It’s December 22, and this word nerd seriously hopes she’ll soon have time to sit down and enjoy some reading. (But first there are presents to be wrapped and cookies to be baked.)
A big thank you to everyone who contributed to my Favorite Books of 2014 list. I’ve compiled all the suggestions and (in most cases) the reasons why they were favorites (quoted from reader comments). I hadn’t heard of several of these and appreciate the wide variety.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr “It is another WWII novel, but with a unique twist. I was captivated by the two main characters and their struggles. Heartbreaking but worth the ride.”
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery “Love it! Lots of big words and big ideas!!”
Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan “Beautiful writing; I loved how Corrigan showed a daughter coming around to really understanding her mother.”
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt “I loved Boris, and Tartt did an amazing job of capturing addiction.” (Note- another person commented that The Goldfinch was the worst book she read all year because it is neither heartwarming nor uplifting, so…)
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck “It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. I loved it because the writing was gorgeous – easy to read but beautiful; and because it showed me a slice of Chinese history that I didn’t know.”
Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai “Her story is so amazing, and her bravery and dedication to spreading education is really inspiring. It was a very enjoyable read.”
Island of Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell “strong girl! so coastal! how did I never read this as a child?!”
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
Looking for Alaska by John Green “It was a great read for me as a parent of a teenage girl. It was a free-fall back into the mind of the adolescent. I could look back 25 years and see my friends and myself with every turn of the page.”
Money Run by Jack Heath
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern “There’s just something about it that pulls you in and moves you and makes you incapable of putting it down. I absolutely adored it.” (Note – it’s one of my favorite books ever!)
Shouldn’t You Be In School?: All the Wrong Questions by Lemony Snicket “This new series is amazing. More polished, funnier, and engaging than Unfortunate Events.”
Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus by Anne Spangler and Lois Tverberg. “Excellent read! It has helped me so much as I approach Scripture and how having a 1st century mindset is crucial to proper interpretation vs. the western mindset Americans have.”
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson “Although I’m not quite ready to let my daughter read it, I think every teenage girl eventually needs to read this book. Not only for themselves, but for their friends.”
Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
West of the Moon by Margi Preus “I was so sucked into the gorgeous writing and almost mystical story. An amazing, haunting, lyrical book.”
Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell “…the writing crackles – the use of language to give a feel for setting is remarkable.”
Wonder by R.J. Palacio “It’s heart-warming and uplifting–everything Goldfinch ISN’T!”
Congratulations to the winner
Michaela Bethard won this year’s giveaway prize – an art print from Postertext! Thanks again to everyone for participating. We’ve generated a great list of book recommendations.
I’m taking a break from blogging for the holidays and will be back in January with more Word Nerd tips for you.
Which books do you hope to read in 2015?
Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful holiday season.
Julia
Island of the Blue Dolphins was my absolute favorite as a kid! I love all of these end of year book posts; I’ll have my own next week. There are quite a few on your list that I haven’t read, so my to-read list will get longer. Happy holidays to you and your family, Julia!
Same to you Dana, and I look forward to your book post. 😉
Happy Holidays! (thanks so much for putting the list together!)
You’re welcome, Jessica. Thanks for contributing. Happy Holodays to you too.