We caught up with some of our favorite female authors who had new books out this year and asked them: Which books did you love and could not put down in 2014?
Susie Schnall:
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
“It is incredibly well written, Moriarty has a sharp eye for real-life characters and the rich details of their daily lives, she explores important subject matter deftly, and, ultimately, it was a page-turner — I could barely put it down and even read it while I was brushing my teeth! Moriarty is a brilliant storyteller and Big Little Lies does not disappoint.”
Check out Susie’s upcoming novel, On Grace:
The next chapter in Grace May’s life is about to begin. She is about to turn 40 and is excited about it, has an engaging new writing job and both her boys are in school. But everything changes when Grace loses her job and receives surprising news from her best friend and husband. Everything is now at stake: her marriage, friendship and sense of self. By her birthday, Grace will finally discover with laughter, tears and grace who and what matters most.
More: Ultimate holiday book gift guide: 16 Books you should gift this year
Sarah Jio:
Small Victories by Anne Lamott
“While I write fiction, lately I’ve found myself gravitating to nonfiction for reading pleasure. Small Victories made me laugh, ponder and feel like I could somehow hold my head a little higher.”
Check out Sarah’s latest novel, The Look of Love:
Jane Williams has inherited a gift: the ability to see true love even though she has never experienced it herself. On her 29th birthday, she is told she has one year to find and record the six types of love or else she will suffer with never being able to find her true love. Through the next year Jane learns about the relationships of those close to her — some satisfying, some heartbreaking.
More: Amazon’s best books of 2014
Taylor Jenkins Reid:
by Emily Giffin
“Not only filled the Friday Night Lights-sized hole in my heart, but it made me swoon like a teenager.”
Check out Taylor’s latest novel, After I Do:
When Lauren and Ryan hit the breaking point in their marriage, they take a year off with only one rule: they can’t contact each other. As Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, she learns her friends and family have their own ideas of what marriage means. These influences and her own healing process begin to change her thoughts on monogamy and marriage. When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, what are you willing to fight for?
Colleen Haggerty:
Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
“A period piece set in the AIDS-ridden 1980s, Brunt delicately and masterfully depicts how our secrets separate us from those we love. I love a book where I can see myself in the characters. Though the main character was a very different 14-year-old than I was, I, too, was dealing with grief and loss at that age. Rifka Brunt’s language punctuated my experience perfectly.”
Check out Colleen’s latest novel, A Leg To Stand On:
Embark on Colleen Haggerty’s journey into motherhood. Haggerty lost her leg in an accident during her senior year of high school; she could have let her disability become her defining quality — instead, she went the opposite way. Haggerty recounts her life as a disabled woman, from redefining herself as a young woman to choosing marriage and motherhood.
Emily Giffin:
Saving Lucas Biggs by Marisa de los Santos and David Teague
“A YA/sci-fi novel by a supremely talented husband and wife writing team (Marisa is one of my favorite authors!) about a young girl racing through the past to save her father’s future. A very fun, innovative offering for young readers!”
Check out Emily’s latest novel, The One & Only:
Shea Rigsby is 33 years old and has never left her small, football-loving hometown of Walker, Texas. She went to college in Walker and is now working in Walker. Shea’s comfortable life takes an unexpected turn when tragedy strikes the small town, leaving her questioning if her chosen life is really enough. Shea departs the safety of her little town and discovers the deepest truths of others, as well as herself.
More:Emily Giffin’s The One & Only: Your summer read has arrived
Kaira Rouda:
The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams
“It’s the story of two strong young women, each a symbol of her time, linked by a battered suitcase.”
Check out Kaira’s latest novel, In the Mirror:
Jennifer Benson seems to have it all, until she is diagnosed with cancer. Jennifer enters an experimental treatment facility to tackle her cancer the same way she has tackled her life: head-on. However, while she’s preoccupied with fighting for a cure, running her business, staying connected with her kids, planning a party and trying to keep her sanity, she ignores her own intuition and rekindles an old relationship that’s better left behind.
Justina Chen:
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
“It had everything: adventure, lyrical and supple prose, a hero worth my every minute with his story and enduring love. Best of all, the story rang with truth and spirit.”
Check out Justina’s latest novel, A Blind Spot for Boys:
Shana, 16, is officially on a boy moratorium. After constant failed relationships, she is done with boys. But what happens when she meets the dreamy new lacrosse player Quattro and sparks fly? After receiving devastating news about her dad, Shana and her family travel to Peru, where she can’t seem to get Quattro out of her head.
Suzanne Palmieri:
A Sudden Light by Garth Stein
“I ran across it doing research for the novel I’m working on, due out in 2016. I needed a good family saga with a juicy haunted house plotline. Well, about three chapters in, I stopped thinking about ways to organize my own novel and fell head over heels into the story! Modern Gothic greatness and a must-read for anyone who had enjoyed my books.”
Check out Suzanne’s upcoming novel, The Witch of Belladonna Bay:
“Time lies.” Bronwyn hasn’t set eyes on her hometown of Magnolia Creek, Alabama, for 14 years. But with her brother Patrick behind bars for the murder of her childhood friend, and her eccentric father, Jackson, at his wits’ end with her 11-year-old niece, Byrd, Bronwyn finds herself once again surrounded by ancient magnolia trees. “Love lies.” But before she can even take in what she left behind, she’s wrapped up in the mysteries surrounding the murder and the magic running through little Byrd. “Evil comes in all shapes and sizes.” As her bond with Byrd grows, Bronwyn must face the demons of her past to unravel the uncertain future of her family.
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