Best of 2013

Top Ten Books of 2013!

We're getting close to the end of the year, and I am officially taking it easy on the blog for the rest of 2013. Kicking off Christmas week I am going to put up my list of the top ten books I read in 2013. This was hard, really hard.

There is a mix of YA, and adult on here. It was a good year for both genres. I've indicated which titles are adult. Each of the books link to my review (if posted).

1 Tarnish by Katherine Longshore

Katherine Longshore brings Anne Boleyn to life effortlessly. Her voice stayed in my head long after I had finished the novel, and Katherine's brilliant writing only improves with each novel. She creates a sympathetic, yet still driven portrait of the doomed queen. Fans of Anne Boleyn will relish this one, and newcomers to the Tudor court will find much to enjoy as well. It's sexy, scandalous, and heart pulling.

2 Night Film by Marisha Pessl (adult novel)

A mind warp at it's finest. You'll feel like you're in one of Cordova's 'night films yourself as you question everything. This novel dares to question belief, perception, and reality. Does believing in something make it reality? It's thought provoking ending will make you want to read the novel again.

3 Vicious by V.E. Schwab (adult novel)

Victoria Schwab blurs the lines between good, evil and creates something in between. Vicious wants to make you question mortality, and your definition of the 'anti-hero'. Needless to say, she succeeds. Vicious is not only thrilling, taunt, and addictive, but it's brilliantly written. I, personally, was left wanting to beg her for more. You won't soon forget Victor or Eli after reading this one.

4 Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

An intoxicating duology that ends with a fantastic finale. Bethany has created a world that is rich, characters that will immediately grab you, and has ended the series in the most fitting way. It's decadent, dangerous, and yet there is a little light of hope, which is exactly the message of her story. Araby grows leaps and bounds and remains one of my favourite female protagonists. 

5 Tampa by Alissa Nutting (adult novel)

After finishing Tampa I felt two things - shock and disbelief. A provocative, controversial novel whose main character, Celeste, is someone you will never forget. Alissa takes what could have been a disaster, and creates something thought provoking, and brilliantly written. It made me want to discuss it with everyone, but it also made me want to warn them (and I think that's exactly what Alissa was going for).

** Tampa is REALLY adult. It is not intended for the younger readers**

6 The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon (adult with cross-over appeal)

Another debut novelist who impressed me with her writing. The world building is fantastic, and Paige is a character I am going to love seeing evolve and change throughout the novel. An impressive set up to what appears to be an amazing series. If you're looking for the next series to get obsessed with, this just might be it.

7 Cress by Marissa Meyer

I don't want to say to much, as this one is not on shelves yet. I will say that I fell in love with Cress (both the book and the character). Marissa Meyer's third novel has set up what is going to be one spectacular finale. The writing is just as engaging as the previous novels, and the plot is tight. This is a series where you can tell the author has planned, and plotted and is weaving everything together. I am so excited to watch everyone fall in love with Cress once it's released, she's truly wonderful.

8 Just One Year by Gayle Forman

Willem may just be my favourite male voice. He's exactly what I imagined while reading Just One Day, except even more so. He's just as swoony, just as complicated, and just as infuriating as you would anticipate after reading Allyson's story. This novel completes her story in a way that you won't be able to imagine one without the other. They are two sides of the same coin, and Gayle's writing shines as she brings Willem to life.

9 Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood

I loved Born Wicked. It was everything I wanted out of a witch novel. Star Cursed only improved on an already fantastic story. Jessica Spotswood's writing is impressive, and her characters are rich. The stage is set for the installment to this series, and the stakes just keep getting higher. A heart ripping ending, mixed with delightful characters, made this one an easy choice for this life. If you haven't checked out this series - do it immediately.

