I figure I can do something I never done before in this blog, so I think I can do a 2014 Favorites: Book Edition since I'm such a bookworm (NERD) and share with you guys a couple of books I'm loving this year.
Compare to previous years, I read lesser books in 2014 because I didn't really have the time to sit down and chill out on the couch with my books. I can only afford to spend ten to thirty minutes a day on my novels this year but that's better than no time at all for books, right?
Books to me are air and water and food. It's an essential in my life, a fixture I can't alter in any way. That's why I need to read at least a few pages of them a day. That's like an apple a day, keeps the doctor away; but this is a book a day, keeps the loneliness away.
Without further ado, here is my list of books I love in 2014:
The Hunger Games Trilogy
My friends read this series for like, ages ago. I know, I'm really late on this train, but that doesn't mean that I enjoy this series lesser than the next person--I just didn't have any time for reading a trilogy before so I let it stayed in my bookshelf for almost half a year. In fact, it got me so engaged in the story line till my mom had to literally force me to move around because I was slumping on the couch reading these awesome books.
I guess I don't have to explain any of the plot or anything since most of the people around the globe has already read this series, or at least watch the movie version of these. I didn't watch the movie version though, just because I hate to watch a movie based on books before I read the books. I don't know, just that sometimes the films sort of ruin the plot of the books, but you can't blame them because they have to squeeze the whole book into a 2 hour film.
But I sincerely doubt that I'll ever pick up these three books ever again in my entire life. Not that I hate it or anything, but that the story line is so oddly depressing that it weaved its way into my nightmares, and trust me when I say throughout the two days I read this series (yes, I finished these three books in two days) I was so terrified that I was going to be in the story with Katniss. And also, I was devastated like the others when Finnick died.
That's how engaged I was in the story. Eep!
Confession of a Jane Austen Addict & Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict
I only just read these books a few days ago, and I'm seriously in love with them!
I might as well admit I bought these two books because of their lovely covers, but of course I read the back synopsis before I made the decision to purchase. I bought these two books at a fairly cheap price: each one is only RM8!
Both books are very interesting, with humor and tons of surprise in them. The story is about two women from different times woke up after hitting their heads and find themselves in a stranger's body. It's downright hilarious, especially the second book because Jane Mansfield from 19th century wakes up in Courtney Stone's body in the 21st century and is thrown in a world she has never ever experience in her life.
Though I must admit that the ending of the first book is quite confusing, but the second sort of clear all that up. Truly, I'm really confused and frustrated at first, struggling to understand the ending. But I eventually decided that the author probably wrote the ending like that so we can assumed our own endings. I'm still a little confused by now, but I think I might sort that out when I read the books for a second or a third time.
The Girl In The Park
I thought this book is a ghost story until I read the synopsis. So much for an assumption! It's not (of course) a ghost story, and it's nowhere near that. I just assumed from the tittle (which sounds a little eerie) and the cover (ditto). I have never ever heard of the author, but nonetheless, it was a total bargain at RM5 with an intriguing synopsis so I bought it without a second thought.
It is worth it in the end. I enjoy the story a lot and I like how the author weaves suspicion throughout the whole novel. The story is about a girl who was found dead in a park and the mystery about her mysterious death. Rain, her ex-best friend has become determined to find out the truth about her friend's death but the truth is just so surprising. The one I least suspect is actually the killer.
There are issues about bullying and high-school thingy in this particular book and I really like how the author actually explored these sensitive but important themes in our lives.
How To Fall In Love
Hands down. This is the sweetest book I've read this year. The story line is engaging, romantic and heart-breaking at the same time. You'll understand me if you're a huge fan of Cecelia Ahern or you had read any of her books, and you'll know that she's one hell of a storyteller.
This story is about a woman named Christine who only has two weeks to make an almost-jumping-off-the-bridge-man Adam falls in love with his own life. Her life isn't at its peak, his neither. That's what make the story interesting and touching as I can go through the highs and downs with their messed-up lives. And also, who can miss out the budding romance?
I just love, love, love this book.
Plain Truth
This is by far one of the best books I've ever read in my entire life (but let's not start my love for Twilight, yes, I'm a hardcore Twilight fans. The books, though, not the movies). Once I placed it in my hands, whoa, there's no letting go until I finished the whole book. Of course I sneaked a peek at the ending beforehand, but as usual, if you don't read the book from start to the end (like Picoult's other books) you won't understand the ending. Which is why I'm so obsessed with her works.
The first book of hers I'd read is My Sister's Keeper, which is so touching that I reread it dozens of time. Then I started to search out her other works and fall in love with those as well. This one in particular is about an Amish girl who was pregnant but then lost her baby by "wishing" the baby away. She has no memory of the baby but her body says it the other way. Then she has to deal with her family, her religion and the law.
It's brilliantly written, and of course, the ending caught me off guard (as usual).
Round of applause for this book, please.
Nineteen Minutes
Another brilliantly written book by Jodi Picoult. As you can see from the photo above, the price is so cheap (blockbuster price, that's it) till I couldn't resist buying it. Of course I bought it because Jodi Picoult's one of my favorite author, like I mentioned before.
This book explores the theme of bullying and fitting-in, you know, the usual type of thing in high school (not in my country... or at least my school, I think). It's exciting and exhilarating. I read Salem Falls before this one (also by Jodi Picoult) and the attorney, Jordan, is present in both novels. However, I like this one better compared to the other. Of course there's no connection between two books so you can read them separately.
Peter, who is a teenager who was bullied for no reason since he was a kid and who lived under his brother's shadow until his brother died, got to school one day and shoot ten people dead in school and wounded others. The most important witness (who is also a judge's daughter) lost her memory on the shooting.
The story is mind blowingly good. The ending once again surprised me--shocked me, even--and I was reluctant to put the book down when it's finished.
That is how good the book really is.
Okay. That is all. I know this is such a long post but I enjoy this thoroughly. I guess this is the perk of being a nerd aka bookworm.
I hope this won't bore you too much if you're skipping all those to the ending. Ha-ha.
Till next time, peeps.
(and yes, if you notice, I'm using center alignment for the first time)
