Books I read in 2014

[sophia_sol]

As I do every year, here's a list of all the books I read this year, with links to my reviews of them, and with stars (1-5) indicating my level of appreciation for the books. Italics mean a book is a reread. "nf" means a book is nonfiction.

January

***** Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
***** Shards of Honor, by Lois McMaster Bujold
***** Barrayar, by Lois McMaster Bujold
**** Brothers In Arms, by Lois McMaster Bujold
**** The Ladies of Grace Adieu, by Susanna Clarke
***** Memory, by Lois McMaster Bujold
**** The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices, by Xinran - nf


February

***** The Blue Castle, by L. M. Montgomery
**** Forbidden Friendships: Homosexuality and Male Culture in Renaissance Florence, by Michael Rocke - nf
***** Nation, by Terry Pratchett
**** Through Wolf's Eyes, by Jane Lindskold
*** Tortall and Other Lands, by Tamora Pierce
** Why Humans Like To Cry: Tragedy, Evolution & the Brain, by Michael Trimble - nf
** Darkbeast, by Morgan Keyes
***** Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, by Mary Roach - nf
***** Klee Wyck, by Emily Carr - nf


March

***** The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater
*** Tschiffely's Ride, by A.F. Tschiffely - nf
**** Hild, by Nicola Griffith
**** The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Emma Orczy
**** Jingo, by Terry Pratchett
**** Heroes & Heroines, Monsters & Magic: Native American Legends & Folktales as told by Joseph Bruchac
***** Through the Narrow Gate: A memoir of Life In and Out of the Convent, by Karen Armstrong - nf


April

*** The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
**** The Unknown Ajax, by Georgette Heyer
**** A Civil Contract, by Georgette Heyer
**** Folk Tales from Korea, by Zŏng In-Sŏb
** General Winston's Daughter, by Sharon Shinn
***** A Rare Benedictine, by Ellis Peters
*** Agnes Grey, by Anne Brontë
*** The Wealthy Barber Returns, by Dave Chilton - nf
***** The Grand Sophy, by Georgette Heyer
*** Love Comes Softly, by Janette Oke


May

*** Indexing, by Seanan Mcguire
**** Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and me, Elizabeth, by EL Konigsburg
*** The Smile, by Donna Jo Napoli
*** The Guinea Pig Diaries, by AJ Jacobs - nf
*** The Ogre of Oglefort, by Eva Ibbotson
*** Magic Flutes, by Eva Ibbotson


June

**** Hey World, Here I Am!, by Jean Little
***** Black Widow: The Name of the Rose, by Marjorie Liu, art by Daniel Acuna
***** Hawkeye 1-18 (Fraction & multiple artists)
**** Young Avengers 1-10
*** Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
**** The Rithmatist, by Brandon Sanderson
***** The Emperor's Soul, by Brandon Sanderson
***** The Martian, by Andy Weir
**** Warbreaker, by Brandon Sanderson
**** The Book of Small, by Emily Carr - nf


July

**** Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant, by Tony Cliff
*** Captain America & Black Widow, by Cullen Bunn, art by Francesco Francavilla
**** Journey Into Mystery: Fear Itself, by Kieron Gillen, art by Doug Braithwaite
**** Sorcery & Cecelia, or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, by Patricia C Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
**** The Grand Tour, by Patricia C Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
**** Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr
***** The Blue Castle, by LM Montgomery
*** A Homeland For Strangers: An Introduction to Mennonites in Poland and Russia, by Peter J Klassen - nf
**** Jane of Lantern Hill, by LM Montgomery


August

**** Mending the Moon, by Susan Palwick
*** Journey to the River Sea, by Eva Ibbotson
***** T. rex and the Crater of Doom, by Walter Alvarez - nf
**** Cinnamon and Gunpowder, by Eli Brown
***** The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss - nf
**** Handbook for Dragon Slayers, by Merrie Haskell
***** Growing Pains, by Emily Carr - nf
***** The Goblin Emperor, by Katherine Addison
**** Manhunting, by Jennifer Crusie
***** Spirits Abroad, by Zen Cho


September

**** The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Emma Orczy
***** Pride & Prejudice, by Jane Austen
**** When Patty Went to College, by Jean Webster
** Just Patty, by Jean Webster
**** Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson
*** The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum
**** Daddy Long-Legs, by Jean Webster
*** Dear Enemy, by Jean Webster
** The Laughing Cavalier, by Baroness Emma Orczy
*** The Wheat Princess, by Jean Webster
***** Cranford, by Elizabeth Gaskell
*** Ozma of Oz, by L. Frank Baum
*** Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, by L. Frank Baum


October

**** Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe
*** Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman
***** What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, by Randall Munroe - nf
***** Crucible of Gold, by Naomi Novik


November

**** The Eagle of the Ninth, by Rosemary Sutcliff
**** The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, by Anne Bronte
**** His Banner Over Me, by Jean Little
***** From Anna, by Jean Little
**** The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner
**** The Queen of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner
***** The King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner
**** A Conspiracy of Kings, by Megan Whalen Turner
**** Ancillary Justice, by Ann Leckie


December

***** The Revolution Starts at Home: Confronting Partner Abuse in Activist Communities, edited by Ching-In Chen, Dulani, and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha - nf
**** God's Playground: A History of Poland Vol. 1, by Norman Davies - nf



This year I read 96 books. I blame falling short of the two-books-a-week average on the fact that I spent most of December reading the first quarter of War & Peace. But all in all I am pretty pleased with my number! If a little annoyed that I came SO CLOSE to the nice round number of 100 but fell short.

33 rereads, which is approximately a third.

35 SFF
36 historical fiction
13 romance
1 mystery
17 nf
17 ya/children's
1 poetry
6 graphic novel
6 memoir
4 short story collection
(as always, take genre numbers with a grain of salt. Genres do not have clear-cut divisions by any means!)

32 books with a male author
65 books with a female author

6 books with an author I know is a person of colour

My favourite book this year: I've decided that the thing I ought to do, rather than fave book, is fave book that is not a reread. So I can't say Strange & Norrell, which is what I would otherwise say. So. Um. Of the books I read this year that I had not previously read, I think I'd name my favourite as The Goblin Emperor. Speaking of which I really ought to buy myself a copy because I can feel it hanging out in my head as a book I'll enjoy rereading multiple times.

My least favourite book this year: The Laughing Cavalier. I'M JUST SO MAD AT IT.

And finally, books I began but abandoned unfinished this year.

Comments

[china_shop]

I just want to say (again) how much I enjoy your reviews, and especially thank you for introducing me to Zen Cho's writing, which was my favourite thing ever last year. (I am so excited about her book deal!) <3 <3 <3

[sophia_sol]

Awww, thanks so much, I always really appreciate hearing that you enjoy my book posts!

And YESSSSSSSS ZEN CHO I'm so glad I could introduce you to her works, and omg I am so excited about her book deal!!! The book sounds amazing