In Descending Order (links to the reviews included):
- Handling the Truth: On the Writing of Memoir by Beth Kephart
- The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan
- Imperfect Spiral by Debbie Levy
- Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman
- The Time Between by Karen White
- Survival Skills: Stories by Jean Ryan
- Unexplained Fevers by Jeannine Hall Gailey
- Lotería by Mario Alberto Zambrano
- Solving the World’s Problems by Robert Lee Brewer
- The Scabbard of Her Throat by Bernadette Geyer
- The Neruda Case by Roberto Ampuero, translated by Carolina De Robertis
- Six Sisters’ Stuff: Family Recipes, Fun Crafts, and So Much More
Here are my honorable mentions for this year, in descending order (links to the reviews included):
- The Gods of Heavenly Punishment by Jennifer Cody Epstein
- Dr. Radway’s Sarsaparilla Resolvent by Beth Kephart
- Joyland by Stephen King
- Seduction by M.J. Rose
- Black Aperture by Matt Rasmussen
What books made your list of favorites this year?
Out of the 52+ books I read this year, I have nine favorites, described in this week’s blog post, http://www.vweisfeld.com/?p=1374. And the two very best were Herman Koch’s The Dinner and Ben Fountain’s Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. Both were audiobooks with fantastic readers!
Wonderful list, Serena. I’ve read some. Now to get the rest. Thanks for sharing.
Victoria, I hope you enjoyed as many on this list as I have.
With huge gratitude to you, dear Serena: Right back at you, here: http://beth-kephart.blogspot.com/2013/12/book-kindnesses-at-end-of-2013-looking.html
NO need….it was an honor to read the books.
Loved reading your list. I got to see Mario Alberto Zambrano at the Texas Book Festival this Fall and really want to read his novel. Glad to hear it made it to your favorites list!
It would have been interesting to meet Mario. What was he like in person?
Lots I haven’t heard of before on here! Will check them out. Happy new year!
Thanks for checking out the list, and Happy New Year to you.
Great list! I’ve read a few of those and agree that they were really good. I think I need to start compiling my best of 2013 list!
I can’t wait to compare notes.
I am incredibly honored to see my novel on your list! Thank you so, so much, Serena!
It is a place well deserved.
What a great list — thrilled to see Jean’s SURVIVAL SKILLS here in such good company!
Happy new year, Serena — looking forward to a new year of books!
Glad that Jean’s book was so good to be included.
So pleased and honored to have made the list. Many thanks and best wishes, Serena.
Jean, it belongs on the list. I really loved the collection.
I’ve only read one of those books. My wish list is miles long these days.
Which one did you read?! Did you like it as much as I did?
Such an interesting list!!!
I hope its a good one. I really enjoyed a lot of books this year.