Monday 22 December 2014

DAY 1: The Best of 2014 Blog Hop - Our Favourite YA reads of 2014

I wish I could tell you that 2014 was the year that I finally caved and dedicated my reading list to YA, but sadly, it just didn't happen. However, I was able to get to some YA by a few authors that I adore, and I did manage to re-read the books that I absolutely love in this category more than a few times each. I also finally got around to Divergent and the rest of that series, but I'm begging you, don't tell me what happened with the 3rd book, because I've been trying to finish it for the last 3 months (I guess that's not a great sign). I think I'll eventually get to it, but don't make me commit to a time line.


CHECK OUT THE SCHEDULE AND DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST!






So without further ado, my favourite YA reads of 2014 (they might have been released previous years, but if I loved them and read them in 2014, they're on this list!) in no particular order.





I have such a soft spot for the entire Grab Your Pole Series by Jenn Cooksey. It starts off with Shark Bait, carries on in The Other Fish in the Sea, and gives us future pop-culture references in Shark Out of Water. This book is everything I wish my high school years were like. The characters are hilarious, situations aren't sugar coated, and bacon is the bees-knees. 








The Wind Blows Backward by Mary Downing Hahn was released 20 years ago. Which is exactly how old the paperback copy I have is. Why is it on my list for Best YA of 2014? Because it's still one of the best books I've read, and it happens to be YA. I read it at least once a year, and 2014 was no exception. Way before book boyfriends were thing, and teen angst had us yearning for the glory days of young love, I was head-over-heels in lust with bad-boy Spencer and willing to give up just about anything to have him care about me the way he did about Lauren. 









Happenstance (Book 1) took me by surprise. I've always loved pretty much everything that Jamie McGuire has written, but since I've never gravitated towards YA, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this one. Yes, it is a novella, but it still managed to make me feel all the giddiness, angst, and nail-biting anxiety that is usually reserved for books with a bit more steam.







Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma is somehow categorized as YA, but I'd be inclined to say that the taboo subject matter will be too much for even some adults to handle. This story is so beautifully written, yet so very devastatingly painful. I can't look at the cover without wanting to crawl underneath my covers and pray for the desolation to pass.









Flat-Out Celeste by Jessica Park is on the list, but the effect it had on me took me back to times I wish I could forget. Times where I wish I had realized that it's perfectly perfect to be who you are, and the courage to give a big proverbial F*** YOU to the people who just couldn't accept the awesomeness that was.





I know this is a VERY small list compared to all the YA books that are out there, so my goal for 2015 is to start it off by reading all the following books which my online bookstore is in the process of shipping to me.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
All the books I could find by Rainbow Rowell
All the books I could find by Stephanie Perkins
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han



7 comments:

  1. You are so incredibly generous! Thank you for the chance to win!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, I have not read any of these yet! What is wrong with me?? I will be adding them to my TBR today! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I haven't read any of the books on your list but they all sound good. I'm a big fan of Jamie McGuire's books.

    My favorite book that came out in 2014 was All Lined Up By: Cora Carmack

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would like to read Flat Out Celeste by Jessica Park. Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  7. My first comment didn't make sense--I don't know what I'm doing lol--so I deleted it. Anyway, I love YA, probably my favorite genre and what makes up at least 80% of what I read. So many books, I'll just list a few authors (including two from your lists above): Jamie McGuire, Rainbow Rowell, Jennifer Armentrout, Kiera Cass, Lauren Oliver, John Green, Cassandra Clare and Marie Lu. Thanks :)

    ReplyDelete