Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 Books


This was an excellent year of reading.


Top 10 fiction:

Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer
A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson 
MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson
Perfect by Rachel Joyce  
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout
Vacationland by Sarah Stonich 
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell
  
 (I had a struggle deciding on the top 10 fiction, but decided on these.  There are several other books I could easily add to this list but then it would be over 10 books...)

Top 5 Short Stories:
Bobcat and Other Stories by Rebecca Lee 
Appearances and Other Stories by Margo Krasner
T.C. Boyle Stories II: The Collected Stories of T. Coraghessan Boyle
My Own Miraculous: A Short Story by Joshilyn Jackson
Beyond the Rift by Peter Watts

Top 10 nonfiction:
The Telling Room by Michael Paterniti
The Men Who United the States by Simon Winchester
This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett 
Visit Sunny Chernobyl by Andrew Blackwell 
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Square Peg by Todd Rose with Katherine Ellison 
Candyfreak by Steve Almond
Tim Rowland’s Creature Features  by Tim Rowland
Emotions: Confront the Lies. Conquer with Truth by Charles F. Stanley
Scammed by Art Maines


2013 Books - 151 Books


January - 12 books

1. Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton, 976 pages, 1/1/13, very highly recommended
2. Hunting Marfa Lights by James Bunnell, 320 pages, 1/3/13, highly recommended
3. The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan, 320 pages, 1/8/13, very highly recommended - YA
4. Flesh by Khanh Ha, 368 pages, 1/10/13, highly recommended
5. The Archaeological Evidence of Noah's Flood by Philip Lee Williams, 411 pages, 1/11/13, recommended, nonfiction
6. My Dead Friend Sarah by Peter Rosch, 228 pages, 1/13/13, highly recommended
7. The Drowning House by Elizabeth Black, 288 pages, 1/17/13, highly recommended
8. The Kingdom of Rarities by Eric Dinerstein, 336 pages, 1/19/13, very highly recommended, nonfiction
9. Blast from the Past by Lauren Carr, 260 pages, 1/21/13, very highly recommended
10. Book of Why by Nicholas Montemarano, 320 pages, 1/23/13, highly recommended
11. The Cartel by A. K. Alexander, 494 pages, 1/25/13, not recommended
12. Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley, 400 pages, 1/29/13, very highly recommended, YA

February - 10 books
13. Stories from Jonestown by Leigh Fondakowski, 312 pages, 2/1/13, very highly recommended, nonfiction
14. The Expats by Chris Pavone, 336 pages, 1/4/13, very highly recommended
15. Scammed by Art Maines, 210 pages, 2/11/13, very highly recommended - nonfiction
16. Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason, 320 pages, 2/13/13, highly recommended
17. The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord, 320 pages, 2/14/13, so-so
18. Domino Falls by Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due, 384 pages, 2/19/13, very highly recommended
19. Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer, (audio book) 320 pages, 2/23/13, very highly recommended
20. Against My Will by Benjamin Berkley, 271 pages, 2/26/13, recommended
21. With or Without You by Domenica Ruta, 224 pages, 2/27/13, highly recommended, nonfiction
22. Another Forgotten Child by Cathy Glass, 309 pages, 2/28/13, very highly recommended, nonfiction

March - 13 books

23.Corporeality by Hollis Seamon, 204 pages, 3/1/13, very highly recommended, short stories
24. Replacement Child: A Memoir by Judy L. Mandel, 320 pages, 3/5/13, highly recommended, nonfiction
25. Square Peg by Todd Rose with Katherine Ellison, 256 pages, 3/6/13, very highly recommended, non-fiction
26. The Tale of Lucia Grandi; The Early Years by Susan Speranza, 426 pages, 3/7/13, very highly recommended
27. Tim Rowland’s Creature Features by Tim Rowland, 160 pages, 3/11/13, very highly recommended, nonfiction
28. Appearances and Other Stories by Margo Krasne, 160 pages, 3/12/13, very highly recommended, short stories
29. A Thousand Pardons by Jonathan Dee, 224 pages, 3/13/13, recommended
30. The End of the Point by Elizabeth Graver, 352 pages, 3/14/13, highly recommended
31. Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany, 384 pages, 3/19/13, recommended
32. The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne, 480 pages, 3/21/13, very highly recommended
33. The Rainbow Virus by Dennis Meredith, 408 pages, 3/23/13, very highly recommended
34. Children of No One by Nicole Cushing, 50 pages, 3/26/13, highly recommended
35. The Missing File by D. A. Mishani, 304 pages, 3/28/13, highly recommended

April – 8 books

36. Vacationland by Sarah Stonich, 288 pages, 4/1/13, very highly recommended
37. Something About Sophie by Mary Kay McComas, 320 pages, 4/4/13, highly recommended
38. Live and Let Die by Bianca Sloane, 290 pages, 4/9/13, very highly recommended
39. The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius by Kristine Barnett, 272 pages, 4/10/13, recommended
40. The New Republic by Lionel Shriver, 380 pages, 4/11/13, recommended
41. One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis, 352 pages, 4/15/13, very highly recommended
42. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, 352 pages, 4/18/13, very highly recommended
43. Untold Damage by Robert K. Lewis, 278 pages, 4/25/13, highly recommended

