Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
I don’t know about you, but I’ve lost track of how many Best Books of 2014 lists were published in December. Now, here’s your chance to tell us what your favorite book was in 2014. It doesn’t have to have been published last year because we don’t tend to read only recent releases.
That’s one of the joys of reading–an “old” book is new every time another reader discovers it.
To get the ball rolling, I’ll mention a few of my favorite 2014 discoveries.
Longbourne by Jo Baker entertained and delighted me as Baker portrayed the 
“downstairs” shenanigans of the servants who made life “bearable” to the upstairs characters we met in Pride and Prejudice. I love the idea of having little glimpses of how the servants and the privileged class might be in the same room, but entirely different dramas are playing out for each cast of characters. Vividly imagined.
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. My favorite novel of 2014, this book had it all for me–sympathetic characters, fine language, masterful symbolism. It felt as if we finally got Sue Monk Kidd back after she soldiered her way through the miasma of The Mermaid’s Chair.
Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth and Faith in the New China by Evan Osnos. Winner of the 2014 National Book Award for Nonfiction, this book is intelligent, insightful–and surprisingly funny. Considering the large role China plays on the world’s stage, Age of Ambition helps us to understand the many contradictions that 
make up this country that has, in 35 years, moved from vast poverty to an odd mix of hope and despair.
Those are the year’s reading highlights for me. Now, do tell us what books delighted, amazed, and kept demanding you read late into the night…I’m ready to add to my to-read list.
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The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins. It was the first mystery novel written in the English language. I loved it!
Another book that stands out is Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. I try not to go around telling people that they MUST read whatever book I’m enthralled by at the moment, but I’m breaking the rule for this one. 🙂 If you haven’t read it yet, buy, steal or borrow a copy. You won’t be disappointed!
Got my ski mask on, heading for Barnes and Noble, with larceny afoot.
Andrew, have a great shopping spree!
Do so! Only be sure you nab a copy before the authorities nab you–a short stint in the pokey will give you just the time and quiet you’ll need to read it.
I definitely want to read Unbroken. I’ve heard so much about it. 🙂 Glad to see it mentioned here.
One of my neighbors knew that man personally. Guess I’d better read the book.
He’s such an inspirational person, Janet.
I got Unbroken for my hubby for Christmas. He loves it, and he’s just started. We tried to see the movie over the break, but it was sold out. We’ll go back. 🙂
Shelli, I read Unbroken a few years ago. It’s one of my all-time favorite nonfiction books. Your husband is in for a treat!
I read Unbroken when it first came out and I LOVED it, and lent it to a Naval officer friend and never saw it again. Which is fine, the man serves our country well, and he’s a great guy.
I gave Louis’ “The Devil at My Heels to #1 son and Unbroken to #2 son, for Christmas.
Janet, so glad to have you back…and to be back. I have to list three books that were favorites, and despite my ardent love of fiction, two of them are nonfiction. Last January, I read Dr. Ben Carson’s Gifted Hands. I’m behind the ball on reading this one, I know, but what a fascinating story about the good old-fashioned American Dream come true. I was also deeply grateful to read These Are the Generations: The Story of How One North Korean Family Lived Out the Great Commission for more than Fifty Years in the most Christian-Hostile Nation in Human History. The title is quite a mouthful for a book that’s only 100 pages, but wow! If you need to amp up your gratitude for our freedoms, you’ll only need a few pages. My favorite fiction was Camille Elliot’s Prelude for a Lord. My new love is regency romance. Looking forward to the other comments so I can also add to my list.
Meghan, can’t wait to read Camille’s book (aka Camy Tang).
Jenni, you challenged me not to covet when you posted photos of tea with Camy Tang a few months back. 🙂 I adore her nom de plume also…so feminine and refined.
Meghan, that sounds like an amazing book. So glad you shared it here. 🙂
Easy choice for me – the late Chris Kyle’s autobiography, “American Sniper”.
I originally picked it from professional interest – how much things changed in about half-a-generation! – but was soon caught up in the story of a good and dedicated Christian who chose to devote his life to God, country, and family, in that order.
