Tuesday, December 31, 2013

The Books of 2013

Total Books Read: 70!
Total Pages Read: 19,041 pages...approximately.

My Favorites:
Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, Attachments by Rainbow Rowell: One of my new favorite authors! I sobbed reading Eleanor & Park, I related so much to Cath in Fangirl, and just gushed all over the place during Attachments!

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess: If it weren't for one of my classes in college, I would have probably written this book off forever. I am so glad I gave it a chance and persevered through the tricky slang.

After by Amy Efaw: I still shudder from the intensity of this book about a soccer star who hides her pregnancy and is on trial for how she handled her birth.

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner: Another one I thought I would write off together until one day I somehow gained enough strength to push myself through it. THE LAST LINE STILL GIVES ME CHILLS. So many interesting voices and perspective changes. Truly amazing.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: The hype is strong with this one...and well deserved! I loved the twists and turns throughout the changing perspectives of a guilty-looking husband and his missing wife.

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak: The Book Thief was one of my favorite reads last year, and I was anxious to read another one of his books. It didn't disappoint! Beautifully written with extremely lovable characters!

My Least Favorites:
Forrest Gump by Winston Groom: Shocker, right?! I adore the movie (like the rest of the world), and I just didn't understand how they got that beautiful movie from this over-the-top novel.

Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk: Yawn. I feel like Palahniuk outdid himself a couple of years ago. There was a lack of difference between the multiple narrators, and he used shock value for no purpose to the narrative.

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max: Gag. It was exactly what I expected it to be. Misogynistic, shameful, frat boy misadventures.

What Changed From Last Year:
Once I graduated college, I sort of strayed away from adult/classic literature and planted my feet into YA. I love reading YA, and eventually would like to go to grad school to be a librarian specializing in childrens/teen lit, but in 2014, I would like to read more adult novels and classics!

This year wasn't that amazing of a reading year for me! I struggled to come up with suggestions for friends, and besides my new love affair with Rainbow Rowell and her books, nothing really stuck to me like some of the books I read last year did. But I still got a lot of really great reading experiences, and enjoyed a lot of the books I read!

Hope you all have a safe and happy New Year! I am beyond ready for 2014!

See you all next year!

8 comments:

  1. I read all of Rainbow Rowell's books too. They were all so wonderful in their own special way. :)

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    1. Agreed! I don't even know if I could pick a favorite!

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  2. Awesome list of read books!! Congrats on a good year - here's hoping next year is even better!!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. Thank you! Hopefully 2014 is better than 2013 personal-lifewise, but 2013 was a damn good reading year! Hope your year is amazing, too!

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  3. Wow, that is a great list! You read so many! I'll definitely be adding more books to my list this year.

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    1. Thank you! I'm kind of overwhelmed with myself over how many books I read! What is your goal for the new year?

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  4. You read some really awesome books! I always love when I find someone who reads classics as well, or a wide variety of books. Sometimes being stuck in one genre/age group can become sort of...limiting? Not the word I wanted, but I haven't had a chance to finish my cup of coffee yet haha

    In any case, I'm glad you had an awesome last year, and here's to another one!

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    1. I agree with you! Limiting is a good word...sticking to just one genre or type of book becomes stagnant after a while! I like to switch it up, and my mood is always changing! (And I totally get pre-coffee brain ;)

      Thank you! Hope your new year is amazing as well!

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