“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” 

- George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons

Remember those “choose your own adventure books” from when you were a little kid? The ones that let you determine if Mary should go down the scary dark tunnel that may potentially lead to her death, or if she should turn back and wait for her friends? (To continue down the tunnel, turn to page 46)

I’m sure this doesn’t come as a surprise, but I loved them. My library hours in elementary school usually comprised of me reading every possible outcome in one of those books, then choosing the best one and pretending like it was my first pick all along… but hey that’s just me.

Seeing that I’m back on my book kick, I’ve decided that a post dedicated to some good reads is long overdue. Why, you may ask, would I tell you about the “choose your adventure” books? Surely I’m not planning on suggesting for you to read them? Of course not – you amateurs probably wouldn’t be able to guide Mary to safety anyway… 

But seeing that I’m in a nostalgic mood, I’m going to fashion this post after one of those books. Fear not loyal readers – there will be no dark scary tunnels, and none of the outcomes lead to poor Mary’s demise. Excited yet? Because I am. Follow along this blog post to discover the best books for you to read in 2013!

Journey to the Center of the Library
 by Ashley E. Gudzak

It was a dreary afternoon in Pleasantville and the skies were becoming darker and more ominous with each passing minute. Mary was at the library finishing up her essay when thunder shook the walls and a flash of lightning illuminated the sky outside. Realizing that she wouldn’t be leaving any time soon despite the fact that her project was almost done, Mary gave in and decided she might as well find a book to read.

There was just one problem: Mary was not a big reader and had no clue where to begin. The aisles at the library had so many choices and she wasn’t sure which one to venture down first.

After wandering around for a time, Mary decided to ask the librarian for assistance. “Excuse me, I’m looking for a book to read but don’t know where I should start. Can you help me?” 

The librarian smiled, “Of course, young lady. First, we’ll need to figure out which genre is the best fit for you. What are your favorite kinds of stories?”

To help the librarian point Mary (i.e.: you) in the right direction, pick an answer to her question below:

1.      “I love stories about hopelessly romantic men and the stupid women they date that do not deserve their love like I do. I swear, one day I will find my own Christian Grey. Excuse me? No, I have no idea why I am still single… why do you ask?” (scroll down to Romance)

2.      “I love stories about magic and supernatural worlds. Spells and made-up languages? Bring it on! Huh? No, I haven’t received my Hogwarts letter yet… Oh, I’m sure the owl just got stuck in the storm or something.”  (scroll to Fantasy/Sci-Fi)

3.      “I enjoy reading about the past and learning how people in other countries, cultures or time periods lived. Boring, you say? No way! I love reading books with accented writing and names I can’t pronounce. Namaste.” (scroll down to Cultural/Historical)

4.      “I’d like to read about survival techniques or potential fates for the world after the coming apocalypse. Oh, it is going to happen… just a matter of time now. Better be prepared and get your vaccinations up to date. Do you guys sell bows and arrows?” (scroll to Future/Dystopia)

5.     “I like stories about heroes and adventure! No sappy romance for me. A little scary or disturbing? No problem! I have a dream catcher above my bed.” (scroll down to Thriller/Mystery)

(Author’s note: Books with asterisks are my top choices for each genre!)

Romance

1.      Slammed by Colleen Hoover* (See previous blog post)

2.      Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover (Slammed #2)

3.      Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire*

4.      The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger*

5.      Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

6.      Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

7.      Something Blue by Emily Giffin

8.      Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

9.      Barely Breathing by Rebecca Donovan

Fantasy/Sci-Fi

1.      Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling*

2.      Game of Thrones Series by George R.R. Martin*

3.      The Rook by Daniel O’Malley*

4.      Everneath by Brodi Ashton*

5.      Lorien Legacies Series by Pittacus Lore

6.      The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

7.      Bloodlines Series by Richelle Mead

Cultural/Historical

1.      Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors*

2.      The Help by Kathryn Stockett

3.      The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli

Future/Dystopia

1.      Partials by Dan Wells*

2.      Divergent by Veronica Roth*

3.      Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Divergent #2)

4.      Delirium by Lauren Oliver

5.      Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

6.      Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins*

7.      Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (HG #2)

8.      Mocking Jay by Suzanne Collins (HG #3)

9.      The Selection by Kiera Cass

10.   The Maze Runner by James Dashner

11.   The Scorch Trials  by James Dashner (Maze Runner #2)

12.   The Death Cure  by James Dashner (Maze Runner #3)

13.   Uglies by Scott Westerfield

14.   Pretties by Scott Westerfield (Uglies #2)

15.   Specials by Scott Westerfield (Uglies #3)

16.   Matched by Ally Condie

17.   Crossed by Ally Condie (Matched #2)

18.   Reached by Ally Condie (Matched #3)

Thriller/Mystery

1.      The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown*

2.      Angels & Demons by Dan Brown (Robert Langdon #2)

3.      The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Robert Langdon #3)*

4.      The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrsson

5.      The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larrsson (Girl Who #2)

6.      The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larrsson (Girl Who #3)

7.      We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver