2013 Reading in Retrospect: Book Survey
End of the Year Book Survey
This year has been a great year for reading. I saw my friend categorize all of her reading in a fun blog, so I am doing the same. Enjoy!
1. Best book read in 2013.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks. This is a great story told by one of the most original narrators. Budo, an imaginary friend of an autistic child Max, tells an excellent story of him and his partner in a moment of crisis.
2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more, but didn’t:
The Biology of Luck by Jacob M. Appel. Great premise for a story: Larry Bloom experiences a day in New York City leading up to his date with Starshine. Intermixed is the imagined story of Starshine as part of Larry's novel. Sadly, too much narration and not enough action.
In the Woods by Tana French. Great mystery set up: a detective must investigate the murder of a young girl outside the same woods where his childhood friends disappeared years earlier. A bit of a let down towards the end.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013.
The Magician King by Lev Grossman. I wasn't sure what to expect from a sequel from an awesomely original book. It was great, though! Grossman totally lived up to the expectations and beyond. Quentin's continued adventures after Brakebills magic school now mix with Julia's back story and journey in the magical underbelly for those not accepted to the prestigious school.
4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended the most?
To youths and teachers: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. So funny and entertaining, it definitely keeps you reading.
To adults: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. Great story combined with great storytelling. Who knew the secret world of books/bookstores could be so intriguing!
5. Best series you discovered in 2013.
The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan. The first Percy Jackson series was great. This second series is an excellent extension. These books are a great combination of mythology, history and geography into an action packed series. I've read: The Lost Hero(1), The Son of Neptune(2), and The Mark of Athena(3), but need to read The House of Hades.
6. Favorite new author discovered in 2013.
James Dashner and Robin Sloan
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone.
Not sure I read anything that fits this description.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2013.
Heroes of Olympus series (#1-3)
9. Book read in 2013 that you are most likely to reread.
Red by John Logan. Great play about two artists (painter [Mark Rothko] and apprentice [Ken]) working together to create a series of murals for the Four Seasons restaurant.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013.
Seemingly simple when you look at it until you wake up in the middle of the night to find out it glows in the dark. Mind=blown!
11. Most memorable character of 2013.
Zits from Flight by Sherman Alexie. Zits is a violent, foster-home-jumping, Native American teenager who starts to time travel through history. His real name isn't revealed until the last line of the book.
Margo from Paper Towns by John Green. I hate this girl! So. Much.
12. Most beautifully written book of 2013.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks. Budo's descriptions of life from his eyes are wonderful. He is imagined as intelligent, so he is, but he is also limited to the world of an autistic first-grader, unless he is wondering the world after dark while Max is asleep. It's a great inside/outside look at family troubles, similar to that of the dog Enzo in The Art of Racing in the Rain.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you.
Rick Riordan's writing is an influence in how I want to keep my own young readers hooked. His writing definitely makes you want to keep turning the page. The beginning of my novel is modeled after James Dashner's The Maze Runner. Dashner starts the story right in the thick of things, which definitely hooks you from page one.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to read.
The Book of Lost Things: A Novel by John Connolly. I've owned this book for years, but finally got down to reading it! Can't believe it took me almost 4 years to get around to it.
15. Favorite passage/quote.
"Like having a great idea, life comes at you fast. It hits you and tries to escape and be expressed in any way possible. In a way, it's a lot like lightning... I was reading that lightning is a negative charge that comes from the friction clouds carry. Since opposites attract, I would like to think that he was so positive the moment he died-so happy, he pulled that bolt right out of the sky. I don't know if that's possible, but that's what I believe." -Chris Colfer, Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal
"The right book exactly, at exactly the right time... And there are still so many mysteries to solve." -Robin Sloan, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
"In the center of the clearing stood a single enormous oak tree with a large round clock set in its trunk. The clock-trees were the legacy of the Watcherwoman, the legendary--but quite real-- time-traveling witch of Fillory...It must have been a hundred feet tall, and it was massively thick, at least fifteen yards around at its base. Its clock was stupendous...The trunk erupted out of the green grass and burst into a mass of wiggly branches, like a kraken sculpted in wood. And it was moving. The tree seemed to be caught up in the grip of a storm, but Quentin couldn't feel or hear any wind." -Lev Grossman, The Magician King
16. Shortest and longest books read in 2013.
Shortest: Red (43 pages)
Longest: The Mark of Athena (574 pages)
17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend for so many scenes about life as an imaginary friend. Some with spoilers, so I'll leave you to it.
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. Did you know these fairies have an orgy in this book?
18. Favorite relationship in a book read in 2013 (romance, friendship, etc.)
Colin and Lindsey from An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. (romantic)
Mark Rothko and Ken from Red by John Logan. (working, bromance)
19. Favorite book you read in 2013 from an author you read previously.
Definitely a tough choice! The Magician King by Lev Grossman.
20. Best book you read in 2013 based solely on a recommendation.
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. The school librarian wouldn't stop telling to me read it, and I'm so glad she didn't let it go.
21. Genre you read the most in 2013.
Young adult definitely. And drama.
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013.
My relationship with literary characters is purely platonic.
23. Best 2013 debut.
Robin Sloan with Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore.
24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013.
The Magician King by Lev Grossman. Great many locations created including the fantastic land of Fillory and the Netherworlds that connects all worlds together.
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia. Good magic and flashback scenes.
25. Book that was the most fun to read.
Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal by Chris Colfer. I kept imagining what it would be like to have my student editors on the school's literary magazine blackmail other students for submissions.
26. Book that made you cry.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks.
27. Best book you read that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Such an amazing book that fits in with the Hunger Games mentality, but I had never heard of it before I saw they were making it a movie. And there is a whole series! Going to need to get on that.