He did not pretend to be perfect, but his sincerity comes through on every page. I didn’t have the privilege of knowing Chris, but I knew other men who were very much like him. Thus our way of life defended, by the best among us.
W have a way of forgetting that, and of paying perhaps more attention to those who would marginalize the quiet and professional heroes who are willing to face the prospect of a last arrival at Dover AFB. In a box.
Chris Kyle eventually chose his family over the Navy, and after a few years of not really knowing what to do, took up a new career helping other veterans adjust to their return to “peace”. He died doing this, when a veteran he was helping killed him and a colleague during a psychotic break.
What makes “American Sniper” more poignant are the occasional passages contributed by Chris’ wife, Taya. She relates the heartache of seeing the man she loves leave for war, and come back subtly changed, indelibly marked. He missed the magic of their son’s first year, because he was in Iraq to help with the reduction of Fallujah.
“American Sniper” has been made into a feature film, which released on Christmas Day, and was directed by Clint Eastwood. While I’m not well enough to go to the theater, I have heard that the reviews were good, and can well believe it. Mr. Eastwood can get into the mind of a combat veteran like few in his profession; “Gran Torino” is ample testimony to his skill and empathy.
I hope you’ll put “American Sniper” on your reading and viewing list. I think you’ll be surprised by the warm feeling you get in your heart, and that you’ll say a quiet prayer for the repose of a gentle warrior’s soul
Andrew, thanks for this recommendation. It’s not a book I might normally pick up, but I’ll read it on your recommendation. It sounds like a good one—both for content and for broadening my perspective.
Andrew, I want to read this book and see the movie, too.
Amen!
I’ve been seeing the movie trailers and keep thinking, That looks like an amazing story. Due to your encouragement, I definitely will trek off to the movie theater.
Burning Sky by Lori Benton kept me up way too late. A deftly rendered setting with characters that I ached for and rejoiced with.
I listened to the audiobook of Venetia by Georgette Heyer. My enjoyment of the witty banter and period descriptions was heightened by Richard Armitage’s narration of it.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (again). Chock full of takeaway and humor.
Jenni- Venetia is my favourite Georgette Heyer book … i haven’t heard the audio recording; but i just know that Richard Armitage would be a great narrator for tha!
Jenni, I read Bird by Bird (for the first time) this year, too. 🙂
Rachel, what other Georgette Heyer titles do you like?
Jenni, I love re-reading Bird by Bird. ❀
When I read it, I feel like Anne ‘gets’ me. She traverses the writing life with a poignancy that draws us in.
Burning Sky fought with the Greek Isles for my attention, and won! I read it in 2013 and wow.
I got myself Bird by Bird for Christmas and keep waving at it.
Jenni, ditto on Burning Sky. Love Bird by Bird as welll as all things Georgette Heyer.
I own Bird by Bird but haven’t read it yet. It might get pushed to second place behind Stephen King’s On Writing since a group at my local library has chosen that for their book discussion this month. I definitely need to get to both of them, the sooner the better.
Thumbs up on both of those writing books, Meghan.
Thanks to those who mentioned my books. What a blessing to me!
I reread a lot of favorites this year. One of them is SUMMER OF THE DANES by Ellis Peters. Another is PANTHER IN THE SKY by James Alexander Thom. Favorite audio book re-listen: TO SAY NOTHING OF THE DOG by Connie Willis (will I ever shut up about that book? NO!)
A new novella I read and was blown away by is THIS QUIET SKY by Joanne Bischof.
Lori, I couldn’t help but wonder if you have a penchant for fiction with the word “sky” in the title. 🙂
You might be on to something there, Janet. 🙂
I can’t list only ONE favorite book for 2014. I gleaned so much from Robin Jones Gunn’s nonfiction book, Victim of Grace. Her relatable voice, her stories and the way she shares wisdom gained through life’s experiences had me crying and laughing and journalling as my soul responded to her words.
I loved Beth Vogt’s Somebody Like You. It made me think. She has such a way of making her characters real and adding twists that I never saw coming.
