Top Five Books of 2014

Description
What are your top five reads for 2014? These books DO NOT need to have been published in 2014.
2
14,749 members
796 reviews
3.9
3
17,931 members
1,233 reviews
½ 4.3
4
44,544 members
2,118 reviews
½ 4.4
22 Members
lucybrown, spartahiker, Florinda, krazy4katz, MJC1946, Devlindusty, SherylHendrix, MeganHuntStewart, amyshaff, Trudial, cadacada, Barbsn, jan48, lyneaclark, LisaYork, painter1, kenjohnson, MichelleAbel, PaulKelleher, snyd1978, Jonas.Pieters, Tosta
Explanations
SherylHendrix: A riveting story that highlights the human emotions of individuals caught in the horrors of war.
5
5,900 members
363 reviews
4
21 Members
lorax, tardis, conceptDawg, Vierran, barrayaran, montano, Euryale, lkmiller, earthsinger, Vilakins, dot.zen, jamestream, Devlindusty, zjakkelien, gypsysmom, pjdscca, TempleCat, lorannen, ChristineParker, kenjohnson, SkippyRoxy
Explanations
lorannen: By far one of the most original and compelling space novels I've read in recent years.
6
8,218 members
588 reviews
4
19 Members
innominate, skyeval, starfishian, ymkahn, mzonderm, sipthereader, rainpebble, nancyewhite, novelcommentary, chaminah, cmtl, JSWBooks, PoetVictoria, hubblegal, kenjohnson, elca1946, canaiden, SkippyRoxy, suerv
Explanations
innominate: A novel of time and place, of death and rebirth. Of foxes and not. Historical and ahistorical. A fantastic (in both senses of the word) read.
starfishian: Absolutely brilliant. Kate Atkinson is a gifted writer.
12
2,491 members
113 reviews
4.1
15
6,666 members
349 reviews
½ 4.3
16
5,045 members
247 reviews
3.8
11 Members
Aquila, snora, zhejw, charl08, lsh63, chgstrom, KymmAC, Picarina, peterveen, gendeg, elca1946
Explanations
Aquila: Do I need to explain my choice? Loved the set up.
17
12,118 members
593 reviews
½ 4.4
11 Members
mzonderm, sipthereader, terran, MJC1946, koalakt, honkcronk, Trudial, gaylebutz, NoPlanetB, elca1946, FireflyLover
Explanations
NoPlanetB: Compelling story, brilliant writer.
18
14,705 members
960 reviews
4.1
20
26,675 members
1,545 reviews
4.2
10 Members
booklover3258, RuMuse, crazy4reading, Liciasings, MeganHuntStewart, snookerkitty, mdrcamp4, renbedell, snyd1978, FireflyLover
Explanations
booklover3258: Sad story of love and loss. Why wouldn't I love this book?
RuMuse: I didn't expect I'd like this book, much less love it. It's the clear voice of the protagonist, Hazel, with her insights and mordant humor, that make this a great book.
21
10 Members
tardis, waitingtoderail, barrayaran, SaraHope, Jambyfool, midnightblues, CapitalHackels, amaranthe, MeganHuntStewart, dexterdame
Explanations
amaranthe: It is extremely funny, and not in a stupid way.
22
7,666 members
294 reviews
4.2
10 Members
Eat_Read_Knit, novelcommentary, njinthesun, jhaggis, JSWBooks, amyshaff, peterveen, LisaYork, elca1946, canaiden
Explanations
JSWBooks: There's so much to this book. One reader quoted The Guardian's review: "There are some novels that tell a great story and others that make you change the way you look at the world. ... Adichie's Americanah is a book that manages to do both." It is about race, immigrants, relationships. Beautiful, provacative writing.
23
4,965 members
290 reviews
3.8
24
2,379 members
183 reviews
½ 4.3
25
7,131 members
442 reviews
½ 3.7
26
3,584 members
247 reviews
4.1
27
1,887 members
137 reviews
3.8
8 Members
overthemoon, Bookmarque, reader517, spartahiker, pdebolt, EllsieFind, markatpie, painter1
Explanations
Bookmarque: Stories of orphans and outsiders usually follow a familiar storyline, but this novel surprised me both in characterization and in plot. Set in an unusual location and time it is an introspective and engrossing novel.
28
3,577 members
273 reviews
4
8 Members
innominate, KimarieBee, s2nowy, lsh63, rainpebble, Sharn, Brindle, ElizaBev
Explanations
innominate: A bare description of this novel (the tale of the last woman to be executed in Iceland) doesn't do justice to its complexity and clarity of purpose. A tale of death breathing life into a past society.
29
11,528 members
775 reviews
4.1
30
18,321 members
1,269 reviews
4.1
31
6,887 members
343 reviews
½ 4.3
32
8,274 members
721 reviews
3.8
33
2,925 members
196 reviews
4.1
7 Members
susanj, tardis, mkunruh, Vierran, jsburbidge, amaranthe, pagesaplenty
Explanations
amaranthe: Maia unexpectedly becomes emperor after having lived his 18 years as an embarrassment in exile. He must learn to govern effectively without being killed, being manipulated by older members of the government, or becoming like his father. Lots of politics, intrigue, problem-solving, and heart.
