Top 10 of 2014 | Top 10 books of 2015

Top Ten of 2014: A Week of Looking Back is a year-end meme hosted by Jamie @ Two Chicks On Books, Rachel @ Fiktshun, Mindy @ Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, and Nancy @ Tales of a Ravenous Reader.

On the last day of this meme (sad face) we shall discuss all the exciting books releasing in 2015 that I cannot wait to read! Some of these I already mentioned in my most anticipated books of early 2015 but some are fresh and exclusive so let’s begin!

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven 

Release Date: January 6th

>How could I not be excited for one of the year’s most anticipated contemporaries? BTW the author follows me on instagram you should too @infinityreads03 just sayin

Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Release Date: January 27th

Been a huge fan of Lunar Chronicles since day one and I can’t wait to get inside the mad Queen’s head in this one.

The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

Release Date: February 10th 

A bitter-sweet one. The last book in the Bloodlines series will see high action and some all time favourite characters.

Half Wild by Sally Green

Release Date: March 24th 

Counting the days for this one. Love me some Gothic fantasy

The Heir by Kierra Cass

Release Date: May 5th

I didn’t even know there was gonna be another book in The Selection series but here it is! This will be interesting.

 I was here by Gayle Forman

Release Date: January 27th

I recently came across this book on Goodreads and the synopsis seemed really gripping so I can’t wait to get mt hands on this baby.

Winter by Marissa Meyer

Expected Publication: November 24th 

The final book in The Lunar Chronicles series which will hopefully release next year. Our protagonist in this book has a really exciting but freaky pov

The Ravem Cycle #4 by Maggie Stiefvater

Expected Publication: 2015

Okay this one doesn’t even have a cover or a title but we can hope. Again the final book in this series, I’m expecting high action and some questions answered.

The Fifth Wave #3 by Rick Yancey

Expected Publication: August 2015 

This one also doesn’t have a title or a cover (notice a trend?) but it does have a publication date so the final book in The Fifth Wave trilogy will reveal some major things

Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgad #1)  by Rick Riordan

Release Date: October 4th 

I adore Uncle Rick’s writing and what’s more he’s starting this new series about VIKINGS. Um hello yes please.

I had the most fun participating in this year end meme! Thank you to the hosts  who came up with such amazing (sometimes difficult) topics, be sure to check their blogs out! and thank you to everyone else who visited my blog and I’ve discovered so many new blogs by participating in this!

Have a lovely holidays and I’m sure I’ll see you before the new year but still Happy 2015!

Top 10 of 2014 | Best Book Boyfriends of 2014

Top Ten of 2014: A Week of Looking Back is a year-end meme hosted by Jamie @ Two Chicks On Books, Rachel @ Fiktshun, Mindy @ Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, and Nancy @ Tales of a Ravenous Reader.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Today’s topic was a hard one and not for the reasons you might think. You see we had to choose boys from books read and released in 2014 which was difficult because I only read a said number of books released in 2014 that had good boyfriends in them.

But I managed to compile something so here we go!

Adrain Ivashkov (Silver Shadows- Bloodlines)

Because I don’t do things in halves, Mom. Especially when it comes to love

-Adrian Ivashkov

Charming, Chivalrous and bold Adrian stepped his romance game up by going out of his way to rescue his girlfriend and he doesn’t give a damn what society thinks about their relationship ‘claps’

Josh Wasserstein (Isla and the Happily Ever After)

Artistic, empowering and chilled Josh makes Isla feel confident and he pursues his love even when life gives him lemons.

Leo Valdez (Blood of Olympus)

I try not to think. It interferes with being nuts

Okay any boy who rescues you from an impossible never found island is boyfriend material. Leo goes out of his way to find Calypso and not only that he gets her out of there too!

Gatwick Patel (We Were Liars)

What if we could stop being different colors, different backgrounds, and just be in love?

This is the kind of guy I would date and those who’ve read the book you know how heartbreaking this is. He’s political, realistic and everything the other privileged, ignorant characters are not.

Nathan (Half Bad)

Severe torture would be an under statement to what Nathan goes through. The best thing is he doesn’t hold the girl responsible or stop thinking less of her. He is so strong

Maxon (The One)

Initially I didn’t have high views of Maxon but in the end he followed his heart instead of his bullying father and he is very liberating towards his kingdom and America.

Percy Jackson (Blood of Olympus)

It’s okay,” he said. “We’re together.” He didn’t say you’re okay, or we’re alive. After all they’d been through over the last year, he knew that the most important thing was that they were together. She loved him for saying that

Goofy, dedicated and caring Percy is so adorable as a boyfriend to Annabeth I can’t even and I love how they both manage to follow their goals in the end and sort of make a life together.

Ronan Lynch (Blue Lily, Lily Blue)

Ronan was angry _ every one of his emotions that wasn’t happiness was anger.

Is it just me or does anyone else ship Adam and Ronan like really hard? No seriously though Ronan is secretly affectionate towards Adam and has a crush on him which is so unlike Ronan to be all emotional but aw.

