Best In Books 2013 (Part 1) - End of Year Celebration of Reads!

Best In Books 2013 is brought to you in part by Jamie @ The Perpetual Page Turner

This has been a FANTASTIC year in books, fun, and A LOT of memories for me! I've read some pretty amazing books (a few flops) and have gotten to meet and get to know some pretty awesome new blogger's/friends. I've really enjoyed getting to take the time to discover who I am in the book blogging community, making some time to read the books that I *want* to read for my own enjoyment and pleasure, and also getting to participate in various blog tours/cover reveals/etc.

Getting to meet Marie @ Ramblings of a Daydreamer and getting to know her over the last few months, has definitely been a wonderful bookish highlight this year. In such a short amount of time, I consider her a really sweet friend to have and an amazing author too. If you haven't read Blue Sky Days or Waiting for the Storm, then you should definitely click on the links and get a copy. They come highly recommended from Molli @ Books & Whimsy. These books are at the TOP OF MY 2014 eBOOK TBR PILE!

My GBYA Girls are the VERY BEST BOOKISH THING that happened to me this year. Seriously. These girls are ah-mazing! They're sweet, fun, sassy, and just full of so much wonder and amusement that I honestly don't know what I do without them or the blog we created during the later part of this year. I never told them, but we created it during a time when I really needed something else besides my own book blog to help me get through. Through their friendship and shared love of books, I know that I'll be able to make it through anything as long as I remember to slow down and just take a breath.

Those are just a few of the personal "bookish things" that I have to look back on this year, but let's get onto what we're all here for. THE BOOKS!

Best Book You Read In 2013? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

Contemporary YA: This one is a no-brainer for me, I'm going with my heart and the many feels I got while reading Just One Year by Gayle Forman earlier this year. I can't even with this book, because it touched me in so many ways that it was unreal. Beautiful and inspiring, gorgeously written prose, and so full of heartache and soul searching that I wanted to just curl up in a corner and cry because it was such a gorgeous book. If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch is a *very* close second to this, because there are so many beautifully terrifying realities written in it.

Science Fiction: Hands down, this would be the epicly amazing and heart rendering beautifully written These Broken Stars by Aime Kaufman and Megan Spooner. Time travel, romance, stars, and oh so much more! How could you not want to pick up this book NOW?!

Fantasy: My favorite fantasy books that I read this year were, Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas and Dark Triump by Robin LaFever's The world building, complex characters, and the sheer fascination of these stories are brilliant and cunningly epic! I implore you to read these books, NOW!

Paranormal: The young adult market is rife with so many paranormal books filled with some awesome stories to tell and a few hit and misses along the way. This year, I tried to branch out, by balancing my paranormal reads with other ya books from various genre's. The one paranormal book that stood out to me the most and really captured my attention was Born of Illusion by Teri Brown. Once I started reading this book, I absolutely could not put it down and I fell madly in love with the characters, the setting, and the whole illusion of it. This book gave me everything that I was looking for, from paranormal to mystery to historical. I am highly anticipating the release of Born of Deception (the sophomore novel in the series) and the accompanying novella, Born of Corruption coming out next year.

YA Novella's: I've read a smattering of novella's in the last couple of months that have been really good and these are just a few of the ones that I've really loved. (Cheating I know, but hey...) The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Maureen Johnson. I was so legit excited when I found out in the beginning of the year that there were going to be novella's released based on my favorite character from The Mortal Instruments series, Magnus Bane. I love how flashy, dramatic, and cheeky he is! There's two more soon-to-be released novella's in this ten short stories collection and I'm DYING for them to hurry up, so I can read them NOW! I've also really enjoyed Night of Cake & Puppets, A Desire So Deadly, The Moth in the Mirror, and Pheonix Overture (which, feels were broken!).

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

I was excited to read Eyes to the Ever Sky by Katie French, because I thought the synopsis looked so promising and like something that I would devour instantly. Sadly, it definitely fell short of my expectations.

Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?

I don't usually read a lot of Adult books, because I lean more towards YA and New Adult mostly. But, I was lucky to get to be part of a blog tour for Deb Caletti's first adult novel, He's Gone, and I totally jumped at the chance because I adore everything that she writes in her YA contemporary awesomeness. It wasn't surprising that I fell in love with this book and became so wrapped up in the story that I could not put it down until I was finished, but it was surprising (in a really good way!) that I could actually find myself really enjoying Adult books for the first time since V.C. Andrews captured me heart, spirit, and soul.

Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

Born of Illusion by Teri Brown. I can't shut up about this book and how amazingly entrancing it is when you read it. Seriously, this book has EVERYTHING there is to offer, that could make you WANT to pick it up and read it. And, Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers. I cannot stop raving about the His Fair Assassin series to anyone who will listen. I've actually been known to accost (not really! lol.) strangers in the local bookstore and practically shove both the books in their hands. lol. Seriously, READ.THESE.BOOKS.

Best series you discovered in 2013?

