2013 A Year in Review: Books

2013 A Year in Review: Books

This post is long and picture heavy because I read a lot and I like pretty pictures!

I am an avid reader. I read almost everyday on either my Kindle or the Kindle app on my phone, and most days out of hard copy print books. My bedside table is a bookcase. I have another stack of books on the other side of my bed. I have stacks of them on the floor and jammed (by subject) into bookshelves. I've already made posts about Shelfari and done several book reviews, so y'all should be able to tell that I like books.

What you probably didn't know was that last year I read 213 books. Not all of them were long, some were quite short, but I did read them. I found this series of questions from The Readables on YouTube last week and I thought it was a great idea to talk about all the fantastic books I had read in the past year. I had forgotten that I had even read some of the books I had read in January a year ago. The following books do not represent the entirety of the books I read last year, just the ones I loved (or hated) the most. This post took me several days to put together and is by far the longest blog I've ever written. I hope you enjoy!

1.       Best book you read in 2013: Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne (1864)


  I read this early in 2013. This was hands down the best book I read all last year. I didn't want to put it down. If you like science fiction or fantasy and you like to read older books and classics, this is the book for you. It is full of adventure, geography, history, dinosaurs, and giant plants. I kept putting off this book, but I wish I had read it earlier because it really changed how I thought about Verne. Here is my two sentence review on Shelfari.

2.     Book you were excited about and thought you are going to love but didn’t: Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James (2011) and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith (2010)

 

I couldn't choose between these two books on the biggest disappointment of 2013. I didn't expect that much from 50 Shades, but I was still super disappointed because I have read better fanfiction that was FREE! Why are people buying this book if it costs actual money?! I borrowed mine from the library and I'm so glad I did so I didn't waste any money. Here is my angry rant review on Shelfari if you want to see what I thought about it. Abraham Lincoln, on the other hand, I didn't even finish. I had been looking forward to it so much. They had even made a movie about it! I was so disappointed! I didn't even get halfway through the book before I gave up. I couldn't stand the way it was written and I found it to be boring in most places.

 

3.       Most surprising in a good way book of 2013: The Ancient Hawaiians: How They Clothed Themselves by Magraret Titcomb (1974)

I read this book this summer when I was bored with reading Sherlock Holmes fanfiction and fairytales. It was a short book but really informative. I wasn't expecting to become as engrossed in it as I did. It was full of drawings that depicted scenes from the ancient people's lives. If you like cultural studies, this is a fun book.

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most: A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1887)

I LOVED this book! I couldn't put it down. I watched the BBC Sherlock for the first time this year and was dragged into the wonderful world of Sherlock Holmes. I decided to read the books because I love mysteries and I thought these would be great. I was right. I recommend this book the most because it is the first book in the Holmes cannon and it is always good to start at the beginning of a series. There are four full length novels and 56 short stories in the Holmesian repertoire. I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves mysteries, murder, intrigue, history, and classic literature.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013: Canon of Sherlock Holmes (1887- 1927) and the Andrew Lang Fairy Books (1889- 1910)

As stated above, the Sherlock Holmes books are my new obsession, but fairytales are another. I have always loved fairytales and folklore, but I recently have had a resurgence in the fantasy genre on my bookshelf. The colored fairy book series compiled and edited by Andrew Lang is one of the best series of fairytales out there. Lang was an anthropologist and poet who compiled these highly successful books. The stories included are as well known as Beauty and the Beast or Blue Beard and as unknown as Why the Sea is Salt. There are 12 books containing 437 stories. If you like fairytales, this is a great series for you.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013: Diana Wynne Jones, Author of Howl's Moving Castle (1986)

I first watched the Miyazaki movie Howl's Moving Castle about 5 years ago. I fell in love with Howl and Sophie and watched it several times. When I saw the book on Amazon on sale for $1.99, I bought it and read it the same day. I am so glad that I did. Diana Wynne Jones has a wonderful way with words and this story is a perfect children's story.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you: Revenge of the Dust Bunnies by Mike Kalmbach (2013)

 

This is a silly scary book geared toward middle aged boys. I don't red this genre ever. I never liked Goosebumps or Are You Afraid of the Dark, but I liked this funny book. It was short (less than 50 pages) and strange as well as funny. Great for a spooky afternoon read.

