80 Books' Favorite Reads of 2014

There’s a list for everything, and for everything there’s a list. It’s that time of year when every publication known to man starts ranking this and that. We thought we should join in, because we love lists too. Maybe some of these won’t make any official ‘best of’ countdowns, but we at 80 Books loved them all.

Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi — A woman named Boy runs away from home and settles in a New England town during the 1950’s. She marries a man who has been passing as white. His daughter from a previous marriage is named Snow, who sees Boy as the evil stepmother. When Boy gives birth to her daughter, Bird, she realizes that her husband is black because her daughter is not light skinned. Reads like a Toni Morrison novel with a fairy tale twist. (Riverhead Books, March 2014)

A Case of Possession (A Charm of Magpies #2) by KJ Charles — A M/M romance set in Victorian England, with magic! Lord Crane and his elusive lover Stephen Day face giant rats, the threat of exposure, and the growing power of the Magpie Lord that neither fully understands. (Samhain Publishing, January 2014)

Five Days Left by Julie Lawson Timmer — The story of two families, one of an adoptive mother with Huntington’s Disease, and the second, a foster parent who feels like he just gained a son. The author really makes you think, “What is best for my family?” Definite tearjerker. (Putnam, September 2014)

Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey — Melanie is a very special girl; just ask the scientists who want to experiment on her. Even though Melanie thinks of herself as normal, she’s a zombie, and one that has the potential link to save the human race. (Orbit, June 2014)

He’s So Fine (Lucky Harbor #11) by Jill Shalvis — Olivia and Cole’s story is just as cute, sexy, and funny as the rest of the Lucky Harbor installments. A formula that has worked for 11 books without feeling stale. Hated to see the end with book #12. (Grand Central Publishing, September 2014)

The Martian by Andy Weir — Presumed dead and left on Mars, astronaut and botanist Mark Watney begins his survival tale, with daily logs about how he’s growing food, saving energy, and finding ways to communicate with NASA. Watney’s voice is humorous and makes us root for him every step of the way. (Crown Publishing, February 2014)

Queen of the Tearling (Queen of the Tearling #1) by Erika Johansen — At 19, Kelsea comes out of hiding and assumes the throne of the Tearling people, but it’s not without it’s challenges. She’s almost assassinated, and on her first day she begins a war with a neighboring country. Kelsea is strong and smart; she doesn’t have time for romance because she’s too busy running a country. Love it! (Harper, July 2014)

The Saint (The Original Sinners, The White Years #1) by Tiffany Reisz — Only Tiffany Reisz can make a forbidden romance between a 15-year-old rebellious girl and her 29-year-old priest seem like the most normal thing in the world and have you waiting almost as anxiously as Eleanor for her first time. If you don’t love Søren by the end of this novel, well there’s just no hope for you. (Harlequin MIRA, June 2014)

Stay With Me (Ecstasy Island #1) by Maureen Smith — A hot doctor and an overworked journalist find love in the Caribbean. Though not Maureen Smith’s first interracial romance, it is the first with literal weeping jungles and mermaids. A great blend of steamy islands nights, a little magic and fantasy. (Wordsmith Enterprises, July 2014)

Written in My Heart’s Own Blood (Outlander #8) by Diana Gabaldon — Jamie and Claire are in the midst of war and revolution. Again. Somehow they still manage to have incredible sex. Brianna, Roger, Ian, Jenny, Lord John, William, and a few famous faces are all along for the wild ride spanning the 18th and 20th centuries. Again. Just another day in Outlander world. MOBY felt like a return to the earlier books in the series. (Delacorte Press, June 2014)