Health & Fitness

Best Books of 2013: Amazon's Choice

The book-selling giant has named the top books of 2013 from January to June. And its top choice has some mixed reviews.

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With vacations and beach days looming, booksellers are all jumping on the "book list" wagon in an attempt to sell books they think are "the best." 

Amazon released its list of the Best Books of 2013 (January to June) with a somewhat surprising choice at the top. 

Kate Atkinson's Life After Life is a critical darling with oodles of praise all over its Amazon sale page. 

"Kate Atkinson is a marvel," says Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl. "There aren't enough breathless adjectives to describe Life After Life: Dazzling, witty, moving, joyful, mournful, profound. Wildly inventive, deeply felt. Hilarious. Humane. Simply put: It's one of the best novels I've read this century." 

Book critics also love Atkinson's latest novel.

"A thoroughly entertaining, periodically moving read, and a wholly unique addition," says Eugenia Williamson of the Boston Globe. "Atkinson never so much as flirts with pathos; her ethos and heroine are as unsentimental as the times require."

But not all "regular" readers have had the same reaction. 

"I rarely do not finish a book once I start, but this one wasn't worth my time,” says Sally Elkins, and according to Amazon, 80 others made a similar statement.

But despite the negative reviews, the book—which has 3.7 stars on Amazon since its release in April 2013—was chosen as the best book of 2013... so far.


What else is on the list? 


Other top picks by Amazon? 


This post originally appeared on: daniellemastersonbooks.com.

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