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2014 booksWell, I managed to read 27 books this year (I had challenged myself to read 24). It doesn’t sound that great, but considering I work full time *and* write novels in my spare time, I’m happy with that number. Although, I have to admit that I wouldn’t have been able to hit that number if some of those books hadn’t been on audiobook (9 of the 27), which meant I could knock them off on the drive to work, while gardening, or while exercising, etc. It’s not quite the same as reading them yourself (unless you get a great narrator), but it certainly helps you to tick more off your TBR list!

Of the 18 books remaining, one was read on iPhone (iBooks), which was Jane Tara’s ‘Forecast’. The rest were all read on kindle.

Of the genres read, the (crude) breakdown is as follows:
20 SF/F
5 Action/Thrillers
2 Paranormal Romance

I’m also halfway through Myke Cole’s ‘Control Point’ on audiobook and I’m a few chapters into Alan Baxter’s ‘Bound’ on iPhone (iBooks), but these will have to count towards next year’s figures.

Anyway, of the 27 books I read this year, here are my Top 5:
1. The Martian by Andy Weir (audiobook, fantastic narrator);
2. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Kindle);
3. Lock In by John Scalzi (audiobook, good narrator);
4. Lexicon by Max Barry (audibook, good narrators);
5. Wool by Hugh Howey (audiobook, ok narrator).

Although there is only one Australian in this Top 5, I did actually read 14 novels by Australians (although technically 2 were UK/Australians), and enjoyed them all. Of the sex breakdown, 11 were by female authors – and if I had extended my top list to 6, then Marianne de Pierres’ book ‘Peacemaker’ would’ve been it.

So what have you read and enjoyed this year? Any recommendations for my 2015 hit list?

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Amanda Bridgeman

Amanda is an award-winning writer of both original and tie-in fiction. Her works include the near future crime thriller, THE SUBJUGATE, which is being developed for TV; Scribe Award winning procedural thriller, PANDEMIC: PATIENT ZERO; and Marvel X-Men novel, SOUND OF LIGHT, which has been embraced by Dazzler fans around the world.