Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. I thought this would be a fun way to share a condensed version of potential rambles and thoughts that I have.
This Week’s Theme:
Top Ten Books I Read In 2014
Initial Thoughts:
The theme this week was “Top Books Read in 2014” but I’m going to shift the focus a bit and highlight certain categories, like many award shows, and select a top contender for each. I’m sticking to books solely read in 2014. I’m going to be extremely cheesy and call it the Thinker Awards (so you can think about what you would award each category when you respond–but also because thinking is fun?).
I have also enlisted the help of some friends for their input as well (because I have clearly not read everything this list describes LOL). Thanks Jeffrey and Savindi for the assistance. I have marked their nominations with a star*.
2014 Thinker Awards
Best Overall:
A Monster Calls (Patrick Ness)
Best Novella/Short Story:
Legion (Brandon Sanderson)
Best Contemporary/Romance/Mystery/Historical:
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (Gabrielle Zevin)
Best Hero/Heroine in a Contemp/Romance/Mystery/Historical:
Jonathan Melton (Dublin in the Rain)
Best Supporting Char in a Contemp/Romance/Mystery/Historical: Chief Lambiase (The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry)
*Best Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Action:
Name Of The Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)
*Best Hero/Heroine In A Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Action:
Kelsier (Mistborn: The Final Empire)
*Best Supporting Character In a Fantasy/Sci-fi/Action:
Vin (Mistborn: The Final Empire)
Best Anthropomorphic or Animal Sidekick:
Manchee (The Knife of Never Letting Go)
Best Book-to-Film Adaptation:
Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn)
Best Television Adaptation:
The Flash (The CW Network)
*Best Visual and World Building:
Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)
*Best Fight Sequence:
“Vin v.s. Zane” (Mistborn: Well of Ascension)
Best Villain:
Mayor Prentiss/Mistress Coyle (The Ask and The Answer)
*Best Bromance:
Uno & Danny (Mexican WhiteBoy)
*Best Ship:
OLICITYISREAL.
Ari & Dante (Ari and Dante Discover The Secrets of the Universe)
Best Book Hype:
We Were Liars (E. Lockhart)
Best Cover:
A Monster Calls (Patrick Ness)
Best Quote:
“You do not write your life with words…You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.”
(A Monster Calls, p.g. 192)
Afterthoughts:
Now it’s your turn! Let me know what you think of some of these (or all of them if you’re willing). But in particular: let me know which book you read during 2014 that you would award the “Best Overall” accolade.
(I also realized I have yet to respond to last week’s topic–oops LOL.)
Cheers,
Joey
thoughts and afterthoughts. 
I like the idea of awards for books! 🙂 I just got Legion! I’m scared to read Ness again, so sad. The Name of the Wind is on my hope to own list. The Flash is good, a bit cheesy but good. lol @ Olicity.
I can’t pick best novel I read this year, that’s too hard! Settle for best novel I read published in 2014? That’s Cress. 🙂
LikeLike
I hope you enjoy Legion! And do let me know what you think about the first line in the story (if it’s reminiscent of the intro on Arrow/The Flash haha).
I think as an overall, I enjoy season one of The Flash better than season one of Arrow. But perhaps it’s because Flash has the support (re: crossovers etc) to help it along.
LikeLike
Man, I need to read Mistborn already! Two of the best characters are from that series!
Best ship goes to Bran and Liadan from Marillier’s Sevenwaters series. I never thought I would ship before, but LOVE them.
LikeLike
There should have been a disclaimer somewhere to suggest that I am half-crazy and full of nonsense. But yeah, my friend is definitely feeling all the feels with Mistborn and keeps nagging at me to start it too.
Gotta admit: it’s always the pair you LEAST expect to ship in the beginning that you end up full-blown shipping for–and perhaps you’ll fight anyone who thinks otherwise. #truefan
LikeLike
Lord, I’m surprised I haven’t gone into apoplexy yet with what The Flash and Arrow have put me through lately (those midseason cliffhangers OMGAH).
And lol, I would totally argue that Vin should be considered a main character at some point, but yeah, spoilers! (I do agree with Kelsier though…and I love Vin, and all her Mistborn vs. Mistborn fight scenes were epiiiic.)
LikeLike
THE THEORIES FOR THE FLASH AND REVERSE FLASH IS AYGDAUDASDHNASDONAHSDASIDAID.
THE THEORIES FOR ARROW PROVED OLICITY IS REAL (PERHAPS THIS IS THE ONLY REAL NEWS I CARED ABOUT LOL).
Caps lock was broken. Excitement is not fake.
Haha, yeah my friend thought it’d be spoilers if he told me more than I thought I should know to fill in these categories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I featured a small award ceremony on my post too! Most of the books you’ve mentioned are all new to me, this is a good thing though, as most of the books I’ve stumbled upon today are redundant 😛
Best of 2014
LikeLike
I’d like to say I was creative in the awards thing…but I think I just needed an excuse to talking about more random things than just 10 books haha. But I’m glad to be of some help in potentially talking more books into your TBR!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent awards!!! 🙂
LikeLike
Haha, glad you enjoyed it!
LikeLike
I like your “best of” style here! I see The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry all over the place on these end-of-year lists. I’ll have to check it out in 2015.
LikeLike
I unfortunately had to condense some categories because I don’t often read into some genres haha, but I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Fikry is certainly a book that caught me by surprise. The only detail I knew going into the read was “it’s a book about books”–and it most definitely was!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fikry was really one of my favs this year- I wish I could go there and shop everyday!
