best of 2013 (+ giveaway!)

It is on days like these, when I’m trying to put together a ‘Best of’ list, that I am beyond grateful for the written record I’ve kept of my favorite books.  Dear blog, You are the BEST!  Love, Me.  That didn’t sound strange, did it?!  Oh dear.  Anyway, this post is a celebration of the best books I read in 2013.  The books weren’t necessarily published in 2013, but that’s when I read them (and they’re ordered alphabetically).  Feel free to peruse my previous ‘Best of’ posts for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.  You can also check out my list of the top ten best new-to-me authors of 2013.

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle – A lovely, haunting little book set in Ireland, about a girl who meets a family ghost.  Doyle’s slightly fantastical meditation on family featured the best dialogue I’ve read in a long time, possibly ever.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein – Why can I not think of this book without coming to the brink of tears?  Because it’s an emotional, beautiful, and harrowing story of female friendship, flying and spying (in WWII).

Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud – Scary, clever, and funny: three words that describe this ghostly investigative story.  It was also thrilling and can’t-put-it-down good.  In other words, close to perfection.

The Lost Sun by Tessa Gratton – In an alternate version of North America, the biggest celebrities are the Norse gods.  When one of them goes missing, two teens set out on an epic roadtrip.  On the way they discover their destiny.  Now what about that DOESN’T sound awesome?  You’re right, nothing.

Mortal Fire by Elizabeth Knox – It took me two tries to get into this cerebral fantasy featuring math prodigy Canny, but once in I was absolutely amazed.  It was, quite simply, BRILLIANT.

Rose by Holly Webb – Orphan Rose’s story is funny and touching, and the heroine is clever and plucky.  Also, it’s set in Victorian England, and that’s always a draw for me.  Somehow, it avoids cliché and settles in at ‘just right.’

Saved by Cake by Marian Keyes – Novelist Marian Keyes’ first cookbook is a darkly funny meditation on cake, depression, and did I mention cake?  Laugh out loud fun AND delicious recipes…I really adore that combination.

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold – This first book in the Vorkosigan saga is a compelling science fiction romance.  It’s swoony AND complex, with well-matched characters on a dangerous journey.  Heart it!

Sidekicked by John David Anderson – Relatable, hyper-aware Drew stars in this nuanced tale of middle school problems, first crushes, and, oh yeah, advanced superhero sidekick training.  It’s perfect for young (and not so young) Marvel fans.

The Silvered by Tanya Huff – Fantastic world-building and an epic journey through a warring landscape seem to be two of my favorite story components.  Add in werewolves and a steampunk aesthetic, and you have one hooked reader, right here.

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton – Think Jane Austen, with dragons.  Whatever you’re imagining isn’t even close to the awesome that is Tooth & Claw.  I adored it, and have reread it already.  Also, many thanks to the lovely Ruby Scarlett, who sent me a new copy to treasure.

Under My Hat edited by Jonathan Strahan – Short stories of witchy magic by some of my favorite authors, all gathered up in one volume?  YES.  Strahan put together one of the strongest anthologies I’ve ever read.

Written in Red by Anne Bishop – I’ve reread this book twice for a reason.  It’s crazy-compelling.  I love how Bishop plays with emotion and describes the worlds she writes.  Just fantastic.

Were any of these on your list (official or not) for the best of the year?

By random chance and coincidence, there were 13 titles on my list for 2013.  I did a bit of a breakdown that may appeal to anyone who is a closet numbers nerd like me.  I had 4 middle grade, 4 young adult, and 5 adult books on my list.  Twelve were fiction, one was nonfiction.  There were 9 female authors, 3 male authors, and one anthology (the editor was male).  I also figured out where each of the authors hails from, because I worry that I’m heavily biased towards North America.  This year my list included 5 books by Americans, 2 by Brits, 2 by Irish authors, 2 by Canadians, 1 by a Kiwi, and 1 various (the anthology again).  Fairly well-rounded, I’d say.  I need to get an Aussie on the list next year, though!

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And now the fun part: a giveaway!  Two winners will receive their choice of any book from my Best of 2013 list (audiobook and/or ebook editions included, as available).  To enter, simply fill out the FORM. Giveaway is open internationally, will end on January 31st at 11:59pm EST.  Books will be shipped from Amazon or The Book Depository.  Winners will be selected randomly and notified via email.  Good luck!

cybils 2013 finalists announced

The 2013 CYBILS (Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards) shortlists have been announced!  I was a first-time panelist for Elementary and Middle Grade Speculative Fiction this year.  I really enjoyed the opportunity to read some amazing fiction and witness what goes into making a great list.  I was also quite pleased to see a book I nominated make the final shortlist!

