Best of My 2014 Reading List

A few years ago one of my New Year’s resolutions was to read one book for each month of the year. During college I had fallen off the reading bandwagon and I wanted to get back into the habit. Growing up I had been a voracious reader and devoured entire series of books at a time: Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, Dear America, Harry Potter. It was time to reignite my love of books.I found that having a goal and keeping track of what I was reading worked like a charm. That first year I blew my goal out of the water and have kept up my monthly reading since.

I love having a list of what I’ve read each year so I can look back and see what I was interested in at different times. It’s also a great reference for when friends ask for recommendations. Many of the books I read are suggestions from my mom, Tommy’s mom and friends so it’s nice to be able to return the favor when I can.

My favorite genre is historical fiction but I also enjoy reading about food and travel. I keep a list of books to read in my iPhone and add to it whenever I hear of a good book or see something I want to read.If you’re looking for a good book, here are my top ten favorite reads from my 2014 reading list.

1. Fall of Giants by Ken Follett – The first book in Follet’s Century Trilogy tells the incredible story of five families from around the world on the eve of WWI. It’s one of the longest books I read last year and yet I flew through it.
2. Winter of the World by Ken Follet – I started this sequel the minute I finished Fall of Giants. It follows the next generation out of the 1930’s, through WWII, and into the post-war world. On my list for 2015 is the third book, Edge of Eternity.
3. Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler – Z is the roller coaster story of Zelda Fitzgerald’s life and her marriage to F. Scott Fitzgerald.
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – This book tells the story of an adopted German girl growing up as the Nazis rise to power and war breaks out. It’s unusual narrator, Death, tells the story from a unique and unforgettable point of view.
5. The Romanov Bride by Robert Alexander – I am a huge fan of Robert Alexander. I’ve read many of his books over the years and have loved them all. The Romanov Bride was no different. This time Alexander details the life of Grand Duchess Ella, sister of Alexandra, during the fall of the Romanov Empire.
6. The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons – If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey you’ll enjoy this book. I couldn’t put it down.
7. The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin – Another Downton Abbey-esque read which follows the story of an American heiress from Newport, RI.
8. The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles – I loved this book, it’s an enchanting riches to rags love story that takes place in New York City in 1938.
9. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman – I’ve had this book on my reading list for over a year now, and patiently waited for it to become available at the library. It was worth the wait and unlike any other book I’ve read.
10. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain – The Paris Wife tells the story of Ernest Hemingway’s first wife during their time in Paris. An interesting read after Z.

I’d love to hear what’s on your reading list. Do you have any recommendations for my 2015 reading list?