UK Book Club discussion

As we are fast approaching December (worryingly fast), I was wondering what people would say was their standout book of 2014? Any book you have read that sticks in your mind above all others.

For me, my standout book of 2014 is Allies and Assassins by Justin Somper. It's a young adult book about a second son who suddenly becomes king in a fictional Kingdom where murders, lies and uneasy alliances are rife. I picked this up at the library on a whim, and it was brilliant!

I have two and I can't decide between them so....

The True and Splendid History of The Harristown Sisters by Micelle Lovric.

The Taxidermist's Daughter by Kate Mosse.

Stand out read this year so far.....and by miles and miles...... by Helen Dunmore. I'm not a massive fan of some of her other work, but this was stunningly good.

I've just finished reading The Lie by Helen Dunmore and thoroughly enjoyed it:-)

oh I'm so torn between Irene by Pierre Lemaitre and 11/22/63 bt Stephen King

It would have to have five stars to be a stand out book for me, and I've not had one this year...our last year.
I may be getting too critical!

I'd have to nominate Ann Leckie for her record breaking , the only book to win the cleansweep of the Hugo, Nebula, and Clarke Awards. I was there in the room when she won the Hugo and also heard her speak at a panel at LonCon 3 (aka the World Science Fiction Convention at Excel Centre London).

Can I have two favourite "Books of the Year" please....

A Rose in Flanders Fields by Terri Nixon

and

Tuppenny Hat Detective by Brian Sellars

There's been very little that's standout for me this year. Although, if I could nominate a series, it would be the Jefferson Tate genealogical crime series by Steve Robinson:


The next in the peter Grant / Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch is due out this month and I'm really looking forward to it. But I'm going to wait for the Audible edition, narrated by Kobna Holbrook Smith, so it might be December or January before I get to it.
(for those of you that remember that far back, Ben Aaronovitch was the writer responsible for getting daleks finally to go up stairs.)

Tim wrote: "There's been very little that's standout for me this year. Although, if I could nominate a series, it would be the Jefferson Tate genealogical crime series by Steve Robinson:
[bookcover:In the Blo..."


Was he really?? I never knew that!!! I've enjoyed these books,but feels they've not quite lived up to my high hopes for them....my own fault not his.

I've had three four star books in a row, so hopeful for a five star :)

I've read Rivers of London, but never realised Ben Aaronovitch was connected with Dr. Who!!

When I look back at my list I have read some brilliant books this year! David Nicholls Us, Denis Thériault The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman and The Art of Hearing Heartbeats to name but three!

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats looks great Sue - I've downloaded it and it also has the benefit of me being able to use it in my "Traverse around the Globe in 80 books" challenge. I'll be able to add Burma to my list when I've read it.

I have just finished reading the Costa Book Award shortlisted House of Ashes which is probably the best read of the year for me (and breaks a sequence of duds). It is a fictionalising of the holding hostage of the Trinidad parliament in 1990. It explores the mindsets of hostages and revolutionaries and is a good argument against staging a coup (just in case any of you were tempted). Highly recommending and I hope it wins although it is up against Ali Smith.

I've got two for this year too:

Infected Connection by L. Ashley Straker

And

The Martian by Andy Weir

Mercia wrote: "I have just finished reading the Costa Book Award shortlisted House of Ashes which is probably the best read of the year for me (and breaks a sequence of duds). It is a fictionalisi..."

I loved reading a few years back The White Woman on the Green Bicycle also by Monique Roffey and have Archipelago on my to read list.

It's so difficult picking a standout book from a whole year. I couldn't really narrow it down that far and, in an earlier post, I put two that stood out for me. As time goes by though, others come to mind, that were definite contenders - like this one........
Riddle in Stone by Robert Evert

I never thought I would read a fantasy book, and I suppose this must fit in to that category, but I really enjoyed this book.

Probably the Paradox series by Rachel Bach - starting with Fortune's Pawn but I read all three over the course of a weekend, I was so completely hooked.

I'm sticking with The Lie by Helen Dunmore.

I gave 4 books 5 stars and they are all totally different genres:

My favourite book of 2014 had to be by Ford Madox Ford.

Stand out book for me last year was The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. There were a few other five star reads but this was my top, top one!

Em wrote: "Stand out book for me last year was The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. There were a few other five star reads but this was m..."

I read "The Night Circus" a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it!

Last year, I didn't read nearly as many books as usual,but the ones I really enjoyed were , , and . All quite different, but I they were all 5 star reads for me!

This was hands down the most original book I read last year. The Short Life of Sparrows