Say, Have You Change For a Literary Critique?

[alivemagdolene]

This was supposed to go up earlier, but the combination of LJ being a FAIL whale and my being sick derailed this review. Am I super-bummed that the 50 Books Challenge for 2013 only made it to 35, when in past years even in fallow times I've managed at least the minimum? Eh, just about everything in 2013 sucked. In a rare personal aside for a public post, the mainly good things about 2013 were the fact I learned that I'm stronger than I thought (even if I REALLY didn't want to have to learn that way/those ways) and that the folks I've been so blessed to have as my friends are truly the best friends for whom anyone could ever ask. My Giftmas this year was close to very, very nice (and certainly leaps and bounds and jumps from 2012's) thanks to their love (and no, I'm not just talking about the physical presents, although that is very nice and extremely thoughtful and lovely that someone is thinking of you).

In that spirit, we review 2013 in book reviews! Just a reminder: I do not count books I've read before (obviously 2013 had me leaning on some "comfort food") no matter how long it's been since I've read them (I reread A Little Princess which I haven't read since I was a kid, for no better reason than the fact a nice copy fell into my possession). I also don't count books I do not completely finish. If you're wondering if I'm making excuses, yes, yes I am, but I also like to explain the rules with my tallying.

You bored yet? LET'S GET ON WITH THIS.


Death Bed: The Bed That Eats, 1977


Favorite Books:
March Book 1

Someone Has to Set a Bad Example: an Anne Taintor Collection

Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister: A Novel

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Graphic Novel

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

Nothing's Sacred

Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front

Economix: How Our Economy Works (and Doesn't Work), in Words and Pictures

The Darkest Night: Two Sisters, a Brutal Murder, and the Loss of Innocence in a Small Town

You'll Never Know Book Three: Soldier's Heart

A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return

The Central Park Five: A Chronicle of a City Wilding

Coal to Diamonds: A Memoir

Anne Arundel's Legacy; the Historic Properties of Anne Arundel County

The Nao of Brown


Least Favorite Books:
Girl Talk: Telling It Like It Is

Barack Hussein Obama


Books That Felt Like a Sisyphean Ordeal:
Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery

Economix: How Our Economy Works (and Doesn't Work), in Words and Pictures

DisneyWar


Books That Made Me Want to Smack the Author(s):
Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery

Steve Jobs: Genius by Design

Into the Water: a Shocking True Story of Abduction, Murder, and the Nice Guy Next Door

The Darkest Night: Two Sisters, a Brutal Murder, and the Loss of Innocence in a Small Town

Barack Hussein Obama

Coal to Diamonds: A Memoir


Books That Helped Me Look at the World in a New Way:
March Book 1

The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Graphic Novel

Waiting to Be Heard: a Memoir

Nothing's Sacred

Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front

Economix: How Our Economy Works (and Doesn't Work), in Words and Pictures

Secret Girl: A Memoir

DisneyWar

Buried Memories: Katie Beers' Story

Eat This Not That! 2010: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution

The Darkest Night: Two Sisters, a Brutal Murder, and the Loss of Innocence in a Small Town

You'll Never Know Book Three: Soldier's Heart

The Central Park Five: A Chronicle of a City Wilding

Coal to Diamonds: A Memoir

Anne Arundel's Legacy; the Historic Properties of Anne Arundel County


Books I've Already Recommended to People:
March Book 1

Someone Has to Set a Bad Example: an Anne Taintor Collection

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

Nothing's Sacred

Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front

Economix: How Our Economy Works (and Doesn't Work), in Words and Pictures

Eat This Not That! 2010: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution

The Darkest Night: Two Sisters, a Brutal Murder, and the Loss of Innocence in a Small Town

You'll Never Know Book Three: Soldier's Heart

The Central Park Five: A Chronicle of a City Wilding

Coal to Diamonds: A Memoir

Anne Arundel's Legacy; the Historic Properties of Anne Arundel County

The Hypo: The Melancholic Young Lincoln


Most Disappointing Books:
Girl Talk: Telling It Like It Is

Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery

Steve Jobs: Genius by Design

Buried Memories: Katie Beers' Story

Into the Water: a Shocking True Story of Abduction, Murder, and the Nice Guy Next Door

Barack Hussein Obama


Most Depressing (as in Sadness-Inducing) Books:
Body of Water

Secret Girl: A Memoir


Most Uplifting Books:
Economix: How Our Economy Works (and Doesn't Work), in Words and Pictures

Anne Arundel's Legacy; the Historic Properties of Anne Arundel County

Comments

[klaudyna.livejournal.com]

I'm really sorry to hear that 2013 has sucked for you. :( Here is to a much much better 2014! And while I realize that you're in no way missing good friends in your life, I'm also here if you ever need to get stuff off your chest.

Have a wonderful New Year!

I remember A Little Princess as being pretty wonderful. Do you also like The Secret Garden?

[alivemagdolene.livejournal.com]

Thank you, sweetie. ♥ And good friends are something of which someone can never have too much!

And back at you, hon. My inbox is always open.

This is embarrassing but... I've never read The Secret Garden? My mother told us the story as children (since there was this little pond and fountain thingy off my grandmother's house that she and my aunts called "the secret garden") but I was more inclined to read A Little Princess since I was named after the title character (and given the Hebraic H just in case anyone missed the point).
I should really read it already; I was surprised by how much I liked A Little Princess this time around.

[klaudyna.livejournal.com]

Thanks right back atcha. <3

Oh no , not embarrassing at all, but I do think you might absolutely love it;, even if it can't be the "magical book of childhood" for you anymore, it's still beautifully written and compelling. :) Annd, your name has an awesome story to it!