2012: The year in review
Wow, another year has flown by! Life has been hectic, so it feels like I didn’t read as much as I usually do. When I check my numbers, though, I see I read almost the same amount this year as I did in 2011. I was lucky enough to attend Book Expo America once again but had to miss SIBA for personal reasons. I got to meet lots of great authors at events hosted by local bookstores, Fiction Addiction and Hub City Books. I read a lot of wonderful books in 2012 and wasn’t able to narrow my list of favorites down to ten adult books, so I’ll list a baker’s dozen.
- The Orchard by Theresa Weir
- 11/22/63 by Stephen King
- A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson
- We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
- The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
- A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash
- Le Road Trip by Vivian Swift
- The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty
- Faith by Jennifer Haigh
- Columbine by Dave Cullen
- The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
- The King’s Speech by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi
- Collateral by Ellen Hopkins
When it came to children’s books, it was easier for me to pick out my favorites. These are the books that stood out to me:
- Wonder by R. J. Palacio
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
- Everybody Sees the Ants by A. S. King
I hope everyone has a wonderful new year full of love, laughter, and books!
Great list! Mine will go up tomorrow.
Good list. I enjoyed Faith and The Chaperone. I don’t think I’ll do a list this year.
Wow! It always seems like you read so much and get so many reviews written, and this was an off year, huh? I’ve only read three of your listed adult books and none of the children’s, so I need to get going for 2013!
I am enjoying reading the lists because I am finding books to add to my own lists!
I still have to do my list too! Greta reads – you reminded me of 11-22-63, I forgot I read that this year and sooooo good. Also, We Need To Talk About Kevin, what a good discussion read!
I love these lists; thanks for sharing. 11/22/63 was on my 2011 list. Looking forward to 2013. Happy New Year.
I tend to read about the same number of books every year, give or take a couple. Knowing that, I should be able to plan out an entire year’s worth of reading, based on all the “Best Of” lists. Then I’d be sure of a great year of reading, don’t you think?
I have ARCs of a couple of those you listed (The Orchard and A Land More Kind Than Home), but I’m also very interested in The Yellow Birds, Columbine, Wonder, The Language of Flowers and 11/22/63.
Here’s to another year of great books, Kathy. Happy New Year!
First of all — love the graphic!!! Secondly, I agreed with you on a lot of those and probably left a few off of my list by mistake! That’s why I don’t like committing to just a certain few. LOL!
2 of yours are on my list too
I’ll be working on mine this week.
I get so happy when I see that 11/22/63 makes the list! I loved that book dearly. I have a couple of Joshilyn Jackson’s books from Audible.com, so I know I’ll be getting to them sometime in the new year. Happy New Year, Kathy!
Glad to see Jackson’s book made the cut. My list of bests is at the top of my post today along with an announcement. Happy New Year to you and yours, Kathy!
A Monster Calls was also my favorite children’s book of 2012.
Happy Reading in 2013.
I’ve only read one book on your list – 11/22/63. But I agree that it’s a fantastic book. When I list my favorites for 2012 (there are 11), it will be #2, just behind book 2 of Ken Follett’s Trilogy series. In fact, I would put 11/22/63 in my top 25 of all time.
Happy New Year.
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A wonderful list and I’ve read exactly none of them! So many books, so little time. I own several of these and most of them are on my TBR. Glad to know they are going to be terrific reads!
11/22/63 was on my list of favorites, too. The Language of Flowers was on my list last year. Your list has given me ideas for the New Year. Thanks!
You’ll find a link to my favorites in MY SUNDAY SALON POST
You had a great reading year. I haven’t read ANY of these books! But several are on my TBR list. And I took note of a few other ones.
You look to have a great reading year! Here’s to 2013!
Great lists! I also loved Columbine. It made my best nonfiction list this year.
While I did not read much this year, I anticipate a banner literary year in 2013
Happy New Year to you and your family!
Great list Kathy. I have that Stephen King book on Mt TBR. I’m the same, when I check my numbers I tend to read about 60 books every year. I like the little onion on the books graphic
Happy New Year!
Great list! I like your mix of books published this year and older books. Faith made my top list in 2011 – a great book!
I’m completely with you on A Monster Calls. Also, I need to get around to reading A. S. King.
Lots of Love Laughter and Books to you also in 2013. I am so glad to see We Need to Talk about Kevin, that is the one book I would have recommended you read, I thought of you when I read it. I now want to read Columbine. A couple of others are on my Wishlist.
I really loved The Yellow Birds, too. What a book! Great list!
Great list. I love year end reviews. I love that I can read many of the same books as my blogger friends, and our year end lists are often completely different. Such wonderful diversity.
