Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Top Ten Tuesdays: Books Read in 2013

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Hello, everyone! It's time for another Top Ten Tuesday, and this post is on Top Ten Books I Read in 2013. There'll probably be quite a few series on this list, since I find it hard to pick just one book out of a series. Oh well. I'm also limiting it to new-to-me books, since I read a lot of books this year.
  1. Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. This is the kind of book that makes you think, and makes you dream. It inspires you to believe that there's more to life than what you see, that even the most unlikely people can accomplish great things. 
  2. From Darkness Won by Jill Williamson. The entire Blood of Kings trilogy is amazing, but I technically listened to the first two instead of reading them. And From Darkness Won is definitely my favorite in the trilogy. I'd like to say more, but . . . spoilers.
  3. Divergent by Veronica Roth. I'll probably be talking about this book for a while. I really enjoyed it, and why did I not read it sooner? It's probably my new favorite dystopian book. It's really exciting, but at the same time, it makes you think. 
  4. The Books of the Infinite series by R. J. Larson. As I said in my last Top Ten Tuesdays post, both the premise and the setting of this book make it fairly unique among Christian fantasy, and I loved finding all the references to Bible stories and characters that the author squeezed in.
  5. The Sky Riders by Christopher Hopper. This book is absolutely incredible. Heartstopping action, mysteries to always keep you guessing, and it's steampunk, which just makes it more awesome. And I really want to visit Aria Prime or one of the other cities, because they sound incredible.
  6. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. I've probably read this book three or four times since April. Three or four times. Since April. And I've had a pretty long to-read list since the beginning of this summer, so that's saying something. It's pretty much become my go-to book when I want something light, funny, and sweet, especially so if I want a fairy-tale feel without actually reading a remade fairytale. 
  7. The Seventh Door by Bryan Davis. I got to be a prepub reader for this book, and it was amazing. Watch for my official review once the book is released.
  8. A Cast of Stones by Patrick Carr. I thought the concept of lots and readers was unique and really interesting, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I also liked that Errol uses such an unconventional weapon. I think it's easy for fantasy writers to get stuck in the sword/bow/daggers rut, with the occasional hammer/axe/club thrown in for the big guys, so it was interesting to have a staff-wielding hero instead. 
  9. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. Sci-fi remade fairytales. I never would've come up with putting the two together, but Marissa Meyer did, and she did it very well. I like the unique twist on Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood, and I cannot wait for Cress to come out.
  10. The Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. This is my current obsession. They're just the right blend of adventure and humor, with colorful characters and lots of surprises. 
Well, that's ten. What are your favorite books you read in 2013? Feel free to tell me in the comments, or create your own Top Ten Tuesdays post. Just be sure to link back to the Broke and Bookish blog and post the link to your post on their site.
-Sarah (Leilani Sunblade)
Sarah (Leilani Sunblade)

2 comments:

  1. Divergent isn't on my top ten list (because I've read too many good books this year) but I really enjoyed it, maybe not as much as the first two but I think the ending was perfect

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    Replies
    1. I'm actually talking about the first book in the series only; I haven't read Allegiant and I wasn't crazy about Insurgent. But thanks for commenting!

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