BOOKS READ: 2013.

 2013 saw .......

132 books or approximately 40,893 pages read meaning, on average I read 11 books a months or, if you prefer, 2.5 books a week or, to be even more precise, 112 pages a day.

JANUARY ......

1. WOLFSBANE AND MISTLETOE edited by Charlaine Harris.*
2. THE SECRET DMS FILES OF FAIRDAY MORROW by J. Haight and S. Robinson. ***
3. THE MUMMYFESTO by Linda Green.**
4. THE MAN WHO FORGOT HIS WIFE by John O'Farrell.
5. PRIVATE PEACEFUL by Michael Morpurgo.
6. THE MOZART QUESTION by Michael Morpurgo (click on above link for review). 
7. SKETCHER by Roland Watson-Grant. **
8. CHRIST THE LORD: THE ROAD TO CANA by Anne Rice. 
9. PROM NIGHTS FROM HELL by various authors. *
10. THE BOOK OF LOVE by Kathleen McGowan.
11. HAPPIER by Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph.D *

FEBRUARY ......

1. TURTLE IN PARADISE by Jennifer L Holm. ***
2. WEIRDO. MOSHER. FREAK: IF ONLY THEY'D STOPPED AT NAME CALLING by Catherine Smyth.
3. MISERY BEAR'S GUIDE TO LOVE & HEARTBREAK by Misery Bear.
4. PADDINGTON RACES AHEAD by Michael Bond. (click on above link for review)
5. THE RAGING QUIET by Sherryl Jordan.
6. SHAKESPEARE'S TROLLOP by Charlaine Harris.
7. SHAKESPEARE'S COUNSELOR by Charlaine Harris (click on above link for review)
8. THE WERELING #2: PREY by Stephen Cole.
9. THE APPRENTICE (RIZZOLI & ISLES #2) by Tess Gerritsen.
10. SACRED HEARTS by Sarah Dunnant.
11. HUBBLE BUBBLE by Jane Lovering. **
12. A LION AMONG MEN by Gregory Maguire.
13. SPEAKING FROM AMONG THE BONES by Alan Bradley. **

MARCH ......

1. FEAR by Stefan Zweig. **
2. THE DISILLUSIONED by D.J. Williams. **
3. WORKING FOR THE DEVIL by Lilith Saintcrow. *
4. KEEPING FAITH by Jodi Picoult. *
5. BAREBACK by Kit Whitfield. *
6. THE LION OF CAIRO by Oden Scott. *
7. A BOY BEYOND REACH by Cheri Florance. *
8. THE LAST GOSPEL by David Gibbins. *
9. DERIK'S BANE by MaryJanice Davidson. *
10. DRY SEASON by Dan Smith. *

APRIL ......

1. THE BLACK DAHLIA by James Ellroy.
2. THE NEVER LIST by Koethi Zan. **
3. THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO by Patrick Ness. *
4. THE CLOCK OF LIFE by Nancy Klann-Moren. **
5. DOUBLE CLICK by Lisa Becker. **
6. BONE QUILL by John & Carole E Barrowman.
7. THE FINEST TYPE OF ENGLISH WOMANHOOD by Rachel Heath.
8. ROOTS OF EVIL by Sarah Rayne.
9. INSIGNIA by SJ Kincaid. **
10. THE TALE OF HILL TOP FARM by Susan Wittig Albert.
11. OVER THE MOON by David Essex. **
12. LAST TRAIN TO OMAHA by Ann Whitely Gillen. **

MAY ...... 

1. MORE WEIRD THINGS CUSTOMERS SAY IN BOOKSHOPS by Jen Campbell. **
2. CARAVANS AND WEDDING BANDS: MEMORIES OF A ROMANY LIFE by Eva Petulengro.
3. BLACK SPRING by Alison Croggon.
4. DRAMA COMES TO PRIOR'S FORD by Eve Houston.
5. THE SILENCE OF GETHSEMANE by Michael Benoit. **
6. ZAREMBA OR LOVE AND THE RULE OF LAW by Michelle Granas. **
7. THE SUMMER WITHOUT MEN by Siri Hustvedt.
8. THE ASSASSIN'S MARK by David Ebsworth. **
9. OSCAR WILDE AND THE CANDLELIGHT MURDERS by Gyles Brandreth.
10. SEMMANT by Vadim Babenko. **
11. THE HAPPY NUMBERS OF JULIUS MILES by Jim Keeble. **
12. A NEW SCIENCE OF NAVIGATION by Martin Jenkins. **
13. THE MAMMY by Brendan O'Carroll.
14. HOW NOT TO MURDER YOUR GRUMPY by Carol E Wyer. *

JUNE ......

