December 29, 2013 / Leslie

2013 Reading Wrap-Up

2013 Year End

It didn’t feel like I read a lot of books in 2013, but when I looked at my Goodreads totals found I had read 105 books in a variety of genres. Fifty-seven of them were audiobooks. The inclusion of audiobooks has doubled my reading in the past few years.

Favorite Books

In no particular order, my favorite books read or listened to in 2013:

Lexicon by Max Barry
A brilliant novel with an original concept, suspenseful story line and compelling characters. A mix of genre with science/speculative fiction overtones but also a suspenseful action thriller with a mystery to be solved and a little romance on the side.

The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell
Psychological suspense and an extremely unreliable narrator made for a compelling story that put this historical fiction high on my recommended list. The ambiguous ending added to the intrigue.

We Are Water by Wally Lamb
Difficult and at times disturbing topics were expertly handled in this beautifully written piece of contemporary fiction centering on the complexity of modern life in America. In addition to being one of my favorite novels this was my favorite audio production of 2013.

Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman
Beautifully written and timeless in its portrayal of a young woman growing up. I adored the country setting and the author’s love of nature.

The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane
A haunting, emotional and at times alarming psychological tale of aging and dementia. It will make you want to pick up the phone and check on elderly friends and family that live alone.

Gardening for the Birds by George Adams
A treasure trove of information and handy reference guide to creating a native landscape and bird friendly backyard.

Written in Red by Anne Bishop
This was a novel I choose on a whim while looking for something different, and it was a refreshing surprise. Adult urban fantasy with no romance and no sexy vampires, just great storytelling in a well-constructed world, and I love good world building.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
A quick, light read with sharp, clever writing about a man who, never having been on a second date, sets out to find a wife in a purely logical manner. While marketed as a romance, this is a witty, humorous story that will appeal to a wide range of readers.

The Humans by Matt Haig
A member of a highly evolved alien species is dispatched to earth to take over a professor’s body and destroy his work. Told from the point of view of the alien, his witty, dry and humorous observations about people and what it means to be human are what makes this story work so well.

Challenges

I only participated in a couple of challenges this year. I completed the What’s In A Name Challenge but it was more fun than a challenge. A couple of weeks ago I remembered that I had signed up and was able to find a book I had already read this year to fit each of the categories. It felt a little like cheating.

I’m just not good at year-long challenges. I find I enjoy the readalongs and short-term reading events such as Readers Imbibing Peril or Vintage Science Fiction Month, so no big challenges next year and more low pressure events.