So it's again that time of year when the time forces us to look back over our shoulder and makes us think about it. But I'm not here to reminiscence about my past or about how I spent this year, instead, I'd like to summarize- summarize things I liked, things I achieved and things I lost and based on that I can resolute for a better new year.
Sounds too emo, isn't it?!! Don't worry, I'll list out Top 10 books I read this year, along with 10 best things happened to me this year! Now that sounds reasonable! So without wasting a second, let's get down to listing!
10 Best Books That I Read in 2014 + 10 Best Things Happened to Me in 2014
1. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri:
Jhumpa Lahiri took us on two brother's journey from Kolkata to Rhode Island with her heart-touching story that shows us an unbreakable brotherly bond filled with Naxalite movement, loss, death and love. Most critics and review critically reviewed this book, but this book impacted me a lot and made to look at relationships with a better perspective. Marrying your brother's widow is still considered a sin in our religion, but Lahiri portrayed that sin with ease and perfection thus giving birth to one of the most heart-breaking love stories.
And my year started with (always starts with!) a visit to my pilgrimage- Kolkata International Book Fair 2014. And the fair always end up with a handful of books. And secretly, I always curse myself for spending way out of my budget.
The Lowland was definitely one of them! So year begins always on a happy note or rather say with room full of books :-P
2. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
Finally brought this book from an online book store and I was waiting for quite a long time for it's price to come down or for some kind of discount, (PS: I'm not a miser, it's called saving money so that I can buy other books!) Hosseini, being my favorite author, I waited for a year to read his novel. But honestly, I felt like I did the good thing since even after reading
And the Mountains Echoed,
A Thousand Splendid Suns will always remain my all time favorite Khaled Hosseini book. And just like Lahiri, Hosseini too explored the depths of a brother-sister relationship across the enchanted lands of Afghanistan.
And I got a new job in a new company with a new role along with more responsibilities and with a great set of seniors and work-mates. So it is another thankful event happened to me in 2014.
3. Cell by Robin Cook
2014 presented me with another of my all time favorite author's new novel,
Cell, which explored the mobile app technology to cure one's illness or even disease, which ultimately changes the face of modern day medical practices followed by some suspicious deaths. Cook's new medical thriller once again charmed my mind and arrested by soul with his adrenaline-rushing style story-telling.
My first footstep taken on being a reviewer and this was the period when I started getting 3-4 review requests in a month and eventually, my confidence began building up.
4. Elixir by Ted Galdi
Got an opportunity to read Galdi's debut book,
Elixir, which gives us hope as Galdi breakthroughs the cure of the most deadly disease of 2014- Ebola with his intriguing YA thriller. Galdi's thrilling narrative style kept me glued till the book's very end and being a debut writer, Galdi outruns the talent of many popular and world famous writers.
Read my review of
Elixir here
An incredible book website, named,
TripFiction featured me on their monthly
newsletter and that was one of the proudest moment of my life.
5. Dark Winter series by John Hennessy
John Hennessy's debut horror series made me an instant fan of his creepy narrative style. Moreover, I was mot a big fan of horror books, but Hennessy's books urged to read more horror instead of literary and contemporary!
Dark Winter series is such a series if we read the series even after the 100th time, it'll equally scare you out of your guts similar to the first time.
Read the review of
Dark Winter: The Wicca Circle here
Read the review of
Dark Winter: Crescent Moon here
Thanks to 2014, I not only found an incredible author, but also found a friend who will always stand by my side through thick-and-thin. Though distance is the one thing that separates us but our love for books and kindness for each other strengthens our bond of friendship every single passing day. Hence, in 2014, I found a great friend as well as a promising and talented author. Thank you John for being a great friend.
6. The Echoes of Love by Hannah Fielding
It is not every day that you get to read a story that will stay with your forever. Meaning those books which will never lose it's essence from your hearts. Hannah Fielding's dark and mystifying love story set across the magical destinations in Europe- one being Venice, will entrance your mind and soul. This is one of the most alluring stories that I read in 2014. and for that I'm really very grateful to the author, since she was the one who gave me the opportunity to read her incredible novel.
Read the review of
The Echoes of Love here
My bookshelf started growing out of control and soon my heart is overwhelmed with the warmth and kindness shown by all those authors who helped me build a palace of books in my own room.
7. The Lives of Other by Neel Mukherjee
This book marks my both personal and professional best moment in my life in the year 2014. Firstly, Neel Mukherjee's publisher gave me an opportunity to read the novel just before the Man Booker Event and secondly Mukherjee's family saga bewitched my heart and felt a new found love for my own city- Kolkata. Maybe Mukherjee's ego never made him read my millions of emails about his book whereas the whole world was screaming against his book, still this book touched my heart in thousands of ways. Moreover, I always adore those people who try to imitate Jhumpa Lahiri's literary style. Hence, I feel myself lucky to get a chance to read Mukherjee's Man Book Longlist nominated book,
The Lives of Others.
Read the review of
The Lives of Others here
8. Little Exiles by Robert Dinsdale
I found another equally interesting and wonderful author who's books, I mean
Little Exiles and
Gingerbread both enthralled my mind with his engaging stories about illegal child immigration in Australia and another about a boy's relationship with his grandfather living in the deep depth of a Siberian forest.
Read the review of
Little Exiles here
Read the review of
Gingerbread here
My mind is filled with the idea of starting a book blog. I know it's not anything so new to talk about but for me it is very new and enlightening. Instead I found no courage to start up a blog, all my mind was filled with dejection and negativity and about my lack to keep up with the blog. But on October 2014, I started my very own blog called Book Stop Corner and right now you are reading this very post on my very own blog. I really grateful to those people who supported and encouraged me and for those who are still appreciating the effort that I've put behind this blog. Thank You 2014 and it is one of the best thing that happened to me this year.
9. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Thanks to David Fincher for introducing me with this author. Before 2014 and before all the hype created before Gone Girl movie's release, I never heard of Gillian Flynn. And just before the movie's release, I purchased the book, Gone Girl and watched myself enraptured with Flynn's dark thriller that introduces marriage as the killer. And David Fincher did exact justice to Flynn's gripping novel.Gone Girl changed my perspective about lot of things in life. So thanks to Gillian Flynn for that!
Read the review of
Gone Girl here
Another achievement would be that my follower list on my blog started growing like anything. From friends to family to fellow bloggers across the world, they all made it a success. I feel really grateful to all of my followers for being a part of my blog and making it a houseful show. And I can't be enough proud about myself!
10. Dublin in the Rain by Andrew Critchley
2014 introduced me with another promising debut author and I feel myself fortunate enough on finding this author. Critchley's debut novel,
Dublin in the Rain makes us think about our inner self and gives birth to a new found passion in our hearts. Andrew Critchley is another friend whose friendship I'll forever cherish. And I feel grateful towards the author for his warmth, support and kindness that he showed for me.
Dublin in the Rain falls in the must read criteria and honestly, I never read something so passionate and emotional.
Read the review of
Dublin in the Rain here
The party is not over yet! I'll get back here maybe on 1st of January to recapture my 31st night! Don't go away.. another best moment is yet to come.
Voila! It ended on a good note. Since I got to spend my last of 2014 with my cousins who visited India after ages! And I had a great day and for that I'd like to thank my cousins for making the day a bit more memorable.
Snapshots are as follows:
