Only the Best of 2014 - My Best Reads This Year

I had a really slow year this year when it comes to reading. It doesn't help that I moved a couple states away, got a new job that keeps me busier than ever, and I'm trying to keep up with three kids any moment they're awake. My Goodreads goal of 50 books, a decrease from last year because I knew there was a possibility of some changes, was only met by 64% (that's only 31 books).

However, a number of those books were new releases and it was a great year for those. Below you'll find my top 7 new releases for 2014. I was going to narrow it down to five, but I found myself trying to cheat by posting "ties" and I honestly hate that so I gave the actual number even if not so round.

Following that list are some more year-end wrap up awards if you can even call it that. Mostly, I wanted to have a chance to talk about the books I loved this year one extra time.

Top 7 New Releases of 2014

7) Hollow World by Michael J. Sullivan

6) City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett (still need to review this)

5) Breach Zone (Shadow Ops #3) by Myke Cole

4) Prince of Fools (Red Queen's War #1) by Mark Lawrence

4) Half a King (Shattered Sea #1) by Joe Abercrombie

3) Veil of the Deserters (Bloodsounder's Arc #2) by Jeff Salyards

2) The Magician's Land (Magicians #3) by Lev Grossman

1) The Crimson Campaign (Powder Mage #2) by Brian McClellan

Biggest Surprise

Pilo Family Circus by Will Elliott - Seriously, you need to read this if you haven't already. At first glance, it doesn't sound like much, but it was absolutely one of my favorites of the last number of years.

Best Stand-Alones

Tie for Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway and Blackdog by K.V. Johanson. Remember, I said I hate ties in numbered lists. No numbers here, so I can have a tie. Both these were absolutely astounding reads. They are completely different, one a contemporary mystery with a wonderful sense of humor (Angelmaker) and one an epic fantasy set in a non-European medieval times (Blackdog).

Best Audiobooks

Ilium and Olympos by Dan Simmons. This is really just one extended book that blew me away from start to finish. Simmons is a mad genius to combine all the elements he combines here and pulls it off stupendously.

Biggest Disappointment 

Impulse (Jumper #3) by Steven Gould - I had high hopes after the first two excellent installments. Combining the elements that made the first two great with teen angst and holier-than-thou characters made it a bit tough to stomach.

Missing

Blood and Iron by Jon Sprunk (currently reading), Of Bone and Thunder by Chris Evans (currently reading), Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson, The Emperor's Blades by Brian Stavely, Assail by Ian Cameron Esslemont (though I did make progress by reading Stonewielder), and tons more. There are plenty of authors I've just gotten behind in keeping up with their new series such as Brent Weeks and Daniel Abraham and tons more I'm dying to begin. I'll have to do better this year I guess.

Review - Blackdog by K.V. Johansen

I've spent a good amount of time on online fantasy forums (you know, with all my free time) where I can geek out about fantasy books and authors and discuss the important questions like who would win in a fight, Ser Loras Tyrell or Aragorn (Sorry Loras, Elf training wins!). Be it sffworld (where I found Goodreads actually), r/fantasy on reddit, or a number of other places like ... hrm ... blogs. 

Often, these forums are filled with jaded readers who've read all the traditional stuff, and they're always looking for something new and unique. More specifically, people are tired of the Medieval Europe setting.

The other recommendation people want and which comes up quite often is what are the best stand-alone books. I love a great, long series, but I understand the desire to avoid the commitment a long series brings.

All that is to say, Blackdog is both of these. A unique stand-alone book in non-Eurocentric setting. 

In a world where gods walk among men, where their rule is limited to streams or lakes or mountains, one is the target of a great evil. She has made herself vulnerable in order to get closer to her people and she is only a child, not yet grown to her full power.

Her protector is the Blackdog, whom some think is a devil himself. A man with the uncontrollable power inside him who only thinks of the protection of the god of Lissavakail. 

I had heard this book was good and yet I was still weary going into it. Don't ask me why, that Raymond Swanland artwork alone shouts "read me!" However, I enjoyed every moment of this book. It's insanely good, insanely rich, and the details are wonderful.

It's a thick book, but remember, it's stand-alone! There's no more commitment after this. Plus, it's a unique fantasy world, built all in one book around a compelling plot. That takes some time to develop and it's all worth it.

I can easily say Blackdog is highly recommended. And even though it's stand-alone, I just got a copy of The Leopard, which is the start of a new duology set in the same world surrounding a place referred to a number of times in Blackdog. I asked the author on Twitter and you need not read Blackdog first before reading The Leopard, although I highly recommend it because it's such a great book.

4.5 out of 5 Stars (very highly recommended)

eBook Deals and Duck & Cover

There are tons of great deals today only so I figure you may want to know if you actually have self-control and don't check Amazon daily like me. The craziest is that I'm at the point where I know that it would take me years (like 10 probably) to get through all the books I own and the fact that I keep buying makes it so I will never catch up. The life of a bibliophile amiright?

Today Only:

[$1.99] Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace - Been meaning to read this for aaaaaages.
[$1.99] The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
[$1.99] Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - Love this book.
[$1.99] The Host by Stephanie Meyer - Haven't read her but I hear she's really good. :)
[$1.99] Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith - Didn't love it, but I know some people who did.
[$2.99] The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Duck and Cover: (thanks to Symbolic at sffworld.com)

Reymond Swanland continues to impress.

So does Joey Hi-Fi

I actually have the original of this one and it's about time I read it.

Lauren Panepinto (Orbit Art Director) talks about the covers for this series, and the infamous hooded man, here.

Kerem Beyit is a new artist to me, but I like the colors and now I'm interested in this book.