This year has been a great year for reading. I saw my friend categorize all of her reading in a fun blog, so I am doing the same. Enjoy!
1. Best book read in 2013.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks. This is a great story told by one of the most original narrators. Budo, an imaginary friend of an autistic child Max, tells an excellent story of him and his partner in a moment of crisis.
2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more, but didn’t:
The Biology of Luck by Jacob M. Appel. Great premise for a story: Larry Bloom experiences a day in New York City leading up to his date with Starshine. Intermixed is the imagined story of Starshine as part of Larry's novel. Sadly, too much narration and not enough action.
In the Woods by Tana French. Great mystery set up: a detective must investigate the murder of a young girl outside the same woods where his childhood friends disappeared years earlier. A bit of a let down towards the end.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013.
The Magician King by Lev Grossman. I wasn't sure what to expect from a sequel from an awesomely original book. It was great, though! Grossman totally lived up to the expectations and beyond. Quentin's continued adventures after Brakebills magic school now mix with Julia's back story and journey in the magical underbelly for those not accepted to the prestigious school.
4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended the most?
To youths and teachers: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. So funny and entertaining, it definitely keeps you reading.
To adults: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. Great story combined with great storytelling. Who knew the secret world of books/bookstores could be so intriguing!
5. Best series you discovered in 2013.
The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan. The first Percy Jackson series was great. This second series is an excellent extension. These books are a great combination of mythology, history and geography into an action packed series. I've read: The Lost Hero(1), The Son of Neptune(2), and The Mark of Athena(3), but need to read The House of Hades.
6. Favorite new author discovered in 2013.
James Dashner and Robin Sloan
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone.
Not sure I read anything that fits this description.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2013.
Heroes of Olympus series (#1-3)
9. Book read in 2013 that you are most likely to reread.
Red by John Logan. Great play about two artists (painter [Mark Rothko] and apprentice [Ken]) working together to create a series of murals for the Four Seasons restaurant.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013.
Seemingly simple when you look at it until you wake up in the middle of the night to find out it glows in the dark. Mind=blown!
11. Most memorable character of 2013.
Zits from Flight by Sherman Alexie. Zits is a violent, foster-home-jumping, Native American teenager who starts to time travel through history. His real name isn't revealed until the last line of the book.
Margo from Paper Towns by John Green. I hate this girl! So. Much.
12. Most beautifully written book of 2013.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks. Budo's descriptions of life from his eyes are wonderful. He is imagined as intelligent, so he is, but he is also limited to the world of an autistic first-grader, unless he is wondering the world after dark while Max is asleep. It's a great inside/outside look at family troubles, similar to that of the dog Enzo in The Art of Racing in the Rain.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you.
Rick Riordan's writing is an influence in how I want to keep my own young readers hooked. His writing definitely makes you want to keep turning the page. The beginning of my novel is modeled after James Dashner's The Maze Runner. Dashner starts the story right in the thick of things, which definitely hooks you from page one.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to read.
The Book of Lost Things: A Novel by John Connolly. I've owned this book for years, but finally got down to reading it! Can't believe it took me almost 4 years to get around to it.
15. Favorite passage/quote.
"Like having a great idea, life comes at you fast. It hits you and tries to escape and be expressed in any way possible. In a way, it's a lot like lightning... I was reading that lightning is a negative charge that comes from the friction clouds carry. Since opposites attract, I would like to think that he was so positive the moment he died-so happy, he pulled that bolt right out of the sky. I don't know if that's possible, but that's what I believe." -Chris Colfer, Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal
"The right book exactly, at exactly the right time... And there are still so many mysteries to solve." -Robin Sloan, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
"In the center of the clearing stood a single enormous oak tree with a large round clock set in its trunk. The clock-trees were the legacy of the Watcherwoman, the legendary--but quite real-- time-traveling witch of Fillory...It must have been a hundred feet tall, and it was massively thick, at least fifteen yards around at its base. Its clock was stupendous...The trunk erupted out of the green grass and burst into a mass of wiggly branches, like a kraken sculpted in wood. And it was moving. The tree seemed to be caught up in the grip of a storm, but Quentin couldn't feel or hear any wind." -Lev Grossman, The Magician King
16. Shortest and longest books read in 2013.
Shortest: Red (43 pages)
Longest: The Mark of Athena (574 pages)
17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend for so many scenes about life as an imaginary friend. Some with spoilers, so I'll leave you to it.
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. Did you know these fairies have an orgy in this book?
18. Favorite relationship in a book read in 2013 (romance, friendship, etc.)
Colin and Lindsey from An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. (romantic)
Mark Rothko and Ken from Red by John Logan. (working, bromance)
19. Favorite book you read in 2013 from an author you read previously.
Definitely a tough choice! The Magician King by Lev Grossman.
20. Best book you read in 2013 based solely on a recommendation.
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. The school librarian wouldn't stop telling to me read it, and I'm so glad she didn't let it go.
21. Genre you read the most in 2013.
Young adult definitely. And drama.
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013.
My relationship with literary characters is purely platonic.
23. Best 2013 debut.
Robin Sloan with Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore.
24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013.
The Magician King by Lev Grossman. Great many locations created including the fantastic land of Fillory and the Netherworlds that connects all worlds together.
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia. Good magic and flashback scenes.
25. Book that was the most fun to read.
Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal by Chris Colfer. I kept imagining what it would be like to have my student editors on the school's literary magazine blackmail other students for submissions.
26. Book that made you cry.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks.
27. Best book you read that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Such an amazing book that fits in with the Hunger Games mentality, but I had never heard of it before I saw they were making it a movie. And there is a whole series! Going to need to get on that.
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