UPDATE: Top 14 Books That Must Be Read in 2014

This post is an update of this post which I did back in January, outlining the books I decided I definitely had to read this year. Let's see how that's been going for me...

1. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
I'm most of the way through this- I think I've only got the final two books left. I own a big bind-up edition of this which is horrible to read from, but I will make my way through the last two as soon as possible.

2. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 
I think I've read the first 200 or so pages of this but that was all last year, so I haven't actually read a single page so far this year. I've read a few more 'big' classics since then so I think I'm ready for this. (Okay, I'm probably not)


3. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
I finally read Wintergirls earlier this year which I enjoyed, but I don't know whether I'm quite in the right place for a book like this at the moment. I know it's supposed to be amazing and the subject matter is very important, but I know it's going to be an intense read. 
 

4. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness 
Here we go...a book I've actually read this year! I seriously loved this, and I also read the sequel this year but I haven't gotten around to the third book. Unfortunately, I had to return it to the library before I got the chance to finish it. ONE DAY!


5. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Woo, two in a row! I read North and South very recently and I absolutely adored it. It was amazing and the mini-series is just brilliant and I like to re-watch it whenever I'm feeling a little bit down because FEELS.

6. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 
This is going very well for me considering I don't even own this book nor have I borrowed it from the library. I haven't actually seen it anywhere otherwise I think I would have picked it up by now. I still want to read this really badly.


7. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray 
Okay, this one is a slightly difficult one to explain. I've read about 300 or so pages of this 800 page book this year. I was really determined to finish it a few months back and then I just put it down to pick something else up and I just haven't picked it back up again. 
 

8. Legend by Marie Lu 
Another one done! I think this was actually one of the first books I read this year. I really, really enjoyed it. On top of that, I finished Prodigy a few weeks again and I'm currently reading Champion (very slowly).


9. Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley
Considering that I list Aldous Huxley as one of my favourite authors, I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that not only have I not read Crome Yellow yet, I also haven't read any of his other works. This one is such a tiny little book too, I really should get to it!

10. The Parasites by Daphne Du Maurier
Again, I haven't gotten to this one yet. I have actually read another Daphne Du Maurier book this year- Jamaica Inn (which is amazing) but not this one. I have a sudden urge to read this book now!
 

11. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Ahh, okay, so. Basically, I've started reading this book two separate times and I have yet to make it past chapter four. I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about this one but I really, really want to read it before the movie comes out. I guess I should pick it up soon?

12. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein 
Val, if you're reading this, I'm sorry- I know this is one of your favourite books. For everyone else, I've already read Rose Under Fire and loved it but I just haven't gotten to this one yet. I don't even know why, but I'm fixing that asap.
 
13. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Like The Bell Jar, this one is going really well in the sense that I don't even have a copy of this one. I saw this beautiful edition once and I hate myself for not buying it- I NEED it in my life.

14. Paper Towns by John Green
*hides from things that might be thrown at me* I have started this one too, again- two different times, and I think I've read like 80 pages but I know this is probably going to break my heart because that's what John Green does. I'm not ready for that.

So basically, I've read three and three halves, maybe another two quarters, of these fourteen books. I'm really not going very well with these as you can probably guess. I kept staring at this scheduled post, telling myself I read more of these before it would go up but alas, that just hasn't happened. I've been really into the 'read whatever I feel like' thing lately and I just haven't felt like this. Luckily, I've still got a bit of time to make it through at least a few more of these...Wish me luck!