34
1,234 members
84 reviews
4
35
1,680 members
97 reviews
4.2
36
7,668 members
405 reviews
4.1
37
1,479 members
107 reviews
3.8
38
2,707 members
171 reviews
3.8
39
9,027 members
635 reviews
4.1
40
3,184 members
176 reviews
½ 4.4
6 Members
rosylibrarian, nancyewhite, Mirabelle, MeridianLRC, copperkid, NoPlanetB
Explanations
NoPlanetB: Eye-popping narrative.
41
1,932 members
150 reviews
4.2
42
26,341 members
624 reviews
3.9
43
7,106 members
399 reviews
4
44
1,913 members
82 reviews
4.2
45
7,444 members
476 reviews
4.1
46
3,646 members
177 reviews
½ 4.3
47
4,810 members
386 reviews
½ 4.3
48
3,180 members
199 reviews
½ 3.6
49
9,853 members
615 reviews
3.9
50
1,564 members
95 reviews
4
5 Members
Aquila, susanj, byzanne, rarm, jsburbidge
Explanations
Aquila: Like Rosemary Sutcliff, but with a female protagonist - and a bisexual one at that. Fascinating, integrated, beautifully written.
52
5,402 members
359 reviews
4.1
5 Members
chgstrom, Her_Royal_Orangeness, flying_monkeys, brushman, iogrey
Explanations
flying_monkeys: Uses two mythological creatures to explore what it means to be human.
53
4,356 members
292 reviews
4.1
54
3,220 members
253 reviews
3.8
5 Members
isis27, boo-radley, flying_monkeys, ChristineParker, ardvisoor
Explanations
flying_monkeys: What's scarier than something you can't see but know is right beside you? Eek!
55
33,497 members
929 reviews
4.1
56
4,879 members
146 reviews
½ 4.6
57
19,603 members
335 reviews
4.1
58
3,166 members
175 reviews
3.8
4 Members
booklover3258, melissarochelle, ToniTobin, pagesaplenty
Explanations
booklover3258: Funny story and loved the dysfunctional family.
59
5,201 members
281 reviews
½ 4.5
60
4,725 members
290 reviews
½ 4.3
4 Members
Vierran, leahbird, dexterdame, lorannen
Explanations
lorannen: Saga finally convinced me to become a regular reader of comics. It's a brilliant story, with artwork to match.
61
5,980 members
371 reviews
3.9
4 Members
hailelib, isis27, BookLizard, Tanya-dogearedcopy
Explanations
Tanya-dogearedcopy: Urban Fantasy about a RC in modern-day London who discovers that he has wizarding skillz; The author was a scriptwriter for Doctor Who, and the story is very fast, funny, and quintessentially British.
62
13,811 members
299 reviews
4
63
2,707 members
111 reviews
4.1
64
4,396 members
251 reviews
4.1
65
6,062 members
352 reviews
3.9
66
4,317 members
134 reviews
½ 4.3
4 Members
Picarina, nittnut, lottpoet, Wassilissa
Explanations
nittnut: Because it's the first book in a new to me series. It's such a pleasure to find a great new series.
67
3,511 members
153 reviews
3.9
69
2,438 members
132 reviews
½ 3.7
70
909 members
33 reviews
½ 3.7
3 Members
Parker51, JuliaMaria, kara.shamy
Explanations
JuliaMaria: Wie Frauen in der Kunstgeschichte unsichtbar gemacht werden. Verpackt in Beschreibung eines spannenden Duells zweier Ķünstler.
71
4,343 members
280 reviews
3.9
3 Members
tottman, gaylebutz, miketopper
Explanations
tottman: Listened to this book on audio and it absolutely blew me away. Absolute gut-punch. Brilliant writing.
72
956 members
69 reviews
4.1
73
3,814 members
118 reviews
½ 4.4
3 Members
mzonderm, ikeyjamehoward, Mecaza
Explanations
Mecaza: The BEST book I have read this year by far..
74
11,486 members
271 reviews
4.2
75
6,517 members
215 reviews
4.2
76
3,633 members
157 reviews
4
3 Members
tiffin, Peace2, SimiSue75
Explanations
tiffin: Fascinating story.
77
1,210 members
35 reviews
4.2
78
24,810 members
574 reviews
4.1
79
5,287 members
399 reviews
4
80
3,581 members
161 reviews
4.2
81
6,195 members
391 reviews
3.9
82
1,360 members
43 reviews
4
83
3,718 members
139 reviews
4
84
50,157 members
450 reviews
½ 4.5
85
2,191 members
134 reviews
½ 3.7
86
4,013 members
162 reviews
3.9
87
17,491 members
269 reviews
3.9
88
1,637 members
119 reviews
½ 4.3
89
1,454 members
71 reviews
4
90
33,680 members
429 reviews
3.8
91
3,011 members
140 reviews
½ 4.3
92
8,870 members
352 reviews
3.8
93
2,143 members
121 reviews
½ 3.7
94
5,841 members
419 reviews
½ 3.4
95
5,427 members
146 reviews
½ 4.3
96
12,994 members
388 reviews
4.1
97
10,086 members
437 reviews
4.2
98
3,765 members
149 reviews
4
99
3,662 members
244 reviews
3.8
2 Members
Aquila, Laura1124
Explanations
Aquila: I read this without reading about it first, which was lucky, and it turned out to be a book exactly right for me.
100
3,157 members
283 reviews
3.8