Carla Laureano’s debut, Five Days in Skye was another one that drew me in hard and fast. I loved her characters and that the story took place in Scotland. Plus she has a fun voice.
And Brandy Vallance’s The Covered Deep also drew me in. Her rich story world, complex plot and characters and twists kept me reading later than I should have at night. 🙂
@Jeanne: The Covered Deep was in my top 5 as well. I just loooved it.
Jeanne, you read several of my favorite authors in 2014! I especially loved Robin Jones Gunn’s Victim of Grace. I found such spiritual depth tied to Robin’s story-telling ability. When she wrote about biblical characters, I felt as if I were seeing them through new eyes.
Jeanne, I think I have Beth Vogt’s book “Somebody Like You.” Glad you liked it–can’t wait to read it!
Jennifer, just fyi, Somebody Like You was named as one of Publishers Weekly’s best books of 2014.
I haven’t read SLY yet, but I was sort of nearby when Beth and Rachelle found out it was a PW best for 2013. To say it was a a joy to be there and share that experience is an understatement.
I haven’t read Somebody Like You just yet. I just read Beth’s book, Catch a Falling Star. I loved it.
But a word of caution … when you are alternating working on your own project, and reading at the same time … you want to be careful not to use the wrong names!! 🙂 Someone almost accidentally became “Griffin.” 🙂
That’s a good cautionary note, Shelli. Pretty soon lots of novels could crop with Griffin characters!
Grinning, Shelli. 🙂 That sounds like something I would do. 😉
Jeanne, I agree with your complimentary account of Brandy’s book. I was thrilled to get to meet her in October and hear more about the inspiration behind The Covered Deep.
Jenni, Brandy is a pretty amazing lady, isn’t she?
Though there were a number of books I thoroughly enjoyed this year, my favorite would be Sway, by Amy Matayo. I loved the contrast of the redeemed sinner with his sometimes uptight, Christian best friend. The way Ms. Matayo wove the story in the beginning, hinting at the problem, but not fully unveiling until it was “too late” and all the pieces were in the wrong place. Just loved the characters. Very three dimensional and not stereotypical at all. It had all the right elements for me.
Connie, I’m not familiar with Sway. Thanks for introducing it to us; it sounds like a really fine read.
I really enjoyed Amy Matayo’s debut novel. I’m going to have to look for Sway. 🙂
Janet,
Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
My favorite book of 2014 is the one I am reading now. I started it just before final exams then had to put it aside for the end of semester activities–exams and papers–then the holidays came. I’m just getting back to it. Even though I haven’t finished it, I recommend it highly to everyone. The book is Solace by Belinda McKeon. It is highly character-centered and focuses on relationships, particularly a difficult but poignant father-son relationship. I love Belinda McKeon’s writing style and am learning a great deal from it. Her narrative voice is conversational and draws the reader immediately in. Even more, she writes in a way that seems simple (relaxed and understated) but manages to pack layers of meaning and emotion in and between the lines so that her prose is rather like poetry. The style reminds me a great deal of Seamus Heaney’s poetry, much deeper than it appears at first glance.
One warning though: there is offensive language sprinkled throughout the novel. It is not on every page, as with some mainstream books, but I’d prefer it wasn’t there at all.
Blessings of peace, joy, and health in the new year to everyone! 🙂
Christine, I like that title. It sounds like a winner of a book, especially since you eagerly returned to it after some major interruptions.
The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin.
It was recommended by the members of my crit group and I would say it was the most memorable read of 2014 for me.
That said, not sure I’d want a steady diet of Charles Martin books …
Kathy, I like Charles Martin’s books, but I agree with you that I like them in small doses. I wouldn’t binge read his books.
Welcome back from the holidays. I hope they were enjoyable for all of you. It’s been a while since I posted–real estate is keeping me very busy–but I’m hoping to post more regularly.
