Phew…. at least I got that off my chest.

Once upon a time – before kid – before marriage – before my eyes were opened to the reality of other people needing me. Ugh. I used to devour one “meaningful” book after another. My brain knew no bounds, I just sucked it all in, and even retained some of it.

Enter grownupedness.

I try to read something that will resuscitate my brain cells at least every other month…. maybe? Well. I try.

This week it occurred to me that I actually have a “meaningful” book threshold.

My favorite librarian recommended I read this new book called The Martian by Andy Weir . I treasure her recommendations, so she stuck me on the list to get the book when she was done.

Meanwhile, I had to wait. I had just started reading The Blood of Olympus, because I am hooked on the whole Heroes of Olympus saga.

I thought that would hold me over, unfortunately, I finished that one in 3 days. So I waited….then I looked at some things I had sampled on my Kindle and decided to try reading Isaac Asimov Foundation, it was really good. I always notice that when I read a book that is truly written well, my vocabulary and general intelligence gets a boost. Thanks Isaac.

And then I got the call that The Martian: A Novel
was in.  I was all ready for it. My brain was prepped to think, and I dove in.

It was definitely better than I expected. I mean it was about a guy who gets stranded on Mars during a manned mission. How exciting can that be? There are no actual Martians in it. I was definitely interested when a character with my general likes (disco and 70’s television) was introduced, and I found the main characters dry humor engaging.

And then it happened.

One day, I didn’t care anymore. More than 3/4 of the way through the book I got tired. So tired. I was tired of reading about his MacGyver type science, his annoyances with the people on Earth, the dirt…. So I closed the book. I closed it and decided that I didn’t care anymore.

I don’t care if he makes it, if he dies, if he fixes the oxygenator so that he can make the 3200km trek across Mars’ surface to Schiaperrelli. (read it if you care because I don’t)

I just…don’t….care.  So, apparently my intelligent book threshold, is one and a three-quarters. There you have it. But give me some good old chick-lit or young adult fiction and I will rip through it and say “thank you sir, may I have another?”

Now I haven’t had a lot of time to read this year, what with learning to code and blogging and mommying and blah blah blah….And so, without further ado, here is my list:

 

The Best Books of 2014 (disclaimer: I read these in 2014 or late 2013, that’s not when they were published necessarily)

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles Book 1)
and OMG it’s on sale for Kindle, so RUN AND GET IT! Loved it so much I read the whole series one after another.
Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles)
Cress (The Lunar Chronicles)

Another new Young Adult series that hooked me and SUCKED ME IN
Ruby Red (Ruby Red Trilogy Book 1)
Sapphire Blue (Ruby Red Trilogy Book 2)
Emerald Green (Ruby Red Trilogy Book 3)

If you haven’t read any of the Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus series, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU??? Go now, you can thank me later!
The Blood of Olympus (The Heros of Olympus, Book 5)

Technically this is juvenile fiction. I don’t think so. This story is an amazingly inventive retelling of a mixture of Grimm stories that will keep you up all night reading!
A Tale Dark and Grimm (A Tale Dark & Grimm Book 1)

I did read one grown-up book that everyone must read!! It was intelligent, funny and super suspenseful. Really unlike anything I have ever read before.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette: A Novel

Another really unique mix of Young Adult and Sci-Fi, it was recommended to me by the adult librarian when I thought I should start reading grown-up books. I got a laugh out of that!
A Great and Terrible Beauty (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy Book 1)

 

What was your favorite book of 2014?

 

Take a break between Christmas and New Years and grab one of these books and snuggle down by the fire!!! And if you don’t have a fireplace, try this.