Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013 (28)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013. I've read 46 books this year, according to Goodreads, and while there are A LOT of books (*cough* all 6 Tamora Pierce books I've re-read to mention a few *cough*), here are the 10 that I think you all should make sure you get to in a very timely fashion. And when I say 10, I mean 12, because I've put two second-book-in-trilogy books on this list and OBVIOUSLY you need to read the first one first. Obviously.

1. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina was my first book read in 2013 and it did NOT disappoint. I loved the dragons, the twists, I loved the writing... just about everything. I hadn’t read a dragon or high fantasy book in a very long time (mostly from fear that nothing would ever match up to Tamora Pierce - whom I love) and this book totally destroyed any and all fears I had about recent high fantasy publications ruining one of my favorite genres. And, just in case you’re having some trouble starting this one, skip the prologue and come back to it at the end. It’ll make more sense once you’re done. Oh, and be PATIENT. It’s worth it. (My Review)

2. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Even though I read this book when my windows were still frosted over this past winter, I could still feel the heat. The romance, the twists, the family relationships - even the cover is enough to make a person want to read this book. Seriously. Try to say no to that cover - especially now that we’ve made it to the summer months. I’d say it’s almost impossible to deny this potential beach read. And y’know, even if you curl up inside with the AC blasting while you make your way through this one, you’ll probably feel the summer humidity just like I did. And that’s not just the kisstastic relationship in the book doing the talking. (My Review)

3. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

I picked Unravel Me for this list instead of Shatter Me in hopes that my nomination of this book will lead you to go read Shatter Me first so you can read this one (if you haven’t already devoured this series). That way I secretly/sneakily put two books in one item on this list. Why? Because this is one of those series that really makes the dystopian genre and trilogies in general look good. Not to mention I love the strike-throughs. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I sometimes like knowing there’s something different out there for me to dig into. It’s oddly comforting - even this book is so very much NOT comforting in any way. Also? SUPERHEROES. (My Review)

4. Ferryman by Claire McFall

Is it possible for a book to not really have a genre? If it is, this book really don’t have one. I would say it’s supernatural, if I had to pick one - maybe paranormal? But not really. If anything, it’s a contemporary book put in a supernatural/paranormal/Greek Mythology context. And, whatever genre you’d place it in, it’s wonderful. Probably one of my most favorite reads AND reviews of the year. Claire McFall might be a small time Scottish writer, but I definitely hope she A) gets the recognition she deserves and B) keeps writing! (My Review)

5. The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

This book is just so different from your usual dystopian - probably because the book doesn’t dwell on the dystopian. Instead it fleshes out the dystopian just enough and then focuses on the danger, the philosophical issues and the relationships between the characters. But, for once, the philosophical part is my favorite (that’s NOT usually the case for me) because the book asks you to consider what it is to be human and that’s something we should all consider on occasion. (My Review)

6. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

My favorite fantasy read of the year, Graceling is the book I should have read 5 years ago but didn’t. And with the number of times I picked it up, put it down and picked it up again? I’m honestly ashamed of past Gaby. This book is so fantastically fantastic. All of the everything is just so perfect and well paced. Seriously. If I could time travel, I would go back in disguise (y’know, as to not create a paradox or anything crazy like that - thanks for the time travel education, Doctor Who) and hand myself this book. Because 5-years-ago Gaby REALLY should have read this book. And so should all of you. (My Review)

7. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Everything in this book is absolutely made of awesome and I believe everyone should read it - intolerance for slow/confusing beginnings be damned. It’s just so beautifully layered and complicated that no one should miss it, no matter what the excuse. FURTHERMORE, Melina Marchetta is a GENIUS because EVERYTHING in this book is in it for a reason. There are no extra words or unnecessary plot devices. This author is NOT wasting your time, nor does she think you anything less than clever. (My Review)

8. Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Yet another series where I mention the second in order to coerce you to read the first. Through the Ever Night is just so touching, wonderful and heroic. I finish the book and I feel like all of the characters are real people I should be able to spend my days with. Even more so, the relationships between these oh-so-real characters are so sigh-worthy that I could read about them all day and be perfectly content. Oh. Also. The action, danger and dystopia-ness in this serious is pretty crazy and awesome too. (My Review)

9. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Sometimes I read retelling and my reaction is: “That was great. I could go for another.” But at the end of this book I couldn’t even think of what I would read next because my mind was still on this book. And it wasn’t that I wanted to have more time with these characters. I actually felt fairly completely at the end of it all. I just needed to take a deep breath and process the fact that I’d finished such a brilliant book. I just needed to savor the ending and not rush past it to the next book in my stack.

10. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Sometimes, when I get to the end of a book, I tear through the last however many pages. It’s like a freefall into an ending that you know isn’t going to give you exactly what you wanted - but what you needed instead. But instead of getting upset at the book for not give you what you wanted (as opposed to the all knowing “needed”), you just close the book and sigh. Because it was THAT GOOD.

*ADDENDUM BECAUSE I'M FOOLISH AND I FORGOT*

11. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer 

Another second-book-in-series I have to put up here. I liked Cinder and LOVED Scarlet. I think it's because there were more characters to work with - the shifting POV was done PERFECTLY - but for whatever reason this fairytale retelling was in no way obvious. And even if the storyline WAS obvious, I DID NOT want it to happen that way. So. Go pick up this series RIGHT NOW because it's totally a new favorite of mine. (My Review)

Have you read any of these? This year? Last year? Any year? If you have, did you love? If you haven't, DO YOU WANT TO? Talk to me in the comments below!