Books I Read In 2013

In the order in which I read them:

1. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (384 pages)
2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (313 pages)
3. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick (289 pages)
4. Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher (402 pages)
5. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham (344 pages)
6. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen (576 pages)
7. Divergent by Veronica Roth (487 pages)
8. A Game of Thrones by George R R Martin (835 pages)
9. A Clash of Kings by George R R Martin (784 pages)
10. The Secret History by Donna Tartt (559 pages)
11. A Storm of Swords, Part 1: Steel and Snow by George R R Martin (623 pages)

So as you can see, I pretty much spent the latter half of my year in Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms...

Books 1-3 were read in the first 5 months of the year in my Hammersmith flat in my scant spare time, books 4-6 were read in one glorious week in June in Antalya, Turkey, book 7 was read under a tree in Brook Green, West London over a couple of afternoons during that ludicrous heatwave (remember that?), and books 8-11 were read entirely in 35 minute bursts in my commute from Whitechapel to Kensington for work between September and December. It looks like a pretty rubbish list when displayed in this stark form, but it has felt like I've spent a lot of time reading this year, and that's awesome.

Of all the books I've read this year my favourite was The Secret History. The entire time I was reading it, I was incredulous that I had never read it before. It's everything that I love in one brilliant novel, and it's probably the best book I've ever read. Now that I've finally finished Steel and Snow, I am so excited to dive into The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt's first new novel in years, which I was lucky enough to receive for Christmas.

Just as soon as I finish this (which is great, by the way).