Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: top books I've read so far in 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week the participants post their top ten to a specific topic.

This week's topic is the top ten books we've read so far in 2013.
Omg you gotta be kidding. I've read so many fantastic books, it'll be hard to choose only 10 >.<
No particular order.



Divergent, by Veronica Roth
The hype made me suspicious but WOW! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, and I love Tris :)


In the Shadow of Blackbirds, by Cat Winters
Wonderful and complex, haunting, caught between science and magic in a period of war, sickness, and despair. And still there's a love story, told in the form of memories and by the ghost of a tortured young man.


Marking Time, by April White
I was so surprised and blown away by how much I loved this story! Time travel, paranormal creatures, abilities, grandiose setting, and most of all compelling characters! I've never read anything like it and I definitely need more ;)


Splintered, by A.G. Howard
And Alice retelling in a deliciously creepy wonderland. With Morpheus the moth boy and secret agendas and the threat of madness. More, please. I read the Unhinged sample chapters from Netgalley yesterday and now the wait is even more agonizing...


The Replacement, by Brenna Yovanoff
I cried my eyes out. In the best way. This book made me ache and I marked so many passages because of how beautifully they were written. I've wanted to read a changeling book like that for ages. And it's perfect just as it is. No sequel needed.


Just One Day, by Gayle Forman
It was so good that I bought her other books immediately afterwards and read all 3 in only one week. Gripping and realistic. It made me want to get up and be strong and face my life and try to really live it.


The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, by Michelle Hodkin
What took me so long to catch on to the awesomeness of this series?!?! I read this book in a day. Noah Shaw is now among my top book boyfriends. I loved the dialogue, I loved Mara's family, I hurt for what she had to endure. Also, unreliable narrators are awesome. And the abilities here are really something different from the usual.


The Sea of Tranquility, by Katja Millay
Everyone says it's awesome and everyone is right. These characters are so unique and so realistic at the same time. I love how the events that lead to the characters being how and who they are are slowly revealed, and how there was more to even the minor ones that I'd supposed at the beginning. Really, really interesting dynamics.


Debt Collector serial, by Susan Kaye Quinn
Sci-fi is not my go-to genre, but seriously - this future noir/retro sci-fi series is amazing!! I had volume 1-3 from Netgalley but I had to go to Amazon and order and read 4-6 right away! The world building, characters, and intricacies are fantastic and gritty. I just couldn't stop reading. And despite the violence, it was fun too!


Dance of the Red Death, by Bethany Griffins
Characters, plot, beautiful writing, imagery... and the creepiness of Poe, the desperation of a dying world, the resolve of a girl caught in a deadly power game.


Runners-up:
With All my Soul, by Rachel Vincent (the conclusion! Wrath! Kaylee! Tod!)
Whither, by Lauren DeStefano (wonderful imagery, intriguing premise. Not so happy about the sequel.)
Blood Rights, by Kristen Painter (it's hard to make vampires fresh and unique again but she did it)
Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo (the world, the powers, the Darkling, the setting, the twists)

Gahh this nearly undid me with how many great books I couldn't feature, even though I sort of cheated with the runner-ups... Did you have a hard time choosing, too? What do you think of my picks, and what are yours?


11 comments:

  1. Splintered made my list too! It's a great book.

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  2. Great list! Mara Dyer is on mine too:)

    My TTT:
    http://evelinesbooks.blogspot.com/2013/06/top-ten-tuesday-teaser-tuesday-5.html

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  3. I loved Divergent and Mara Dyer :) And I want to check out a few others on your list!

    Janina
    My TTT!

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  4. I have yet to start the Mara Dyer trilogy, but I cannot wait to do so and you just made me even more excited. Unreliable narrators are the best, and I love hurting for characters!

    I hope the second half of 2013 brings you just as many good books as the first!

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  5. I really enjoyed Divergent and Splintered. I still need to read Just One Day, but plan to this summer. Great list!
    Natflix&Books' TTT

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  6. I'm SO happy you loved Divergent so much :D Shadow and Bone is like my highest priority book that I NEED to own like, yesterday. And yours is the 2nd of my favorite & trusted blogs to have it on your TTT list today so - I'm kinda dying here LOL I still need to read In The Shadow of Blackbirds and Splintered too! Seeing how much you loved Dance of the Red Death almost makes me want to go back on my vow to not read the sequel too >.< So yeah, fabulous list!!

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    1. Woah, being so high on your trust list gives me the warm and fuzzies hun ^^ I really need to get to the Sanderson asap! And Born of Illusion.

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  7. Oh, great picks! Splintered and The Sea of Tranquility would definitely be on my list. So. Good. Just wait till you read the sequel to Shadow and Bone...it'll for sure be on this list, too. :)

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  8. I rank my books as I read them, so making my list was easy, but it made me sad that books 11-15 weren't able to be featured. I really want to read Splintered. She is signing books at ALA this week, and I WILL get a copy. I also loved Divergent and Mara Dyer. I still need to read the second Mara Dyer, but I'm looking forward to the final in both series later this year.

    My TTT
    LisaILJ @ I’ll Tumble for YA

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  9. I need to read Divergent, I've been wary of the hype too but it does sound really good! :) My TTT list: http://aliceinreaderland.com/2013/06/24/top13/

    Alice @ Alice in Readerland

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  10. Found your blog via the Top 10 meme today. You reminded me to put "The Replacement" on my To Read list! I totally forgot until I saw the book cover. Hehe. Also thanks for the reco on the "Debt Collector" series. Grim reapers are my new favorite anti-heroes!

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