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On My Bookshelf

books to read in 2013

I have a confession to make, and it’s quite a source of embarrassment for me. (Trust me, I would rather admit to something to effect of shoplifting or picking and ingesting one’s boogers than what I’m about to tell you.)

Breathe, Sarah.

I only read 5 books last year, and three of them were the Fifty Shades trilogy.

O.

M.

G.

5 books. 5 MEASLY BOOKS IN 365 DAYS. WHAT A DIPSHIT.

I’m mortified.

Listen, I’m not calling YOU a dipshit if you didn’t read many books last year. D does not enjoy reading at all, and probably hasn’t read one book since college, yet, not a dipshit. I get it – it’s just not his thing, but me? I LOVE to read. I live to read. I have been a voracious reader my entire life. I started reading at three years old. I can speed read with ease. There is nothing in this world that excites and/or terrifies me more than becoming completely engrossed in a novel. Do you get me? I AM READER, HEAR ME ROAR.

So what happened? Random Internet Surfing happened, that’s what. (R.I.S. is a disease and must be taken seriously. See your doctor.) If I would have opened a book instead of opening my laptop during my free time, my book count would have been drastically different.

Let’s summarize. I only read 5 books last year, and three of them were poorly-written mommy porn. (The other two were Gone Girl and Mockingjay, if you were wondering.) My unnecessary internet surfing is to blame. This kind of pathetic behavior must not be repeated. Ever again. You know where this is leading, don’t you?

BOOK LIST!

Here are some books I want to read this year.

1. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking – Susan Cain

2. The Blind Assassin – Margaret Atwood

3. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen (I have never read this. I KNOW.)

4. The Passage – Justin Cronin (Books like this freak me out…will I want to build an underground shelter and never come out?)

5. Dark Places – Gillian Flynn

6. The Happiness Project – Gretchen Rubin

7. Columbine – Dave Cullen

8. The Paris Wife – Paula McLain

9. The Dream: A Memoir – Harry Bernstein

10. Cutting for Stone – Abraham Verghese

11. The Light Between Oceans – M.L. Stedman

12. The Invisible Bridge – Julie Orringer

What else? What should I add to the list? What’s the best book you read last year? What are you reading right now? Do tell.  (p.s. – I also have a Good Reads account which I opened in 2007 and just visited yesterday for the first time in several years. Let’s connect over there.)

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click a link to purchase a book, I will receive something like 25 cents and, if lucky, be able to buy some froyo, which will keep me happy while writing posts. Thank you for your support of this website!

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86 comments
  1. Anna

    February 6, 2013 at 2:08 pm

    As soon as anyone starts talking about books, I lose all knowledge of social cues and go nuts. They are my jam and I could talk about them endlessly!

    I just finished the Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers. It’s written by a former solider who served in Iraq who then got an MFA in poetry. It was exceptional, one of the best books I read last year. It’s beautifully written and such a touching story. I’d highly recommend All That I Am by Anna Funder and The Remains of the Day too. I also enjoyed The Art of Fielding (though it’s long). The Light Between Oceans has been on my to-read list for ages. I might have to finally order it…

  2. angie

    February 6, 2013 at 2:50 pm

    my book club also loved cutting for stone – def a good one…but i won’t lie – it’s a slow start. so slow that i started it two years ago on my own and only finished cause my book club picked it a few months ago! once i got into it i was so happy and so sad when it was over (the sign of a good book for me!).

    agree with another commenter though – my book club’s favorite read of 2012 was rules of civility by amor towles. seriously so great and i think you’d really like it. please add it to your list. it’s a winner. all 10 of us loved that book and that might be the only time we were all in complete agreement.

    i’m dying to read wild. just finished the 19th wife and it’s a faciniating read. i might be the only one to have not read the grey series…but i also read gone girl and the twilight series last year! our book this month is loving frank – supposed to be amazing.

    and just to pull out some oldies but goodies – my number one favorite book is time traveler’s wife. i still cry just thinking about the love in that book! memoirs of a geisha and water for elephants also in my top five. i also enjoyed all the books by wally lamb (although i can’t think of the titles at the moment!).

    can’t wait to hear what you decide to tackle!

    • whoorl

      February 6, 2013 at 3:12 pm

      I’ll definitely put Rules of Civility on the list, because I loved Time Traveler’s Wife, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Water for Elephants. Looks like we have similar taste in books!