Evan Walker (The Infinite Sea)

I had it all wrong,” he says. “Before I found you, I thought the only way to hold on was to find something to live for. It isn’t. To hold on, you have to find something you’re willing to die for

During the Fifth Wave I thought Evan as creepy, He showers Cassie upon initially meeting her come on! But he was so devoted and dedicated to saving Cassie’s life in The Infinite Sea I just couldn’t oh.

Gansey (Blue Lily, Lily Blue)

I wish you could be kissed, Jane,’ he said. ‘Because I would beg just one off you. Under all this.’ He flailed an arm toward the stars.

Blue (Jane) and Gansey’s romance might just be the most unbearable love ever. Their meetings are so intense and Gansey is  trying to balance between his friends and Blue but it doesn’t always work out because Blue sets the sparks flying.

Well that went well! I’m gonna go stalk other people’s blogs now and look at pretty boys. In the meantime feel free to let me know about your book boyfriends and have a Happy Holidays

Top 10 of 2014 | Best villains of 2014

Top Ten of 2014: A Week of Looking Back is a year-end meme hosted by Jamie @ Two Chicks On Books, Rachel @ Fiktshun, Mindy @ Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, and Nancy @ Tales of a Ravenous Reader.

There was a list of topics we could choose from for today’s topic so I chose to discuss my top villains of 2014. I comprised the list from people who I can sort of empathize with or people who managed to really get under my skin. Enjoy!

Cersei Lannister (A Song of Ice and Fire) 

Now I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again I love Cersei. She is a kickass female character in her own right and given her circumstance I can understand her. Westeros is a pretty sexist society so she needs to be a bitch to get her way and she shows those men who’s boss although sometimes she is cruel.

Gaea (Heroes of Olympus)

Gaea is the Earth Goddess in Greek Mythology and I was baffled to discover in Heroes of Oympus that she is evil. Earth is evil. She tempts the Heroes to destruct them, doesn’t give a damn about her own children and is a power hungry you know what. In saying that she did manage to build an impressive albeit gross army and in the end it didn’t take much to kill her. Honestly she proved way less powerful than I thought.

Vosch (The Fifth Wave)

The person who is going to be playing Vosch in The Fifth Wave is gonna be SO GOOD. I love how manipulative he is and his brain washing abilities are down right creepy. I especially enjoyed how his dialogue during The Infinite Sea set me thinking and I like people who make me think.

Ambrose (The Kingkiller Chronicles) 

Ambrose is basically the Draco Malfoy of The Kingkiller Chronicles. He always bullies our protagonist and gets in the way and is dumb and annoying. But he stepped his game up in the sequel which I’m currently reading, oh boy. I didn’t think he would stoop to physical torture but yep he did. I like Ambrose because he always gets his ass kicked by our good guy and it’s kind of ironic that his name is Ambrose because Ambrosia is meant to be healing but he’s just a nuisance.

Amy Dunne (Gone Girl) 

The world has never seen a more psycho bitch than this. Amy’s view on the world is so twisted and it was highly intriguing reading her POV and discovering how she perceived certain characters throughout the book. Her level of revenge and psychotic manipulation is downright creepy but me like.

Yagami Light (Death Note) 

I managed to read about 10 volumes of Death Note in one sitting. Yep that good. It was interesting to see the twisted morale behind every death that Light concurred. I mean he’s become so consumed by the power of being able to kill anyone and he thinks he’s God and he uses people. He still manages to appear as a good old school boy and that is the scariest thing.

Sebastien Morgenstern (Mortal Instruments) 

I have always been so irritated by Sebastien and his uhm intimacy towards his sister. Yuk. But the way he died in City of Heavenly Fire was so saddening and he paid homage to all the bad he had done and oh.

Assef (The Kite Runner) 

Sexually Harasses little boys. Check. Inflicts Violence for pure pleasure. Check. Is a fanatic of Adolf Hitler and his morals. Check. A truly screwed up villain Assef managed to get well and truly under my skin. In fact even thinking about him makes me flare up.

The Alchemists (Bloodlines) 

Okay honestly these people are so hypocritical and uptight and prejudiced ahhh. Like if one of their own rapes someone that’s okay but if a beautiful Vampire like Adrian Ivashkov wants to marry an Alchemist Sydney it is the biggest sin committed in history. Like dear God get your principles checked. And they won’t leave Sydney alone but they are pretty methodical and cunning so I have to give them that

The following might contain spoilers about Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Martin Vanger (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) 

A villain who sent chills down my back with his corrupt and twisted mind. The thing was he did everything so calculatedly and secretly that he wasn’t exposed till the end. In the daylight he wore this nice businessman mask but that was just a mask for the evil sadist that he actually was. Martin Vanger is the world’s worst brother and I won’t tell why. But hey he died a hideous deserved death so yay.

I enjoyed making this post because I got to bitch about all those people aha. But honestly those people are good at their job of being villains which is why they made the list! I cannot wait to see what topics other people chose

Who’s your best villain?

Top 10 of 2014 | Best Books Covers of 2014

Top Ten of 2014: A Week of Looking Back is a year-end meme hosted by Jamie @ Two Chicks On Books, Rachel @ Fiktshun, Mindy @ Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, and Nancy @ Tales of a Ravenous Reader.

