Best of 2014

I read, watched, and listened to some pretty great things in 2014. These are my favorites:

Favorite Reads:

Fiction:
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Memoir:
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Young Adult:
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Best Audiobook:
Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Best Short Stories:
Bark by Lorrie Moore and Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood

Best Graphic Novel:
Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky
Your Illustrated Guide To Becoming One With The Universe By Yumi Sakugawa

Best Poetry Collection:
I Don’t Know Do You By Roberto Montes

I made a goal to read 75 books this year and surpassed it (by four books, but still; woot!) I’m debating whether I should challenge myself to at all in 2015. While making a specific goal and keeping track of whether I’m behind schedule definitely keeps me motivated, I do sort of agree with articles like this one, which argues that always keeping track of how many books you’ve already read is nerve wracking and is not really what reading should be about. I made a personal goal to post here four times a week, which seemed completely manageable for the first half of the year. There are so many great books I read this year that I keep meaning to write about here, but just haven’t found the time, and that’s a frustrating feeling.

Thanks to the success of Serial, many have dubbed 2014 “the year of the podcast.” Even Dear Sugar got in on the action! I’ve started listening to so many this year, some new, some just new to me. But I’ll try to keep this list reasonably short.

Favorite Podcasts:

Serial

This American Life

Gilmore Guys

The Scot and the Sassenach

Totally Laime (which is unfortunately ending soon)

BookRiot

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Not Too Deep with Grace Helbig

How Did This Get Made?

Dear Sugar Radio

I’m a huge fan of guilty pleasure television, especially when it comes to Reality TV. I know, I know, but I just can’t stop myself.