Each year, I dread the coming of December 31st. No, it’s not the ending of another year, or the fact that I’m one year older. It’s the simple act of picking favorites! I have many, too many. So, as I’ve done before, I’m picking my favorites by month. It makes the list long but it’s the only way. This only way I tell you!

Let’s get this underway, shall we.

January

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss: I love, love, love this series. If you haven’t read Rothfuss yet, you need to fix that in 2014.

Hellboy: Wake the Devil by Mike Mignola: I seriously love Hellboy. I do.

February

Faithful Place by Tana French: Honestly, anytime this woman writes anything, I’m going to read it. She’s that good.

The Shunned House by H.P. Lovecraft: My first foray into the world of Lovecraft and it was a success for me.

The House of the Vampire by George Sylvester Viereck: I went on an old school kick with vampires and loved it.

March

Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell: I’m enjoying the series and need to pick it back up again in 2014 because a new book is coming out and I need to catch up. I’m too far behind for my liking.

Clockwork Phoenix 4 edited by Mike Allen: An amazing collection of speculative, fantasy, and science fiction by some master storytellers. I know I’ll be picking these stories up again and again.

April

Palisades Park by Alan Brennert: What feels like a simple tale of everyday life is really a fantastic story full of the dreams that make life wonderful. Every part of this story feels very close to home thanks to some incredible characters.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker: Mythical creatures trying to fit into 1880s New York City become of a reflection of the immigrants around them.

The Shadow of the Sun by Barbara Friend Ish: If you want new fantasy, this is the book for you. There’s a sequel coming and I can’t wait for it!

May

Advent by James Treadwell: I wasn’t so sure about this book but then I got to the end and immediately wanted more. I’ll be looking for the sequel next year.

Of Blood and Honey by Stina Leicht: Oh. My. God. Seriously. It’s brutal and amazing. I want more and will be getting it.

The Black Country: A Novel of Scotland’s Murder Squad by Alex Grecian: A cup of tea, this book, and a dark stormy night. All you need.

June

Circle of Shadows by Imogen Robertson: A suspense filled historical mystery, and when you throw in a complicated relationship and some murder, you have a great story.

Fire and Hemlock by Dianna Wynne Jones: Why did I wait so long to read this!?

The Last Page by Anthony Huso: I have the second book and am holding off reading it. This book was so amazing that I’m afraid I set my expectations to high. I’ll soon see.

July

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman: Wow. Mr. Gaiman is the master. Every time I pick up one of his books I’m amazed by his ability; he weaves words like no other.

Kindred by Octavia Butler: Another why did I wait so long book. Amazing.

August

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon: I’m putting this on the list because it was a good first novel and I want more the crazy world she created. I think she’s going to grow with the second book.

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin: I held off because I didn’t love the forth book as much as I wanted to but this one made up for all the wrongs of the last one.

Sabriel by Garth Nix: So, so good.

September

The Black Fire Concerto by Mike Allen: I admired the collection he put together in Clockwork Phoenix 4 and I was curious about his personal writing. He tells one dark, twisted, and amazingly satisfying story. I’m looking forward to his second book.

Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen: I didn’t think it was possible to be a bigger fan but Mrs. Poe did it for me. Lynn Cullen tells one entertaining and slightly dark story that is amazing to the last page.

October

This House is Haunted by John Boyne: All the creepy!

Four Summoner’s Tales by Kelley Armstrong, Christopher Golden, David Liss, and Jonathan Maberry: I didn’t get a chance to talk about this one at all this year but these tales were dark, depressing, and perfect reads for October.

The Love Artist by Jane Alison: I read this for a class on historical fiction and it was everything I expected and more.

November

The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks: I’ve read a few of her books now and she’s one I’d recommend to people wanting interesting historical fiction.

The Forsaken Inn by Anna Katherine Green: An old school mystery worth a look.

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch: The third book in the Gentleman Bastards series and it was so worth the wait. If you aren’t familiar with the series, start with The Lies of Locke Lamora and you’ll soon find out why Lynch fans are so loyal.

Fever by Mary Beth Keane: A fictional characterization of the woman who became known as Typhoid Mary. A sad story in many ways but I never felt sorry for the characters who were so feisty you wanted to see them fight to the bitter end.

December

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo: A story of the afterlife told from the perspective of a not yet dead young woman faced with heartbreaking decisions. A truly fabulous story.

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield: A long awaited book after The Thirteenth Tale which I absolutely loved. This was also a satisfying read.

Vampires Don’t Sparkle edited Michael West: The Little Red Reviewer reviewed this one and I immediately bought it and read it. It’s so marvelous and if you want your vampires to be, well, real vampires, this is for you. It’s a great collection.

The Descent by Alma Katsu: I’m cheating with this one a bit because I probably won’t finish it by the end of the year but I’ve been looking forward to the final book in this series for a long time. It officially comes out in January and if you’ve read the first two books, you’ll want to read this one too.

That’s all for 2013. Read anything good you want to share? I have a whole calendar to fill for 2014.