Tuesday, January 01, 2013

Top Ten Books I Resolve To Read In 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies at Broke and Bookish.

Happy 2013! We survived another holiday season, and now it is time to look toward the new year--and what we will be reading. Whether you want to read new books or old ones, I'm sure you've already got a stack started. I know I do!

I have an embarrassing amount of unread books on my shelves, and some have been there for years. It's always been my intention to get to them. Somehow though, they get passed over each time and they continue to wait their turn. It was easier to ignore them in my old house. I kept my TBR collection tucked away in a spare bedroom. I still swear I heard voices now and then, calling to me. In our current home, the TBR books are on full display. Every time I stop and glance at the shelves, titles jump out at me, begging me to read them. I really want to too. It's just . . . well, there are so many! The following is a list of ten books I resolve hope to read this year.

1. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
2. Garden Spells by Sara Addison Allen
3. The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan
4. Saving CeeCee Honeycut by Beth Hoffman
5. Trans-Sister Radio by Chris Bohjalian
6. Nightwatch by Sarah Waters
7. The Blind Assassin by Margeret Atwood
8. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
9. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
10. The Outlander by Gil Adamson


Have you read any of these books? What did you think? 

What books are you planning to read this year?


© 2013, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

60 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Wendy! And here's to another great year of reading! *cin cin*

    I've read GARDEN SPELLS and THE ROAD, and loved both. I hope you will too.

    I'm starting my Italian Reading Challenge so I'll be reading mostly about Italy, or stories set in Italy, or written in Italian. It's my personal project but please join in the fun if you so wish. :D

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    1. Alice - Happy New Year to you too! Your Italian Reading Challenge sounds like it will be a lot of fun. Someday I would love to visit the country itself. :-)

      I'm limiting myself to one challenge this year. I am trying to do more "free" reading this year and avoid too many commitments.

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  2. War and Peace! I am impressed. I couldn't even get through the film.

    I almost added Garden Spells to my list. I needed a number 11.

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    1. Becca - I loved Anna Karenina so thought maybe I might like War and Peace too. Hopefully. My first attempt didn't go so well, but maybe the second time around will do the trick!

      I could have used a number 11 too!

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  3. Garden Spells is delightful! I've read The Road - amazing and I've read The Blind Assassin - also amazing. I hope to read more Atwood in 2013 and would enjoy more SAA, too. I've read enough Cormac McCarthy for now. :)
    Happy New Year!

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    1. Care - I've heard great things about Garden Spells and The Road. My husband recommended Blind Assassin to me years ago, so I figure it's time I read it. :-) Have a Happy New Year.

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  4. The Blind Assassin is one of my favorites. Go for it! :-) Great list and happy new year!

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    1. Marie - I am glad you recommend The Blind Assassin. I've been wanting to read it for years, just never seemed to get to it. This will be the year! Happy New Year to you as well!

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  5. War and Peace is on my lifetime list - but not sure I will attempt to tackle that one in 2013 :)

    Enjoy a year filled with literary delights.

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    1. Molly - It will be a challenge, but I think reading it with others will make it easier. Hopefully.

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  6. You are in for a treat with Saving CeeCee Honeycutt! I love the blog's new look! Happy New Year!

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    1. Kathy - I'm eager to read it. I bought the book when it first came out but for some reason never read it. It's time has come!

      I'm glad you like the new look. :-) My husband helped with it. I'm not that talented.

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  7. Name of the Wind and Garden Spells are both really good books - Name of the Wind better IMO, a superb fantasy. I still have to read the Cathy Marie Buchanan and Gil Adamsson books - I was looking at The Outlander on Monday, in fact, but didn't pick it up. Now must wait for April.....

    I hope you get these read this year. I always consider it good when I get my main tbr chosen titles read that I've picked for that year, it doesn't usually work that way :-)

    Happy reading, Wendy! Oh - War and Peace has been on my list since I was 18. 31 years now :-(

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    1. Susan - My husband really liked Name of the Wind so I knew it must be good. I can't wait to it.

      I'm not so good at reading books of my TBR list either--at least not the year I plan to read them. I hope to change that this year.

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  8. War and Peace...wow. That was one of my top 10 most intimidating reads. :) Good luck there.

    Check out my TTT.

    Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know

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    1. Sandy - I'm trying not to be intimidated by War and Peace, but it's hard. :-)

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  9. I want to read TranSister Radio also. I continue to think about trying Garden Spells, one of these years :-)

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  10. War and Peace is on my list too. I loved Anna Karenina and I definitely need to read War and Peace.

    Happy New Years and happy reading!

    Here are the books I resolve to read

    ~Danica Page
    Taking it One Page at a Time

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    1. Danica - Me too. Anna Karenina was such a good read. Hopefully we'll enjoy War and Peace. Happy New Year to you too!

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  11. Great list! #3 & 4 are a couple of my favourite ever books!

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    1. Nicola - I remember everyone talking about them when they first came out. :-) I can't wait to read them.

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  12. Fantastic list, Wendy! I've read several of these and also loved them: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, Nightwatch by Sarah Waters, The Blind Assassin by Margeret Atwood, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, and The Outlander by Gil Adamson

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    1. Wendy - It sounds like I'm in for some great reads this year!

