chasing bawa’s 2013 picks
31 December, 2013
I’ve been rather lax this year. I’ve participated in some challenges but forgot the wrap-ups, I have a lot of reviews I still need to write about books I really loved – why are they the hardest to write? And I still have a lot of books I was planning to read this year which remain untouched. But, I did have a fabulous reading year filled with so many really good books and I can’t wait to share my thoughts even if it means I may post my reviews next year. Life, eh?
So my eleven picks of the year in alphabetical order are:
Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield
Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary Mantel
China Star by Bartle Bull
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Questions of Travel by Michelle de Kretser
The Rook by Daniel O’Malley
Silence by Shusaku Endo
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Under The Skin by Michel Faber
The Valley of Unknowing by Philip Sington
Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler
I’ll be writing about some of these in the next few months but do hope you’ll give them a try!
2013 was also a strong year for sequels. I really enjoyed Danielle Trussoni’s Angelopolis and Laini Taylor’s Days of Blood and Starlight, two very original and compelling takes on angel lore and I can’t wait to read more.
And a special mention goes to Xu Xi’s History’s Fiction: Stories from the City of Hong Kong which was an unexpected find for me – a collection of beautiful, finely-tuned short stories.
So have you read any of these books? And what was your favourite read of the year?
chasing bawa 
31 December, 2013 at 12:21 pm
Loved ‘Silence’ – I’ve just finished another Endo for ‘January in Japan’. Hope you have a great year in 2014 🙂
31 December, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Love Endo!
31 December, 2013 at 12:31 pm
I need to make sure I get to The Goldfinch next year. I should also read more Butler!
Happy New Year, Sakura!
31 December, 2013 at 12:32 pm
Please do, Ana. And have you also read The Secret History?
31 December, 2013 at 12:33 pm
I have and I adored it! So all the more reasons to pick it up. I got the e-book the other day so I really have no excuse!
31 December, 2013 at 12:55 pm
I’m so glad to hear that! And no, you have no excuse.^^
31 December, 2013 at 2:38 pm
Making a note of several of them specially the Michelle de Kretser one. My favourite read was Alice Steinbach’s Without Reservations. It got me thinking!!!!
31 December, 2013 at 3:54 pm
I haven’t heard of that one, Mystica – thank you for letting me know!
31 December, 2013 at 4:38 pm
Ok, in 2014, I SHALL READ DONNA TARTT. Perhaps not The Goldfinch, but at LEAST The Secret History.
2 January, 2014 at 10:58 am
PLEASE DO!
31 December, 2013 at 5:54 pm
I need to get back to Bellman and Black. Love that cover you have pictured, hadn’t seen that one.
Hillary Mantel is an author on my list to try (a list that is already enormous and 2014 hasn’t quite begun).
Hope you have a wonderful reading year in 2014!
2 January, 2014 at 10:58 am
You too Carl! That particular cover of B&B is the English hardcover:)
2 January, 2014 at 11:41 am
I love The Snow Child, it was on my shortlist of 13, but didn’t quite make the top ten!
3 January, 2014 at 4:05 pm
As you can see, I couldn’t keep mine down to 10! Snow Child was just a beautifully written book and, although I wouldn’t have picked it up myself, I’m glad my book group did!
3 January, 2014 at 12:47 pm
Wasn’t Under the Skin fantastic? Such a weird read – I couldn’t put it down.
3 January, 2014 at 4:06 pm
It was indeed. And so different from anything else I’d read or will probably read – it just blew my mind away!
3 January, 2014 at 11:50 pm
I have not read any of these. The Snow Child sounds good, based on your review (and definitely not the kind of book I normally would try). I too have a hard time reviewing a book I liked a lots. It feels like the reasons are nebulous when I like books that much.
17 January, 2014 at 11:19 am
Hahaha, I really struggle too because you want to put all your thoughts down and do it justice. I do hope you give The Snow Child a go – it really surprised and captivated me.