decided that it was time that I pay a sort of tribute to these little versus and purchase a book with little ramblings by others like myself, you have to experience others to better your own. On Love is a small poetry book compiled of little love notes and poems by famous authors and poets. Some of which include Shakespeare, Dickinson, Yeats and Edgar Allan Poe. Many little forms of inspiration for my work exist within this little book, which is why it is sitting in this spot.
I first attempted this novel when I was thirteen and was intensely bored, but again back then my taste was as any thirteen year old's can be, VAMPIRES. Which is where I originally came across this novel, while reading Twilight. I was though, blessed with the fortune of reading it for school and it has now made my best book list. Wuthering Heights is set in the Victorian age and is a tragically beautiful love story between two lovers that could not be more wrong for each other in the eyes of society. It seizes the very morality of forbidden love. The author of Wuthering Heights also has two sisters who published novels, one of which being Jane Eyre.
Who
doesn't love a good fairytale? Stardust was one of the most adorable
novels I ever allowed into my family of books. It follows the journey of a
young boy named Tristran Thorn, a seemingly odd person who will do anything for
love. His quest to capture a fallen star takes an unseeingly turn and
he is faced with all sorts of things. Saying anything further will spoil the
plot but the most magical thing about this book was the ability it had to
appeal to an older audience, though, essentially, it's a fairytale. This
book brought magic alive, and if that's the kind of read you are looking
for, here is where you'll be sure to find it.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay AsherOut of all the texts I read in 2014, Thirteenn Reasons Why was by far one of the most impactful things to grace my very eyes. It follows the story of a suicide. Clay Jensen receives seven audio tapes from an anonymous source. These tapes contain thirteen stories that lead up to the suicide of Hannah Baker and Clay must listen to them and pass them on to the next or else she will have a second set of them released by a third party. While doing so, Clay realizes how emotionally damaged she was and the real person that he had been crushing on for all that time. The story goes back and forth between the audio tapes (which you can listen to here) and Clay's thoughts/actions surrounding them, Hannah's death and his time with her. Overall the story took me about one evening of staying up until 2am. I cried like a baby, but realized that even the smallest things we do to each other can leave an impact. Hannah's character and even Clay's are your typical teen, we can all relate to their emotions and actions, which is why this novel is so influential. Asher's writing style is absolutely out of this world, so give it a read if you're going to give anything a read on this list.
Other Titles I Read in 2014
To Be Read in 2015…
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