T5W: Top 5 Books I Read In 2014

Happy New Years Eve everyone and I hope you are having a good last day of 2014, mine has been pretty great - full of Italian food and shopping - which is a nice way to end the year. 2014 has been a pretty good year for me, the ups have outnumbered the downs for once which to me means it has been a successful year. I really got back into reading this year, I've always been an avid reader pretty consistently since I was about 7 but with 2013 being a pretty rough year for me reading took a back seat as I simply just didn't have time for it up until I finished my Highers in May this year. I had forgotten the joy of discovering new books and had resigned myself to reading old favorites and stuck to my comfort zone which in all fairness wasnt too big - something that happened with all elements of my life not just my reading - but I feel since then I have been more open. Since May this year I feel as though I have completely turned my life around, but more on that in my next blog post.

It has been incredibly difficult to narrow down my top 5 books that I have read this year as I have read such a wide range of books this year, all of which I rate slightly differently; if its contemporary I want to feel fuzzy inside, I want new adult to make me feel all the emotions, I want fantasy to make me feel like a part of the story. So without further ado, here are my top 5 books I've read in 2014 and as usual they are in no particular order.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie Mcguire

It will come as no surprise to regular readers of my blog that this book has made it up onto my top 5 reads of this year. I found this book so utterly compelling, it was like nothing I had ever read before and it spoke to me on so many levels I am still struggling to comprehend just how deeply it touched me. Lots of people condemn this book for some of the actions of the characters, and don't get me wrong I am not advocating this type of relationship as being something to romanticise, but I really do love how this book portrays a whole other side to relationships. Although the characters have many a cute moment, it shows how wrong the typical idolised relationship is. Relationships aren't all easy going and perfect, relationships are messy, they are hard work, and they are different for each and every couple.

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

This year I read the first four books in the Vampire Academy series after caving and watching the movie when I was ill. The third book is by far my favorite in the series so far, although I have thoroughly enjoyed each book. Richelle Mead's writing is so flowing it makes these books incredibly quick and easy to read. I plan to get around to the final two books of the series in 2015.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover 

Yes I know, I only finished this book in the early hours of this morning but by gosh if I didn't enjoy every second of reading it. This is the type of book I love, books that make me feel, books that make me text my friends at 2am ranting about how the author is the devil or how freaking adorable the characters are. And this book did exactly that. Keep an eye out for a full review as I will be posting one in the next few days if you are interested in reading it.

Just One Day by Gayle Foreman

I read this book whilst on holiday this year and it could not have been a more perfect summer read. I feel like this book changed my outlook upon life quite a bit and it made me realise many mistakes that I was making, that I was letting life pass me by whilst looking forward to the future and ignoring what was going on around me. It made me realise just how much I base my daily tasks upon time and how restricting the concept of time can be, it made me realise that getting lost isn't always a bad thing, and it made me realise that I was being too controlling over my own life and that sometimes you just need to sit back and let life happen.

Will Greyson, Will Greyson by John Green and David Levithan

Again another book that has impacted me this year, can you see a running theme? I really didn't expect to like this book, this was the second book by John Green that I read and whilst I did enjoy The Fault In Our Stars it just didn't really do it for me, and also the fact that it was from dual perspectives was a concern as they generally infuriate me as I tend to favour one character and dislike the other. This book was brilliant, it made me laugh and it made me cry, as all good books do. The juxtaposition of the characters was flawless, they highlighted the others best and worst features in a way it left me questioning myself. The book has just a simple premise but such a beautiful story.

So that's it, that's my top 5 books of 2014. I'd just like to say a massive happy new year to everyone and I hope 2015 brings you everything you could hope for.

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