2013 .. Reading Along

So I've been reading along in 2013 ...  Just an easy pace, a bit here of a night, a bit there on the weekend. I'd love to have more time, but work / family take priority. However, faithfully, my little pile of books waits patiently for me on my bedside table, full well knowing that my hands love gracing their pages.

Here is a look at where I've ventured thus far in 2013. I love the Goodreads App too, you can follow along with me HERE

Feel free to comment and suggest some reading literature for my 2013 ventures!


Reading along in 2013 ...

2012 - My Top Reads

In 2012, I set forth to read 52 Books in 52 weeks. I didn't quite get there, however I'm incredibly proud to have read 40 books throughout the duration of 2012.Along my literate journey I discovered new Authors, read some books passionately and spent many hours standing in front of shelves in book stores waiting for that "one book" to reach out to me as my next read!

I'm looking forward to reading just as many in 2013, however here are some of my personal top reads from 2012.

Darien Gee's "friendship bread" was one of the first novels that I read for 2012 and certainly highlighted the love of humanity that can exist from the simplest gifts given in small communities. A beautiful, touching read.

Alice drew me entirely in "The Dovekeepers"  

and I walked alongside these courageous women, 

following their path from destruction and horrific experiences to salvation. 

This was possibly my all time favourite read for 2012.

 

 Jojo Moyes, a beautiful, touching read. 

Life isn't always a path easily taken. Me Before You, reinforced that when certain events change your life forever, you find those that stand with you, and those that walk away. You also find those new people that come into your life when you least expect them and change you forever. Perhaps not the ending I was hoping for, but one that left tears nonetheless.

Lisa Genova as an Author was my new find for 2012. 

In some ways, her poise with topics parallel's Picoult.

Lisa certainly knows how to connect with your own life, 

 and in all 3 of her novels certainly left their impending mark on my heart and soul.

Left Neglected - A high powering career woman, mother, wife had to learn to live life all over again after a horrific car accident. A story that shows you that you should always take time to stop, reflect and love the simplest forms of life and families. It certainly makes you stop and think!

Love Anthony, a beautiful look of Autism from within the eyes, soul and body of a young child. Again, this novel reinforced new friendships and how healing of the heart, mind and soul can be achieved between strangers who become friends under spiritual circumstances. A novel written with undue care and sensitivity to explore daily living and caring for a gorgeous child with special needs.

 

Still Alice, a touching insight into early onset Alzheimer's. 

When you've seen Alzheimer's in action in your own life, this story is one that will resonate deeply with you.

I love Jodi Picoult and thoroughly enjoyed Lone Wolf,

at times tears and emotions just streamed out. 

She researches her topics so well and just has a beautiful way with words.

I'm an avid Nora reader, having read almost her entire collection in previous years. 

Over the course of 2012, Nora released the 3 books comprising her "Boonsboro Inn" trilogy.

A beautiful read that connects families on a past live, spiritual level too, but of course holds

all the passion, drama and twists that are akin to Nora too!

 

Of course not to be left behind with one of the highlighted trilogies this year, I did also join the bandwagon and read the Fifty Shades Trilogy in 2012 too ....

Now the challenge comes to fill my bookshelf with just as many reads for 2013, if not more!

What were some of the novels that inspired your mind in 2012?

Sing You Home ...

In all honesty I've only read a handful of Jodi Picoult's novels - Change of Heart, Vanishing Acts, My Sister's Keeper and Plain Truth, all of which I enjoyed immensely and couldn't put down from cover to cover. I hold a great admiration for the way Picoult tackles quite sensitive and confronting issues head on but with a great deal of respect and sensitivity. Her research is thorough and her poise captivating.

Sometimes a book just catches your eye when you are least expecting it. I've been on school holidays and I went into my local bookstore with the ultimate purpose of finding something enjoyable to read and something that would just me a little downtime and change of pace from the hectic world I've been living in of late.

That's when "Sing you Home" caught my eye and was then in my hands and I was standing there lost in the first few pages! If a book can spark my interest within those first few pages, then I know its a keeper and worth the read {for me anyway}.

Sing you Home has all those familiar Picoult story lines ... There is the medical dilemma between a man and woman trying passionately to have a baby via IVF, then there is the trauma of a relationship breakdown when sometimes what you envisage just doesn't eventuate. The ethical dilemma of same sex relationships, the discovery of evangelical religion and ultimately a bitter and passionate legal advocacy over frozen embyro's (a woman, her partner, an ex-husband, his christian community fighting for custody).

When I am enjoying something I read, I am there within the pages, standing alongside the characters, sharing their journey, feeling the emotions and that's what I felt while reading this novel!

Not that I had a chance this time, but there are accompanying soundtracks you can download for the end of each chapter to feel where the character was at each time in the story of their life.

If you haven't already, add it to your reading library! You'll be glad you did!

Happy Reading!