Book Blogger New Year's Challenge Day 3: The Books of 2013 You Are Sad You Missed

Hi everyone!

I decided to start 2014 doing something completely new to me, blog-wise - that is, joining a challenge. This one is hosted by Parajunkee. And what I like about it is, it deals with blogging and bloggers, not with a mere list of books to read as fast as possible.

And here is her introduction to the challenge...

Hey everyone, it is that time of year again. The time when we get all excited for a NEW YEAR, plan our goals, set our resolutions and just straight-up get motivated. Guess what? I’m here to help you get a little more motivated about your blogging, with 14 writing posts for the New Year.

The Book Blogger New Year’s Challenge will begin on January 1st and run 14 days. It is going to be fun, it is going to be easy and hopefully it will get you motivated in 2014.  Each day I will post my own prompts and at the bottom I will add a linky so you can add your own posts. Here are the topics:

 

January 3 Question: The books of 2013 you are sad you missed.

I didn't have the chance of shopping much for books last year. So there are many 2013-and-older releases in my TR list (not counting those in my NS one, as in Not Sure). I've been refining my TR list for ages, because I buy my books, and of course I don't like to throw away my money. Who would? Anyway, here are the books of 2013 that survived! because yes, I'm still definitely going to buy them...only later.

January to March

When We Wake (When We Wake #1) by Karen Healey - Man in the Empty Suit by Sean Ferrell - Ferryman by Claire McFall

A sort-of-afterlife/sci-fi/dystopian book with a series of politically correct messages. A time-travel adult book where the main character meets younger and older versions of himself and may be the target of one of them. A true afterlife book with both a journey and a coming-of-age angle (assuming it's possible to be coming of age after you're dead). I was devastated I had to push them to later.

***

April to August

The Loop by Shandy Lawson - Charm and Strange by Stephanie Kuehn - Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz - Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

I mostly read non-glowing reviews about the first one, but they didn't discourage me because...well, I'm a sucker for time paradoxes. And it sounds like a fun read despite its flaws. I suppose I want a fun read for once :).

The other three are definitely much darker. Also, they walk the line between mysterious/supernatural issues and disturbed/unreliable narrators. I SO love that. Into creepy stuff much? LOL. I blame Christopher Pike for that ;).

***

September

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales - Thin Space by Jodi Casella - The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman - Jewels in the Dust by Peter Crowther

What a busy month, full of potentially great books! You know, like More Than This by Patrick Ness or All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill - that I have already bought. But they seem to be in good company, don't they? Let's see...

...A "mere" contemporary? for real? Why, yes. Sales got glowing reviews, plus I love the main theme and (since I read the first pages on Amazon) Elise's voice.

With the other three we're back in creepy territory. Sadly, I had Thin Space accidentally spoiled while reading a review (long story), but even if I know the final destination, I still care for the journey. As for Wasserman, she's an author I already appreciate (see the Cold Awakening trilogy), and her new book sound disturbing enough without going all the way to Stephen King (I tend to project too gruesome images if I try to read him). On the other hand, this review states the contrary. I'm conflicted now...but the book stays, for now at least. Finally, Jewels is a series of short stories, a genre that I'm not ordinarily a fan of, but since these are up my alley...

***

October to December

Entangled (Entangled #1) by Amy Rose Capetta - The In-Between by Barbara Stewart

Capetta: sci-fi and space oddity (or do I mean "odyssey"? But I like "oddity" LOL. Because you know, the David Bowie song came to my mind, and I guess this particular story can be both an odyssey and an oddity). I'm not much into space stuff - I usually prefer my sci-fi to be Earth-rooted - but this one appeals to me. Also, I read an excerpt and the writing called to me, so to speak.

Stewart: another possibly-supernatural-plot/possibly-unreliable-narrator crossover. Someone on Goodreads spoiled one of the secrets, but the rest of them are safe. I'm not reading more reviews for it LOL.

So what about you? Did you miss any supposedly great books in 2013? Are you going to fill the gap this year or one day? Have you read any of the above books?