My favorite book of 2014, by far, is Pioneer Girl by Bich Minh Nguyen. Here is how I described the plot in my review:
“After obtaining her PhD in American literature, a jobless Lee Lien finds herself heading home to the Chicago suburbs to work in her mother and grandfather’s café. Before long, Lee’s tense relationship with her overbearing mother leaves her hoping to break away from a life she always seems drawn back to. When her older brother comes home only to quickly disappear again, he leaves behind a gold-leaf brooch from their mother’s past in Vietnam that stirs up the forgotten childhood dream of an American reporter who visited her grandfather’s original café in Saigon in 1965. Based upon a passage from the Little House books, Lee is convinced the reporter must have been Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Could this pin link her family to one of America’s most famous pioneering legacies?”
It is a totally fascinating book, and one I wouldn’t usually read except my love of all things Laura led me to it.
Wishing you all the best in 2015.
Cheryl, thanks for the summary of the book. The Laura Ingalls Wilder connection sure is a head snapper. I didn’t see that coming.
I’ll join you in the love of all things Laura, Cheryl. Thanks for mentioning the book.
I loved “The Burning Sky” and “The Perilous Sea” by Sherry Thomas too! So so good. As well as the final Gallagher Girls book by Ally Carter and the whole “Cinder” “Scarlet” “Cress” series. That was wonderful. All books that snapped me up and wouldn’t let me go.
Oh, my gosh, Kristen, I forgot about Burning Sky by Lori Benton! I must have had addled holiday brain not to have mentioned it. I read it this fall and couldn’t stop reading. There was so much I loved about the book–the characters, the setting, the relationships, the writing.
I’ve admired the covers for Cinder, Scarlet and Cress but haven’t read them. Their connection to fairy tales made them sound like fun reads.
They were such good books. Sherry Thomas is pretty amazing. I’m glad you loved them too. The Cinder books have such great characters and characterization and in “Cress” she actually pulls off the waif heroine and makes you love her even though she isn’t tough as nails.
Janet, I know you’ve mentioned “Longbourn” before, and I really want to read that one. My three favorites for the year were
– “Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World” by Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane
– “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey
– “Havah: The Story of Eve” by Tosca Lee
So many excellent books to read, so little time!
Jennifer, those all sound like great books to dive into. Anything by Tosca Lee would be amazing.
I just wrote a top ten list over on my blog for my 2014 reads (eep! trying to narrow it down more than that is hard!), but a few of them were
-“The Martian”, by Andy Weir (amazing survival sci-fi tale),
-“Working Stiff” by Judy Melinek (a medical examiner’s memoir), &
-“Dreams of the Golden Age (a mother-daughter story masquerading as a super-hero thriller).
Jessica, a book by a medical examiner with the title Working Stiff would definitely capture my interest. Great title!
Isn’t it? It was an amazing read, fascinating & sad by turns – also, it was definitely good stuff for anyone who wants to write suspense.
“Remarkable Creatures” by Tracy Chevalier. About Mary Anning, famed fossil hunter from the Jurassic Coast in England, and her friendship with Elizabeth Philpot. Loved it!
Cristine, I remember reading a review of that book and thinking it sounded fascinating. Thanks for reminding me that I wanted to read it. Sharing about the books we loved is so helpful in recalling those we loved too and adding to our reading lists.
Cristine, this title is on my TBR Goodreads shelf. Glad you liked it.
Cristine, I saw your review on FB and I loved Girl with a Pearl Earring. This is definitely going on my TBR list.
That’s it, I’m downloading Longbourn today! I have had it on my to read list since it came out. Novels are always my favorite, but this year “The Best Yes” is the book that has stayed with me.
Angela, I love the title of Lysa Terkuerst’s book. It makes me feel good just thinking about it.
I agree with you, Janet. My favorite for the year is The Invention of Wings. Sue Monk Kidd has once again matched her writing quality to my all-time favorites—The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and Peace Like a River.
Heidi, I skipped The Story of Edgar Sawtelle but adored Peace Like a River.
It’s a loose version of Hamlet, well worth picking up.
I read or listened to dozens of books and many of them were really good but I think my favorite was Cherish, by Tracey Garvis Graves.
I’m not familiar with that book. Could you give a brief summary of the storyline?
