Books of 2012

Books read: 46

Small Persons with Wings by Ellen Booream ✦ The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson ✦ Inside Out and Back Again by Thahnna Lai ✦ Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey ✦ The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater ✦ Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler ✦ Feed by M. T. Anderson ✦ Linger by Maggie Stiefvater ✦ Specials by Scott Westerfeld ✦ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs ✦ Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor ✦ Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver ✦ Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin ✦ Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks* ✦ Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell ✦ To Timbuktu by Casey Scieszka, illustrated by Steven Weinberger ✦ The Fault in Our Stars by John Green* ✦ How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford ✦ About a Boy by Nick Hornby ✦ Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand ✦ Hiroshima by John Hersey ✦ Drama by Raina Telgemeier* ✦ Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama* ✦ The Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George* ✦ The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour* ✦ The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker ✦ Judy Moody by Megan McDonald ✦ Endangered by Eliot Schrefer* ✦ Explorer: The Mystery Boxes* ✦ Wonder by R. J. Palacio* ✦ Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin* ✦ Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake ✦ Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz* ✦ The Girls of No Return by Erin Saldin* ✦ Crewel by Gennifer Albin* ✦ Seraphina by Rachel Hartman* ✦ Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick* ✦ Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl* ✦ The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan* ✦ Sailor Twain by Mark Siegel* ✦ Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein* ✦ Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Na Liu and Andres Vera Martinez* ✦ Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz* ✦ Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery by Keren David* ✦ Columbine by Dave Cullen ✦ Son by Lois Lowry

*published in 2012

How did I read fewer books this year than last? I had 5 more months to read than I did last year! So many of them were good. I love picking out favorites instead of “best,” but it’s much more difficult. Four titles were a piece of cake—definitely favorite 10 material. It’s tricky because I’m balancing quality with emotional response and enjoyment. Books with emotional impact tend to make more of an impression. How could I list a book that was a thoroughly enjoyable romp and not list one that nearly made me cry? Some books may have one particular flaw or issue up against a strong impression the book made, and I have to determine whether that issue is enough to push it off this list. And, of course, the books I’ve read most recently have the distinct advantage of being fresher in my mind.

I made a distinct effort to keep up with books published this year—popular and critically acclaimed and stuff that looked interesting or that I ended up taking home from ALA. Of the 45 books I read, 22 were published in 2012.

So here it is:

Favorite books read in 2012: 

1. The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan*
This is also my pick for best YA book of 2012. This is one where I have a tough time explaining why I loved it so. From a literary standpoint, it was stunning. From a personal, subjective perspective, it was stunning.

 2. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand & 

3. Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick*
These were two of the three big impact nonfiction (or nearly nonfiction) titles I read this year (the third is in the honorable mention category). These were books that changed my outlook on life and the world. They also educated me—teaching me about parts of history I never knew (and it seems crazy that I didn’t know). When I read stories like these, I am amazed at the resilience of humanity--both that humans can survive physically and that they go on to have joy and hope in their lives despite the unspeakable things they've lived through.

4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
With Taylor’s typically rich language, smart engaging dialogue, a weird, interesting mythology, and page-turning pace, it’s the total package. So much fun to read. Oh, and Prague.

5. Feed by M. T. Anderson 
This made the list for two reasons: 1. because of how freakily close we are getting to the future Anderson depicts; 2. the personal human story and the authentic behavior and emotions there. Oh and I loved the satire of the degeneration of language. Yes! Language is important!

6. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman*
Things I loved and appreciated: complex, fully developed mythology, political intrigue, the mystery aspect of the story, the (self-proclaimed) prickly protagonist, the total absence of insta-love, the complexity of balancing desires with priorities, and Orma.

7. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green*
When I look at the books I read this year, the books published this year, this is a standout. I didn’t expect that to be the case. When I finished it, I felt like I hadn’t had the experience so many others have had—bawling, being totally blown over by its impact and craft. But in looking back, well, it was a wonderful book, plain and simple.

8. Inside Out and Back Again by Thannha Lai
The only children’s book to make the list! I love the way that each poem was like a snapshot of sights, sounds and smells. I loved the everyday-ness of this book. I loved how it highlighted the little things that an immigrant encounters when s/he comes to a new country.

9. The Girls of No Return by Erin Saldin*
Two things: excellence and emotional impact. Beautiful writing, outstanding character development, beautiful treatment of the role nature can play in troubled teens’ lives, fascinating exploration of themes and relationships, profound epiphanies. There were moments of this book that hit personal soft spots, and so it became more intense and emotional for me. But that ending! What was that ending?!

10. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater When I first read this title, I was a little disappointed at the lack of excitement (killer water horses—that got my expectations up). But months after I’d returned the book to the library, I found myself missing Thisby (and even now). I loved the slow development of the relationships, the loving respect and admiration for the capall uisce, and that island.








Honorable Mention:

Wonder by R. J. Palacio* – A joy to read: funny and heartfelt.
Columbine by Dave Cullen – This was big impact book number three. I was enthralled, but it’s just not the kind of book that I would call a favorite because of the nature of it. I don’t exactly want to own it so I can read it over and over.
Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama* – Wonderfully sinister, Gothic, intense mermaid tale.
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake - This falls into the pure enjoyment category.
Endangered by Eliot Schrefer* – In a chapter the book had me caring about monkeys. ‘Nough said.
Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin* – A nonfiction spy thriller involving one of the most significant events of the twentieth century.
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz* – Excellent
Lia’s Guide to Winning the Lottery by Keren David* – It’s the only chick lit I read this year—but it was top notch teen chick lit.
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver – Loved the character arc in this page-turner.
Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson – A first-rate start to a new YA fantasy series centering on an atypical heroine with a mythology and setting that are not the usual either.

This is ridiculous, isn't it? Too many honorable mentions. Oh well...