The reading and reviewing I did in 2013

In 2013, I read 319 books, three more than last year, not counting picture books (and though I want to keep on reading more books every year, being rather competitive with all my various past selves,  I am trying hard to realize that this will inevitably lead to failure down the line and I should just Stop It).  133 were from the library, 118 were review copies, and the rest were my own books.  I reviewed (using the word generously) 192 books, about half of which were review copies.   But since I am chronically behind on reviews, this doesn't seem like enough....

There were only three books that I re-read--Jinx, by Sage Blackwood, and The King Must Die, by Mary Renault, and The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, by Dorothy Gilman--which, given that I have spent most my life not having enough to read, and so re-reading desperately, gives me pause for thought (a hysterical thought along the lines of I Am Drowning In Books).  I miss re-reading, because many do get better and more beloved each time, and I still use "will I read it again" as my standard for Book Goodness.

Here are the books I read this year I want to read again, which is not at all the same as the books I think were the "best."

About half the Discworld books, which is basically all of them except the more stand-alone ones and the Rincewind ones.

Dream Thieves, by Maggie Stiefvater, because I bet when the third one comes out, it will be nice for me to go back to this one and the first one.

My Neighbor Totoro, by Tsugiko Kubo; a future comfort read.

Sorrow's Knot, by Erin Bow, in about five years, I think...it's still to fresh in my mind to imagine re-reading it sooner.

The Rithmatist, by Brandon Sanderson, because I love the chalklings, and when there's a sequel I'll want to make sure I remember everything.

The Screaming Staircase, by Jonathan Stroud, ditto, but minus chalking love of course.

The Dragon's Quest, by Rosemary Manning, which is an older book,  a companion to one I loved as a child (Green Smoke), but I do not know if I will ever be able to re-read it because it is Lost somewhere in the house.

Kill Fish Jones, by Caro King, because it was just really Tasty reading, though dark.

The Bards of Bone Plain, by Patricia McKillip.   So good.

But of course since I am going to get all caught up on my reading in 2014, I will doubtless have vast quantities of time in which to do all the re-reading my little hert desires, and re-read many more.....


Here's what else I did in 2013--brilliant modeled the fine qualities of Persistence and Determination for my children by working my way through 262 levels of Candy Crush in less than three months.