As is obvious from the title today’s topic is to celebrate the most beautiful covers of 2014! You don’t have to have read the books as long as the books were released in 2014 and I tried to differ my list from yesterday’s so here we go!

The One (The Selection #3) by Kierra Cass

The Selection series has the most majestic covers and make me want to dress up like a princess. This year’s release didn’t disappoint either!

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Meant to represent Rapunzel this cover could not have done a better job. I especially like the ribbon in her braid and hey the font of the title is awesome too

Into The Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

From the get go it was the colour scheme, I am a particular fan of all shades Blue but also Terry and Aria walking like cool kids on the cover just appeals to me

Isla and The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

The simple font with Manhattan in the background and the Ombre colours with that symbolic Rose just work so harmonically.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

“The Cover”, I gushed upon first laying eyes on this thing. This has got to be hands down the most artistic cover I have seen. The colours and patterns adorning the figure are just so beautiful.

Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Okay first off this is probably the only cover where all the heroes are together and ah Gaia is so evilly flamboyant and I can’t believe all three colour schemes work so animatedly. Yep

Heir of Fire by Sarah.J.Maas

I have this UK cover which let me just tell you is WAY better than the Green US one. I love how Manga it is and the colours protruding from behind her get me every time. SO perfect. Oh btw I haven’t read this yet but I plan to.

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

To be honest I am only concerned by the cover because it is so captivating. I love the water colour action happening with some civilization incorporated and the title still manages to stand out. Great artiste skills

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfield

There is something so abstract and intriguing about this cover and although I haven’t read it I feel like it might be symbolic of the content of the book.

Half Bad by Sally Green

Again I love me some abstractness and it’s really arty how the title is vertically written like that and yes me like.

Well now that’s done. All this wonderful talent makes me feel well, like I have no talent but hey I blog! does that count as a talent? I say it does.

I’m excited to see your favourite covers so leave me links to your blogs if you’re doing this meme too! or just tell me your favourite covers in the comments 🙂

Top 10 of 2014 | Best Books I’ve Read in 2014

Top Ten of 2014: A Week of Looking Back is a year-end meme hosted by Jamie @ Two Chicks On Books, Rachel @ Fiktshun, Mindy @ Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, and Nancy @ Tales of a Ravenous Reader.

Are you ready to see what topped MY list in 2014? Read on!

A Song of Ice and Fire by George.R.R.Martin

2014 was the year I established a new found love for Fantasy, that is all thanks to this series. I started reading Game of Thrones to better understand the show but soon realized just how epic the books are on their own.

Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

I cannot stress how much I love Rick Riordan’s writing. This was a bitter sweet year as the Heroes of Olympus series came to an end but it went out with a bang, humour, adventure, relationships and sarcasm saw my best friends in one of the best worlds ever created.

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey

The second installment in The Fifth Wave series, this was one of the first books that kept me up as it’s the kind you gotta read in one go. So much thrill, adventure and speculation over where the final book is heading.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfus

Again a much loved fantasy read which incorporates magic with science how cool! I absolutely adore Kvothe our witty, intelligent and impulsive protagonist who adds such an intriguing air to the story.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Vivid, haunting and extremely thrilling Gone Girl was one of those books that gripped me in its sharp claws from the very beginning. The movie did not disappoint either but the book remains my favourite nonetheless.

Cress by Marissa Meyer

The third installment in the Lunar Chronicles series saw the same excellent world building, emotional involvement and kick ass female characters that I have now come to associate with Marissa Meyer’s writing. The game elevates in every book and I can only imagine what the last book might hold.

1984 by George Orwell

One of the few classics i delved into earlier this year. How on point George Orwell is gave me chills and made me reflect at the things going around in the world. One of those novels that makes you think, love that.

Isla and the Happily ever after By stephanie Perkins

Okay I’m not much into contemporary or romance so if you get me hooked to books from either of those categories you’ve won. And that’s what Stephanie Perkins has done. It is love and other emotions at its strongest and let’s not forget the swoon worthy boys.

Everybody sees the ants by A.S.King

A.S.King is the Queen of YA as she write about bullying, dealing with your sexuality, you know issues that need to be addressed since teenagers are going to be reading those books. And she does it in such an honest and witty way but there is a deeper meaning to it which when you think about it is truly beautiful.

We Were Liars by E.Lockhart

I don’t read many books with major plot twists so it was no wonder I was literally glued to this book to find out the twist. It is the most heartbreaking and obsessive book in the world and the underlying meaning of what the protagonist is going through is so haunting.

An Honourable Mention to…

Half Bad by Sally Green

Since the post was limited to ten books I was truly shattered that this didn’t make it, this is one of those rare Gothic fantasies which you’re not sure you like but you wanna keep reading it because it’s so intriguing and you can’t make your mind up about it.

That concludes my list of Top Ten (or eleven) books I read in 2014. Most of those books I read and reviewed so if you’re interested to know more then be sure to click the links!

What great books did you read in 2014?

~infinityreads