Patti's Picks 2013

Patti’s Picks 2013

Here is my list of favorite books of 2013. I don’t have a strict list of criteria for a favorite book; sometimes I just love it, or it makes me happy, or I read it at the right time, or it’s wonderfully written. The books are in alphabetical order by author’s last name. I love sharing lists and books that I love. Happy 2014 and Happy Reading!!!

Fiction:

Crombie, Deborah; The Sound of Broken Glass (#15 in series, mystery)

Deveraux, Jude; Knight in Shining Armor (time travel romance)

Faye, Lyndsay; The Gods of Gotham (#1, historical mystery)

Grecian, Alex; The Yard (#1, historical mystery)

Gunn, Elizabeth; Eleven Little Piggies (#9, mystery)

Harrison, Cora; Deed of Murder (#7, historical mystery)

Harrison, Cora; The Sting of Justice (#3, historical mystery)

Hoffman, Beth; Looking for Me (fiction)

Kelly, Carla; The Admiral's Penniless Bride (romance)

Kowal, Mary Robinette; Without a Summer (#3, historical, fantasy)

Krueger, William Kent; Ordinary Grace (fiction)

MacNeal, Susan Elia; His Majesty's Hope (#3, historical mystery)

MacNeal, Susan Elia; Princess Elizabeth's Spy (#2, historical mystery)

Penny, Louise; How the Light Gets In (#9, mystery)

Robins, Madeleine; The Sleeping Partner (#3, historical mystery)

Rowell, Rainbow; Attachments (fiction)

Rowell, Rainbow; Eleanor and Park (YA fiction)

Rowell, Rainbow; Fangirl (YA fiction)

Scott, Jerry; Triple Shot, Double Pump, No Whip Zits; A ZITS

Treasury (comic collection)

Stabenow, Dana; Bad Blood (#20, mystery)

Weber, David; Fire Season (#2, YA science fiction)

Willig, Lauren; The Passion of the Purple Plumeria (#10, historical mystery)

Winspear, Jacqueline; Leaving Everything Most Loved (#10, historical mystery)

Nonfiction:

Hanagarne, Josh: The World's Strongest Librarian: a Memoir of Tourette's, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family

(autobiography)

Schwalbe, Will; The End of Your Life Book Club (memoir)

Reading Plan Check-in

Hello All!

I've made a dent in the To-Be-Read pile since the beginning of November, and I've been having a wonderful time! Here's the update:

Books that unfortunately didn't work for me:
Adams, Ellery; A Killer Plot (mystery)
MacLean, Sarah; A Rogue By Any Other Name (historical Regency romance)
Donaldson, Julianne; Blackmoore: A Proper Romance (historical romance)
Weber, David; Treecat Wars (with Jane Lindskold) (young adult science fiction) [I think with this one, it was the timing--I've loved this series, but it didn't grab me when I started it]

Books I've read & enjoyed have been:
Jenkins, Beverly; Destiny's Embrace (historical romance, western)
Rowell, Rainbow; Attachments (fiction)
Miller, Leigh Rae; The Summer I Became a Nerd (young adult fiction)
Hines, Jim C.; Libriomancer (fantasy)
Copperman, E. J.; Chance of a Ghost
Jamison, Sugar; Dangerous Curves Ahead (mystery/romance)
Parker, Robert B.; Silent Night: A Spenser Holiday Novel (with Helen Braun) (mystery)

Still reading:
Aaronovitch, Ben; Midnight Riot (mystery)
Shalvis, Jill; Christmas in Lucky Harbor
Willis, Connie; Miracle and Other Christmas Stories

Still hoping to get to some of the following over the holidays:

(From the library)
York, Sheila; A Good Knife's Work (mystery, 1940s)

Checked out the following since the original post :) :
Price, Kalayna; Grave Dance (fantasy)
Robertson, Imogen; Instruments of Darkness (historical mystery)
Shaber, Sarah; Louise's Gamble (mystery, 1940s)
Brennan, Marie; A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir (historical, fantasy)
Harrison, Cora; Laws in Conflict (Ireland, historical mystery)
Hall, Patricia; Dead Beat  (1960s, England, mystery)
Rosenfelt, David; Bury the Lead (mystery)

(At home):
Michaels, Barbara; Ammie Come Home (romantic suspense)
Balliett, Blue; Wright 3 (children's mystery)
Nguyen, Bich Minh; Pioneer Girl (advance copy) (fiction)
Allen, Sarah Addison; Lost Lake (advance copy) (fiction)
Crusie, Jennifer; Tell Me Lies (romance, fiction)

Recent books by the following authors:
Jenn McKinlay/Josie Belle, Julie Hyzy, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Juliet Blackwell, Naomi Novik and John Scalzi (all at home).

I moved the request date for the following until after the holidays:
Gilbert, Elizabeth; The Signature of All Things (fiction)

There have been several blocks into my reading time--I'm expecting out-of-town company (this is a very awesome thing!), so I'm in the process of a major housecleaning, and I had to go out and buy a new computer (in the end, also an awesome thing), requiring some research and some shopping.

Additionally, this reading plan does NOT stop at the end of the year. I'm going to keep on going, reading WHAT I WANT TO READ, though throwing more nonfiction into the mix. With my original plan, I have been reading only fiction. Here's the link to the original post: 

http://pattispenandpicks.blogspot.com/2013/10/reading-plan-for-rest-of-2013.html

I hope all of you find some time during the holiday season to do some reading of exactly what you want to read!

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!!!
Patti