Thank you, Janet, for giving us permission to mention a favorite older book. I reread The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. I love the mix of mystery, romance, and suspense.
Blessings ~ Wendy ❀
Wendy, I think I saw the film version of that. I remember thinking that I should read the book.
This year I finally read The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. I also discovered Charles Martin, and read two of his…The Mountain Between Us and The Dead Don’t Dance. (Preferred the first.)
Surprised by Motherhood (Lisa-Jo Baker) was a joy…it got under my skin, and was so healing. Also, all of Sol Stein’s writing craft books (How to Grow a Novel, Stein on Writing).
And of course, Seeing Beauty and Saying Beautifully…which I just ini shed and can’t wait to read again.
Corrie Ten Boom’s The Hiding Place is so powerful. It’s fun to think of you discovering it in 2014, Becky.
Becky, I haven’t read The Hiding Place since high school, and that’s been a few years back … 🙂 but I’ll never forget it.
My favorite book was The Book Thief – still thinking about it.
DiAnn, I thought the writing in The Book Thief was amazing, but I struggled with it being positioned as a YA book. I thought the themes were very adult.
The Book Thief is waiting on my bookshelf for me to get through my other pile of reading. My teen-daughter read it for school, and she thought it was too depressing for her age group. She said it was “narrated by death”.
I think you’re right, Janet. It’s a great adult read from what I’m hearing. ❀ I hope to dig into one of DiAnn’s books, soon, too.
Wendy, yes, death as a character in a teen book bothered me. So many of the scenes were harsh and also seemed too adult for teens.
DiAnn’s books are consistently good and take the reader on some wild suspense rides.
That’s an impossible question. How can I possibly choose one book? I mostly read Middly Grade and YA books, with a few for “grown-ups” mixed in.
Best of 2014? A Prayer for Owen Meany – I can’t believe it took me that long to actually read it!
That’s the joy of books. The first time you read a book, it can be magic, even if it was written decades ago.
I absolutely loved Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. Before reading this book, I was averse to all modern fantasy and I would only read more classical fantasy like LOTR, The Hobbit, and The Chronicles of Narnia. This stems from some parental bans and me just not liking fantasy. Reading Heartless made me look at fantasy in a different way. The characters were multidimensional, the world building was complex and it was allegorical in a not too preachy way. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series, as well as some more modern fantasy books.
Ana, one of the best things about reading is that one book can open up a new genre for us that we thought we wouldn’t like. Anne Elisabeth is so adept at world-building; she would be thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed Heartless.
Ana, I’ve read the whole Tales from the Goldstone Woods series and the books are all well-worth reading. As a writer of fantasy, I’m glad to hear that Heartless won you over to exploring fantasy. Anne Elizabeth Stengl has demonstrated brilliantly how fantasy writing can be a powerful way to spread Christian themes–and to pull in readers who might not read something labeled “Christian.” You mentioned the wonderful works of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis–books that also are beautifully Christian in their themes and theologies. I love the entire Middle Earth series, but some of my favorite passages are from the lesser known / read Silmarillion when the theology and creation story of Middle Earth are laid out: one God, angels, and a proud, defiant fallen angel who tries to bring destruction and misery to Middle Earth. The best part is when God tells the Satan-like fallen angel that no matter what discord he tries to put into God’s composition, God will always be in control and will make it all turn out beautiful in the end.
Goes to check her Kindle app on her tablet…
I binge read Ronie Kendig, Tamara Leigh, Becky Wade while on vacation.
I read extremely fast, so it was a great vacation!
Lori Benton’s The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn was awesome! I was worn out when I finished it!
Catherine West’s Viet Nam era Yesterday’s Tomorrow SLAYED me. Wow, what a broken generation.
Sally Bradley’s Kept was real and raw, and wow. And brave.
But I have to say, for sheer ratcheting up the tension, historical depth, character development and sweeping epic-y-ness, and for schooling newbs how to do it, I’d have to say Laura Frantz’s Courting Morrow Little.
For the 15th time.
And yes, I mean, the actual 15th time.
CML, Love’s Reckoning, are Burning Sky are IT, for me, on How to Write The Perfect Novel.