*head scratches* Does this have to be a series that was written in 2013?! Because...yeah, that's kinda hard. Hmm...I would definitely have to go with the House of Comarre series by Kristen Painter. Since I read He's Gone by Deb Caletti earlier this year, it kind of spurred me on to wanting to read more Adult books and this is a series that I've been wanting to read for a LONG TIME and I finally decided to pick up the first book in the series and I FELL IN LOVE with the world that Kristen Painter has created along with all of the characters. I plan on finishing up the series in the new year, at some point.

Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

Emily Murdoch. Plain and simple. Her writing is so emotionally beautiful and achingly real, that it's hard not to fall in love with her stories and the characters she creates. Claire Contreras, because I love how real, raw, and gritty her stories are wrapped up so interestingly well in a ball of raveled mystery. A few months ago, I read There Is No Light In Darkness and really enjoyed the characters and mystery surrounding them. I cannot wait to read the next book, that will definitely come in the New Year. I'm for sure making it a goal to read more New Adult books.

Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

All of the Adult books that I have already mentioned, because although they fell in all of the right genre's that I enjoy reading (YA and New Adult wise), they were still Adult books and I usually don't have much luck with them. Since they were from an author that I previously enjoy and a series that I've been wanting to read for a while, I went ahead and took the chance on them, and was SO.NOT.DISAPPOINTED.

Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

Born of Illusion. Dark Triumph. Just One Year. If You Find Me. These Broken Stars. Unravel Me. (Because, Warner! *heart wibbles*)

Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Just One Year by Gayle Forman. Because, Willem's story touched me in so many ways!

Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

These Broken Stars
Born of Illusion

Most memorable character in 2013?

Sybella from Dark Triumph, because I felt for her in such an achingly surprising way that it almost took me off guard.

Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

Unravel Me mostly because of Warner and the writing. If You Find Me and definitely Just One Year. THESE BROKEN STARS.

Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?

Just One Year by Gayle Forman. I read this duology back to back a few months ago and the companion book just hit home with me in SO.MANY.WAYS. that it was seriously unreal. I can't lie, it kind of hurts my soul a little bit, to know that there are some fellow bloggers/readers out there who really don't like Willem, even after reading his story. His is the one that actually moved me beyond the telling, so much more than Allyson.

Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?

The first two books in the House of Comarre series by Kristen Painter. Why have I NOT read this any sooner?! *facepalm* So good.

Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?

“Loving someone is such an inherently dangerous act. And yet, love, that’s where safety lives.”

Just One year ;; Gayle Forman

Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Shortest: Night of Cake & Puppets ;; 89 pages
Longest: Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix ;; 870 pages

Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

THESE BROKEN STARS. (The wtf feels, man!) Just One Year. (Because, Willem! *hugs him*)

Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

I really enjoyed Cath/Levi from Fangirl. And, this won't surprise you one bit at all, Tarver and Lilac from These Broken Stars, because really...how could I not?! And, I know that I'm going to catch all kinds of hell for this, but I wouldn't be me at all if I didn't add in Harry and Hermione from the HP series. Yes, I love them both platonically as friends and also as a romantic couple. I think they would have had a beautiful romantic relationship, if JK Rowling would have only given them the opportunity to flourish on the pages. Unpopular opinion, I don't care, they're my ship and I will always go down with them. Suck it up! :P

Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

CLOCKWORK PRINCESS. This was definitely my most anticipated read this year and it absolutely did not let me down in any way. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I had SO.MANY.FEELS that it was unreal. It was the perfect ending to a fantastic trilogy, that I wish there was more to because I want to see what happens next so bad.

Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

Um, can I say my eGalley of Far From You by Tess Sharpe, because Molli recommended that I read it and I absolutely fell in love. I know it's not out yet and won't be until April of next year, but ohmygosh. This book absolutely broke ALL of the feels that I have.

Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

I want to say that I'm pretty sure it's paranormal romance, but I also made it a point to break out of that this year, by trying to read a lot more dystopia/contemporary/historical and New Adult books as well. I even managed to sneak in a few Adult books too.

Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?

Isaiah. I fell in love with him all over again in Crash Into You. Oh lord, the bookish swoons I got from him!

Best 2013 debut you read?

I read a lot of debuts this year, but the one that comes to my mind right now is Pivot Point. I really loved the world building, development of characters, and the writing style in general. I can't wait to read Split Second and see what happens next.

Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?

I cannot say it enough, THESE BROKEN STARS, because it has such a Whovian/Lost-esque feel to it. Beautifully written and imagined. Also, Her Dark Curiosity, which is another one that hasn't been released yet but I feel in love with the atmosphere and the darkness surrounding it.

Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, because it unleashed the inner fangirl in me and also, the whole entire HP series. Yep! I did it. *SUCCESS BELONGS TO THE VICTOR!*

Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

THESE BROKEN STARS. If You Find Me. The Darkest Minds. CLOCKWORK PRINCESS. Just One Year. Oh, and that one HP book where basically everyone dies. Oh no, wait...that's pretty much all of them! lol.

Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?

Ink by Amanda Sun. I absolutely fell in love with the mythology of this book, the beautiful writing, and the characters. The atmosphere and culture of Japan, has always been fascinating to me and I wish that this book would have been seen and read a lot more by readers and bloggers than I noticed it being. It was truly, one of my favorite years of the year.