Elementary and Middle Grade Speculative Fiction 2013 CYBILS Finalists

Jinx by Sage Blackwood

Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

Rose by Holly Webb

Sidekicked by John David Anderson

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt

The Water Castle by Megan Frazer Blakemore

Now another panel has the job of selecting a winner from that list – I don’t envy them the job of narrowing it down!  The winner will be announced in February.  In the meantime, I encourage all of you to check out the blogs of my fellow panelists (they’re excellent writers as well as readers!): Charlotte of Charlotte’s Library (our valiant ringleader!), Liviania of In Bed With Books, Stephanie of Views from the Tesseract, Kristen of The Book Monsters, Melissa of The Book Nut, and Brandy of Random Musings of a Bibliophile.

Shortlists for all of the CYBILS categories are up on the website.  Go check them out for wonderful reading recommendations!

top ten new-to-me authors i read in 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where we all get to exercise our OCD tendencies and come up with bookish lists.  If you’d like to play along, check out this post.

2013 has been full of wonderful reading discoveries.  It didn’t occur to me during the year (no, that’d be too easy!) – I realized it when I was making up this list and going through all of the books I’ve reviewed and loved.  Many of them are by authors I’d never read before, even if I respected them by association.  I think it’s a really joyful thing that I’ve found so many new ‘favorite’ authors.  I’m eagerly awaiting their new releases and scheming to read their backlists.  Happy holidays to me!

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2013

1. Jo Walton, Tooth and Claw – Cross a Jane Austen-style novel of manners with fantasy, and you have the key to my heart.  Walton’s book is ten years old at this point, but I only discovered it (and her) this year.  I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of Walton’s backlist!

2. Elizabeth Wein, Code Name Verity – Wein’s novel about female pilots during WWII made me feel all the feels.  Hardcore. After I’d mopped up my tears with a box of tissues, I proceeded to push it into the hands everyone I know.  Oh dear, it was GOOD!

3. Rachel Hartman, Seraphina – If 2013 was a year for delightful surprises, it was equally a year for beautifully written dragon fantasies.  Seraphina was one of those, and I was impressed by author Hartman’s talent.

4. Jonathan Stroud, Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase – Stroud is famous for his bestselling Bartimaeus series, but I never picked up those books (silly me!).  Luckily he’s just released the first, ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC book in a new middle grade series full of ghosts, swordplay, tea at midnight, and a lot of very close shaves with death.  I can’t wait to pick up book #2!

5. Lucy Knisley, Relish – Relish is part food memoir, part cookbook, and all graphic novel.  It’s a charming rendition of Knisley’s coming-of-age, a tale of how her memories relate to food, and manages heartwarming without treading into sappy territory.  Knisley’s on my radar now, and I know I’ll be reading/viewing her work for years to come.

6. Kate DiCamillo, Flora & Ulysses – I know, I know!  How could I have lived this long without reading DiCamillo?!  But somehow I did.  I’ve fixed it now, and given how much I loved Flora and Ulysses’ adventures, you can be sure I’ll be reading many a book more in the future.

7. Elizabeth Knox, Mortal Fire – Cerebral, literary, beautifully written, peopled with diverse characters: these are all descriptors of my first Knox book.  It was really, really lovely, and I can’t wait to read her backlist.  I know I’ll be impressed.

8. Roddy Doyle, A Greyhound of a Girl – Doyle is another award-winning author with many books at his back, but I hadn’t read him until this year.  His dialogue is some of the most poignant and unforgettable I’ve ever read, and the slice of Ireland in A Greyhound of a Girl was a perfect introduction to modern Irish children’s lit.

9. Marian Keyes, Saved by Cake – Marian Keyes usually writes novels.  However, when faced with debilitating depression, she baked.  And baked.  And baked.  So much so that she published a cookbook.  It’s hilarious, dark and utterly fabulous, full of a mix of traditional and unique recipes that are perfect for the home cook, and you know, actually taste delicious, too.

10. John David Anderson, Sidekicked – Some might argue that we’ve almost reached society’s threshold for superhero/villain tales.  I do not.  Anderson’s tale of the gray areas in life and crime-fighting does a great job of balancing realism and redemption, and sidekick Drew’s slyly funny voice is a welcome addition.

Honorable Mention: Tanya Huff, The Silvered – Combine these elements: a steampunk-esque setting, a war-torn landscape, a believable werewolf-dominated society, and an epic journey.  They add up to an excellent fantasy.  I’ll be on the lookout for Huff’s next release.

Did you discover any amazing new-to-you authors in 2013?