8. Most thrilling, un-put-down-able book in 2013: The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1890)

 

This book pushes the bounds of adventure as you follow Holmes and Watson across London in the search for missing men, a lost foreign treasure, a manhunt across the unsavory parts of society, a boat chase, running with the Baker Street Irregulars, and more. Of all the Holmes novels I read this year, this one is the one that was the fastest paced, and hardest to put down. The detail involved in solving this case is terrific and extraordinary.

9. Book you read in 2013 that you are most likely to re-read next year: The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1902)

Again, Conan Doyle wins with his arguably most famous novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles. There was so much to love about this book. The setting on the moors was brooding and mystical. Sir Henry was a great character and the hound was terrifying throughout the book. A large portion of the middle of the story is written as letters from Watson to Holmes to inform him of the happenings on the moor, which can be a little odd, but it is all made better once you get to the height of the action on the moor with Holmes and Watson and the Hound. I will most definitely read this book again in the near future, just because it was so dramatic and brooding.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013: Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1919)

 

Just look at that awesome cover over there to the right. I love the vibrant colors, the crazy alien creature, the half naked man with a sword, and the boldness of the typesetting. This is an eye-catching cover. This will grab your attention at the store and make you think: Huh... I should check that book out. It looks interesting.

11. Most memorable character in 2013: Sherlock Holmes

 

He is so eccentric and fascinating. Holmes makes me want to read more and more and more about him every time I finish a story.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013: Journey to the Center of the Earth

 

This really was the most amazing book I read this year. The writing allowed me to vividly imagine everything in the book. It was like having a film running through my head the entire time. I wish my French were good enough that I could read it in the original language. For now I just have to read English translations.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013: Vegetable Diet: as Sanctioned by Medical Men, and By Experience in All Ages. Including a System of Vegetable Cookery by William A. Alcott (1838)

 

As can be seen by My Review of this book, I thought this is a really fantastic resource on vegetarianism in history. This book really helped me know that my veganism can be healthy and that I'm not destroying my health like so many people are quick to inform me when I tell them of my diet. I found this book to be enjoyable and interesting on many levels. If you like medical type historical resources, this book is for you.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited until 2013 to finally read: The Hound of the Baskervilles

I cannot believe I waited this long to read it. Even my brother, who used to hate reading, read this as a child. I am so glad I have begun my journey into the Holmes universe.

15. Favorite passage/ quote from a book you read in 2013: A Study in Scarlet Part I, Chapter IV

 

"There’s the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it."

16. Shortest and longest book you read in 2013

 

Alas, I cannot sort my books on Shelfari in order from shorted to longest. Therefore, I cannot tell you which book I read was the shortest or the longest. I can make a guess and say that the shortest was a cookbook and the longest was one of the classics I read.

17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reading and dying to talk to somebody about it: The Sign of the Four

 

I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but the part with the boat chase is so exciting!

18. Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2013 (romantic, friendship, etc): The Watson/Holmes friend relationship

 

I feel like this is the most amazing friendship in the history of literature. We read the books through Watson's eyes, so everything we read is through the filter of his adoration, frustration, amazement, joy, fear, and satisfaction with Holmes in every case. Holmes obviously cares a great deal for Watson because he takes Watson along with him everywhere. There have been many books and articles written about this epic bromance. It will endure forever!

19. Favorite book you read in 2013 from an author you’ve previously read: Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1920)

 

This is the fourth book in the Barsoom series. This story follows Carthoris and his quest to be reunited with the kidnapped Thuvia. It is an easy to read and exciting adventure.

20. Best book in 2013 that you read based solely on a recommendation from somebody else: The Seven-Per-Cent Solution: Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D. by Nicholas Meyer (1974)

My mom recommended this book to me this summer when I was making my way through my aunt's paperback collection. I read this book in two days after staying up most of the night reading. This is a very emotional book and the best Sherlock Holmes novel I have read that was not penned by Doyle himself. It was fast paced and left you wanting to keep reading at the end of every chapter. Imagine this: Sherlock Holmes meeting Sigmund Freud. Yep, it is that awesome!

