Even though I ended the year without a bang, I still had a pretty spectacular year in books. I recently sat down and stared at my Goodreads 2013 shelf thinking this list would be hard to compile, but not so much. Ten books immediately jumped out at me, and now I get to share them with y’all! They are also in completely random order and quotes are from my own reviews.
Without further ado:
#1 – Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
A BOOK FILLED WITH AWESOME. Richly layered, such amazing attention to detail, great sense of place. I want to read everything about geisha history and culture.
#2 – A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Francie is my new favorite heroine of all time. Her sad moments are filled with joy, her happy moments sobered by sorrow. She’s independent, smart, and dreamily lonely. Her story is both tragic and uplifting. I wanted to crawl inside this novel and live there forever.
#3 – Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
I like to think of Walter as a storytelling magician.
#4 – Heft by Liz Moore
She writes people filled with a gritty humanity that makes you yearn for a happy ending. Kel and Arthur go through so many trials and push through so many obstacles that you barely understand how they are still surviving. But they are surviving and it is spectacular.
#5 – Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
So many tears – an ugly cry that I haven’t cried in a long time. Her ending is difficult, layered, and will leave at least a tiny hole in your heart, but I never really yearned for a different conclusion.
#6 – Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Hartman has built a world that was an absolute pleasure to visit. I wanted souvenirs!
#7 – The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
I sat down the next evening and read it in one sitting. Four hours that ran the emotional gamut. READ. THIS. BOOK.
#8 – The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy
The man can destroy you in six words and rebuild whole worlds in just six more. Talent oozes from every single sentence.
#9 – The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
So many of The Goldfinch’scharacters are a slave to their own artistic endeavors – Hobie and his restoration, Pippa and her music – and arguably, Donna Tartt and her writing. Familiar books such as Oliver Twist and Great Expectations were woven throughout The Goldfinch and gave life to each character. It would be ridiculous to think Tartt didn’t do this on purpose and for a very specific reason. I believe it’s her way of showing how she’s chained to past literary giants.
#10 – Sea Creatures by Susanna Daniel
I was sucked in from the first page and didn’t let go until the last word. Sitting here writing this review, my heart continues to break for these characters. Daniel’s writing feels almost like coming home amid one of the worst familial disasters ever.
Oh–“A Tree Grows In Brooklyn” . . . one of my favorite books ever! I’ve probably read it at least five times over the years. In case you didn’t know, Betty Smith wrote three other books which are also very good–I think they may be out of print, but definitely worth seeking out at your library or used book store: they are “Joy in the Morning”, “Maggie Now” and “Tomorrow Will Be Better”.
I am definitely going to get my hands on Smith’s other novels. They’ve been on my wishlist since I finished Brooklyn. Happy New Years!
I loved Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Ocean at the End of the Lane. Glad to hear Goldfinch lived up to the hype, I can’t wait to read it.
The Goldfinch is so, so good!!
So many good books! And I’m sort of kicking myself that I didn’t include The Illusion of Separateness on my own list. There were just too many REALLY good books I read this year. It was terrible trying to whittle them down to 10.
I did the same thing when I saw The Ask and the Answer on your list. I can’t believe I forgot to add that to my list.
Funnily enough I just finished The Goldfinch this morning – it was only a four star read for me – but certainly unforgettable – not sure how I’ll review it. I also loved Memoirs of a Geisha when I read it and remember A tree Grows in Brooklyn with fondness. I also read The Illusion of Separateness this year – it is a remarkable novel. The others on your list are new to me. Happy New Year.
I’m glad you enjoyed The Goldfinch. Happy New Year to you, as well! I hope your 2014 is filled with amazing books!
I loved Memoirs of a Geisha. I have Goldfinch and the Ocean at the end of the Lane on my bedside table – hope I enjoy them as much as you did
I hope you enjoyed them, as well! Memoirs of a Geisha was just such a masterful bit of storytelling. I haven’t seen the movie, yet. I’ll put that on my list of must-dos this year!!
Heft was on my list, too–so good. I’ve got The Goldfinch to read in 2014 and I’m looking forward to it. 🙂
Heft! So many people overlooked that little charmer which makes me sad. I hope you love The Goldfinch as much as I did!!
I haven’t read Gaiman’s yet and I think it’ll be at the top of my to do list come January. Memoirs of a Geisha is one of my all time favorites.
I adored the new Gaiman so much. It stole my heart with every page which is totally cheesy but true!!
I have been meaning to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for YEARS, I know I will love it when I do eventually get around to it. And I really liked Ocean at the End of the Lane too, definitely one of Gaiman’s better books.
You know that saying that someone is a ‘writer’s writer’? Well, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a ‘reader’s read’.
I am so excited to read the Goldfinch! I’ve still not heard a single bad review of it from people I trust or just random customers at my shop. I’m kind of afraid it wouldn’t live up to the hype but I’ve seen it on so many “Best Of 2013” posts that I’m OK with that risk. Excellent choices on your list. Reminds me of some things I bought but forgot to read (like Seraphina, which looks great).
The Goldfinch was a perfect novel for me, but I can see how others wouldn’t totally love it. Give it a chance, though! It’s a lovely, sprawling epic that does SO MUCH at one time. Seraphina is the cutest thing ever. READ IT!!
Love this list! Love to see Beautiful Ruins on another list besides mine. So many good ones here. CHEERS!
I wish more people had included Beautiful Ruins. It was so good! I made all the girls in my book club go out and buy it, lol!
I loved Me Before You as well and I’ve just downloaded the audio for The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I’m excited to get to it…just have to find the time for the audio! I hope 2014 is a great year for you.
You’ll have to let me know how the audio of TOATEOTL is!
Walter is a story telling magician! Beautiful ruins was one of my favorites too 🙂
He’s so good! I need to read his other stuff.
I loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. There are quite a few on your list that I want to read, especially the Simon Van Booy and the Jojo Moyes books. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you, as well! Both the Van Booy and the Moyes books are marvelous!!
Beautiful Ruins was on my list as well as you know, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one of my favorites!!! I haven’t read Memoirs of a Geisha in years but I remember really liking that one as well. Great list!!
Thank you, lady! We all had such great reading years.
I remember reading Memoirs of a Geisha years ago. Wow was that good. Such visual storytelling! And captivating a story; loved it. I also liked Me Before You on your list. Good stuff.
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Everyone seems to remember Memoirs of a Geisha so fondly. It really is a terrifically written book.