Some books read in 2013

I read...a lot of books in 2013. And I mean a LOT. I read way more than usual because a) I had moving issues much more stressful than normal, and the only way I could handle it was to take a break in a book, b) I was writing a lot and I always need to see stories in real time to remember how they're supposed to look (as opposed to pixel by pixel), c) I moved and got a new library, and d) despite all the books, I read a lot of books I really didn't like this year, and so I had to read extra to find good ones. Which meant that I also reread a lot of books to deal with a and d. So I'm not going to list every single one, since I generally like to keep things positive around here. Also, if I *don't* list a book, it doesn't automatically mean I didn't like it. It just means that I read so many books that there isn't space to list them all. Not every book is for every person. In fact, some of the standout books I thought were very strong, although maybe not the kind of book I want to curl up with when I want a "me" book (ie when you want the literary version of comfort food or chocolate). But they were notable and stuck out to me. That said, here are some books I read this year:

Middle Grade:

1. Counting by 7s, Holly Goldberg Sloan. About a genius girl whose parents die in an accident and the Vietnamese family, taxi driver, and counselor who take her in. Funny and heart-hitting all at once. I wouldn't be surprised if this got a nod from the ALA awards.

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We have stacks of books from Christmas that I'm reading but not done with yet, many of which are quite promising. But you'll probably have to wait until next year for those to show up!