1. SILENT NOON by Trilby Kent. **
2.  WISH YOU WERE HERE by Victoria Connelly. ***
3. AND THE SOFT WIND BLOWS by Lance Umenhofer. **
4. GIMME SHELTER by Rob Gittins. **
5. THREE KINGS, ONE THRONE by Michael Wills. **
6. BLACK CROW WHITE LIE by Candi Sari. **
7. THE DEVIL'S RIBBON by D.E. Meredith. **
8. CATS IN THE NEWS by Martyn Lewis.
9. GODIVA by Nicole Galland. **
10. PRECAUTIONARY TALES FOR GRANDPARENTS by James Muirden. **
11. MY HUSBAND NEXT DOOR by Catherine Alliott. ***
12. NIGHT FLOWER by Sarah Stovell. **
13. FIFTY IS NOT A FOUR LETTER WORD by Linda Kelsey.

JULY ......

1. THE LAST TEARS OF SCOTLAND by Thomas E Greenlaw. **
2. CHILD OF DESTINY by Rodney St Clair Ballenden. **
3. THE STRING DIARIES by Stephen Lloyd Jones. *
4. RISING DARKNESS by Thea Harrison. */**
5. A TALE WITHOUT A NAME by Penelope S Delta. **
6. THE BOOKMAN'S TALE by Charlie Lovett. *
7. TALESPINS by Michael Mullin. **
8. THE SNOW CHILD by Eowyn Ivey.
9. MR LOVERMAN by Bernadine Evaristo. ***

AUGUST ......

1. BROKEN by Karin Slaughter.
2. FINDING RACHEL DAVENPORT by Michael Harling.
3. THE FLOWER PLANTATION by Nora Anne Brown. **
4. SPIRIT AND DUST by Rosemary Clement-Moore. ***
5. DR WHO: DARK HORIZONS by Jenny T Colgan. ***
6. ISABEL'S SKIN by Peter Benson. **
7. THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot.
8. LITTLE FACE by Sophie Hannah.

SEPTEMBER ......

1. DANCE THE MOON DOWN by R.L. Bantram. */**
2. NOT FOR PROFIT by Glenn Shepard, MD. **
3. WHERE DO COMEDIANS GO WHEN THEY DIE by Milton Jones.
4. THE KEEPER OF SECRETS by Julie Thomas. **
5. THE STORYTELLER by Jodi Picoult.
6. A PLACE OF SECRETS by Rachel Hore.
7. STUART: A LIFE BACKWARDS by Alexander Masters.
8. LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa M Alcott.

OCTOBER ......

1. THE BRIDE WORE SIZE 12 by Meg Cabot. **
2. SWIMMING IN THE MOON by Pamela Schoenewaldt. **
3. FIRE AND SWORD by Simon Scarrow. *
4. FOUR FATHERS VOLUME 1: FOR WHOM THE BOOK TELLS by George Pritchard Harris. **
5. THE SKINNING TREE by Srikumar Sen. *
6. BONE CROSSED by Patricia Briggs.
7. IN BLOOM by Matthew Crow. ***
8. THE PLEASURE SEEKERSby Tishani Doshi.
9. THE GOATWOMAN OF SMACKOVER: A ARKANSAS LEGEND by Ramona Wood.
10. STORMBRINGERS by Philippa Gregory.
11. UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
12. THE WITCH'S TEARS by Jenny Nimmo.
13. BRYANT & MAY ON THE LOOSE by Christopher Fowler.

NOVEMBER ......

1. DANCING TO THE FLUTE by Manisha Jolie Amin. *
2. HOTEL JULIET by Belinda Seaward. 
3. THE GIRL BELOW by Bianca Zander. **
4. WOLFSANGEL by Liza Perrat. **
5. THE SECRET LAKE by Karen Inglis. **
6. BOOKENDS by Jane Green.
7. THE PAST IS MYSELF by Christabel Bielenberg.
8. BLOOD OF ANCIENT KINGS by V.J.O. Gardner. **
9. QUEST OF THE KING by V.J.O. Gardner. ** (click on above link for review)
10. DEAR SANTA: THE BEST LETTERS EVER WRITTEN TO FATHER CHRISTMAS by Birger Sivertson. *
11. A GUINEA PIG NATIVITY by Bloomsbury. * (click on above link for review)
12. THE SANTA CLAUS LEAGUE by Stephen Miller. */** 

DECEMBER ......

