My Top Five Books of 2014

Happy Christmas Eve! I've been excited to share my Top Reads of 2014 and thought Christmas Eve would be the perfect time to do so. I've been Tweeting about it for a while, and may have mentioned in a couple of reviews that certain books might be in my Top Reads, well ignore everything I've said and anything you might have read as my opinion has changed numerous times.

The first thing I noticed is that it's very crime oriented! I have read books from so many different genres in 2014, but crime is my absolute favourite and it's always those books that tend to stick in my mind more than most and it's the genre I've read the most since I was a teenager. Anyway, here it is:




5. The Killing Club - Paul Finch (Review)

Very few authors have me more excited to read their books than Paul Finch. They are some of the best the genre has to offer, and despite his books being praised by lots of people on Amazon, he's still a crime author that doesn't get the recognition I feel he deserves. He is also a writing machine, with two books released in 2014 and another one coming out in just a few months. I'm not complaining though! Paul writes the sort of books that have you on the edge of your seat, where you can almost hear your heart beating as the story progresses. His latest book Dead Man Walking didn't make the Top 5 simply because The Killing Club was so good. It just had everything you need to make a crime novel standout, and I recommend this series to anybody who will listen. Will I be writing about Hunted (May 2015) this time next year?



4. The Dying Place - Luca Veste (Review)

Being from Liverpool I have waited years for an author to come along that a) writes the crime fiction books I wish I could write and b) sets those books in Liverpool. Well, that author has came along and his name is Luca Veste. I thought Dead Gone was good, but Luca totally upped his game with The Dying Place, a thrilling novel that was all too realistic and I loved it. Luca's debut and second novel were both very different, but The Dying Place still had everything that made Dead Gone so good, fantastic characterisation and brilliant storytelling. Luca seems to be an author that is going to keep trying something different, making each book fresh rather than just a rehash of everything that has came before and that for me is really exciting. Also he has recently joined Simon & Schuster who publish some of my favourite crime authors (Lynda La Plante, Chris Carter) so 2015 is looking good crime fiction wise.

3. An Evil Mind - Chris Carter (Review)

Chris Carter is a phenomenal author and after reading all of his books, I'm going to say maybe my favourite crime author of all time. His Robert Hunter series for me is faultless, and is easily one of it not the best crime fiction series out there at the minute. I can't speak highly enough of his books, and I am a proud member of Simon & Schuster's #TaskForceCarter where along with some of Chris's second biggest fans (I am the biggest, of course) I attempt to introduce as many people as possible to his work. I'd like to say it's working so far as my review for An Evil Mind is my most read on the blog, with well over a thousand views and my first 'mission' has so far been a success (more on that with a blog post in the New Year). An Evil Mind is in a league of its own when it comes to crime fiction, and those yet to read it need to pick it up right now. His books are scarily realistic, Chris uses his knowledge of psychopaths to create some deranged and, quite frankly, terrifying individuals, all hunted down by yes, a Supercop, but a believable one in Robert Hunter.



2. Payback - Kimberley Chambers (Review)

Kimberley Chambers is my current favourite author, with each book she releases bettering the one that came before which is a difficult thing to do for an author who writes such amazing books. Payback is the second book in her latest series featuring the Butler family, and it's probably one of the best books I've ever read, let alone just this year. I found it on sale a week early while I was down in London in January, safe to say I was extremely pleased! I practically ran out ASDA and straight to the DLR and got reading. The ending to this book left me speechless, speechless in the way that I sat there for about ten minutes just stunned, unable to get my head around what had just happened. The wait for The Wronged has felt like torture, and with a release date of March 2015 there's still a little bit of a wait to see how the story will continue. I recommend Kimberley's books to anybody who will listen, and with Payback being her first #1, I feel she's finally getting the recognition she deserves, a fantastic writer and a lovely person too!

So, my Book of the Year is...















1. The Sunrise - Victoria Hislop (Review)

I didn't even have to think about awarding this book my Book of the Year. Cyprus holds a special place in my heart, in fact I think I left my heart there as it's the only place I've ever felt truly happy. This book focuses on a very important event in the island's history, one I still think more people need to be made aware of, the Turkish invasion of 1974, where the people of Famagusta had to flee their homes, never knowing whether they could ever return. The idea behind the book is that two neighbouring families, one Greek Cypriot, the other Turkish Cypriot remain behind in an abandoned Famagusta, a wire fence surrounding the city trapping them in. I can't think of a book where I have become so consumed by the events detailed within, or where I have cared for the characters so much. I'm still thinking about this book and its characters now. Beautifully written, heartbreaking in places, and with an ending you know can't be changed this book will remain with me forever because like the story of Cyprus itself, this book is impossible to forget once you've read it.


So, there you have it. What is YOUR book of the year? Have you read any of the books above, and if you have, what did you think? 2014 has been probably one of the best years I've ever had for reading, starting the blog was one of the best things I've ever done and I'm already excited to see what 2015 is going to bring. 

My next review is going to be for Lucy Diamond's The Year of Taking Chances on New Year's Eve, so be sure to check that one out. Merry Christmas to everybody, and a Happy New Year!