Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2013

I'm not big on the book news; I tend to be pretty clueless about what's coming out and when, but there are some books I can't wait to get my hands on in 2013...

1. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children 2 (currently untitled) by Ransom Riggs. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children almost became one of my favourite books... until it ended on a massive cliffhanger that drove me nuts. So needless to say I've been waiting for the sequel for awhile.

2. Just One Day by Gayle Forman. I looooved If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman, so I've been eagerly anticipating her next book.

3. Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris. OK, I haven't been excited about the Sookie Stackhouse books for awhile. But I'm excited for this one because it will finally bring the series to an end, and answer the question once and for all - will Sookie end up with Eric? She better.

4. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins. I love, love, loved Anna and the French Kiss and really enjoyed Lola and the Boy Next Door, so I predict good things for the final book in Perkins' trilogy.

5. The Hybrid Chronicles 2 (currently untitled) by Kat Zhang. I really enjoyed Zhang's debut novel, What's Left of Me, when I read it recently, and I can't wait for the sequel.

6. The Boss by Abigail Barnette. Not content with pointing out how terrible 50 Shades of Grey is in her hilarious, brilliant recaps, Jennifer Armintrout (under the name Abigail Barnette) has decided to publish a feminist romance as the antithesis to the abusive dynamics found in the popular tome. Best of all? She's publishing it for free on her website, in serial form. It sounds awesome.

7. Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff. The plot sounds really intriguing - a young girl is haunted by her best friend, who pushes her to investigate her death and the other mysterious murders in their town. Plus the cover is super pretty, and I'm superficial like that.

8. Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak. The Book Thief is one of my favourite books, and this will be Zusak's follow up. It's been a long time coming, and I anticipate amazingness.

9. Prodigy by Marie Lu. The first book in this series, Legend, was pretty decent, and I've heard the sequel is even better.

10. When We Wake by Karen Healey. About a girl who gets cryogenically frozen and reanimated 100 years later, this is one dystopian/sci-fi that sounds unique and has a lot of potential.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children By Ransom Riggs

Every now and then, you come across a book that makes you think, "This is what books are made for. This is why I read." This was one of those books for me.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children follows the story of Jacob, a boy who grew up idolising his grandfather and the magical, mystical people who populated the stories of his childhood. When he's 15, a horrific event sends Jacob in search of the truth behind his grandfather's stories. He ends up on a small island in Wales, searching for clues of Miss Peregrine, the woman who sheltered his grandfather during World War II, and the fate of the other peculiar children she watched over.

I loved this book for so many reasons, not least of which was the completely unique story. I also adored the language; Ransom Riggs not only has the most awesome name ever, he also has a wonderful writing style. Every sentence is beautifully structured and every word is artfully chosen. On top of all this, the book itself is a treat. The hard cover has a nice surprise engraved underneath the dust jacket, the paper is thick and smooth, the title pages are great and the photographs - well, they're most definitely peculiar. Dispersed throughout the book and woven into the story, Riggs has brought together a remarkable collection of (apparently real) photographs that greatly enhance the reading experience.

The characters are all well-developed and realistic (peculiarity notwithstanding). Jacob in particular is a strong and appealing hero, and I appreciated the fact that even in the most extraordinary circumstances, he reacted exactly as you think a 15-year-old boy would. There's a surprising amount of humour in the book, but there's also a lot of sadness and, as the photos on the jacket suggest, creepiness. The one thing that stops me from being 100 per cent satisfied is the fact that there are A LOT of loose ends left dangling at the end of the book. I was disappointed not to have more closure. I understand that there will be a sequel, but to me, each book in a series should be able to stand as a complete story on its own while also fitting into a larger arc. There is just too much left open for this to be the case with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. It's a shame, because for the majority of the book I was thinking it would easily make it to the top of my all-time favourites list. As it is, it was still a wonderful read and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.

Rating: 4/5

Eye Candy
I pictured Anton Yelchin as the smart, sensitive Jacob and Chloe Moretz as the brave, fierce Emma.

Fine Print
Published: 2011
Publisher: Random House
Get It: Book Depository