1. BLUE CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews. *
2. IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS by Katie Flynn. *
3. A MISTLETOE KISS by Katie Flynn. * (Review as link above)
4. CHRISTMAS WISHES by Katie Flynn* (Review as In Time For Christmas)
5. BEYOND MY CONTROL by Suzan Collins. **
6. CHRISTMASTIME 1940: A LOVE STORY by Agnes Irene */***
7. ISLAND OF THE SEQUINED LOVE NUN by Christopher Moore.
8. CHRISTMAS AT CARRINGTON'S by Miranda Dickinson. */***
9. THE BOOK LOVERS' COMPANION: WHAT TO READ NEXT by various authors. ***

* Read for a book challenge(s).

** Read and reviewed on behalf of an author/publisher/magazine.

*** A giveaway win.

• My favourite read(s): The Secret DMS Files Of Fairday Morrow: Though aimed at the younger reader I'm sure this will be enjoyed by many. The Raging Quiet: One of the most beautiful and poignant books I've ever read. Bone Quill: Even better than the previous book in the series. Last Train To Omaha: Such a memorable story, the characters will stay with me for a long time.The Night Flower: An exceptional read. Swimming In The Moon: Historically rich on all levels, I felt the author did exceptionally well to touch on so many issues whilst managing to maintain my interest throughout. In Bloom: One of if not my favourite reads of 2013.

• My least favourite read(s): The Black Dahlia: The most vile book I have ever read. The Summer Without Men. Another Reading Group read, another nil point, The Summer Without Men. Trying too hard to be clever? A New Science Of Navigation: Perhaps a cult read of the future but I just didn't get it.

• Best loved character(s): Fairday Morrow (The Secret DMS Files Of Fairday Morrow): A great heroine, I loved her spirit and sense of adventure. Marnie, Raven, and Father Brannan (The Raging Quiet): Wonderful characters each and every one of them.  The charismatic war veteran Martin Diggs (Last Train To Omaha) will stay with me for a long time to come. Carson Calley (Black Crow White Lie): I'm still trying to work out if I liked this twelve year old because of or despite his flaws.

• Best villain(s): 'Cop-killer and torturer' Yaroslav (Gimme Shelter): Simply chilling. The Reverend and his son (The Night Flower): A supposedly 'Christian' man and yet such a hypocrite. Mother and son, Vivienne and David (Little Face): If not entirely believable they were still sinister.

• Book(s) I was most disappointed by: Sacred Hearts: On my wish list for longer than I care to think about, thank goodness I didn't actually buy a copy. Where Do Comedians Go When They Die: A huge of the comedian I was expecting more of this his first novel.The Storyteller: I was hoping for so much more from this.

• Book(s) that most surprised me: And The Soft Wind Blows: Not knowing what to expect of what the author described as poetic fiction, I really enjoyed it. TaleSpins: Re-tellings and poetry aren't normally my thing but I loved this little book. For Whom The Book Tells: At times lewd but thanks to the authors clever use of words and his book references I enjoyed this far more than I'd anticipated.

• Best book(s) that form a series: Double Click: It was great to catch up with Renee and co. Bone Quill: So much stronger than the first book. 

• Nostalgic read(s): Paddington Races Ahead.

• Favourite cover(s): Not in any particular order .......

What about you? What did 2013 see you reading? See below to see what some of my blogger buddies have been reading over the past year. Oh and please feel free to link up in my comment box and I'll happily add your year end book post ......

• KELLY'S THOUGHTS AND RAMBLINGS
• Spotlighting several of their favourite 2013 book reviews THE SECRET DMS FILES OF FAIRDAY MORROW.
• Lindsay THE LITTLE READER LIBRARY
• MUSINGS OF A BOOKISH KITTY
• MARY @ BOOKFAN
• Nikki-ann's NOTES OF LIFE

PS. My Media Monday posts will resume next Monday.

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