10 Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

I cried my way through a large portion of this novel. Leonard Peacock's head is not a pleasant place to be, but there is no denying that Leonard's story MUST be told. Matthew Quick creates sympathy in a character who, at first, may seem undeserving. As you unravel Leonard's secret you quickly come to feel his pain. Matthew Quick has creates a timeless story that will crush your heart, and yet give you a little ray of hope as well.

Any of these titles make your top ten this year? Will you be adding any to your reading list in 2014? Let me know in the comments (link me your top ten if you've posted yours!).

Forgive Me Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick
Release Date – August 13, 2013
Publisher Website - Little Brown/Hachette
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages -  288 pages
My Rating- 5/5
**obtained for review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I'm sorry I couldn't be more than I was—that I couldn't stick around—and that what's going to happen today isn't their fault.

Today is Leonard Peacock's birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school's class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

Some novels take you and put you into the head of the characters. This always makes for a connection that, as a reader, allows you to become so utterly immersed in the story that it takes over. A truly gifted writer can immerse their readers into the head of someone so flawed, so tragic, and so hurt. Matthew Quick does that with Leonard Peacock. A young man who haunts the pages of this intense read.

This novel left me feeling raw, and exposed. It drained me. I finished it feeling as if everything had been rung out of me. It exhausted me. It all comes back to the insightful, and spot on characterization of Leonard Peacock. Matthew Quick absolutely nails this character, and makes you feel everything Leonard feels.

I don't want to spoil anything, because Leonard's journey is meant to be experienced WITH him. Part of what makes this novel so insightful is learning how Leonard ends up on a mission to end not only his life, but his former best friend Asher's life as well. The actions, events and circumstances that lead up to today are crushing, and you'll ache for Leonard. You'll want to protect him from himself, and wonder how it got this far with nobody noticing. This is a perfect example of no easy answer. Whose to blame isn't black and white, and our protagonist is one of the more uncomfortable narrators that I've read.

The people in Leonard's life are rather interesting. The side characters serve a purpose in that their interaction with Leonard helps us understand him. My favourite side character, without a doubt, is Herr Silverman. A compassionate, intelligent teacher that actually enjoys his job. He obviously wants to make a difference, and uses his career to facilitate this. Walt, Leonard's next door neighbour, heartbreakingly may be Leonard's best friend. Their connection is rather sweet, and unfolds using the clever device of Humphrey Bogart. Leonard's mother infuriated me. I couldn't fathom someone who acted this way, and was a parent. More accurately, I didn't want to fathom this. It's a sad truth that people like her exist. The character who looms over everything is, obviously, Asher. We learn so much about who he is from Leonard, and you can't help but feel like someone dropped the ball when it came to him as well.

As Leonard's mental state spirals and the novel quickly reaches it's pulse pouding, breath holding dénouement I felt swept away into the Leonard's rash, desperate actions. I felt the panic, and read with wide eyed disbelief until the novels unsurprising, but unavoidable ending. It's the ending scenes that provide a rich, perfect payoff to the build up of emotions the rest of the novel teases with.

A harrowing, unforgettable novel that takes you into the mind of a self destructive teenager, who might just be crying out for help. A tough, unflinchingly read that unsettled, and impressed me. A novel that should, and hopefully will, generate conversation so that young men like Leonard won't end up as broken, and desperate as what is portrayed within these pages.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews). 

This 'New To My Book Closet' post will only feature books I got while away at BEA. If you want to check out what titles I got at BEA you'll find those in my recaps. 

Pre BEA
Day One
Days Two and Three

Forgive Me Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick (Goodreads)
Rules of Summer by Joanna Philbin (Goodreads)
You Look Different In Real Life by Jennifer Castle (Goodreads)
The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston (Goodreads)

Lindsay from Me on Books sent me You Look Different and Rules for Disappearing. Super excited to start both of these. I also love the little City of Fallen Angels pin she sent as well.

The lovely people at Hachette Canada sent me Rules of Summer and Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock. Both sound fantastic, and I can't wait to wait them. Thank you so much Kaitlin.

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!