May – 8 books

44. Half as Happy by Gregory Spatz, 188 pages, 5/2/13, very highly recommended
45.Immortal Bird by Doron Weber, 358 pages, 5/16/13, highly recommended
46. Snapper by Brian Kimberling, 224 pages, 5/17/13, very highly recommended
47. Blood Drama by Christopher Meeks, 242 pages, 5/22/13, very highly recommended
48. The Humanity Project by Jean Thompson, 352 pages, 5/23/13, highly recommended
49. The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan, 373 pages, 5/26/13, very highly recommended
50.15 Days Without a Head by Dave Cousins, 302 pages, 5/27/13, highly recommended
51. The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout, 336 pages, 5/31/13, very highly recommended

June – 13 books

52. Mistrial by Mark Geragos and Pat Harris, 304 pages, 6/3/13, highly recommended
53.Worm by Tim Curran, 100 pages (est) 6/5/13, highly recommended
54. The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes, 375 pages, 6/7/13, highly recommeded
55. Bobcat an Other Stories by Rebecca Lee, 256 pages, 6/11/13, very highly recommended
56. The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls, 288 pages, 6/12/13, highly recommended
57. Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, 464 pages, 6/13/13, very highly recommended
58. Glass House 51 by John Hampel, 432 pages, 6/15/13, highly recommended
59. The Land of Decoration by Grace McCleen, 320 pages, 6/16/13, recommended
60. And When She Was Good by Laura Lippman, 314 pages, 6/20/13, highly recommended
61.Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss, 480 pages, 6/21/13, very highly recommended
62. F9 by Michael McBride, 65 pages, 6/22/13, very highly recommended
63. The New Flesh by Keith Deininger, 260 pages, 6/22/13, not recommended
64. The Registry by Shannon Stoker, 336 pages, 6/27/13 highly recommended
 
July – 18 books 

65. Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall, 320 pages, 7/2/13, highly recommended
66. The Longings of Wayward Girls by Karen Brown, 336 pages 7/3/13, recommended
67. Three Lives of Tomomi Ishikawa by Benjamin Constable, 352 pages, 7/3/13, very highly recommended
68. Accidents Happen by Louise Millar, 385 pages, 7/5/13, highly recommended
69. Loteria by Mario Alberto Zambrano, 288 pages, 7/10/13, highly recommended
70. Between You and Me by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, 288 pages, 7/12/13, not recommended 
71. Marathon Man by William Goldman, 336 pages, 7/14/13, highly recommended
72. The Romanov Cross by Robert Masello, 512 pages, 7/18/13, very highly recommended
73. The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy, 211 pages, 7/18/13, very highly recommended
74. There are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes by Robert Jacoby, 342 pages,7/19/13, recommended
75. 14 by Peter Clines, 352 pages, 7/20/13, very highly recommended
76. After The Ending by Lindsey Fairleigh and Lindsey Pogue, 478 pages, 7/22/13, so-so
77. True North: The Shocking Truth about Yours, Mine & Ours by Tom North, 365 pages, 7/23/13, Recommended
78. Sweet Little Lies by Bianca Sloane, 278 pages, 7/24/13, highly recommende
79. Mayor of Hollywood by M.B. Brophy, 337 pages, 7/26/13, recommended
80. Notown by Tess Collins, 428 pages, 7/28/13 highly recommended
81. The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World's Greatest Piece of Cheese by Michael Paterniti, 368 pages , 7/30/13, Very Highly Recommended
82. That Touch of Ink by Diane Vallere, 290 pages, 7/30/13, recommended

August – 18 books

83. A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson, 352 pages, 8/1/13, very highly recommended
84. Going Home: A Novel of Survival by A. American, 480 pages 8/3/13, recommended
85. Surviving Home by A. American, 528 pages, 8/3/13 recommended
86. Going Away by Clancy Sigal, 513 pages, 8/3/13, highly recommended
87. The Will by Harvey Swados, 272 pages, 8/7/13, highly recommended
88. Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick, 288 pages, 8/7/13, very highly recommended
89. All Pets are Off: A Collection of Hairy Columns by Tim Rowland, 177 pages, 8/8/13, very highly recommended
90. Bossypants by Tina Fey, 283 pages, 8/9/13, very highly recommended
91. Strong Rain Falling by Jon Land, 368 pages, 8/10/13, very highly recommended
92. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, 386 pages, 8/11/13, highly recommended
93. The Color Master: Stories by Aimee Bender, 240 pages, 8/14/13, highly recommended
94. Eyewall by H.W. Buzz Bernard, 246 pages, 8/17/13, recommended
95. The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon, 422 pages, 8/19/13, very highly recommended
96. Etched in Sand: A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island by Regina Calcaterra, 306 pages, 8/22/13, very highly recommended
97. The Returned by Jason Mott, 352 pages, 8/23/13, very highly recommended
98. MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood, 416 pages, 8/25/13, very highly recommended
99. In the Company of Wolves: Thinning the Herd by James Michael Larranaga, 350 pages, 8/28/13, recommended
100. Candyfreak by Steve Almond, 284 pages, 8/30/13, very highly recommended

