Goodbye, 2013

This year was a year of ups and downs for me. I visited new places (Oregon, Washington, and Mexico), visited old friends, made new friends, and figured out what I'll be doing with my life (well, kinda). I've moved two times. I've lost weight and I was proud of myself. I wrote more words than I thought possible and learned what I'm both capable and incapable of. I've made mistakes, broken promises, and felt like I was on top of the world and struggling under the weight of the world. I have been, and continue to be, blessed by so many amazing people in my life and I can't wait to share more memories with them in 2014. 

And through it all, I've read books. I've shelved, perused, cried over, and slept with books. I met books that changed my life and I have added hundreds to my To Read pile. 

Because my life revolves around literature, I thought it would be fitting to end my year with sharing the best books I've read in 2013. 

1. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

 

Best love story of the year. Rainbow can write characters that will twist you up, make you fall in love, and feel like your life was written down.

2. Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Best fairy tale adaptation. It has action, beautiful character development and world-building. And Jim Dale does an amazing job narrating the audiobook (of course).

3. Winger by Andrew Smith

Best--and worst--ending. I literally could not put it down after I finished it. I held it near me, needing it to continue and stay with me.

4. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Rainbow does another fantastic job of turning the people I know and love into characters in her books. I could find my friends and myself in this one. Loved it!

5. Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Best revenge book of the year. And one of the best boyfriends I read this year is Harvey. And the side characters. And just everything! 

6. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Aliens, constant action, and end of the world drama make this book one hell of a ride. I hated when I had to put it down and am needing book two.

7. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

This is another perfect audiobook I listened to this year. And it might have the best world-building I've read in a book in a long time, not just this year. 

8. Noggin by John Corey Whaley

Original plot, beautiful writing, relatable characters all add up to  a story that hits you like a punch.

9. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

I never knew I could be so conflicted about villains until I read Vicious. I love Victor and I'm afraid of him at the same time.

10. The Archived by Victoria Schwab

I don't know how Victoria (or V.E.) comes up with these ideas, but I want her to continue them because I love them so much. And the twist! Left me hurting and loving this one all the more.

Snow Day = Readathon

The weather looks like this today:

which means I will be spending today in my pajamas, reading, watching TV, doing whateva I want!

And since it's been awhile since I participated in a readathon, I thought today would be the perfect time to sign up for the Holiday Readathon. 

It starts today and goes till Sunday and it's a fun, informal, go-at-your-own-pace readathon, which is right my alley. I am also signing up for Liza's Act of Kindness challenge by pledging to donate books to my library. 

There will also be lots of mini challenges and giveaways if you're interested!

Read:

• finished Champion by Marie Lu (30 pages)
• Vicious by V. E. Schwab (368 pages)