Claire’s Favorite Books of 2014

These are my ten favorite books I read that were published in 2014. There’s a long list of books from this year that I own but have not gotten around to reading, and it’s likely they will influence this list, but I probably won’t get to many of them before the year ends. They are listed at the end. 

1. Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel

This is a gorgeous dystopian novel that takes place after the Georgian flu has killed 99% of humanity. The story alternates between a few different characters and time periods, but it mostly follows the Traveling Symphony, a group that travels around performing Shakespearean plays and music. This was my favorite book of the year; it’s hopeful and lovely and I didn’t want it to end but could not put it down. 

2. Fourth of July Creek - Smith Henderson 

This novel focuses on Pete Snow, a social worker in Montana in the early 1980’s. The story focuses on one particular case he’s working (a young boy who lives in the wilderness with his radical father). The prose is gorgeous. This book broke my heart; I absolutely loved it. It comes in at a close second on my list. 

 3. Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

I love Liane Moriarty. I loved The Husband’s Secret soooo much, and I didn’t think it was possible, but this novel might be even better. It’s just so entertaining. It’s a mystery, and it’s also hilarious. The characters feel so compellingly real. You will not be able to put it down. 

4. The Paying Guests - Sarah Waters

You might not expect a historical fiction novel that takes place after World War I to be such a page turner, but oh, how this one is! It may start off slow, but it escalates into a wonderful thriller. 

5. We Were Liars - E. Lockhart

This book is pretty divisive, but I love it. I  love the use of fairy tales. It’s tragic and intriguing and suspenseful and heartbreaking. It’s a YA novel, but I think it’s a wonderful book for all ages. I became a fan of E. Lockhart with The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, and she didn’t disappoint with this novel. (I also met her and she’s absolutely lovely.)

6. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches (Flavia de Luce #6) - Alan Bradley

Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce novel’s are my favorite series. Flavia is one of my absolute favorite literary characters; she’s a young, brilliant chemist/detective who is way too smart for her own good. In this particular novel, she investigates the death of a mysterious stranger. More information about Flavia’s mother is revealed, and Flavia is just as marvelous as usual. The next book in the series comes out very, very, soon, and I have been waiting for it!

7. Sleep Donation - Karen Russell

Karen Russell’s Swamplandia! completely bowled me over a few years ago, so I was anxious to read Russell’s new novella, Sleep Donation. It’s not as good as Swamplandia!, but it’s haunting. It takes place in the near future, when America is facing a plague of insomnia. Trish works for a corporation that collects sleep donations from healthy sleepers to give to insomniacs. It’s an interesting premise with a deep, philosophical question underlying the story. 

8. I’ll Give You the Sun - Jandy Nelson

This is another YA novel that I think everyone should read. Jude and Noah, twins, alternately tell the story. Noah narrates when they are thirteen and Jude when they are sixteen. I love the way the story is told; alternating between the two time periods/narrators reveals bits of information that you have to put together, eventually leading to a clear picture of what has happened to the twins. The writing is lovely, and it will fill your heart with feels. 

9. The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike #2) - Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)

I’m enjoying J.K. Rowling’s mystery series very much. Cormoran and Robin make an entertaining pair of investigators, and in this book, the mystery is compelling and unpredictable. I can’t wait for the next one.

10. The Vacationers - Emma Straub

This was an entertaining summer read about a family on vacation in Mallorca. 

2014 Books That Are Currently in my Library Waiting to Be Read

Ugly Girls - Lindsay Hunter

All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr

Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng

We Are Not Ourselves - Matthew Thomas

Nobody Is Ever Missing - Catherine Lacey

Young God - Katherine Faw Morris

How to Build a Girl - Caitlin Moran

Missing Reels - Farran Smith Nehme