With only 3 weeks left in the year, it’s almost time to start making New Year’s resolutions. There are the typical ones: staying healthy, paying off that pesky credit card debt, or landing that promotion. Why not add a few good books to that list too? Mashable and Goodreads have released their picks for the best 2013 releases. Check out our favorites below!
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
The Interestings is the tale of six creative teenagers who meet at summer camp and remain friends into their adult years. Throughout their youth, their artistic abilities are encouraged and revered by everyone around them. But as they age, they find that success in the arts isn’t always easy. Several have to abandon their creative careers for more practical occupations. The guitarist leaves music and becomes an engineer; the actress eventually stops preparing for auditions and resigns to a regular 9-5 gig. However, two of the friends find enormous wealth and fame in the entertainment industry. Will envy destroy these lifelong friendships? How do relationships change when the ones you care about achieve the success that has eluded you?
Reality Boy by A.S. King
Reality Boy chronicles the teenage years of Gerald Faust, a young man who was thrust into reality television stardom at 5 years old by his mother. His televised childhood exacerbated his anger issues, and now, at 17, he finds himself friendless and prone to frequent violent outbursts. The adults around him have given up hope and believe he is doomed to spend a significant portion of his life in jail. Reality Boy documents the downfall of child star and the rise of the man his turbulent childhood created.
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
On October 9, 2012, the Taliban boarded a school bus, walked up to a 15-year-old girl, and shot her in the head. I Am Malala is that young woman’s story of the activism for education rights that led to the assassination attempt on that Tuesday morning. Malala Yousafzai has been praised by countless international dignitaries for her passion and dedication to the fight for education rights for females in her native Pakistan. At 16, she is the youngest person to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. I Am Malala is an inspiring read about one young girl’s fight for equality.
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick
Leonard Peacock gently places his grandfather’s pistol in his backpack. Today is his 18th birthday; it is also the day he plans to kill himself and his former best friend. Matthew Quick, author of The Silver Linings Playbook, captivates in his latest work about a disturbing youg man. Leonard Peacock is introduced as someone with villainous plan, but by the end of the book, you’ll find your heart breaking for him. Make sure you have some tissues nearby.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
Kate Barton is shocked to receive a phone call telling her that her ambitious 15-year-old daughter, Amelia, has been caught cheating. When Kate arrives at the school, she is devastated to learn that Amelia, unable to deal with the consequences of what she has done, has jumped from the school roof to her death. In the midst of grieving, Kate receives an anonymous text simply saying: “She didn’t jump.” Kate begins to dig through Amelia’s e-mails, text messages, phone records, and social media postings in an attempt to reconstruct her final days and uncover the truth. Reconstructing Amelia documents how far one mother will go to vindicate the memory of the daughter she never truly knew.
Thanks to Mashable and Goodreads
Images via Mashable, Goodreads, and The Guardian.
