Top 13 Books of 2013

It’s the end of the year! That means I had to complete the arduous task of picking my top books of the year. I started out with 5 Fiction and 5 Non-Fiction but ended up adding in a few extras, so here are my Top 13 Books of 2013 (plus a few Honorable Mentions).

 Fiction | Non-Fiction | Honorable Mentions

Fiction

• We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson – This fantastic novel is about two sisters who are shunned from town after the rest of their family is murdered…. and the evil cousin who disrupts their routines./li>
• A White Room by Stephanie Carroll – This page-turner is about a woman who moves to a small town and feels so claustrophobic she starts to believe that there are people living in her house…. and her ultimate salvation.
• The Book of Secrets by Elizabeth Arnold – There are so many great things to say about this book (childhood friends, intrigue), but what I loved about it most is that the setting reminded me of my Gramma’s house!
• A Room With a View by E.M. Forster – This classic about a young woman, duty, and true love is unputdownable.
• The World Without You by Joshua Henkin – A heartwarming and heart-wrenching story of a lost family member, a reunion, and the ties that bind.
• Rules of Civility by Amor Towles – One of my favorite books from the Jazz Age, this tale of two friends living in the Big Apple will keep you curled up from start to finish.

Non-Fiction

• The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell by William Klaber – Technically, this a book based on fact, but it’s a fantastic true story about the first transgendered woman who lives as a man to provide for her daughter, only to come to terms with her own identity.
• Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest by Gregg Olsen – A creepy book about a woman whose quest to cure the ailing by starvation goes too far…. and why she continued.
• The Smartest Kids in the World by Amanda Ripley – Have you ever wondered why American kids are falling behind? Is it the technology? Sports? Class sizes? Ripley decides to find out by following American students abroad and getting their take on the differences in education.
• Etched in Sand by Regina Calcaterra – A powerful memoir about a woman and her siblings who beat the odds against homelessness, abuse, and foster care.
  
• The World’s Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagarne – An incredible memoir about growing up with Tourette’s, questioning religion, and ultimately finding a path in life.
• The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs – In an age of increasing discussion about what it means to live the Christian life, Jacobs lived the literal interpretation for one week and wrote a book about it.
• When Science Goes Wrong by Simon LeVay – A great book about what can go wrong in the quest for scientific discovery. I’m really looking forward to his new book,

• Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman – The book that Netflix’s show is based on, OITNB is a lot tamer than the show.
• Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Ann Fowler – The life of the Fitzgerald’s told from the perspective of Zelda.
• The Why of Things by Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop – A family copes with the aftermath of one of their daughter’s suicide.
• The Lost Memory of Skin by Russell Banks – A social commentary on homelessness and sex offenders.
• Cover of Snow by Jenny Milchman – A murder mystery that is perfect for a snowy day.