LikeLike
There seems to be less smaller yet quaint bookstores around (at least where I live) and that’s such a shame cause it’s definitely a different kind of atmosphere between big-box stores and smaller ones like Island Books!
LikeLike
I take it from this list that you really, really liked Monster Calls this year! Manchee!!! Poo, Todd? My husband got so sick of me saying that when I was reading Knife of Never Letting Go. And then there was that moment in Knife when I needed to throw the book across the room and cry nooooo with lots of o’s. Have you read Patrick Ness’s newest? I haven’t yet. Still need to read Storied Life–it’s on my list. Love your take on a best of list. And really digging your blog in general!
LikeLike
Full transparency: I only rated A Monster Calls 4/5 stars (if that means anything) but it was still an undeniably powerful book even if I myself didn’t feel all the feels associated with the themes it tackled.
But I will never forgive Ness (jokes, I will always forgive you, Ness) for letting Todd do that to Manchee! And I did read Ness’ More Than This! Though, if I had read it this year, it would have been a tough call to pick either Monster Calls or More Than This for top spot (can you tell I’m a big Nessochist?)
Did you see his pseudo-blurb regarding his new book coming out in 2015? I’m all hyped up about that one!
And thank you for your kind words!
LikeLike
Loving your awards! I have to say I completely agree with your thoughts on A Monster Calls. A truly beautiful book.
LikeLike
I may not have completely felt what others felt with A Monster Calls, but that certainly doesn’t short-sell the power in it! Plus, the overall packaging with the art was magnificent!
LikeLike
I haven’t seen the Gone Girl movie adaptation yet, but maybe I’ll be able to make the time over the holiday! And I seriously YAY’d when i saw your “first choice” for best ship. I love Olicity!
Danee @ Fiction Function
LikeLike
I really wish I was able to watch The Imitation Game too (before I stated fave film adaptation).
But yes, after that midseason finale of The Arrow last week? THE DREAM TEAM SHIP IS ALIVE!
LikeLike
Awesome list!!!! I love Patrick Ness and Brandon Sanderson
LikeLike
Aha, both authors have definitely risen up the ranks and are among my favourite now!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh goodness, organizing this post must’ve been hard! I’d have been stumped for over half of these. Having said that, I love the originality in it 😉 Great list!
LikeLike
Haha–it was alright. I sat on this idea for a while and definitely just referred to popular award ceremonies for inspiration. But I guess “choosing” each winner was the tough part!
LikeLike
Love the awards idea and awesome picks too! Very original spin on this weeks topic. 😀
As for best book I read in 2014 – Ari and Dante for sure. You definitely need to read it!
LikeLike
You know me and unnecessarily spinning the topic haha.
I’m definitely waiting for that right mood to fully enjoy Ari and Dante. It will come, soon, maybe, hopefully, I know it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve never met a more lovable dog (in literature, because my actual dog is awesome) than Manchee. Also, Olicity isn’t just real, it is endgame!
LikeLike
Oh man, I’m you’re right with that end-game business. I don’t follow the comics so I wouldn’t know, but with the last bit of that mid-season finale…they got me right in the feels.
I hope they don’t pull a Olicity v.s. Slade moment on us again…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the last two seasons make it pretty clear what direction the writers are going with regard to Olicity and as for that ending, I’m still trying to recover! I’m so excited for whatever direction they take the show when it comes back in January (far too long!).
LikeLike
Very creative list! And Olicity IS real. Haha! I wish the actress that plays Felicity would come to Fan Expo, I’d love to meet her. The guy that plays the Flash, too!
LikeLike
I’m definitely holding onto that possibility that it’s real (and endgame). Laurel is just [choose your choice of negative word here].
They have such wonderful personalities off-camera (at least from interviews etc.) that it’d definitely be cool to meet anyone from the cast (well…maybe not Laurel–sorrynotsorry).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Laurel is just…ugh. Every decision she makes is stupid. I don’t understand what Oliver ever saw in her.
I’ve met Stephen! He is unbelievably nice.
LikeLike
I feel like I should be wearing a fancy dress for these awards. So many of these are on my please-gimme-now list! Also NAME OF THE WINDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
LikeLike
That sounds pretty fancy. I think my award ceremonies would be a dresscode of sweat-pants-and-t-shirt–comfy clothes man!
This gives me ideas for next years award ceremony shindig (if I do end up doing this again).
LikeLike
You need to do it next year and I vote for a PAJAMA RED CARPET EVENT
LikeLike
This is a great list.
Thanks for sharing.
Lynn 😀
LikeLike
Thanks Lynn!
LikeLike
I have yet to read some of the books you have on here i.e., A.J. Fikry, Mistborn… OMG!!! That Monster Calls though… Awesome read! Pushed people to read it, they did, and now they’re thanking me 😉 LOL!!! I remember posting that same quote on FB because… just cuz of its awesomeness!!! Great post!!!
Sorry it took me awhile to get here… ooopsie!
LikeLike
There were a lot more quotes I could have chosen but this one required the least context.
I KNOW SECRETLY THAT I PUSHED YOU TO READ AMC–YOU’RE WELCOME.
LikeLike
Love how you set this up! Like your own mini Oscars/Academy Awards.
I loved Ari and Dante. One of my favorite books this year. So well written.
And I definitely need to read Monster Calls. Heard so many good things!
Lauren @ Wordy Hughes
LikeLike
It was fun doing this and I’m excited to add more categories next time around! Remember to pick up the hardcover of A Monster Calls instead of reading it on epub or the plain text one! The visuals are worth it! (Except I’ve seen the hardcover with illustrations cheaper than the plain text–and I can’t tell you why.)
LikeLike