Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Top 10 Reads of 2014


For 2014 I set a personal goal to read 150 books, but fell a bit short. I finished the year with 142 books read.  I've been tracking the books I've read since 2001 and my annual totals have ranged from a low of  66 books (2001) book to a high of 203 (2009).

Although I enjoyed lots of the books I read in 2014, for the first year in many, no particular book won the top #1 favorite read for me.   I put together a list of (10) books that I enjoyed the most (one is a children's book). Here goes  (have you read any of these?)  ---

Top 10 Reads of 2014

The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly
5 of 5 stars
The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly is a fable that was originally published in Korea. I was so moved by this story, I'll be recommending it again and again, and buying copies for gift giving. At the heart of this story is Sprout, an age...
Me Before You
5 of 5 stars
Initially I thought that, Me Before You, was probably not my kind of book as it's been called a romance by some, but after so many positive reviews, I decided to give it a try. I'm happy to say that the audio version was wonderful and I ...
Someday
5 of 5 stars
Oh my goodness, what a special book. This is book that is definitely more for mothers than it is for little ones. It's a book that will make many mothers (new and old) tear up when they read it. It's a wonderful story that beautifully ...
Summer House with Swimming Pool
5 of 5 stars
Reader's who experienced Herman Koch's, The Dinner may recall the despicable act of two young men and the disturbing reactions of their parents. Although a twisted story, it was one I very much enjoyed. Summer House With Swimming Poo...
The Conditions of Love
5 of 5 stars
The Conditions of Love, is a wonderful coming of age story which takes place in the 1950-60’s. The story begins in the little town of Wild Pea, Illinois, where young, Eunice lives with her self-centered, unpredictable, star-struck mothe...
A Man Called Ove
5 of 5 stars
First released in Sweden, A Man Called Ove is a delightful read. Ove is an angry, grouchy, 59 year-old man whose wife has passed away. Sonia was his Ove's rock, seeing the bright side in everything and the good in everyone. Ove, on the...
The Thoughts and Happenings of Wilfred Price Purveyor of Superior Funerals
5 of 5 stars
Intro ... “It was because of a yellow dress. She was wearing a yellow dress and her arms were bare. It was slightly tart, the colour of lemon curd. He couldn’t remember seeing a dress in that shade before. It was pleated silk and sleev...
The Paying Guests
5 of 5 stars
Set just outside of London in 1922, The Paying Guests, is a literary thriller which kept me quickly turning its 500+ pages. Frances Wray is a 26 year old spinster who lives with her 50-something mother in what was once a comfortable l...
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage
5 of 5 stars
When I first heard about Murakami's new novel, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, I admit that was a little put off by the title, but after finishing the book in just two days, I must say that afterward I felt the ti...
Leaving Time: A Novel
5 of 5 stars
Jodi Picoult's latest book, Leaving Time, touched me on so many levels. It explores not only the mother/child bond of humans and of elephants, making the reader see how very similar human mothers and elephants mothers are when it comes t...

goodreads.com

35 comments:

  1. Something for everyone there - I know I will (eventually) read the Waters, but I had forgotten about all the good reviews I read of 'Wilfred Price' -- *adds to list* *sighs at size of list* ... Happy New Year!

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    1. Wilfred Price was and unexpected pleasure. Happy New Year and Happy Reading Vicki.

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  2. Great list. I loved Me Before You. Paying Guests is on my TBR. I have heard great things about it.

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    1. Me too Cynthia. I must read more Jo JO Moyes in 2015

      Happy New Year and Happy Reading

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  3. I've been seeing A Man Called Ove around lately and I'm intrigued. I also loved Me Before You. I was so excited about Colorless Tsukuru, but it didn't live up to expectations for me. Happy New Year!

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    1. If you like quirky characters, A Man Called Ove should be a hit.

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  4. I've been waiting for your list, Diane! I loved Me Before You and Wilfred Price (the sequel is being released by Europa this spring) and have most of the others on my wish list. The Paying Guests just missed the mark for me - wonderful writing, characters, and audio narration, but overall it wasn't a favorite.

    Happy 2015!

