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
14,787 members
797 reviews
3.9
3
17,992 members
1,239 reviews
½ 4.3
4
44,668 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
5,916 members
364 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
8,236 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
2,497 members
113 reviews
4.1
15
6,687 members
351 reviews
½ 4.3
16
5,066 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
12,145 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
14,741 members
961 reviews
4.1
20
26,686 members
1,546 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
7,683 members
295 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
4,973 members
290 reviews
3.8
24
2,382 members
183 reviews
½ 4.3
25
7,162 members
442 reviews
½ 3.7
26
3,586 members
247 reviews
4.1
27
1,889 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
3,590 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
11,569 members
775 reviews
4.1
30
18,377 members
1,270 reviews
4.1
31
6,904 members
344 reviews
½ 4.3
32
8,265 members
722 reviews
3.8
33
2,933 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
1,683 members
97 reviews
4.2
36
7,678 members
406 reviews
4.1
37
1,482 members
107 reviews
3.8
38
2,713 members
171 reviews
3.8
39
9,016 members
635 reviews
4.1
40
3,191 members
176 reviews
½ 4.4
6 Members
rosylibrarian, nancyewhite, Mirabelle, MeridianLRC, copperkid, NoPlanetB
Explanations
NoPlanetB: Eye-popping narrative.
41
1,933 members
150 reviews
4.2
42
26,375 members
625 reviews
3.9
43
7,074 members
399 reviews
4
44
1,899 members
82 reviews
4.2
45
7,466 members
476 reviews
4.1
46
3,656 members
177 reviews
½ 4.3
47
4,784 members
386 reviews
½ 4.3
48
3,187 members
199 reviews
½ 3.6
49
9,869 members
616 reviews
3.9
50
1,565 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
5,414 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
4,361 members
292 reviews
4.1
54
3,226 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
33,516 members
931 reviews
4.1
56
4,902 members
147 reviews
½ 4.6
57
19,640 members
335 reviews
4.1
58
3,169 members
175 reviews
3.8
4 Members
booklover3258, melissarochelle, ToniTobin, pagesaplenty
Explanations
booklover3258: Funny story and loved the dysfunctional family.
59
5,220 members
281 reviews
½ 4.5
60
4,710 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
5,997 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
13,828 members
299 reviews
4
63
2,709 members
111 reviews
4.1
64
4,403 members
251 reviews
4.1
65
6,078 members
352 reviews
3.9
66
4,320 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
3,518 members
153 reviews
3.9
69
2,445 members
132 reviews
½ 3.7
70
911 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
4,352 members
281 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
3,803 members
118 reviews
½ 4.4
3 Members
mzonderm, ikeyjamehoward, Mecaza
Explanations
Mecaza: The BEST book I have read this year by far..
74
11,495 members
272 reviews
4.2
75
6,534 members
215 reviews
4.2
76
3,636 members
157 reviews
4
3 Members
tiffin, Peace2, SimiSue75
Explanations
tiffin: Fascinating story.
77
1,215 members
35 reviews
4.2
78
24,842 members
575 reviews
4.1
79
5,302 members
399 reviews
4
80
3,598 members
161 reviews
4.2
81
6,205 members
391 reviews
3.9
82
1,363 members
43 reviews
4
83
3,721 members
139 reviews
4.1
84
50,215 members
450 reviews
½ 4.5
85
2,194 members
134 reviews
½ 3.7
86
4,013 members
162 reviews
3.9
87
17,517 members
269 reviews
3.9
88
1,639 members
119 reviews
½ 4.3
89
1,456 members
71 reviews
4
90
33,756 members
430 reviews
3.8
91
3,017 members
140 reviews
½ 4.3
92
8,852 members
352 reviews
3.8
93
2,145 members
121 reviews
½ 3.7
94
5,852 members
419 reviews
½ 3.4
95
5,431 members
146 reviews
½ 4.3
96
12,991 members
389 reviews
4.1
97
10,103 members
437 reviews
4.2
98
3,771 members
149 reviews
4
99
3,671 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
3,161 members
283 reviews
3.8