As we end the year, it’s time to choose our Best of 2014. It was difficult to choose this year’s best, but we’ve got a few recommendations for our readers — though this list is by no means complete.
Adult Speculative: THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M. R. Carey
The horror-thriller The Girl with All the Gifts was a surprising read by design: very little about the book was revealed on the jacket except that it was about a girl who was, for some unexplained reason, strapped into a chair. I couldn’t put this book down, and though it came out over the summer, I still think about it and recommend it as much as I can, one of the only 2014 adult novels that made me feel that way. While it’s a little on the gory side (and therefore not for everyone), it’s thought-provoking and mysterious, keeping readers hooked through to the end.
(Find our review of The Girl with All the Gifts here.)
Young Adult Speculative: SHADOWBOXER by Tricia Sullivan
This October release from UK publisher Ravenstone wasn’t widely promoted, but the tale of a young MMA fighter from New Jersey who becomes involved in a world of Thai mythology is an incredibly engaging read. Jade, the protagonist of the story, is an interesting young woman — almost eighteen — whose journey leads her to take down a child trafficking ring. An entertaining and informative read, Shadowboxer isn’t like other YA titles on the market, and it’s a must-read for anyone looking for something different.
Young Adult Contemporary: LIES WE TELL OURSELVES by Robin Talley
While technically this is a historical fiction and not contemporary, Robin Talley’s interracial romance Lies We Tell Ourselves was definitely one of the most engaging books I read this year. The book follows Sarah and Linda, two girls living in 1959 Virginia. Sarah is one of the black students being integrated into Linda’s high school, and the two intelligent young women end up butting heads over nearly everything — made worse for Sarah because Linda’s a vocal opponent of integration and the daughter of a powerful man in town, and because Sarah is attracted to her in a way she’s sure she shouldn’t be. Sarah’s voice is powerful, and this is a book that shouldn’t be missed.
Television Series: THE LEGEND OF KORRA (Seasons 3 & 4)
The first two seasons of The Legend of Korra were shaky — Season Two in particular was a bit of a wreck and not much to look at, either. But everything changed when the Fire Nation — I mean, when Book Three dropped this summer. The show sparked hot discussion and controversy when Nickelodeon pulled it from the air halfway through Book 3 for violence, and scenes where the protagonist is very clearly being tortured took Korra from a show that might be for children to a show that’s definitely for adults. What’s more, the season finale’s closing scene, showing Korra and Asami leaving for an adventure of their own, was a major step forward for representation — not only in the series itself, but in American animated series as a whole.
Anime: Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun
This year’s summer anime pick was Sword Art Online II, but SAO 2 was blown away by the slice-of-life anime Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun (Jp. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun). This light-hearted comedy, which is ostensibly about a girl named Chiyo who has a crush on shoujo mangaka Nozaki-kun, is an anime that turns varying tropes of anime over and rolls them along, creating a hilarious series that I could watch over and over again. (There are actually episodes I’ve seen four or five times and still laugh out loud about.) A definite recommended watch for anime fans.
What was your favorite book or TV series this year? What do you think should have been a contender on this list? Nominate your favorites in the comments below.
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Feliza Casano is a fan of anime, manga, and every sort of book as well as editor in chief at Girls in Capes. She writes for all sections of the site, and she’s the one behind GiC’s Facebook and Twitter. Follow her on Twitter @FelizaCasano.
You can find the Editor’s Picks for the Best of 2013 right here. For more Best of 2014, explore the tag or check back soon.