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    1. JoAnn, thank you, I hadn't realized about the sequel.
      Happy New Year and Happy Reading

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  5. Oh, wow, what a presentation! Even more impressive than the content itself! :--) Nicely done!

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    1. Jill, thanks so much. Very easy to do using Good Reads and their widgets:) Happy New Year.

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  6. That was a darn good list! Happy New Year from all of us!

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  7. It would be difficult to choose a single favorite when you've read so many books. I should have included The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly on my list. I purchased it based on your review and loved it! Happy New year!

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    1. Pat, I never keep books after I've read them, because I have so many unread ones on my shelf, but The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly was one I couldn't part with:)

      Happy New Year.

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  8. Summer House with Swimming Pool is one I plan to pick up today. I had The Dinner as one of my favorites of the year. 150 books is a pretty ambitious reading goal! Good for you for almost making it! Happy reading in the new year.

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    1. Frances, If you enjoyed The Donner, you most likely will enjoy Summer House With Pool as well. (hope so)

      Happy New Year

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  9. 142 books is phenomenal if you ask me! I've not read any of your favorites though I have the Murakami on my reading pile and hope to get to it soon. Happy New Year!

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  10. I absolutely LOVED "A Man Called Ove"- it's my second favourite book of 2014! Happy New Year to you, Diane!

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  11. I read Me Before You a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. Glad to see it made it on your favorites list. I definitely have several from your favorites list on my TBR list so I'm glad to see good reads await! Happy New Year!

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  12. Diane, I read Me Before You and thought it was fantastic! Thanks for sharing your list. I will keep it in mind. Have a safe and happy New Year's!

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  13. I started Summer House with Swimming Pool but my digital ARC expired before I finished it! I Will have to get back to it, and there are many others on your list that I've been meaning to get to, too!

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  14. I loved Me Before You (a 2013 read for me) and A Man Called Ove - the last one will certainly show up in my favorite list this year. I have to read Summer House with Swimming Pool soon.

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  15. I loved Me Before You. Summer House with Swimming Pool was like watching something awful happen but you can't turn away. The rest of your 5 stars are now on my long TBR list! Happy New Year, Diane.

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  16. I've actually read 2 of those books! Great list!

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  17. A brilliant Top 10 with some great books, I've read Me Before You, Summer House with Swimming Pool and The Paying Guests (which made my top 10 of 2014) Happy New Year and here's hoping it is filled with many more good books.

    http://cleopatralovesbooks.wordpress.com

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  18. Great list Diane. I'll be listening to The Paying Guests soon. Glad to see you loved it.

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  19. I need to find more time to read, I haven't read any of these!

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  20. What a marvelous collection you've presented us with! I must read The Hen someday, I've begun it, but abandoned it for some reason. I read the first few pages of A Man Called Ove at the library, and was utterly charmed by his discussion of the computer (a position not far from how I often feel). One day, I also want to read The Paying Guests. Glad we have Colorless Tsukuru in common, along with much more in our hearts. xo

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  21. I hope you had a lovely 2014 and 2015 will filled with happy moments. This is a great list of books, I haven't read any of them but will add several to my list.

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  22. Me Before You is on my book club's list for 2015. I can't wait to read it!

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  23. I love these posts. It's fun to see what everyone's favorites are--and be reminded of books I must read. I'm not sure I had a #1 favorite either.

    A Man Called Ove is one I hope to read this year. I gave a copy to my mother-in-law as a gift for her birthday last year and it was her favorite book of the year. I knew I should have made time for it sooner.

    I'm really curious about Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. I haven't read anything by that author before, but that one really appeals to me.

    I hope you have a Happy New Year!

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  24. I've only read Me Before You but it was such a good one. I'll be curious what they do with the movie. I'd love to read Colorless Tsukuru but need to read some others of his first.

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  25. Great list, Diane. I loved Me Before You and A Man Called Ove.

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  26. If I had to narrow my list down to just five books, Me Before You would still make the list. Loved that book!

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  27. You had an amazing year! I plan to read A Man Called Ove since I keep hearing great things about it.

    I'm still working on my list, but my numbers are at an all-time low. Not sure what happened to my reading mojo this year...

    Love that Goodreads widget!

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