Tuesday, December 17, 2013

A few of my favorites of 2013...Fiction

 So I'm back again today to talk about my favorite fiction reads in print for 2013.  Definitely the pool to choose from was much smaller because I have not had much luck in sitting down and reading the written word this year.  All of the books below were published in 2013 except for Murakami.    


Calling Me Home - Julie Kibler

This was a surprise find for me, chosen as a monthly book club selection by She Reads.  I am still thinking about this story about love and friendship between blacks and whites in the South.  I could not put this book down.  It broke my heart but in the best possible way.  Definitely not one you want to miss!  





Indiscretion - Charles Dubow

HIGHLY recommended at SIBA.  Read in one sitting my the slowest reader on earth (me).  Loved by everyone in my book club.  Smutty, twisty, and impossible to resist.  Not exactly high brow, but every now and again you need a book like this in your life.





Life After Life - Kate Atkinson

I suspect you will see this book on my year end lists.  It was a bizarre premise but one that tickles your brain...one woman living and dying over and over again, with many different outcomes.  As a ruined, battered woman.  As a mistress.  As a search and rescue worker in the Blitz.  As an assassin of Hitler.  Fascinating storytelling that forced you to think about coincidence and destiny.  And while I did struggle to understand the WHY of the whole thing, it was a clever and engrossing read.




Night Film - Marisha Pessl

The world either loved or hated this book.  I was in the loved category, despite the hype.  It was unique, using different forms of media (newspaper clippings, police reports, web pages) to tell the story of a man driven to investigate the suicide of the daughter of a reclusive, iconic filmmaker.  It gripped me from beginning to end.  It was trippy and twisty and delicious.  But you ain't seen trippy until you've dabbled with Murakami...




The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami

May I present the King of Trippy.  I had been insanely intimidated to even try his books, with his imagery, symbolism, cats, wells, and precocious teenagers.  But I finally tackled this one, and I think I loved it.  I'm not altogether sure what it was about, but it was interesting and unlike anything I'd ever read before.  For that, it belongs on this list.


One last list from me tomorrow, and that will be Young Adult, some of the best stuff I read this year.  




10 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I've read 2 of those - loved one and felt meh about the other. lol

JoAnn said...

Calling Me Home will be on my list of audio favorites this year!

Literary Feline said...

All of those books are on my wish list, but, alas, I have yet to read them. It's good to know I have a lot to look forward to!

Nise' said...

I liked Indiscretion too. I thought Life After Life was so clever. I've got Calling Me Home and need to get to it.

Unknown said...

I enjoyed Night Film and Wind-up Bird, but wasn't a fan of Life After Life. I don't think the other two are published in the UK, but I'll be sure to give them a try if/when they are.

Anna said...

I haven't compiled my best of list yet, but I know Life After Life will be on it.

Iliana said...

I'm taking note of these! So are you going to try some other Murakami books? It's been quite a while since I've read one of his books.

Anonymous said...

I haven't read any of these but have Life After Life on my shelf for 2014!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

I'm STILL waiting on Life After Life from the library!

Michele said...

Loved your choices (as I jot down a couple to go buy)...Life After Life was incredible. The only part that pissed me off was that it had to end. I mean really, it's not as if the story was going anywhere. She *could* have kept writing dammit!