The Best Books I Read This Year

I read a whole lot. A fact you wouldn’t know because the number of reviews published on this blog is not a true reflection of the number of books I actually read…another case of my Drafts Folder working overtime.

Anyhoo, I was fortunate to read books this year that moved me in a very real way, so much that they left a lasting impression on me and my life. And then of course there were the duds but thankfully not very many.

The most influential book I read this year was I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi. Getting my finances in order was a major priority over the last 12 months and this book provided much-needed guidance on doing just that.

The Darkest ChildMy OH-EM-GEE-I-LOOOOVE-THIS book for 2014 is The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips. This book was a page-turner I devoured in eight hours…I shit you not! It was that good.

Unfortunately, I learned that the author, Delores died earlier this year. So there is no chance of a follow-up story or even reaching out to her for answers. I have so many questions. But such is life. SO now I have to be content with recommending it to everybody and hoping to start a conversation about it.

This writing business is soul work sometimes and it takes a whole lot out of you most times. The book that helped me hone my writing craft is Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. It just may be my absolute favourite book on writing.

One of the gifts of being a writer is that it gives you an excuse to do things, to go places and explore. Another is that writing motivates you to look closely at life, at life as it lurches by and tramps around. – Anne Lamott

The book I reread this year and totally recommend is The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. It’s the kind of book you want to reread every year…if only as a reminder that life is short. Get busy living NOW.

Honorable mention goes to Wishing for Wings by Debbie Jacob because it changed my perspective on a forgotten bunch of young men in Trinidad & Tobago.

Debbie is a local author who taught English to young men imprisoned for crimes that included murder and robbery. I had the awesome pleasure of meeting the author and being able to get some of my questions answered. This book was truly an eye-opener and I will write a review on soon. It is a definite must read.

The book I started at the beginning of the year, and is still reading…because ironically I find it absolutely boring is The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer. It’s long and kinda meh. I hope to finish it before the end of the year…not holding my breath though.

Already on my reading list for 2015:

And now it’s your turn.

Tell me, what books have you read this year, that you recommend I put on my reading list for 2015?

9 Comments

  1. December 7, 2014 / 8:58 pm

    Will have to definitely put The Darkest Child on our reading list and a couple of the ones on your 2015 list 🙂

    • vernette
      Author
      December 7, 2014 / 9:21 pm

      Awesome!!! When you read it let me know what you think okay!

  2. December 7, 2014 / 10:04 pm

    What an impressive reading list! I too read The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and found it very good. Now reading Orhan Pamuk’s book- ‘My name is Red’. Go for it if you love descriptive detail, miniature painting, the east-west conflict…

    • vernette
      Author
      December 7, 2014 / 10:06 pm

      I will add this to the 2015 list! Thanks for the tip. 🙂

  3. December 8, 2014 / 4:12 am

    Hi V – really enjoy this post and I am going to have to get the Last Lecture for sure – you have such joy and it is felt as you share your passion for things – and it seems like you have a nice range of taste for books. 🙂 have a great week –

    • vernette
      Author
      December 8, 2014 / 6:02 am

      Aww thanks Yvette! Hope you have a great week as well 🙂

  4. December 8, 2014 / 10:36 pm

    I’ll have track down Bird by Bird now, that quote is beautiful. I’m looking forward to reading The Goldfinch too-have you ever read any books by Nalo Hopkinson? I just finished Brown Girl in the Ring and thought it was amazing!

    • vernette
      Author
      December 8, 2014 / 11:31 pm

      I haven’t read anything from Nalo Hopkinson so it’s just been added to my list! Let me know what you think about The Goldfinch when you do read it.

  5. June 12, 2015 / 4:42 pm

    Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is one of my favorites, too!

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