This week on The Broke and the Bookish, the theme of Top Ten Tuesday is a freebie. I’ve decided to do a countdown of the Top Ten Books I Read Last Year (not necessarily in any particular order).
Top Ten Books I Read Last Year
1. The Pilo Family Circus by Will Elliot
Jamie, the protagonist of the novel, becomes a clown after being thrust into the crazy eponymous circus. Part horror, part fantasy, and totally bizarre and enjoyable.
2. Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
Another circus-themed book (2014 was basically a circus-themed year for me), detailing the story of a family-owned carnival as told by the albino, humpback, dwarf daughter.
3. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
I’m not sure if there’s much more I can say about this book that hasn’t already been said elsewhere. Needless to say, House of Leaves quickly became one of my favorite books. Soon after reading I went in search of books with a similar feel.
4. Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer
A speculative-fiction work reminiscent of Roadside Picnic. Imagine that a zone suddenly pops up, within which the normal rules of the world no longer apply. Now imagine being tasked to explore that zone and recover data for research.
5. Take One With You by Oak Anderson
A thriller with lots of emotion and a unique premise.
6. Happy Ever After by Matt Shaw
I’ve already covered this book in a previous review, but I’d like to reiterate just how much I enjoyed this book, which helped me discover one of my favorite indie horror authors.
7. The Raw Shark Texts by Stephen Hall
I found this book while trying to find something like House of Leaves. One of those books that leaves you thinking long after you’ve read it.
8. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keys
One of the few books that have almost made me cry. A real classic.
9. A Perfect Vacuum by Stanislaw Lem
Reviews of books that don’t exist!
10. John Dies at the End by Daniel Wong
As a fan of Cracked.com, this book did not disappoint.