Unfortunately, I did not read much this year. But then, it was a very busy 12 months. I planned a wedding from a foreign country, started a new full-time job, and purchased a new home, among many other things. Given that, I think I made an admirable effort.

+ Tales from a Midwife by Jennifer Worth
+ Fables: Witches by Willingham, Buckingham, et al.
+ Fables: Rose Red by Willingham, Buckingham, et al.
+ The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
+ Shades of Earth by Beth Revis (Awesome trilogy! Loved the ending, and want to buy the first book so I can read it again.)
+ Reached by Ally Condie (I don’t know why this series was optioned for a movie. The first two could make exciting enough movies, but this one would be incredibly boring to watch.)
+ Fables: Super Team by Willingham, Buckingham, et al
+ Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky (Moral of the story: Do not be a jerk and tip the staff.)
+ The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (reread)
+ Sailor Twain or The Mermaid in the Hudson by Mark Siegel (Great fairytale, but I wasn’t crazy about the art style.)
+ Total Recall by Arnold Schwarznegger (A very engaging read, but I get the impression he’s still holding a lot back.)
+ The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling is such a great author! Hoping there will be a sequel.)

Best Books: Given my love of Harry Potter, I was worried that The Casual Vacancy and The Cuckoo’s Calling wouldn’t live up to my expectations. Happily, J.K. Rowling is an incredibly talented writer, and both of these are great reads. I enjoy how she has her finger on the pulse of society, whether she’s writing about social injustices or our celebrity obsessed culture.
I also really enjoyed Arnold Schwarznegger’s autobiography. Having never been a big fan of his movies, I wasn’t sure it would keep my attention. But the man has lead an entertaining life, and it makes for a fun read. Still, it’s clear that he’s still holding a lot back. No doubt the real, unfiltered story is even more interesting.

Worst Books: No real disappointments this year. Reached, the final installment of the Matched series was a bit of a let down, but not entirely disappointing.

Looking forward to in 2014: I just started reading Gone Girl, and am interested to see where it goes. Other than that nothing is really on the docket just yet. I’ve been thinking of joining a Sydney area book club, and also encourage people’s suggestions!