I have such a hard time with these, I didn't even end up doing one last year. Well, I started it but I didn't finish it. And I don't really think most of these books will be in any amount of order so let's see what happens here because I have a small list of books and no plan, let's go.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - I'm so glad that I read this, so very glad. It's just perfect and - so very good. I also listened to the audiobook after and have listened to it at random times, it's just one of those books that you keep thinking about. And I honestly want to live in this world, at least one with the OASIS. Highly recommended to everyone, even if you're not a gamer or whatever, just read it, the characters are amazing and the world will take your breath away.
Ubik by Philip K. Dick - I'm still confused about this book and I read it in January. I want to read it again and I've yet to read any more of his books, but this one was fantastic, so very good. And I did actually like the ending, the complete open endedness of it and the whole story. Definitely recommended, it's like Inception times about a hundred. So well written, so intricate.
The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean - this is a non-fiction book about DNA and it is completely amazing to read. Full of information and facts but not dry at all, Sam Kean has a fantastic voice for stuff like this. And I have never talked about a book so much in my life, or wanted to get my DNA tested so much, either. Highly recommended, if you like non-fiction, of course.
The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson - This was my first Sanderson book! Ah, such a good choice, I didn't even know really who he was until I picked up this (had heard the name of course, but didn't have much interest). This is a novella and it's perfect that way, though I was left wanting more of this world, it's so fleshed out and incredible, definitely recommended, I want to reread it myself.
The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson - Seems like a good idea to bring up this book, considering it's Sanderson again. I knew I'd like it as soon as I found out about it, it just took me a little while to pick up a read it, but I was so glad when I did, it sucked me in right away with the world and the characters, and I'd recommend to anyone, it's apparently a YA / middle grade hybrid, but I'd go more towards YA, I thought it was adult for the longest time but apparently not, either way, it's still fantastic.
Vicious by V.E. Schwab (Victoria Schwab) - I read her first book when it first came out, The Near Witch, literally the day it came out. I'd pre-ordered it, it arrived, I opened the box, and sat down and read it, and that is
extremely rare for me. And Vicious was just - fantastic, exactly what I wanted as soon as I heard it was about two villains. I got an advanced copy at BEA and met her (and her editor) randomly. And I still find myself randomly thinking about this book, these characters, I couldn't put it down and I want to know more. I guess it's a given that this is highly recommended. (Although definitely for a slightly older audience, as it's not YA or MG).
The Mark of Athena and the House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus #3+4) by Rick Riordan - I didn't end of reading Mark of Athena when it first came out because i was spoiled that very day for like the last thing in the book and it made me not want to read it, just purely not want to pick it up, I already knew the big twist so I might as well wait. And I did until HoH came out and I'm kind of glad I did, but these books are fantastic. I loved the Percy Jackson series and this is just as good and I think the fifth and final book is my most anticipated book of 2014.
Dark Currents by Jacqueline Carey - I've only read one of her other books, but I've read it twice and it isn't a small book. This is a urban fantasy but there's just something different about it that I really liked, I've got the second book ready to go when I've got the time, hopefully very soon.
Kingdom Keepers series #1-6 by Ridley Pearson - I think this series was suppose to end at 6 or whatever, but it isn't over yet, the 7th book should be coming out in 2014, and I can't wait. This is a middle grade series about this group of kids who aren't even really friends at the beginning, but end up thrown into this mistery together. And it's so, so good and it's completely Disney surrounded. It's not perfect, but - I didn't really expect it to be and it was way better then I expected first going in, you basically watch the characters grow up, and that with everything that's happening around them is just incredible. I'd recommend this to kind of everyone. Disney, daring fights with villains, boys and girls thinking
maybe girls and boys aren't so gross after all. And, yes, this might kind of be cheating but I didn't want to just put book 1 up either, because that is really just the start and not the strongest of the series.
The Regulators by Stephen King - I have such a hard time describing this book to people, it's just - it's
insane and amazing. And - the weirdest thing linger with me. Like the fact if I ever see spageti-o's again it'll be way too soon, King got a little too descriptive at that part, whew. And I don't even know what to say about this book, except that I read this a while ago now and I can still vividly remember a lot of the scenes, like I'd watched a movie instead of read a book. And it was really, really good. It is definitely not for the faint of heart, obviously being a Stephen King books. And lovers of spegetti-os'.
White Cat by Holly Black - I don't think this was really a favorite, but it was very,
very good and - it was kind of the first YA I'd read in over a year, at the time. Actually it just
was the first young adult novel I'd read in just over a year. I'd only read two more and it wasn't really a conscious thing, I don't think, but this book kind of broke it, I guess, and I do really want to continue this series. I have only read two YA books since this, so says a brief glance at my goodreads page. I'm probably the last person in the world to start this series, but that's okay, it's still just as good. Con artists, I seem to have a soft spot for them. (Also if you liked this series, maybe check out Leverage, it's over now but there's five season of amazingness).
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick - I loved this book, it was just freaking fantastic. I'd read
Huge when the whole thing with the movie and ended up picking up this one, too, but never got around to it. And it's amazing, I seriously recommend this to just everyone, it's middle grade but middle grade is for everyone and this has an astounding and touching and amazing story.
In Death series #1-12 by J.D. Robb - I started this series this year and got to book 12, it's way more then I thought it was, and so very, very good. And I am way too attached to these characters. It is kind of a break, these books, they're not stressful to read, sometimes there are all the feelings at points but in a really good way. I'd check out this series, if I was you, if you're a character person and like murder mysteries because the main character is a detective.
Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series #2-9 by Laurell K. Hamilton - I read the first book last year and it didn't really grab me, but I ended up picking up more this year, I owned them anyway. I really like this series, and I know people say it gets a little
weird and iffy after Obsidian Butterfly, book 9, but whatever. The ones I read this year were fantastic and I'm going to continue the series, because I do really like these characters and I need to know what happens to them.
Honorable Mentions:
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - Haley demanded I read this book as it's one of her all time favorites and I did love it and it's
adorable and completely heartbreaking. And apparently better in French, or something.
The Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi - This series isn't done, it better not be done at least there's so much more that could happen, but I loved what I did read. So good and the art is just fantastic and some of those wide shots I want framed on my wall, they're stunning.
Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman - some of the stories in this book just stayed with me, especially the poem 'The Faery Reel.'
Series I started and finished:
Weirdest category ever. I almost started and finished the Kingdom Keepers series and possibly the Amulet series. However, these two I know I started and finished.
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony Tony DiTerlizzi - I actually read this whole series in a day during a read-a-thon in May, it was a crazy day and this series is really, really good, I'm glad I finally got around to it.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - None of these were a reread, I'd never read any of Narnia before. Why? I have
no idea, but I really enjoyed. Some of them I liked less then others or had parts I wasn't sure about, but over all I loved the series and am so glad I finally gave in and read it. I read it in chronological order of the events, not in publishing order, and I'm kind of glad, made everything more linear, less confusing.
I hope all of you had a fantastic reading year and just year in general. I was doing a "year in review" kind of thing but this kind of covers, well, everything, so I'm just going to stop doing it for 2013, because it's a new year now.