21.Genre you read the most from in 2013: Food/ Cookbooks/ Diet

 

I know it doesn't look like it from this list, but most of the books I read last year were cookbooks, diet books, or about food. They weren't all that good, which is why you don't see many of them here. I read tons of books about juicing and recipe books for ideas. None of those made it to this list.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013: Sherlock Holmes

 

Not so surprising, considering how many books on this list are about him. I love his wit and personality. I never know what he is going to come up with next to be able to solve the crime. I love being kept on my toes and Holmes certainly does this.

23. Best 2013 debut you read

 

I didn't really read any books that came out in 2013 that I absolutely loved. As you can tell, most of my favorite last year were written around 1880 to 1920. I guess I had better luck with the older books last year.

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013: Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by A Square ( Edwin A. Abbott) (1884)

 

This world is probably the most amazing to imagine that I have ever read. This entire book is written from the point of view of a square. This is a social commentary, a math lesson, and a satire all rolled into one. I read most of this while flying planes and riding in cars to and from school. The world building was really spectacular and easy to picture. This should be required reading in school.

 

25. Book that was the most fun to read in 2013: Fables and Fairytales by Leo Tolstoy (compiled in 1972)

 

I spent an afternoon reading these stories aloud to my mother. It was the most enjoyable afternoon of the summer. These are well written and fun to read and fall off the tongue in a perfect manner for storytelling.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2013

I think I wasn't really in the mood for emotional reading in 2013. I can't think of a single book that I read that made me cry. I think that is from being emotionally exhausted in my real life so I didn't want to be emotionally drained by the books I was reading. Maybe I'll be in a less emotionally vulnerable place this year and I can read more sad or emotionally engaging books.

27. Book you think got overlooked this year or when it came out

I didn't really read many contemporary books this year as you can see by the general timeline of the books I liked. I seem to be stuck in the late 1800s for some reason. Maybe they just had great writers? I guess Flatland would fit into this category since it wasn't well received until later after Einstein did his work with space and time. This book was really ahead of its time. Go read it!

Looking Ahead into 2014

1. One book you didn’t get to in 2013 but will be your #1 priority in 2014:  Vegan for Her by Virginia Messina (2013)

My mom bought this for me several months ago now and I just haven't had time to read it... I got halfway through the first chapter and then stopped because Christmas was upon us. It's currently sitting by my bedside waiting for me to read its beautiful crisp pages.

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2014 (non-debut):

J. R. R. Tolkien's The Fall of Arthur (2013)

This was my most anticipated book of last year, but then when I got it, I just wasn't in the mood to read it. I think my brain was just trying to recuperate from all the heavy reading I had been doing and didn't want to have to work anymore. I was so excited when I got this book and I really look forward to reading it this year. I love Tolkien's writing with a fiery passion. I can't get enough of it. If it is anything like his book The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun I think I'll love it.

3. 2014 debut you are most anticipating: Mirror Sight by Kristen Britain (2014)

 This is the fifth book in the Green Rider series. I started this series in high school and instantly fell in love. The multiple year long gaps of time between the publication of each book is totally worth it because the books are so good. I can't wait to find out what happens to Karigan and how her relationship with Estora will be affected by what happened in the last book (I really love that they are friends, so I would hate for that friendship to fall apart completely). I also want to know how her relationship with her father is going to resolve since there is a lot of tension there.

4. Series ending you are most anticipating in 2014

I'm not really looking forward to any series that are ending... I need to find more contemporary novels to read.

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2014

Read more books that I love instead of hundreds of books that I just sort of like. Read more full length books and longer books. Read more classics and more books in foreign languages. Read more books about veganism, animal welfare, and the world. Read more contemporary books. Read more books in my TBR pile beside my bed so it doesn't trip me in the middle of the night when I'm thirsty.

So wrapping up my year of reading in 2013: I love Sherlock Holmes. I love reading books from 150 years ago. I have a large pile of books I need to read. I read too many books about food and diets on my kindle that I don't really enjoy. I shouldn't read contemporary books that everybody likes and expect great things.

Thanks for sticking with me until the bitter end. I'll update later this week about my Fitbit (which I received in the mail today!) and my Walk to Mordor. Let me know what you think about this post and if you think I should do more posts like this in the future.