Juhina's Top 25 Books of 2013 - Sequels, Contemporaries, & Unexpected Surprises

This year had its ups and downs. I discovered some fantastic new authors, finishing more than half a dozen series (accomplishment!) as well as read some books that became dear to my heart ever since then. In total I managed to read 158 books. This is a big jump from last year where I read 139 books. Anyways, I have several all time favorites and some that I would definitely re-read again and also some honorable mentions. Let's get down to it!

The sequels! So many fantastic ones. Unravel Me just.. I can fangirl for hours about this book. Where is my Warner in this world? Prodigy was amazing. Wasn't wowed by Legend but Prodigy sealed the deal. Apollyon is the fourth in the covenant series and my favorite in the whole series. Just so many feels in this book! Aiden St.Delphi, you are perfect. Star Cursed was another sequel that was surprisingly better than its predecessor. I read it in a single day and cried so much. sigh. Lastly, the book that also has a claim on my heart, The Evolution of Mara Dyer. This book is just too complicated for words. A total beautiful disaster. I cry a little bit inside every time I think of how many months the final book was pushed back.  Note: I wanted to include Into the Still Blue but it is a 2014 release. Still. That book was PERFECTION.

My contemporary haven. sigh.. all these books, I can never tire of re-reading them. First we've got The Sea of Tranquility, this is the only New Adult book. Just so… heartbreakingly beautiful. Around 500 pages and read it in a single day. Stayed up all night. Beautiful. Fangirl was on the lighter side but still left its mark in my heart. So sweet, and honest, and real. All readers and Potter fans can relate to it. The Distance Between Us gave me all kinds of happy feels. Just Perfect. Another Rowell book, Eleanor & Park. This is on the darker and heartbreaking side. My emotions were all over the place. I loved it. Lastly is How to Love. I hope more people read it because I need to pour my heart out about it. So real and achingly sad but full of love. 

This is definitely the surprising edition. Another Little Piece is a book I got into thinking it was a normal mystery but wow, I was wrong. So twisted, so mind melting. Just, wow. Control was a sci-fi done right. Loved every second of it. A Matter of Days was an addicting survival novel with a great female protagonist voice. Pivot Point. Read this as an eARC.. time traveling is something I don't generally like. I loved it here and it truly was a Perfect book. Went out and bought my own copy because I loved it so much. Truly Madly Deadly is very short, but so very creepy! Restored my love for mystery novels.

No real tag here, but they're books that are a favorite for a reason or two. Requiem. Such a good ending. I know many people were disappointed but I loved the way Oliver ended it. Of course, I'm not commenting on the romance. sigh. Thornhill is such a solid sequel to Hemlock. New setting, new plan, same old fantastic people! Mac, Jason, Kyle *swoon*. Love them. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die is another quick mystery with such a creepy cover. Fast but memorable read. Allegiant of course.. it isn't an all time favorite because of the ending, but it is still a favorite. Love Tris and Four. Unbreakable should be in the unexpected surprises but I loved the friendship in this book and how it could be fun even with them trying to save the world.

Last batch of books and they're contemporaries. You probably knew this was coming since I love contemporaries so much. Riptide is underrated and I wish more people read it. Deals with abuse and it broke my heart. Pushing the Limits. Another dark and gritty contemporary. The more I think about it, the more I want to read it. Out of the Easy is set in the mid 1900s but I loved it so much. surprising but I did. Very likable protagonist and story had me hooked. The Boys of Summer.. I want to reread this book so bad. Set in Australia, in the 1990s, in the summer.. what more can you ask? Lastly is This Song Will Save Your Life. Wow. I just finished reading this today (the day I wrote this post). Wow. So powerful, heartbreaking. I am sad at how kids go around bullying other kids. I felt for the main protagonist. I loved her. This is powerful people. Read it.

Series/Trilogies I managed to finish in 2013:

1. The Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout (2,3,4,5)

2. The Pledge Trilogy by Kimberly Derting (2,3)

3. Under the Never sky trilogy by Veronica Rossi (2,3)

4. The Lying Game Series by Sara Shepard (4,5,6)

5. Hourglass Trilogy by Myra McEntire (2,3)

6. The Fury Trilogy by Elizabeth Miles (3)

7. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare (1,2,3) 

8. The chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano (2,3)
9. Goddess Test Trilogy by Aimee Carter (3)
10. Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth (3)
11. Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu (2,3)
12. The Assassin's Curve Duology by Cassandra Rose Clarke (2)

Yes! I have reached and exceeded my goal of finishing 10 series in one year! I actually wasn't keeping track so this is fantastic. However I have started around 28 series (boo!) but many of them are ones I am dropping. 

Series/Trilogies I started in 2013 and will continue with:
1. Pivot Point by Kasie West*
2. Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland
3. Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza
4. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
5. The Ward by Jordana Frankel
6. Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer*
7. Fox & O'Hare by Janet Evanovich
8. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry*
9. Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz
10. The Legion by Kami Garcia*
11. Elusion by Claudia Gabel* (2014 release)
12. Control by Lydia Kang*
13. Starstruck by Rachel Shukert*
14. The Rule of Three by Eric Walters* (2014 release)

Wow.. almost half of the series I started. Some series I might pick up if I hear the sequel is better. I'm, however, sticking to those 14 for now. The ones with the * at the end are the books that I will be continuing with for sure, 100%. The rest are ones I am hoping to continue with, though it isn't set in stone. So what about you guys? what are some of your favorite books in 2013?