2 Kids and Tired Books
Fantastic list – we have several overlaps.
yay for A Monster Calls! The only one we seem to have in common, lol
I have 11/22/63 to read, am waiting for A Monster Calls to come out in softcover so I can get it, put Columbine on hold at the library. I really like your list, Kathy! I hope 2013 is good for you, and you have lots of reading time
Happy 2013!
I really have to think about my list soon too
Nice list…I haven’t read but one of your books.
The only one I read was THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS.
Thanks for your list…they all sound so good.
Happy New Year!!
Terrific list, Kathy. Happy New Year to you and yours!
I won’t be accepting many books to review/tour in 2013, I’m going to spend the year reading books on my TBR pile. There are a few on your list that I’d like to read, but I’m going to read the ones that have sat on my shelves the longest, first.
I had many books that I enjoyed this year and wouldn’t be able to choose the top 10. However, because of your list, my TBR list just grew. Have a very Healthy and Happy New Year filled with great titles.
You have some books in your top picks that I absolutely adored too and many now that I really want to try! Have a great 2013!
We have a few of the same books on our favorites of 2012. I’ve seen The Chaperone on so many lists that I brought it home Friday! Happy New Year.
I haven’t read a single book on your list, but I do want to read The Yellow Birds. These lists always end up adding books to my wishlist.
I may refer to your lists from time to time. Thanks for another wonderful year of book blogging! I learn a lot from you, in various ways, and I always enjoy your reviews and Wondrous Words Wednesday.
Great list, Kathy! I need to open my Kindle and start reading A MONSTER CALLS. It’s been sitting in there for ages, but I keep getting distracted.
That looks like a great reading year to me…my wishes for a wondrous New Year for you, too!
I just finished another book this weekend, so I’m going to reassess my best of list. Looks like you did great this year though.
Kathy, as a fellow blogger, I’m just so impressed how many readers you have that comment on your blog. My goal is to get that kind of participation. Nice job.
Was loathe to finish Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison, a National Book Award finalist from 1992 because it’s so challenging finding another book I’d love as well. With your list, I have more of a chance. Thanks. Happy new year.
I’m putting The Yellow Birds on my list for 2013!!
Also, want to wish you a wonderful 2013 with lots of 5 star reads!
A great and varied list
I didn’t have very many 5 star reads this year but 11/22/63 was one of them! And I see I have but have not yet read another book on your list so that excites me. Happy New Year!
There are a couple on your list that I have and plan on reading. Yay! that they made your favorites list.
I see three books on your best list that will be on mine too, once I get it together (11/22/63, The Chaperone, and Wonder). Lots of other books on your lists that I want to read too though.
Four of your top adult books will be on my best of list too. You have good taste!
You had a great year in books! Thanks for all the reviews and recs this year. I’ve really enjoyed following your blog and look forward to your posts in the new year.
I’ve read 4 of the titles on your list and several more are on my wish list. So many good books to catch up on! Hope 2013 is another wonderful reading year for you.
Nice list. 11/22/63 was my favorite book in 2011. Language of Flowers and The Chaperone were also favorites.
Good call, Leslie. It was #2 on my list (out of 71), with book 2 of Ken Follett’s Century trilogy as the #1.
Great list, Kathy! I hope to read a few of those someday, particularly Faith, Columbine, We Need to Talk About Kevin and The Chaperone.
I hope you have a wonderful New Year!
11-22-63 topped my list! And I have The Chaperone downloaded from audible but haven’t taken the time to listen to it yet ~ hopefully it will make my favorites list for 2013! Happy New Year Kathy!
Glad you got to We Need to Talk About Kevin (I read 5 of your reviews on this list) and that you were as impressed as I was. I also really liked Faith too, and have now put The Language of Flowers and A Land More Kind Than Home on my tbr list. I started The Yellow Birds but wasn’t feeling it – too much hype around at the time I think, and had to return it before I got further. I will try again based on what you wrote. Happy reading in 2013 Cathy.
11/22/63 is popping up on lots of lists. Yay!!
The only one on your list that I’ve read is 11/22/63, and I also enjoyed it. Not sure I’m inspired to read any of SK’s horror stories though!
I loved both COLUMBINE and THE KING’S SPEECH. I’m glad they made your list. I’ve added some new books to my TBR, too. Happy New Year, Kathy!
I haven’t read any of those! I hope to get to quite a few of them this year though.
i love reading these best of 2012 lists! it makes me realize i missed out on so many great books. and now my wishlist is just absolutely insane! glad to see you’ve read so many great books in 2012 though.
Loving your list. Many are on my 2013 list to read…and a few are on my iPod because of your wonderful audio reviews!!!
I like your list Kathy. I only read one book on your adult list: A Grown Up Kind of Pretty. I loved that book and I’m so grateful to you for introducing me to Joshilyn Jackson’s books. I hope 2013 is a great reading year for you.
The Yellow Birds is on my list to read this year!