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Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn - 10/10 (To me, this book was a flawless thriller. It blew me away numerous times, and the conclusion was crushing. Even though it's become a pop-lit sensation, it has more depth than one might expect)
The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand - 8/10 (Howard Roark is a character like none other I've ever encountered in literature. What a book. Would have called it a perfect "10" if it hadn't dragged so much in the last third)
Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis - 7/10 (second time reading this. Wonderful, inspiring, uplifting)
Broken Monsters, Lauren Beukes - 7/10 (Great premise with some incredibly creative moments, but a very misguided and meandering book that lacked fluidity in its blending of genres)
I Am Legend, Richard Matheson - 8/10 (Unbelievably strong writing. Matheson's ideas were ages ahead of his time)
Live and Let Die, Ian Fleming - 7/10 (My first Bond book. A quick, entertaining little read)
Revival, Stephen King - 6/10 (Not one of his best. Strangely paced and with an ending that felt a bit out of left field, but it had some good moments, primarily the music-related passages)
Gateways to Abomination, Matthew M. Bartlett - 8/10 (the face of new horror. This man is trailblazing into insane territory, and it's brain-melting)
The Sound and the Fury, William Faulkner - 8/10 (Challenging, but excellent)
Duma Key, Stephen King - 9/10 (Possibly my favorite King novel since Lisey's Story. Diverse, character-rich, artful, bizarre)
Flight of the Blue Falcon, Jonathan Raab - 7/10
The Martian, Andy Weir - 6/10 (A rare case where the movie was better than the book. Weir's writing is primarily a series of technical [but interesting] expositions, while the movie has a fleshed-out cast of diverse and developed characters)
Finders Keepers, Stephen King - 9/10 (Second book in the Bill Hodges trilogy. Leans a bit too heavily on coincidence, but I still really had fun with this one)
The JAWS Log, Carl Gottlieb - 7/10 (The backstory to the production of one of the greatest films of our time. Fascinating)
As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner - 9/10 (Overall more accessible than The Sound and the Fury. A strong and heartbreaking gem)
In the Woods, Tana French - 10/10 (A masterful mystery with incredible depth and realistic characters. French was my favorite new author [new to me, that is] discovery this year)
The Likeness, Tana French - 8/10 (A premise that is intriguing but a bit of a stretch riding on the heels of In the Woods. Still, her voice is strong enough that the story was solid)
The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer - 10/10
Lunar Park, Bret Easton Ellis - 8/10 (This has become my favorite B.E.E. work. A meticulously crafted piece of curious meta-horror)
Rose Madder, Stephen King - 5/10 (I almost couldn't finish this one. His weakest book, save The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon)
The Pleasure Merchant, Molly Tanzer - 3/10 (Well written, but not my cup of tea)
Donnybrook, Frank Bill - 6/10 (Had its moments, but mostly a series of gruesome actions being done by characters who are too similar to each other to be told apart)
Twelve Ordinary Men, John MacArthur - 4/10
The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day in May, Mark Z. Danielewski - 8/10 (I almost didn't begin this 27-volume series because it sounded too daunting/pretentious, but holy shit... am I glad I did. Like nothing else I've ever read; endlessly creative, full of mystery but with just enough clues and breadcrumbs to keep the reader going. Like LOST in some ways, but better)
The Familiar, Volume 2: Into the Forest, Mark Z. Danielewski - 8/10 (Vol. 1 was the introduction; Vol. 2 kicks it into high gear. Cannot wait for Vols. 3 and 4 this year)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien - 9/10 (HOW/WHY did I wait so long to read this series?!? What an experience it must have been for those who read them before the films... Should have done that)
UNFINISHED or IN PROGRESS:
Firestarter, Stephen King - Lost interest, or perhaps it just wasn't the right time. This is the first time I've started a King novel and not finished it. Will probably pick it up again at some point.
Catch-22, Joseph Heller - Stopped after 120 pages because it was stupid, pointless, and I have no clue as to how or why it became a bestseller. I'm not the target audience, apparently.
Mystery & Manners: Occasional Prose, Flannery O'Connor - This is a wonderful collection of lectures and essays that I don't so much read straight through as pick up from time to time throughout the year and read an individual piece or two. I would highly recommend to authors or creatives in general, I've found it hugely inspiring and insightful.
The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt - Began the audiobook for this one late in the year and am still making my way through it. Enjoying it, it's just 900 hours long.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, J.R.R. Tolkien - Currently reading. Where Fellowship took a while to get moving, this one starts with a bang and has been thrilling from the start.
The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoevsky - Currently reading as part of a newly-joined book club. Several years back I wasn't able to make it through Crime and Punishment so we'll see how this goes...
Stories NOT for the Nervous, Alfred Hitchcock (editor, [except he wasn't]), Various Authors - This is a pocket paperback from 1965 of macabre stories from various authors, supposedly compiled or selected by Alfred Hitchcock. The "editor" title on the book is misleading, however, because I found out that Hitchcock himself was not an editor and had nothing whatsoever to do with the choosing of the stories in the collection, he merely cashed a check for allowing the publisher to put his name on a series of books containing spooky stories because they'd sell (A LOT) more copies that way. Though the collection was enjoyable, this piece of information somewhat killed it for me. Well played, Alfie--not.