10 books to read in 2013

The Good House by Ann LearyThis is my favorite book from my favorite author, a novel so good it's edible. I completely devoured this story of Hildy Good, a successful real estate broker in a small New England town; she's a divorced, irreverent un-recovered alcoholic, who finds herself in a surprising romance. The characters are smart, fun, warm and flawed. Every page is a gift to read. —Julie Klam, author of Friendkeeping

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty SmithI think one reason people don't read much is because most books are pretty boring, with a few uninteresting events spread over a couple hundred pages. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the opposite of that—it's overflowing with great characters and stories; every page is delightful and deeply moving. Nothing fancy about the subject matter—an Irish-American girl's coming of age in early 20th century Williamsburg—but it's the stories within the story that bring the book alive.—Ben Loory, author of Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day

Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham JoyceAs a young girl, Tara Martin vanishes from her small town in the English countryside, and then returns, two decades later, not looking a day older. This incredible novel is about what it means to tell stories, what it means to believe in stories, and what it means to believe in anything. A meditation on loss, family, time, faith, reason, and the nature of storytelling that somehow also manages to be a riveting story itself. —Charles Yu, author of Sorry Please Thank You

Case Histories by Kate AtkinsonThe plots of Atkinson's novels will have you staying up all night because you've got to know what happens next. She also has a gift for language and spins a beautiful sentence like few others can. All of her books are great, but I'd start with Case Histories. It's the first novel in which she introduces Jackson Brodie, a private detective who investigates three very different murders throughout the book. It's suspenseful, but it's more literary novel than crime novel. —J. Courtney Sullivan, author of Maine

Fables by Bill Willingham When I'm pressed for time and want to read something great but quick, I turn to comic books. There are a million terrific graphic novels out there, but Fables stands out. Collected in over 18 volumes, it's the story of your favorite fairy tale characters exiled in our world, and it's got it all: romance, war, tragedy, betrayal and redemption. Sweeping and grand and beautifully illustrated, if you haven't started reading comics before but you want to, this is a great gateway in.—Cecil Castellucci, author of The Year of the Beasts

The Liars Club by Mary KarrThis dark and witty memoir of Mary Karr's volatile upbringing in a swampy East Texas oil town is written with compassion, humor, and jaw-dropping honesty. Karr's prose is raw and authentic and the stories of her parents' drunken delusions and ferocious love are both brutal and big-hearted. It's an immensely readable and raucous ride until the very last page.—Ivy Pochoda, author of Visitation Street

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria SempleYou'd be challenged to find a heroine as hilariously frustrated and opinionated as Bernadette. In this irresistible comic novel about a missing woman whose daughter is trying to track her down by searching her correspondence, Semple pokes fun at just about every modern-day absurdity (Seattle takes it especially hard). Even more impressive is how the book slyly transcends its exquisite punch lines to reveal the complex, wounded heart beneath.—Panio Gianopoulos, author of A Familiar Beast

Female Trouble by Antonya NelsonThese are the stories I returned to when I was nursing my newborn son in the middle of the night. (Talk about female trouble.) Here are teenage girls playing pranks that will haunt them into middle age; a drunk, adulterous woman comforting her maybe-raped daughter; an infertile woman on the verge of kidnapping a baby. Nelson's brave, troubled, utterly real characters entertained me, comforted me, and—even at 3 a.m.—kept me wide awake. —Anna Solomon, author of The Little Bride

Atonement by Ian McEwanFor those who've been bitten by the Downton Abbey bug, this book is right up your alley: 1930s British aristocracy, a night that irrevocably changes everything, a world war, secret lovers, lies, and an ending twist you'll never see coming. If the plot wasn't enough to keep you feverishly flipping pages, McEwan is a prose maestro. You'll come away breathless and satisfied. Bonus: When finished reading, watch Keira Knightley and James McAvoy portray the characters on screen.—Sarah McCoy, author of The Baker's Daughter

Portrait of a Novel by Michael GorraEven those with next to no knowledge of Henry James should read this beautiful and loving examination of the author's relationship to one of his greatest novels, Portrait of a Lady. Ever been interested in how a novelist orders his material and makes it burst into flame? Gorra knows, and he explains everything in a compelling and heartfelt way. This is the kind of book that comes only from a lifetime's reading, responding, thinking. —Peter Straub, author of A Dark Matter