My Favorite 10 Books of 2013

It seems like those “Best of” lists are ubiquitous this time of year. They always drive me a bit crazy, because to me, most, if not all, books have merits. After all, somebody took the time to sit down and write it, and someone else took the time to edit and publish it. Each book carries a bit of the author’s soul in it and therefore deserves respect. That said, not every book is for everyone, and that's okay. Infinite variety is the spice of reading.

So, for a little something different, here is a list of my 10 favorite reads of 2013. Only a few of these books were published this year; I tend to buy far more books than I can read in any given time and have piles everywhere. Having written three manuscripts this year, I decided to read more widely outside my particular genre, though each book listed here has history within its pages.

Without further ado, here are just 10 of the 31 books I read this year which I absolutely loved and recommend:

1. Christopher Rice Light Before Day: Yes, he is the son of a certain very famous writer, but don’t let that dissuade you. Mr. Rice is a master of the craft in his own right, and this book is one of his finest, a dark tale of a gay journalist with addiction issues who finds himself drawn into the dangerous search for a missing lover among the sordid, often lethal undercurrents of West Hollywood and the central valley of California. Taut, insightful, decidedly unglamorous, it had me on the edge of my seat.

2. Andrew Pyper The Demonologist: I love a good supernatural-themed scare and Mr. Pyper delivers a spine-tingling dose of it in this quiet, hauntingly creepy tale of a Milton scholar who accepts a mysterious invitation to travel to Venice with his daughter, only to discover that demons may exist and his child is part of their plan. The possession scene alone in a house on the Venetian canal is well worth the price of admission.

3. Brendan Rickman Vantrease The Heretic's Wife: The final book in her historical trilogy about the persecution of, and sacrifices made by the brave women and men who sought to bring the English Bible to the masses may sound too preachy for readers like me. It is not. Ms. Vantrese is not only a gorgeously gifted writer, but one who imbues her stories with a keen sensitivity for the era and frailties of her characters. This book can be read alone, yet is best appreciated after reading the previous two, “The Illuminator” and “The Mercy Seller.”

4. M.J. Rose Seduction: A book by M.J. Rose is always an experience. No one combines passion and the search for meaning, along with a unique supernatural theme, than Ms. Rose. “Seduction” is arguably her best work to date. When her heroine, Jac, travels to remote Jersey Island to heal from a devastating loss, her encounters with two equally enigmatic brothers plunge her into a frightening quest to unravel a deadly secret entwined with famed writer Victor Hugo’s (“Les Miserables”) previous seances to contact the spirit of his dead daughter. A Gothic infused with modern sensibility, it heralds Ms. Rose as a successor to Daphne Du Maurier.

5. Kate Forsyth Bitter Greens: I read this book after my beloved dog passed away and at times it was the only thing that kept me from falling apart. Ms. Forsyth is an accomplished writer of adult and children’s titles, with many successes under her belt, but she breaks her own mold in this wildly imaginative and sublime interpretation of the Rapunzel legend. Moving between three interlinked eras and women – the 17th century author of the original fairy tale, a haunted courtesan in 16th century Venice, and the girl who became Rapunzel—the writing is so exquisite, the characters so unforgettable, and the message of how storytelling can save our lives so resonant, you’ll find yourself swooning.

6. Janice Lee The Piano Teacher: This slim volume is deceptive. With spare unflinching prose, Ms. Lee delivers a moving tale of how the betrayals of the past seep into the present, shifting between 1951 and 1945, while illuminating for me a period in history I knew little about it: The occupation of Hong Kong by the Japanese. You often hear about books with a cinematic feel. This one begs to be adapted for the screen, with its scintillating cast of characters led by the quixotic Eurasian socialite, Trudy Liang, whose echoes of Sally Bowles from “Cabaret”— another devil-may-care woman caught between opposing forces – are unmistakable and yet utterly nuanced to fit the milieu in which Trudy must survive.

7. Danielle Trussoni Angelopolis: As a devoted fan of “Angelology”, the first volume in Trussoni’s magnificent, complex saga of fallen angels and angel hunters, I eagerly awaited her next installment. Imagine my surprise to discover that while retaining the flavor of the previous work, this one moves in an entirely new direction—a taut, fast-paced and vivid chase through Europe led by the hunter, Verlaine, who is mesmerized by his passion for one of the very creatures he is dedicated to kill. The daring versatility shown by Ms. Trussoni's amping of her tale to dizzying adrenaline heights is admirable, and while I missed some of the first book’s meditative qualities, I still could not put this one down.

8. Jude Morgan The Taste of Sorrow: I am ashamed to admit I had never read this author before now, despite numerous recommendations by friends. I approached this book warily, fearing a dreary recounting of the unfortunate Bronte family. Instead, I found myself utterly swept away by Mr. Morgan’s overwhelming mastery of language and imagery, his disregard for rules surrounding point of view creating kaleidoscopic insight into his characters’ souls. The Brontes did not have easy lives, and under Mr. Morgan’s pen their tragedies and triumphs are wrought with such piercing intimacy, it will break your heart. (Published in the US as Charlotte and Emily: A Novel of the Brontes)

9. Clive Barker Coldheart Canyon: Mr. Barker is renowned as a master of horror, the creator of the gruesome Pinhead and assortment of cinematic demons. He’s also one of the most versatile writers working in any genre; and this book showcases everything he does well: The tale of a haunted house in an unexplored canyon above Sunset Boulevard, where a maimed modern movie idol seeks refuge and encounters a former star who has harnessed the secret to immortality, wreaking havoc and despair in her wake. Though not for sensitive readers, as Mr. Barker does not shy away from perversity and dismemberment, this book is one of the best I have read about the consuming, often destructive hunger for fame and the price we pay to have everything we think we desire.

10.Elizabeth Freemantle Queen's Gambit: I write Tudor-era mysteries but have become, as many other readers are, I suspect, a bit weary of the deluge of novels set in the foibles of Henry VIII’s court. When this title was sent to me for review, I sighed. Yet another book on Kate Parr? However, as familiar as the tale of Henry’s last, ill-fated wife is to me, Ms. Freemantle kept me fully engaged by interspersing Queen Kat’s doomed love affair with the vivacious, observant and candid struggles of her intimate servant, who must not only navigate the shoals of her mistress’s misfortunes but also survive them on her own. This not “Wolf Hall”, as the publisher suggests, nor does it deserve to be relegated to comparison with that much-vaunted work. This book stands strong on its own merits and I realized after I finished it that in the right hands, the Tudor court can still be as exciting, unpredictable, and shatteringly frightening as ever.

Happy holidays to all of you! And happy reading.