As I was going through my read book list, I realized that this year kind of sucked for reading for me.  The few that I loved, I really really loved though, so I guess that is something.  I did kind of cheat because I added Geek Love even though I'm not quite done.  When you know, you know though.  Anyway.  

Mud Vein was probably my overall top book this year.  It was such a beautiful, yet heartbreaking book, Tarryn Fisher can write.  

God-Shaped Hole...well I still can't talk about that one without wanting to cry.  

Ditto The Bronze Horseman. I wish I liked the rest of the trilogy as much as I liked this one.

The Handmaid's Tale was nothing short of amazing.  I couldn't stop thinking about it for weeks.  

Get in the Van made me alternately hate, love and pity Henry Rollins.  

What's Left of Me was an awesomely realistic (finally) look at the start of a relationship while coping with cancer and it's ramifications on everyone.  

I'm stretching a bit including Dust to Dust in this, because I don't think it entirely compares to the rest of the books on this list for me, but I LOVED the entire EIT series as a whole so I'm using this to represent that.  

The Haunting of Hill House was probably the best horror novel I have ever read. It was so freaking creepy solely based on writing that wasn't your typical "horror" type style, I loved that.  

Veronica Mars...once a Marshmallow, always a Marshmallow.  LoVe forever!

Lastly, Geek Love, like I said I'm kind of cheating but the writing is amazing and the story line is so complex in it's build up that I couldn't not include it knowing that I'll get it finished in the next couple of days.  If something happens and ruins everything, I reserve the right to change my mind though.  *Edited to add that I was absolutely right about this book.  It actually is taking my top spot for favorite read of 2014 now.  

I can't say that I'm overly disappointed with my reading year, but I also can't say that I'm thrilled with it.  I obviously need to expand my genres out more than I have in the last couple of years since most of the reads that I've had complaints over are among the same genre.  I got stuck in a bit of a rut reading the same type books over and over, which isn't surprising in the slightest.  I've always been the type to find something I love and then indulge so much that I OD on it.  I plan on working to curb that in 2015..  

This has been one of my most anticipated reads this year. I loved What's Left of Me and was really excited to see the completion of Aundrea and Parker's story. I was so excited that I pulled myself up from the brink of death (not really, just an ear/sinus infection but I turn into a man when I'm sick) to get this read as soon as I could. And Amanda did not disappoint at all.

The thing that makes both WLoM and WLoU special, is that they are both a realistically poignant look into the struggles that surround the cancer survivor and their families. In these books, it isn't the struggle to survive the cancer, but the struggle to be able to live despite the lingering fear of cancer.

What's Left of Us continues the Aundrea and Parker's story as they settle down further into their life, taking place 3 years into their relationship as they run into new heartaches and joys. Their struggle in this book is the decision on whether or not to add to their family despite Aundrea's fear of her heart or cancer taking her away. Every part of these books feel real. So many books within this genre can seem a little ridiculous or overdramatic, but not these. You really feel like this could be your friends or family, so it is amazingly easy to form a connection and really feel every joy and pain right along with the characters. I don't want to give anything away, because it is just something that need to be experienced in your own way. For me though, these books are ones that will stay with me as something special. Even if they are rip your heart out and stomp on it reads, but in a good way though.

The cover to a sequel that I have been waiting quite impatiently to come out was revealed yesterday.  I loved the first book in the series.  It was one of those rip your heart out and then stomp on it in a good way books.  I definitely recommend.   

Link to What's Left of Me --> http://amzn.com/B00H9VA030