Top Ten Books I Read In 2013

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Oh, ten. I remember when I used to actually follow the rules and adhere to the requisite ten. Do you remember those days? No, I don't really either. Nobody's memory is that long

Anyway, these are the best books I read this year by category! As you clever things have no doubt noticed, there are twenty seven books on this list. No bothers are given.

Contemporaries:




The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch
Premeditated by Josin McQuein




Science Fiction

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi
Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner



Historical

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen 
Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen




Paranormal

The Archived by Victoria Schwab
The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard
Pivot Point by Kasie West
Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan




Fantasy

The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Brand New Feature: 'Ship Shape!

Welcome to the first ever installment of 'Ship Shape, a new blog feature for a new year in which I gush and swoon and fangirl over all my favorite bookish couples! I know what you're thinking. "Gillian... um... don't you already do that all the time already?" To which the answer is: yes! I do! But let's do it MORE!







No. What? No. Not that kind of shipping.

I'll start off this feature--meant to highlight a different literary power-couple, will-be-couple, or should-be-couple during each installment--with one of the greatest pairings of all time that taught my impressionable young heart what shipping truly means.

Elizabeth and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

If you do not ship them, you are wrong. Here, look, this is why:



Do you see that? Do you see that? That, right there in their gazes, is not merely lust (though clearly they've got the hots for each other, because... well, look at them), but admiration. Understanding. Esteem. Through all the trials, tribulations, and misunderstandings Jane Austen (and themselves, mostly. Oh, and Lydia. And the perfidious Wickham) puts them through, they come to understand the truth of one another.

They go from this:

 To this:



 In between, there are all sorts of moments like this:

























HUZZAH!!!!!! AND IT ENDS WELL FOR EVERYBODY! Well, almost.

The first time I read the book, I fell head over heels in love and was immediately all:

 

Why? Because Lizzie and Darcy are a healthy couple. They're mental equals. They respect each other. They bring out the best in each other and help counter the worst. They're balanced and fun and smart, and their love grew through experience and misunderstanding and two minds slowly coming together. IT IS ALL THE SWOONS.

And that is why I'll ship Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy until the end of time. Because they're perfect.



So, what say ye about the awesomeness of Lizzy and Darcy, and any medium you've experienced them in, be it book, film, or web series (I, being awesome and accomplished and all that, have seen practically all possible P and P adaptations. To see them ALL is my life's goal). Any couples you'd like to see featured on 'Ship Shape in the future? Hit the comments!