Jennifer, I love your list. So many of my consistent favorite authors are on it.
What a great year of reading! Some of the ones that I’m still thinking about include FORTY ACRES by Dwayne Alexander Smith, a thought provoking, intense, scary, moral read. When is “slavery” ever the answer to a question? In contemporary times, is this really possible? WOW! It reminds you revenge with a little evil mixed in can be devastatingly horrific. I wonder could I be the person needed to stand up to it! I also enjoyed THE ROSIE PROJECT by Graeme Stinson, and am looking forward to reading the follow up, THE ROSIE EFFECT. I hope it’s just as laugh-out-loud enjoyable as the original. Eriq La Salle’s LAWS OF WRATH was a riveting page-turner. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next with some dispicable characters. ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes made me laugh and cry; what a touching book. ANYBODY’S DAUGHTER by Pamela Samuels Young made me a little fearful for the young girls I mentor as they share their entire lives online. I try hard to encourage them to be mindful with what the post as you don’t always know who you’re really talking to. I hope that they actually take time to read the book to make them more aware and cautious. SILVER SPARROW by Tayari Jones and THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD by Laura McHugh led to passionate discussions in my book club. Looking forward to surpassing reading 50 books in 2015! Thanks for sharing, I’ve discovered some new selections to add to my “to be read” list.
Thank YOU for giving us such a great list. And all authors wish you the best with your 50 Books in 2015 goal!
Thanks to Wendy, I finally read Mark Batterson’s THE CIRCLE MAKER. That book changed everything about prayer and the hand of God on my life. Best novel hands down was THE SON by Phillip Meyer. Not an easy read for its frank and accurate portrayal of what the Texas frontier was really like, but I will never forget it.
Kathleen, thanks for these recommendations and for the reminder of what a life- and prayer-changer The Circle Maker is.
I’ve enjoyed reading through everyone’s comments. I am in the process of reading UNBROKEN. I remember an interview with L. Zamperini at the end of the Olympics which impressed me and stayed with me. The most significant book in 2014 in the area of helpfulness was Jo Ann Fore’s book, WHEN A WOMAN FINDS HER VOICE, which was useful in leading two groups of women through some deep waters in their lives. It was a wonderful tool for helping us center on the connection of truth with healing.
Norma, that title is powerful. I’ll have to check out the book.
Janet,
I loved “The Invention of Wings,” too.
Another fave was “Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good,” by Jan Karon — the latest installment in the Mitford series. When I reached the last 100 pages, I had to stop reading for a day to let it soak in, because I didn’t want it to end.
Karon’s latest was a favorite of mine too. Do you think she might continue the stories with Dooley and Lace? I kind of had that feeling at the end. I hope so.
Laura, I love the title of Jan Karon’s latest book; it’s so consummate Mitford-esque.
Janet,
I’ve been following your wonderful blog for awhile now, but this is the first time I’ve commented. Hands down, the best book I read last year was “And Life Comes Back: A Wife’s Story of Love, Loss, and Hope Reclaimed” by Tricia Lott Williford. I read mostly on the treadmill, and thanks to this book, I can tell you that it is very difficult to run and cry at the same time!
Lois, what a wonderful recommendation. And, should I follow your reading methodology, I could end up with a treadmill face plant! Welcome to Comment Land, by the way. See, you survived!
I’ve loved reading everyone’s thoughts and two of my favorites have also been mentioned by others: The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (what an accomplishment!) and Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon. I love the way Jan Karon weaves the faith and prayer life of Father Tim and Cynthia into the narrative. I always find myself inspired by the way her characters are, often in small and gentle ways, a tangible force for God in their small town.
Hands down my favorite from 2014 was _The Girls at the Kingfisher Club_ by Genevieve Valentine. It’s a retooling of the fairy tale “The 12 Dancing Princesses” set in NYC in the 1920s. It was wonderful!
I read many very good books in 2014, however The Book Thief is the one I recommed most to other readers. Great story, beautifully written.
Thank you all for all great recommendations I added to my 2015 reading list 🙂