September - 14

101. Arctic Fire by Paul Byers, 412 pages, 9/4/13, recommended
102. Enon by Paul Harding, 256 pages, 9/4/13, very highly recommended
103. The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison, 336 pages, 9/6/13, very highly recommended
104. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller, 336 pages, 9/8/13, very highly recommended
105. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery , 336 pages, 9/10/13, very highly recommended
106. Iron Council by China MiƩville , 576 pages, 9/14/13, recommended
107. Big Brother by Lionel Shriver, 384 pages, 9/17/13, very highly recommended
108. A Wilder Rose by Susan Wittig Albert, 302 pages, 9/22/13, recommended
109. Unraveling: Hanging Onto Faith Through the End of a Christian Marriage by Elisabeth Klein Corcoran, 208 pages, 9/22/13, very highly recommended
110. The Round House by Louise Erdrich, 368 pages, 9/25/13, very highly recommended
111. The Sky Manifest by Brian Panhuyzen, 240 pages, 9/25/13, highly recommended
112. The Science of Ocean Waves by J. B. Zirker, 272 pages, 9/27/13, very highly recommended
113. Suburban Legends: True Tales of Murder, Mayhem, and Minivans by Sam Stall, 240, 9/29/13, highly recommended
114. T.C. Boyle Stories II: The Collected Stories of T. Coraghessan Boyle, Volume II, 944 pages, 9/30/13, very highly recommended

October – 15 books 

115. The Preservationist by Justin Kramon, 336 pages, 10/1/13, recommended
116. Hush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn, 368 pages, 10/2/13, highly recommended
117. Cartwheel by Jennifer duBois, 384 pages, 10/9/13, highly recommended
118. How To Be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman, 282 pages, 10/11/13, very highly recommended
119. The Men Who United the States by Simon Winchester, 496 pages, 10/12/13, very highly recommended
120. Cities at Sea by Martin Simons, 185 pages, 10/13/13, so-so 121. The Prodigal by Michael Hurley, 358 pages, 10/14/13, very highly recommended
122. The Heavens Rise by Christopher Rice 336 pages, 10/16/13, highly recommended
123. Emotions: Confront the Lies. Conquer with Truth by Charles F. Stanley, 304, 10/18/13, very highly recommended
124. Parasite by Mira Grant, 512 pages, 10/23/13 very highly recommended
125. The Stranger You Know by Andrea Kane, 368 pages, 10/25/13, highly recommended
126. The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell, 311 pages, 10/28/13, very highly recommended
127. The Death of Santini: The Story of a Father and His Son by Pat Conroy, 352 pages, 10/29/13, highly recommended
128. The Clearing by Dan Newman, 336 pages, 10/30/13, recommended
129. Blood Brothers by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell, 50 pages, 10/31/13, very highly recommended

November - 10 books

130. Bitter Like Orange Peel by Jessica Bell, 268 pages, 11/1/13, so-so
131. Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield, 336 pages, 11/2/13, highly recommended
132. The Whole Golden World by Kristina Riggle, 448 pages, 11/11/13, very highly recommended
133. White Fire by Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, 384 pages, 11/12/13, very highly recommended
134. Limit by Frank Schatzing, 11/13/13, 960 pages, highly recommended
135. Beyond the Rift by Peter Watts, 240 pages, 11/15/3, very highly recommended (short stories)
136. Visit Sunny Chernobyl by Andrew Blackwell, 320 pages, 11/17/13, very highly recommended
137. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, 384 pages, 11/19/13, highly recommended
138. This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett, 320 pages, 11/27/13, very highly recommended
139. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami, 416 pages, 11/29/13, highly recommended

December - 12 books

140. Escaping Home by A. American, 336 pages, 12/2/13, recommended
141. Plague by Lisa Hinsley, 129 pages, 12/9/13, very highly recommended
142. The Tenth Circle by Jon Land, 536 pages, 12/17/13, recommended
143. Camels Are Easy, Comedy's Hard by Roy Blount Jr., 303 pages, 12/10/13, highly recommended
144. Game by Anders de la Motte, 400 pages, 12/15/13, so-so
145. Buzz by Anders de la Motte, 496 pages, 12/15/13, so-so
146. Perfect by Rachel Joyce, 400 pages, 12/17/13, very highly recommended
147. My Own Miraculous: A Short Story by Joshilyn Jackson, 128 pages, 12/18/13, very highly recommended
148. Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson, 320 pages, 12/19/143, very highly recommended
149. The Moses Virus by Jack Hyland, 256 pages, 12/20/13, highly recommended
150. Cry of The Children by J. M. Gregson, 224 pages, 12/21/13, very highly recommended
151.Memes of Loss and Devotion by Darren White, 221 pages, 12/23/13, highly recommended

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