This year has been – without a doubt – an up-and-down year full of good books, bad books and everything in between. There have been both endings and beginnings, good guys and bad. 2014 was one of the best, most diverse, publication years to-date – although honestly, I say that every year… heh. But you can see just by looking at the list below that 2014 was one exceptional year in reading.

Here are the titles that made my own personal list of ‘the best’ of 2014…

Vicious by V.E. Schwab – “Not even the creative minds of Stan Lee or Christopher Nolan have touched upon [the] questions of a hero’s “humanity” as vividly or as successfully as Victoria does with VICIOUS…” Read Review

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor – “DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS by Laini Taylor, the conclusion to her Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, is truly epic… Not to mention, it’s poetic, incredible, stunning and one heck of a (perfectly solid) finale… The entire book contains a perfect see-saw of emotions that will keep readers turning the pages, forgetting just how many of them have been turned and how many have yet to be touched…” Read Review

2015 Preview: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab – “All you need to know is that what Ms. Schwab did for super heroes and super villains, she also does for many-layered worlds and magic… and then some. As I read, her characters and world(s) rolled right off the pages and into my imagination.” (Goodreads)

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson – “Reading I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN is like experiencing the world, youth, life, love, a brilliant work of art… for the first time ever… I was in awe of the story and I wondered over the artistry behind the words.” Read Review | Make it a Movie Monday

Landline by Rainbow Rowell – “Rainbow Rowell has a way of writing stories that matter when it comes to the realities of love… LANDLINE […] is almost like the magical medium that anyone who is married needs to gain some perspective about their relationships, both past and present.” Read Review | Make it a Movie Monday

Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens – “The topic of “victim blaming” has not been dealt with so perfectly since Speak was first released by Laurie Halse Anderson… Daring, brutal, touching, wonderful… These are all words that I would use to describe FAKING NORMAL.” Read Review | Author Interview

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu - “THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE by Jennifer Mathieu is an honest, compelling, ingeniously written novel! It exemplifies everything that has ever been said about “slut shaming” and successfully speaks to every teenager within 200 short pages…” Read Review

In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis – “IN A HANDFUL OF DUST is filled with all of the things that fans of survivalist stories (specifically those that span across perilous stretches of land) will devour with every inch of their being…” Read Review

2015 Preview: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby – “Bone Gap is a book that is so chilling, so surreal, so unlike most other stories…One to watch for – and to talk about – in 2015. I implore you, add Bone Gap to your wish list. Pronto.” (Goodreads)

The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey – “Oh my goodness, that was disturbingly awesome. I am now terrified, but I’m alright with that! I have a feeling that if this book is ever made into a movie, I’ll be too much of a wimp to go see it. Sad truth. But reading the book was one amazing experience! Read. Now. Prepare to be… honestly, I have no idea what. But you’ll understand once you’ve read it yourself.” (Goodreads)

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers – “MORTAL HEART culminates into a grand climax and conclusion to the overall story arc. It is more expansive, more beautiful then the installments that have come before…” Read Review

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray – “As exciting as it is intelligent, creative and compulsively addictive, this first entry in the author’s latest series is sure to be a hit among YA readers over the next couple years…” Read Review

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson – “What will essentially draw in readers when it comes to THE KISS OF DECEPTION is not only the sweeping world or the spine-tingling romance, but also the intelligent way in which the story is told…” Read Review | Guest Post

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski – “…Even if historical fantasy isn’t typically your thing, THE WINNER’S CURSE has so much going for it – and themes that would resonate with every reader – that I can’t help but recommend it to all readers of YA. This author is one to watch for in the upcoming years.” Read Review | Guest Post

2015 Preview: The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski – “ASTOUNDING. Romeo & Juliet meets Game of Thrones at EPIC levels. The Winner’s Crime is a sequel NOT to be missed. I dread, even more than the beautiful AGONY that I experienced while reading this installment, is the year and a half long wait I have to find out how it all ends. TORTURE. Pure torture. (Literally.)” (Goodreads)