This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish, is all about the best books we read in 2014! I am very happy that my Top Ten is filled with so many classics! It’s not surprising, because I love classics and they usually fill up about half of what I read, but this year I read so many young adult books that I wasn’t able to read as many classics as usual. I guess this just means that I picked a few really good classics ;)
Top Ten Books I Read In 2014
10. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Robin Hood, my love <3 Your tricks and mischievous ways never fail to entertain me :)
9. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson: This book made me bawl like a baby, and only the best books can make me do that. This was the third Morgan Matson book I read, and before that I was already convinced that I’d preorder her future books because they’re that good.
8. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare: Usually I prefer Shakespearean tragedies, but Much Ado was so funny and suspenseful that I found myself really enjoying it despite its “shallowness.” The recent film version is great as well.
7. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares: I just read the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series for the first time this summer, and I loved the four sisters so much! When I went to read this 5th, more adult book, I knew it was going to be a lot different from its predecessors. It’s darker and sadder, but also so much fuller than the other four books. Several chapters made me cry, but not just out of sadness. There’s one scene in particular involving my two favorite characters that is giving me butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it <3
6. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: The beloved March family! I so wish I had read this book as a young adult. It would have gone well with Anne of Green Gables, but in any case I loved it so much when I read it earlier this year. And of course, the Winona Rider/Christian Bale movie is spot-on. I could watch that all day, AND it’s a Christmas movie so that means I will be watching it soon!
5. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: This is one of those classics that is usually assigned in school, but it wasn’t for me, and after reading it I totally wish it had been! But maybe not, actually, because there’s always that dreaded assigned reading curse that can destroy books for us =P It doesn’t matter what age you are, this book will touch your heart.
4. Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson: This book is perfect for summer reading. It made my heart smile with giddy happiness and it’s a Morgan Matson book so obviously it’s amazing.
3. Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill: This book was so cute! I seriously could not put it down. I love books that mix in multiple communications platforms, and this one deals a lot with texting mishaps. Plus, if you love travelling, especially to the UK, you’ll love this one. The whole book takes place in London and Lauren Morrill makes you feel like you’re actually there. I’ve been dying to see all the places that were mentioned in the book ever since I read it.
2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell: I just finished this book a few days ago and I am still on the book hangover. Some people might think it’s weird to rave about a book that’s been around for over 150 years, but right now all I want to do is rave about North and South. The last time I felt like this was when I read Jane Eyre for the first time last September. My best friends can attest to it, I talked their heads off about that book (but I even converted my BFF into liking it after she HATED the movie!).
1. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell: This has been my favorite read of the year so far. I’ve talked about it so many times, I don’t know what else to say besides IT’S WONDERFUL!
There you have it! That was a lot easier than I thought it would be, actually. I rated all of these books 5/5, and there were around 6 other books I also gave a 5 star rating this year. It’s been a good reading year for me :)
What has been your favorite read of the year?
macarons & paperbacks 
I love To Kill a Mockingbird! When I taught “regular” English it was one of those books that hooked all the kids.
I’m glad! It’s so moving.
Yay for North and South and Attachments! I totally hear you about books written 150 years still leaving you with all sorts of feels; I find my favourite kind of reviews to type are from the classic lit titles, they leave me with so much food for thought :) Great list!
My TTT
I know! I find that Classics tend to stay with me for a long time after I read them. Contemporary novels do too, but not as often as classics.
I didn’t get to read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD in school either. Maybe that is why I love it so much. No one crammed it down my throat.
I’m thinking that might be the same case for me :)
I read To Kill A Mockingbird a few years ago and loved it!! I want to reread it again.
Here is a link to my TTT list for the week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2014/12/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-i-read-in.html
You should! I’m all about rereading books :)
I’m happy to see so much Morgan Matson on this list XD And TKAM wasn’t on my assigned reading list either, but I read it last year and fell absolutely in love.
I’m glad you’re a Morgan Matson fan, too! And I’m also so happy to see so much love for TKAM in my comments :) I get all excited when other people love Classics.
Great list! I really need to read To Kill a Mockingbird again! Here’s my top 10 list!
http://rabbitearsblog.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/top-ten-tuesday-2-my-top-10-rabbit-ears-stories/
I know I’ll be rereading it one day soon :) I love rereading my favs.
I absolutely loved Second Chance Summer. I think it’s my favourite of her books so far, although I did really enjoy Since You’ve Been Gone as well.
I read SYBG first when it came out in the summer, and I fell in love with her writing and read Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour and then SCS, which really hit me hard, but I think I put SYBG higher on the list because I’ve liked it longer. If that makes sense ;) They were both 5 star reads for me though.
North and South is brilliant. Like you I was recommend it because I love Jane Austen and Jane Eyre. The BBC did a very good adaption an number of years ago. They also have an excellant one of Jane Eyre. Your friend is right the film isn’t great.
I’m so happy to see you love North and South too! I think it’s the perfect book for fans of Jane Austen and Jane Eyre. The BBC miniseries is fantastic, even though it strays slightly at the end; the cast still did such a good job. The recent BBC version of Jane Eyre was perfect–I loved how it kept the book ending. The new Jane Eyre film is good in it’s own sense, but you have to have read the book in order to fill in all the missing details or else you hate the characters and you don’t understand why they even care for each other. That’s how my friend felt about it. When I watched it, I subconsciously filled in all that missing narrative so I liked it more, but not as much as I liked the BBC one.
BBC adaptions are always the definitive adaptions of a classic. Most other adaptions can’t come close.
Oh! I just remembered that I actually prefer the film version of Persuasion over the BBC one. I like that one too, but I preferred the actors from the film version better :)
My favorite of the year was Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I loved it. Thanks for sharing! Here’s my Favorite Books of 2014.
Thanks for sharing! I haven’t heard of that one yet–it seems mysterious!
Mmm Christian Bale Laurie :)
I KNOW, right??
I had to read To Kill a Mockingbird several times for various classes when I was in school, but it didn’t kill the books for me. Glad you liked it!
Good! I’m glad :)
I’m going to read North and South for a read-along next month and I can’t wait, but I’m a bit intimidated by the length. How long did it take to read the book? Did you have any fave characters?
Is this a blogging read-along? The length didn’t bother me at all, except for a little in the beginning. I listened to most of it on audiobook during my work commute. My favorite character was probably Mr. Thornton but I also really liked Margaret.
I’m sure I will gush over the characters no matter what. The read-along is being hosted by a few bloggers and starts next month.
Oh my, I think I’ll have to jump in on that even though I already blogged about the book. I’ve been dying to discuss it with other people since none of my close friends in real life have read it.
I don’t blame you, it’s so hard not having someone to talk to about a really good book!
It really is!!