It’s totally cliché, but where the hell has this year gone? With today being the very last day of 2013 I figured I’d do a quick “Year in Review” post to talk about my progress with reading challenges and also to discuss my favorite books of the year!
Quick rundown on how I did with my reading challenges: I successfully read 120 books this year. In fact, as of the time of writing this post I am at 199 books for the year! (WOOT!) You can see all the books I’ve read with links to their reviews here. Now, a bit of bad news. I utterly failed (for the second year in a row) the audio book challenge. I didn’t listen to 1 audio book this year (read: pathetic.) I also didn’t do so great with the Book to Movie challenge either, with only 2 out of 12 read. Now, to the good news: I completed 78% of the Color Coded Challenge, or 7 out of 9 reads. I actually had a blast doing this challenge. You don’t realize how many books use colors in their titles until you do a challenge like this! Additionally, I unsurprisingly completed the Historical Fiction Challenge as well as the Pride and Prejudice Bicentenary challenge with no trouble at all.
And now for the difficult part: Picking my favorite reads of 2013.
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
- The Lavender Garden by Lucinda Riley (look for my review next week!!!)
- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
- The Story Guy by Mary Ann Rivers/Making It Last by Ruthie Knox
- Beauty and the Billionaire by Jessica Clare
- Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson
- Death in the Floating City by Tasha Alexander/Easy by Tammara Webber
- Shades of Earth by Beth Revis
- Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost
- The Secret of Ella and Micha/The Forever of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen
Having read almost 200 books this year, choosing 10 (really 12) of my favorites almost killed me. So, in the effort of easing my conscience I’m giving you some of my runners-up (in no particular order)!
- Pride, Prejudice, and the Perfect Match by Marilyn Brant
- The Edelstein Trilogie by Kersin Gier (Book one, two, & three)
- The Westfield Wolves/Regency Vampyre Series by Lydia Dare
- Return to Longbourn by Shannon Winslow
- The Tutor’s Daughter by Julie Klassen
- Losing It by Cora Carmack
- Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
- Bittersweet by Noelle Adams
This was hands down the hardest year yet to pick my favorite books. When you read almost 200 books in a year I guess that should be expected, no?
Ok, the burden is being passed to you. What did you love reading this year?!? Please let us know below. And finally, enjoy the rest of your New Year’s Day, hopefully with a great book. See you in 2014!
Reflections of a Book Addict 
You have a wide range of interest. Good for you! 🙂
It’s a blessing and a curse. With wide reading tastes I continually add books to my to-read pile. I will die with 3,000 books still on that list. I swear!
Awesome!:-)
I am in awe, nearly 200 books?! I managed about 80. I’d been aiming for 100 but was a bit ambitious for me. Looking back on my Goodreads my top two for the year were firstly, Mansfield Park, which I read as part of Austen in August. I had only read it once, when I was a teenager, and I really didn’t do the book justice then. I think it wasn’t romantic enough for me. I thought it was wonderful on this reread.
My other favourite for the year was The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds, a variation on Pride and Prejudice that sees Mr Darcy kissing Elizabeth when he proposes, so they have to marry. He has no idea at first of her real feelings towards him and she knows she’ll be under his power as his wife and is worried of inciting the resentful temper that she believes led to his behaviour towards Wickham. By the time Elizabeth realises that she is mistaken she worries that it may be too late to regain his good opinion. This is by no means the happiest read you’ll find, it was a gripping angst-fest and I could barely put it down. I love the way Abigail Reynolds thinks through the ripple effect of the variations, so a small initial change leads to a very different story.
Al the best for the New Year, hope you have some good reads in 2014 🙂
Thanks, Ceri! And 80 books is still AMAZING! I read around 80 the first year I aimed for 100.
I’m glad Mansfield Park was better the 2nd time around. It’s the only Austen book I have never been able to finish. Edmund and Fanny are just TOO boring for me.
Last Man in the World is my favorite of Abigail’s books! It’s actually one of the first JAFF books I ever read. I’m so pleased you found it enjoyable!! The angst is killer in it. ❤
Best of reading luck to you as well!
Wow, you read a lot of books in 2013!! The most I’ve ever read in a year was 112 books, but that was a few years ago when school was less stressful and life was less busy…. this year I’ve only managed to read 54. Congrats!
112/54 are both amazing stats! Congratulations to you! Keep up the good work Holly!
Amazing 2013, Kim — and I know you didn’t get any reading done in Las Vegas! My favorite book of the year was Their Eyes Were Watching God, hands down! But so many other classics were a big surprise too! Looking forward to Tara in 2014!
HAHA thanks Col! Vegas was so much fun. NOLA 14 baby!
I’ve heard great things about Their Eyes Were Watching God. Time to add another book to my reading list!
200 books….I’m impressed. I read not nearly so many and it would be even less if I didn’t listen as well as read the printed page. You’ll have to give the audios a try because there are many moments during the day when you can listen.
Audio books are awesome! I listened to 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami and the entire Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson in 2012. I need to incorporate more audio books into my schedule I think!
Kim, I love how many books you’ve read this year and the wide variety of genres you’ve sampled!! And, of course, I’m utterly honored to be on your runners-up list as well ;).
For me, Melanie Gideon’s Wife 22 hooked me in the women’s fiction genre. I just started The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen and am fascinated so far. You mentioned Cora Carmack’s Losing It and Eleanor & Park by Rowell — both of those are on my Kindle and I can’t wait to read them!
Wishing you a fabulous New Year!! xo
Your book was definitely a highlight of the year Marilyn! I’m glad you have Rowell and Carmack on your to-read list.
I’m still reeling from how awesome Rowell’s FANGIRL was. SO SO good. I literally want to re-read it all the time.
I just tried to reply and it didn’t show up! My apologies if you get 2 comments from me later!!
First and foremost, thank you, Kim!!! It’s an honor to be on your runners-up list ;). I love that you’ve read/reviewed so many novels this year and have such a wide range of reading tastes.
For me, I enjoyed Melanie Gideon’s Wife 22 and have just begun The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen (liking it a lot so far). Carmack’s Losing it and Rowell’s Eleanor & Park are both on my Kindle — hoping to get to them soon!!
Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy New Year! xox
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Reblogged this on Random Thoughts on Papers.
I actually don’t think I finished the Book to Movie challenge either and I was hosting, so don’t feel too bad! I mostly just did a bad job keeping track of my personal progress on all of my challenges this year, so I’m hoping to do better next year 🙂 Congrats on reading so many books!
Thanks! I’m glad I have your forgiveness 🙂
I’m ashamed that I think I only read one book this year, but it was a good one (A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horowitz) … so congratulations to you for accomplishing so much! And here’s to a productive and FUN 2014!
Get ready for NOLA Jess! It’s happening!!
I just found your blog and so glad I did! I’m thrilled to find another book addict. Love your list of favorites, quite a variety.
Thanks! I love finding fellow book addicts. I hope you enjoy the blog!