My Best Reads of 2013

A collection of my most favorite reads this year. 

Of course, some of these books weren't released in '13, but I enjoyed reading them so much that I couldn't help but put them on the list.

My first book of the year is...

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

 

This book was released in March of this year, but I didn't pick it up until July or August. I was a little later to the Infernal Devices trilogy but when I started it, I found myself in love. Clockwork Princess tied up the loose ends and was a beautiful ending to such a wonderful trilogy.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I can't express how very much I love this book. It was such an impactful, beautiful, funny, and heart breaking read. If you haven't read it, you must! It's in my top three favorite books.

This is also the year that I finally read Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.

This is such an epic fantasy series and since finishing A Game of Thrones in May, I've also read the second book in the series. I'm enjoying it immensely, and I can't wait to begin the third.   

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa was such a great dystopian/vampire novel.

 

It's the first book in the Blood of Eden series. Enjoyed it so much!

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell was incredible!

I had watched the film before reading the book, and I'm glad that I did. The book is slightly complex but having seen the movie, it was much easier to follow. I loved both the book and the movie.

2013 wasn't my best literary year, but I definitely enjoyed many books. These were some of my favorites. 

The coming year I hope to read many more YA (dystopian, steampunk, fantasy), high fantasy, mystery, and classic novels.

5 Favorite Childhood Books

My love for reading really grew when I was in fourth grade. I remember that my teacher gave us 'reading time' each day. We were able to pick a book, sit in the floor, and read for 30 minutes. I always looked forward to it.

As a very small child, my mother read to me quite often. I still have a few of the Little Golden Books that we read together.

On to my list...

1. The Wind in the Willows

I cannot tell you how much I loved this book! It was probably the first book that I had read by myself that was over a hundred pages. I fell in love with the characters: Mole, Rat, Badger, and Toad. I even convinced my Mom to buy the animated movie for me on VHS. It will forever be my favorite childhood book. 

2. Little Women

Little Women was such an enjoyable read, and I've read it at least four times in my life. My favorite character was Jo, who had such a feisty personality. 

3. Catherine Called Birdy

I read this book over and over again. I loved it! I still do. It was such a great read. It is the diary of a 13th century girl, whose father is set on marrying off to the richest suitor. 


4. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

I read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe for the first time during a snow storm. I remember sitting near the window while the snow came down, reading it. It will always remind me of a beautiful, snowy winter. 


5. Mrs. Fish, Ape, and Me, The Dump Queen

I loved this book, and I think that I read it twice. I found it in the school library. I remember feeling emotional during it, as the main character is teased quite a bit. 

It wasn't very difficult to come up with a list of five. I think that these books have stuck with me well into adulthood.

Today I...

Picked up a copy of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I'm so thrilled! Happy sigh's all around. I have the hard bound copy. It's such a beautiful book. 

I also got these awesome, new glasses.

books, television, & movies

I  finished reading The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa. It was a really enjoyable read, and not quite what I had expected it to be. It isn't a traditional 'vampire' story. Allison Sekemoto was such a great protagonist. I'm looking forward to picking up the second book in the Blood Eden series called The Eternity Cure. 

I recently began Once Upon a Time again. I had only watched the first 3 episodes of the television series. I'm now on episode 8 of the first season. I'm so hooked! I love, love, love the story-line and how it meshes with the 'fairy tale' world. Wonderfully done!

Saw Catching Fire this past weekend! Completely loved it. It brought back every memory of reading the book. Jennifer Lawrence does an insanely perfect job of bringing Katniss Everdeen to life. It was so exciting!

What I'm Reading

"Just know that, whatever you choose, you will die today. The manner of your death, however, is up to you."

Taken from Goodreads: Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what–and who–is worth dying for…again.

This book is phenomenal so far! I'm about 40-50% in. It's difficult to put it down. I can't wait to finish it, and start the next.

insurgent review

#2 in the Divergent Trilogy

Every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Prior must continue trying to save those she loves, and herself, while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

***

NO SPOILERS

It took me a bit to read Insurgent after finishing Divergent. I wanted to bask in the glow of reading such a great book, and prolong the trilogy. (Okay, maybe I didn't wait that long...a couple of weeks?) The entire time I wasn't reading it, I wanted to read it.

Insurgent picks up immediately following Divergent. Tris and her friends are back to deal with the devastation that occurred, and the balance of power has shifted. 

It's very interesting to see how the characters change and grow, especially after Divergent. We learn so much more about each of them. Tris has gone through so many changes, and we see a side of her in Insurgent that we hadn't before. 

Many people have said that they didn't think Insurgent quite lived up to the amazing quality of Divergent. In my opinion, Divergent was a bit better because it had this wondrous quality, but Insurgent is such a great read. It's a wonderful, action-packed sequel with so much emotion and an amazing plot.


I gave this  book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.