2013 has been a good reading year for me. No, a GREAT year. I read 179 new books and re-read some 10 old loves. That is a lot of books! I don't know if 2014 will be as good or whether I'll read as much. As long as I read good books I'll be happy girl.
When choosing my favourtie books of the year, I tried to think of the books I've read and pick ones that have stuck with me. I also looked at my Goodreads and saw if based on ratings I could pick my top books- figures I gave 27 books a 5/5! And a majority of the books I read were 4/5. So that rating system didn't help much. So in the end I just picked books I really enjoyed and ones I see myself going back to.
So in no particular order...of merit...here are my favourite books of the year 2013!
1. Agatha Christie Books: This was the first time in my life I started reading Agatha Christie and I cannot believe it took me this long! Seriously! I can't quite pick just one book to name as a favourite so I am cheating and picking most of the ones I read this year. I've read about 9-10 books by her this year and I plan to read some more. I thoroughly enjoy her writing, characterization and her insight into human nature. I just cannot recommend them enough!
2. The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair: I loved this book and had never heard of it before I chanced upon it at a bookstore. See this is why I love bookstores! This book had me gripped from the very beginning and I loved the story, the people and the setting of this book. I have a full review HERE.
3. Afterlife: Ghost Stories from Goa by Jessica Faliero: Another random pick from an online bookstore, mainly because it was really cheap, I adore this book! Read it in one sitting and loved the ghost stories and the characters and the premise. The twist in the end is both amazing and sad. I reviewed it HERE.
4. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins: I read Anna and The French Kiss last year and really enjoyed it. But this book I loved, mainly because Cricket Bell is just awesome. Read it for a lovely, happy, quick read. I did a full review HERE.
5. Jaya: An Illustrated Re-Telling of the Mahabharata by Devdutt Pattanaik: Oh my God! I really loved this book and read it in like 2 hours. The Mahabharata (an Indian epic) is one of my all time favourite story. I LOVE it and enjoy anything to do with it. I have read other re-tellings of this epic and therefore thought I could perhaps skip this one. Wrong!
This was a wonderful book with a lot of the side stories and myths, I enjoyed it very much and even got/forced my dad to read it. I will do a proper review very soon.
6. The Things Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: This was my year of discovering this author and I read 2 more books by her after this short story collection. I adored the writing and the setting of these stories. A full review of this book is HERE.
7. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys: I loved this book and really loved the characters and the setting of New Orleans in the 1950s. It was a sweet, heart-warming read and a full review is HERE.
8. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson: Jack The Ripper, ghosts and a boarding school! Sold! Loved this book. Read it on a rainy afternoon and was sufficiently spooked! A review is HERE.
I still can't get my hands on the next book in the series and it pisses me off! Need to read it soon.
9. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls: I LOVED this book. The only non-fiction book to make it to my list and if there is one book you read out of my top 13 I'd urge you to read this one. It breaks your heart and makes me cry but it also fills you with hope. I loved the writing and I cannot wait to read more of the author's works. Full review HERE.
10. The Cuckoos Calling by Robert Galbraith/ JK Rowling: I honestly bought this book only because JK Rowling wrote it. I love her and will support anything she does! But this book is pretty remarkable. I am a big mystery/thriller/whodunnit books and this one didn't disappoint. Full review HERE.
11. The Lowlands by Jhumpa Lahiri: This might be the best book I've read all year. Lahiri is one of those authors whose writing I love so much I can read them talking about just anything. Even mundane things seem wonderful when Lahiri writes them. I enjoyed this book and recently did a review HERE.http://thewhimsybookworm.blogspot.in/2013/12/sister-reads-review-lowland-by-jhumpa.html
12. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman: Loved it and recently gushed about it HERE. I can't wait to read more Gaiman.
13. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi: I had meant to read this graphic novel for a long, long time and finally this year I read it and loved it. The story, the feisty characters and reading about Iran. I also read Embroideries by the same author and loved it. Review can be found HERE.
As a bonus jonas here are some other books I loved this year:
Whoa! That is the 13 books I enjoyed the most this year...I think...I am sure 2 weeks later I'l think of another great book and want to come back and add it. Like I said, I did read a lot of great books this year and very few terrible books, so this list was a little difficult to compile.
What are the best books you've read this year?
Do tell.
I hope 2014 is a wonderful year for all of you.
Happy New Year guys :)
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