My best, almost-best and never-that list of 2014

Favourite books of 2014

All the feels, all the TEABS, all the books I enjoyed reading most this year

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

I can't even talk about how much I am looking forward to the third installment of this trilogy. When I read Grave Mercy, I wasn't sure how Robs was going to get any better than that and then - ypu know what - she totally flipped the script on this bitch and did exactly that.

It seems that each of this books in the His Fair Assassin series are focused on a different fair assassin. This time, it's Sybella - she's got a whole mess of secrets, a very dark childhood, a bucket load of trust issues and a love that's a little too strong for those mass-killing vibes. And you know what? I loved it. Because she isn't a character who is easy to understand but she is not the person she was before this book and by the end, she is not even the person she was in the start. She is not Katniss, not Tris - because she is not about to kill herself or President Snow at the first sign of mental instability. She's going to revel in her crazy and make it work for her. In a non-homicidal, non-suicidal way which, let's be real, is kind of refreshing in these times of Mockingjay and Allegiance.

Sybella is the best, Beast is the best, love is the best, nun-assassins are the best. So, all in all, BEST.

also:

Lagoon by Nnedi Okarafor
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
A Sinless Season by Damon Galgut
Noughts & Crosses (Noughts & Crosses, #1) by Malorie Blackman (The ending of this book though! OH NO, SHE DIDN'T! Oh yes, she did.)
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Love Tastes Likfe Strawberries by Ros Haden
The Three by Sarah Lotz

Merit awards for 2014

I liked these books very, very much but they weren’t quite my favorites...

Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey

The less you know about this book the better so I'm going to be vague AF. It wasn't my fave but it legit deserved all the praise and buzz and, honestly, I liked it very much. It left me with questions months later. The end will haunt me for months still. Plus: loved the writing and the main character and the spin on something that has become so commonplace that it's a bit of a yawn.

also:

Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield by Jeremy Scahill
Dark Whispers by Joanne McGregor (another wow-ser of an ending in this one... "wowser" isn't even a word, is it? It doesn't even really make sense. But, nevermind. It was a great book)

It’s not you, it’s me (no, really)

Try though I did, there were also some books this year that just didn’t quite hit the spot. There’s always some debate about whether reviewers should write negative reviews. I’m of the opinion that reviews should be fair, balanced but honest. If it wasn't for me, I've got to do me. What I do not have to do it tear apart a book or it’s author. So, in the spirit of transparency, sorry books: it’s not you, it’s me.

The Good Doctor by Damon Galgut (who is legit my South African author bae so this was just a fluke and I'm sorry and kbye)
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton
Open City by Teju Cole (sorry guy - that weekend in Congo-Brazzaville was every-thing but this was... well, nevermind, I like the other things you write)

Bring on 2015!