  3. Lynn

    February 6, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    The Fault in Our Stars was awesome. Sad, funny, lovely.
    This Is Where I Leave You is another great one I read about two years ago and LOVED. Laugh out loud funny, family drama.
    I’ve got Where’d You Go, Bernadette?, My Beloved World, and Daring Greatly all waiting to come in at the local library and have heard good things about all.
    Happy Reading!

  4. Amti'b

    February 6, 2013 at 4:20 pm

    Happiness project on my side table, i am on page 2.

  5. Julie / Bound

    February 6, 2013 at 4:45 pm

    Ok, can every post be about books, please? I get unreasonably excited when I see these suggestions (and similarly grossed out by myself when I have a dry period). You’ve got so many stellar suggestions already, so I’ll just go ahead and say move The Happiness Project and Cutting For Stone to the top of the list. Amazing works, the both of them.

    Also…Audible.com is something you might want to check out. All those hours in the car can be converted into “reading time.” Just saying. Changed my life.

  6. Amanda @ Ramblings of an Empty Mind

    February 6, 2013 at 5:38 pm

    RIS is a true affliction…one that I suffer from myself. :) So easy to get sucked in.
    I would definitely say add Insurgent and Divergent to your list…and by November you will be able to read the as yet named final instalment. Similar to Hunger Games, only better, IMO.
    As luck would have it…my last post, we a list of the books I read last year.

    • MichelleLG

      March 1, 2013 at 3:43 pm

      the Divergent series is totally better than the Hunger Games. Your opinion is right. :) :)

  7. Emily

    February 6, 2013 at 5:44 pm

    I had this EXACT same conversation with myself at the beginning of this year. I have planned to read AT LEAST one book per month. At least. I’ve been successful thus far, fingers crossed I keep it up!

  8. Roxanna

    February 6, 2013 at 5:57 pm

    You MUST read “Wonder” — a quick, easy read but very powerful. (Yes, it’s about 5th graders, but trust.) I also really loved “The Namesake”

    • Kimberly

      February 7, 2013 at 4:33 am

      WONDER is great read! I dare you to read it without shedding a tear. :)

  9. elz

    February 6, 2013 at 6:27 pm

    You’ll really like “The Paris Wife.” I read mostly when I travel, now that I travel quite a bit for work, my reading has increased exponentially. The last best book I read was “Unbroken,” an amazing true story. It’s gripping. Another of my recent favorites from a couple years ago is “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” REALLY interesting. I read a lot of fiction too, but those two non-fiction books are A-mazing.

    • whoorl

      February 6, 2013 at 6:30 pm

      I have The Immortal Life on my Kindle! Reading it soon…

    • Kristin

      February 6, 2013 at 7:41 pm

      Oh yes! I second the Unbroken suggestion. Great read.

  10. Mia

    February 6, 2013 at 6:58 pm

    I have the opposite problem; the amount of money I spend on books is obscene! Anyway, 2 standouts from 2012: The Light Between Oceans and The Rules of Civility. Soooo good. Start there. Oh. And after reading Gone Girl, I read her other 2 and loved them just as much/more!

  11. Mia

    February 6, 2013 at 7:00 pm

    Omg. Can’t believe I forgot to include Wild! I felt that book in my bones for weeks after I’d finished

  12. Shannon

    February 6, 2013 at 7:01 pm

    “Wild” & “Tiny Beautiful Things” by Cheryl Strayed are absolutely stunningly good. The kind of writing that changes your life. Not kidding!

  13. Kristin

    February 6, 2013 at 7:39 pm

    I read a lot, and I have read several of the books on your list and many of them are very interesting. The best book that I read last year was also the LAST book that I read in 2012 (why did I have to wait so long to find a good one?). I saw someone else mentioned it–The Fault in Our Stars. I felt like it was the ultimate perfect reading experience.

  14. Andrea

    February 6, 2013 at 9:00 pm

    Ditto all the recs for Night Circus, Fault in Our Stars and books by Tana French in lieu of Gillian Flynn! ALSO, since you love Downton, I highly recommend The Luxe by Anna Godbersen – it’s like Downton, Sense and Sensibility and Titanic all rolled into one :)

  15. Marianne

    February 6, 2013 at 9:04 pm

    Just going to throw this out there since no one has mentioned it – anything by David Sedaris. Hilarious.