Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

The Sea of Tranquility
by Katja Millay

My Review | Goodreads

This book is angst-central. But I'd like to point out that though The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay is an emotionally draining novel, it is also one that will leave you breathless from the outstanding beauty of the characters and the writing. The Sea of Tranquility is about a lot of pain, but through all that hardship, there is HOPE. So while the journey was hard, the ending was beautiful.

The Archived
by Victoria Schwab

My Review | Goodreads

Just when you think there are no more truly original ideas left for books, enter The Archived by Victoria Schwab with an entirely unique and exciting concept that was so refreshing in its originality. It's a fairly complex concept, but Victoria Schwab nails the execution of it, ensuring that the reader is never confused, only intrigued.

Etiquette & Espionage
by Gail Carriger

My Review | Goodreads

I may have a new author crush in Gail Carriger. She has a definite talent for humourous writing, vibrant characters, and fast-paced entertaining plots. I do admit though that there was some bias in my love for Etiquette & Espionage because it had a vague semblance to Harry Potter - a quirky boarding school, fun and cartoonish characters, a general whimsical atmosphere. Sounds fun, right?

Shades of Earth
by Beth Revis

My Review | Goodreads

FREX, Shades of Earth was INTENSE. This was the third and final book in the Across the Universe Series - and it went out with a bang! Shades of Earth, and indeed the entire trilogy on a whole, was exciting, surprising, and entertaining. Chaos, lies, and murder abound in this absolutely thrilling finale. If you haven't read this trilogy yet, then what the heck are you waiting for?

Shadow and Bone
by Leigh Bardugo

My Review | Goodreads

Shadow and Bone was my JAM. It had so many elements that I love, including (but not at all limited to): a wonderfully developed and beautifully picturesque world, a creative and fascinating magic system, a sort of boarding school setting, an awesomely relatable and fierce heroine, a slow building and fantastically swoony romance, and an enigmatic and complex villain. Shadow and Bone has it ALL!

Clockwork Princess
by Cassandra Clare

My Review | Goodreads

Overpowering happiness and emotional devastation - is it possible to feel such entirely different emotions over the ending of a series? Because with Clockwork Princess, the final book in one of my most favourite and beloved series, I sure felt that way. Clockwork Princess was a mixed bag of thrills and laughs, anguish and dread. I could not think of a more perfect outcome and ending for this amazing series and its beloved characters.

Unbreakable
by Elizabeth Norris

My Review | Goodreads

Unbreakable was just as exciting and electrifying as Unraveling. Elizabeth Norris has a true talent for crafting ambitious story lines and she handles them exceedingly well. Part of what makes Unbreakable so riveting is its breakneck pacing. I mean, GOOD GRIEF it was kind of insane how non-stop the action was. But what I think I loved even more is that the insane and numerous action scenes were never at the expense of character growth and emotion.

The 5th Wave
by Rick Yancey

My Review | Goodreads

The 5th Wave is the best sci fi novel I've ever read and is one of the best post-apocalyptic reads I've read (alongside The Road). Combining an intriguing plot, intelligent prose, and vivid characters, The 5th Wave is an absolutely gripping story and one that is not to be missed. For folks who are wary of sci fi: this is your chance to try one that is guaranteed to enthral you and leave you wanting for more!

Cinder
by Marissa Meyer

My Review | Goodreads

With a futuristic Asian setting, a plucky cyborg for a heroine, and the intrigue behind the mysterious Lunars, Cinder was a definite WIN for me. Cinder is compulsively readable, equal parts comforting as a retelling of a well known fairy tale and exciting as an original futuristic world. As a fairy tale retelling, Cinder was definitely predictable, but there was still enough excitement and creativity in the setting and concept to ensure I was never bored despite this.

The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater

Review to be posted this Thursday | Goodreads

Maggie Stiefvater, where have you been all my life? The Scorpio Races was my first read of hers and I loved it entirely. I couldn't be more impressed with Maggie Stiefvater's beautiful writing, as well as her ability to craft an understated, yet completely impactful and memorable story. Plus, I love horses so I was pretty crazy about a storyline revolving completely around them.