I tweeted out my top 10 (or 12 depending on how you count them) books for the year on 17 December so those who follow me on Twitter will not be surprised by this list.  Here’s the version with pretty pictures.  It’s a list of books I liked. That’s it.

These are my favourite new releases for 2014.  It’s not a best of because I’m sure there are many wonderful books on my TBR of Doom or which haven’t made it that far even.  Besides, personal taste being what it is, what does “best” really mean anyway?

I’m not really ranking the top 10.  They were all wonderful and memorable and enjoyable and I loved them.  That said, perhaps the biggest surprise to me is that when I do a “favourite book of 2014. Go!” gut check, the 1st answer which pops into my head isn’t even a romance.  (Do I need to turn in my romance card?) So, I guess, *if pushed* I’d say the number one read was:

themartian

The Martian by Andy Weir.  It’s a cracker of a book.  If a reader has any interest in sci-fi or space travel books at all, I highly recommend it. The science is sound and the writing is engaging and funny and the tension is dialled right up there all the way to the end of the book.  You don’t have to be a rocket scientist (heh) to read or understand it (trust me on this) and did I mention that it’s funny? Continue reading