Best Books of 2013

Every year I like to take stock of what I’ve read and pick out the best of the best. In 2013 I didn’t read quite as many books as I normally do, but that doesn’t mean I let my Kindle and bookcases get dusty. I read 212 books, read stories from 84 new (to me) authors, and participated in my fourth A to Z Reading Challenge. I read a ton of fantastic stories this year, but I did manage to narrow the list down. So without further ado, here are my picks for the best of 2013:



Top Thirteen Books of 2013
Top Re-Reads of 2013
Honorable Mentions

My Top Thirteen Books of 2013

Note: Not necessarily all published in 2013 but all were new-to-me reads
Also note: The books are alphabetized by title as I love them all equally

1. Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown
My Review | Buy Link





2. Angels Fall by Nora Roberts
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3. Bound by Night (MoonBound Clan Vampires, Book 1) by Larissa Ione
My Review | Buy Link





4. Decadence (Emerald Valley, Book 1.5) by Riley Shane
Buy Link






5. Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, Book 1) by Robin LaFevers
My Review | Buy Link






6. Her Ladyship’s Curse (Disenchanted & Co., Book 1, Part 1) by Lynn Viehl
My Review | Buy Link





7. The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas
My Review | Buy Link






8. The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida
Buy Link





9. Rocky’s Road by Lynley Wayne
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10. Trust in Me (Rancho del Cielo, Book 5) by Dee Tenorio
My Review | Buy Link






11. A Very Personal Trainer by Justine Elyot
My Review | Buy Link






12. Winterblaze (Darkest London, Book 3) by Kristen Callihan
My Review | Buy Link






13. With This Kiss: Part One by Eloisa James
My Review | Buy Link

My Top Re-Reads of 2013

1. Bed, Breakfast and Bondage (Emerald Valley, Book 1) by Riley Shane
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2. Conspiracy in Death (In Death, Book 8) by J.D. Robb
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3. He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan
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4. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
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5. Purity in Death (In Death, Book 15) by J.D. Robb
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6. Simply Irresistible (Lucky Harbor, Book 1) by Jill Shalvis
My Review | Buy Link






7. Victorian Valentine by Riley Shane
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Honorable Mentions

These books barely missed making the top thirteen list but they’re excellent.

1. The Battle for Galerir (The Galerir Saga, Book 1) by Anna Lee
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2. The Big Book of Orgasms anthology
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3. Entwined (Darkest London, Book 3.5) by Kristen Callihan
My Review | Buy Link






4. Ghosts of Bourbon Street by Rowan Speedwell
Buy Link






5. Learning to Live by Diana DeRicci
Buy Link






6. A Life Interrupted by Lynley Wayne
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7. Marine Biology by Gail Carriger
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Review: Adulting by Kelly Williams Brown

Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Self-Help

ISBN: 9781455516902
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

If you graduated from college but still feel like a student . . . if you wear a business suit to job interviews but pajamas to the grocery store . . . if you have your own apartment but no idea how to cook or clean . . . it's OK. But it doesn't have to be this way.

Just because you don't feel like an adult doesn't mean you can’t act like one. And it all begins with this funny, wise, and useful book. Based on Kelly Williams Brown’s popular blog, ADULTING makes the scary, confusing “real world” approachable, manageable-and even conquerable. This guide will help you to navigate the stormy Sea of Adulthood so that you may find safe harbor in Not Running Out of Toilet Paper Bay, and along the way you will learn:

• What to check for when renting a new apartment-Not just the nearby bars, but the faucets and stove, among other things.
• When a busy person can find time to learn more about the world- It involves the intersection of NPR and hair-straightening.
• How to avoid hooking up with anyone in your office -- Imagine your coworkers having plastic, featureless doll crotches. It helps.
• The secret to finding a mechanic you love-Or, more realistically, one that will not rob you blind.

From breaking up with frenemies to fixing your toilet, this way fun comprehensive handbook is the answer for aspiring grown-ups of all ages.

Adulting is a must-read for anyone in their twenties! Author Kelly Williams Brown has penned an incredibly helpful how-to geared toward twenty-somethings who may be grown up but don’t always feel like it.

We all have gaps in our knowledge (I freely admit to being a dunce when it comes to car maintenance) and Adulting helps fill in the most necessary ones in 468 simply-stated steps. It’s an incredibly useful resource, and I’m positive I’ll be re-reading the areas I need to focus on many times. But what I enjoyed best about Adulting wasn’t the tips themselves (though that is why I recommend the book), but rather Ms. Williams Brown’s writing style. Adulting is incredibly funny and a pure joy to read.

Adulting is a brilliant, helpful book that I’m glad I own. If you’re a twenty-something who doesn’t have adulthood all figured out (and face it, most of us don’t), then I highly recommend spending an afternoon reading Adulting.


Note: In addition to reading Adulting, I highly recommend checking out Kelly Williams Brown’s Adulting blog.

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