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  13. Great list! The Road is A-MA-ZING! I totally want to tackle War and Peace, but not sure I'll do it this year. Good luck with it, though. I'd love to hear what you think. Now following you via GFC, btw. My TTTs are at Musings on Fantasia and LKHill. Happy New Year! :D

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    1. Liesel - Thank you for following me! I am looking forward to finally reading The Road. I plan to watch the movie finally too this year. I kept putting it off until I read the book.

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  14. I haven't read any of those books, but a couple have been in my TBR forever, too. Someday, I will get to them. Happy New Year!

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    1. Yvonne - I have such a huge TBR collection. I wonder if I'll ever get to all the books I want to read.

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  15. I've not read any of these but I'm considering War & Peace in 2013. I loved Anna Karenina, I hope it's just as awesome!

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    1. Sam - I really liked Anna Karenina too. Like you, I'm hoping War and Peace will be just as good.

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  16. I keep meaning to read Garden Spells. Also, Outlander (Gabaldon's), and The Great Gatsby.

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    1. Lisa - I hope you get to the books you'd like to read! I read The Great Gatsby in high school and liked it. I'm trying to get my husband to read it. He's read just about all of F. Scott Fitzgerald's other books, just not that one.

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  17. Well, uh, actually you have several books listed that are still stuck in my TBR pile and, no, they did not make it to my current 2013 resolve list. :) Oh well.

    Happy New Year and Happy Reading. Here's my TTT 2013 resolution list. Garden Spells, I really should pull that....

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    1. Vikk - It was hard to narrow down a list to just 10 books, wasn't it? I hope you have a Happy New Year too!

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  18. wooo! War & Peace! :D Happy New Year!

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    1. Jennifer - Thank you! I'm looking forward to reading all the books.

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  20. I've read 5 from that list and enjoyed them. I made a bucket list for 2013 as well. Here's to a Happy 2013 Wendy!

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    1. Diane - I loved your bucket list, Diane. :-) Have a great reading year!

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  21. I've got Nightwatch on my Nook wishlist! I am going to get that one so we can compare notes. Fingersmith was fantastic so I have high hopes.

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    1. Jaimie - Comparing notes would be fun, Jaimie! I hope you get to read Nightwatch this year too.

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  22. Great list, Wendy!
    I want to read 'War and Peace' and 'The Blind Assassin' too!

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    1. Melody - You should join the read-along for War and Peace!

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  23. I read War & Peace and blogging about it section by section. You're going to love it but it's not a fast read.

    http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

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    1. Zohar - I am eager to dive in but definitely plan to take it slow. I think reading it over the year will be a good goal for me. Very doable.

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  24. Good list! I've read The Road and Garden Spells. Liked them both. The Road was a harsh read but done so very, very well; had a stark "beauty." Enjoyed Garden Spells for its magical realism aspects. Want to read Nightwatch and Blind Assassin. Have had Blind Assassin on my TBR stack FOREVER :)

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    1. Terri - Thanks! I've heard that about The Road and am looking forward to experiencing it. I figure Garden Spells might be a good spring book. And not just because it has the word garden in the title. :-)

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  25. I have no idea what I will end up reading this year. I see The Road on your list. I really loved that book. It's very dark. Very dark, even for me but I loved it.

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    1. Ti - Hopefully I will get to all of these books, but if not there's always next year. :-) I am looking forward to reading The Road.

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  26. I have a HOPEFULS: 2013 list, but am not publishing it. It would feel like a challenge if I did. (Weird I know!)

    None of your book choices are on my HOPEFULS: 2013 list, but there are some that are on my TBR list. I'm really interested in The Outlander.

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    1. Joy - You are probably smart. I have a hard time putting a list in writing--then it feels like an obligation and I tend to lose interest. I'm trying to think of this as my "hope to read" list rather than a "must read" list.

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  27. I read The Road … don't read it if you are depressed, and have a dictionary nearby. He's got quite the vocabulary.

    And I suspect that Garden Spells will be a lovely treat. I didn't read it (yet) but I read another by her and I suspect you'll love it.

    Happy New Year -- wishing you lots of 5 star reads!

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    1. Jenners - I'm make sure I'm in a relatively positive mood when I read The Road and keep a dictionary handy. :-)

      Maybe I should read The Road and then Garden Spells right after.

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  28. What an awesome list!! I read and LOVED 2,4,5, and 9!!! The Road is fantastic and honestly, I didn't find it depressing. The movie is a fantastic way to follow-up with the book too. Marc (my youngest) and I did that together and it was pretty cool the discussions that we had about it. I have 1,3,10 and want to get those read at some point. I loved The Handmaid's Tale so the Atwood book intrigues me!!

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    1. Staci - I'm excited about my list, especially after reading all the comments here. I definitely plan to watch the movie of The Road after I read the book. I've been wanting to try Atwood and figure The Blind Assassin would be a good place to start. Plus, my husband assures me I'll like it. And if he says I will, then I likely will!

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  29. I've not read any on your list but many of them are on mine. I, too have a ridiculous TBR list and it grows every day!

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    1. Kathleen - It's crazy how big our TBRs are, isn't it? All we can do is try!

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  30. I read and loved Garden Spells and CeeCee Hopneycutt. And W&P is a good one too :) Great choices!

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    1. Stacy - I'm really looking forward to reading all those books. I just wish I could read them all at once! Haha

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