Best Books of 2013 - Marcie

Here are the best books that I read in 2013 in no particular order.  Becky, you should read some of these!

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

A young adult novel about a middle school boy with a cranio-facial abnormality attending school for the first time; the main character is wonderful, sympathetic and funny, even in the midst of his troubles.  You can read my review here.

When We Were Strangers by Pamela Schoenewaldt

This is the story of a young Italian woman who immigrates to America in the 19th century; the characters are beautifully portrayed and the descriptions are so real you can almost smell them!  You can read my review here.

Until I Say Good-Bye by Susan Spencer-Wendel

A heartwarming and uplifting memoir about a mother diagnosed with ALS that will remind you to choose joy every day.  You can read my review here.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

A young adult novel about the friendship between two British girls during World War 2; the first sentence drew me in, and I could not put the book down.  You can read my review here.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

A fun and enjoyable read about quirky characters solving a book related mystery.  You can read my review here.

The Red Kimono by Jan Morrill

A beautifully written account of the Japanese internment during WWII, as told through the eyes of children.  You can read my review here.

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

This is a really intriguing mystery/science fiction book that I couldn't put down.  You can read my review here.

Love Anthony by Lisa Genova

A moving novel about the mother of a boy with autism; I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone.  You can read my review here.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

A quirky, funny and almost soap-opera-ish novel about a Seattle family, I found myself laughing my way through the book just waiting to see what crazy thing would happen next.  You can read my review here.

How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal

This book about a woman running a bakery read so quickly and easily, yet still made the reader think about the difficult issues the characters had to face.  You can read my review here.  

The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman

I could not put this beautifully written novel down!  It's the story of a couple separated by World War II, but primarily focuses on the Jewish woman's experience in the Terezin concentration camp near Prague.  Becky also included this book on her list of favorites, you can read her review here.  You can read my review here. 

The Whole Golden World by Kristina Riggle

What's interesting about this book is that I didn't really like any of the characters, and I found the subject matter disturbing, but I still loved reading it.  It would make a great discussion for a book club!  You can read my review here.

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

This story about family relationships painted a dark picture of slavery in the south around the turn of the 19th century.  While it certainly was a little depressing, I couldn't put the book down, and read eagerly to see what would happen next.  You can read my review here.

Becky limited her list to her top 10 books, but I had no such compunction!  I had a list of maybe 7 or 8 books that were my clear favorites, and when I broadened my search to try to get to 10, I ended up with 13.  The interesting thing is that my favorites cover a wide variety of genres and topics.