First, I apologize as it has been a long time since my last blog. Usually I feel my words bubbling up into a blog at least once a week, but the only thing I had building up in me this past week was sinus pressure and congestion. Merry Christmas Rebecca! Here is a sinus infection and yes, yes I did wrap it in a layer of bronchitis for you. I have spent a lot of the last week laying my heavy and weary head on the couch, drinking tea until I cannot stand the thought of tea anymore and generally thinking of nothing except how lovely it would be to breathe through both nostrils at the same time. I am three days into antibiotics and feeling much better and just in time as Bill is now laid up with the same maladies and the kids are surviving on leftover Christmas cookies and video games and have gone a bit feral. The boy is scratching at the door right now making wolf noises as I am in the room with the new Xbox and told him he can't come in. Videooooooooooaroooooooooo, I better hurry.
I generally like to keep a list of all the books I have read over the year as I have had the obnoxious goal of reading 100 books a year for a few years now and I need to write them down in order to remember them as well as seeing how close I am to 100. There was one year I was pretty close and had read a good 75+ books, but this year I was not even close. That full time work really cuts into my reading time, let me tell you. Even worse, I decided this year to keep my list on my iPad and somehow I deleted my list! Stupid technology! So not only do I have a total number of books read, but I can only remember a handful of them and that is after trolling "The Best Books of 2013" websites. (Rest assured I am going old school this year and keeping my list handwritten in a notebook.)
By far two of the best books I read this year belong in Children's Literature category. The first one is "Wonder" and if you haven't read it yet, you must stop right now and go get it. It is beautiful, it is heart-wrenching and it will make you cry and feel like a bad and good person all at once. I oohed and ahhed over this book back in April and a full review can be found here Shameless Plug One. The second great kids' book I read was "The One and Only Ivan". I loved this book because it was written from the perspective of Ivan, a silverback gorrila living in too small a cage and his animal friends. I dare you to read it and ever go to a circus again. This book was tastefully done and will also make you cry. I, ahem, also reviewed this book and a further review can be found at Shameless Plug Two.
Actually, looking at my cobbled together list, I see that I spent a lot of time reading and crying this year. "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes was by far one of the best books I have read in a long time and one that left me with tears streaming down my face and a runny nose as well. It is a beautiful love story and will melt the hardest of hearts. Next up on the Tearjerker Express? "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green. The buzz surrounding this book and upcoming movie is legit. Pick it up and read it and hold onto your heart. Bill had to hold me after I finished that one, I was a wreck! John Green is an amazing writer and an author whose books we cannot keep in at the library. Try him, you will like him. A third book that haunted me and left me in triumphant tears at the end was "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson. I listened to this one on CD and I will tell you, it was a little depressing. This girl's story haunted me and stayed with me each day until I finally drove far enough to reach the end and I cheered and cried a little in my car. If you have a teenage daughter, read this book because unfortunately, this stuff happens every day. And if you have a teenage daughter, have her read it as well because she needs to know how important her voice is.
"Code Name Verity" is another Young Adult Book that I read and loved and recommend to girls at school all the time. Historical Fiction? Check. Strong female character? Check. Can't put it down? Check. Surprisingly enough, another book I recommend all the time is "Rot and Ruin". Dystopia meets zombie apocalypse and samurai swords. Well-written, good story and both boys and girls like this book and its successors. Finally in the world of Young Adult, color me impressed with "Allegiant". Way to end strong and not make the third book a waste of my time and paper as so many third books seem to be.
"Life After Life" tops quite a few of the bestseller lists. I thought it was good but that there was one or two lives too many...got it, wrap it up already. "Cuckoo's Calling" I enjoyed. It was a good detective story written by our beloved and beleaguered JK Rowling. If you don't go into it expecting Harry Potter you won't be disappointed and the title is not "Harry Potter and the Cuckoo's Calling" so cut the woman some slack! Finally, "The Son" by Philipp Meyer was outstanding. It was epic. It was sweeping. It was drama and saga and reminded me of The Thornbirds even though there was no dirty priest love. It was incredible writing throughout a very interesting story and when I was done with it, I wanted more.
One of the many perks of my new job is that we get Advanced Copies of books that have been yet to be released. Woohoo for me! I have brought a lot of them home and only been able to read one or two. One I had to read because all the girls were reading it and oohing and ahhing over it. I read it and felt I had to let them all know that if you show up at a 19 year old's apartment at 2am, he is going to want to do more than cuddle. Honestly. "Invention of Wings" by Sue Monk Kidd will be out in February. Read it. Historical fiction that changes voice each chapter and hits on slavery and women's rights - winner, winner, chicken dinner if you ask me.
Alright, what I can remember of books in 2013 reviewed and wrapped up. If you have any to recommend for me in 2014, send them along! And for those of you who do not know of my intense hatred of "Little Bee", please do not suggest "Little Bee. To anyone. Ever.
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