Sunday, December 30, 2012

Books I Read in 2012

Every year I post a book list. (Well, every year since 2008.)

Want to read those posts? Good lists.... 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011.

Unlike incredibly motivated people who set themselves a particular goal for how many books to read, I just...read. But keeping track of the books has become one of my favorite things to do! And it does motivate me to see how many I can read in one year. In 2010, I hit my highest number (since I've been keeping track) when I read 100 books. But I haven't quite hit that since. I'm giggling as I read back over the previous years' posts. Each year I say that I'm really not about the quantity...but I am! I get such a little thrill when I add another book to the list.

Things were a little different this year. I didn't read as much as I usually do...I was distracted.

I've been cramming at the end of the year - reading like crazy! The librarians had forgotten what I looked like but now I'm back to my usual borrowing habits.

  1. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
  2. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
  3. The Always War by Margaret Petersen Haddix
  4. The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis
  5. Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal
  6. Tempest by Julie Cross
  7. When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
  8. Fire by Kristin Cashore
  9. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
  10. Blackout by Connie Willis
  11. All Clear by Connie Willis
  12. Linchpin by Seth Godin
  13. The Art of Non-Conformity by Christ Guillebeau
  14. Home Front by Kristin Hannah
  15. Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
  16. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
  17. Alice's Piano by Melissa Muller
  18. The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn
  19. Tomorrow's Synagogue Today by Hayim Herring
  20. Where Justice Dwells by Jill Jacobs
  21. I am Forbidden by Anouk Markovits
  22. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
  23. My Russian Grandmother and her American Vacuum Cleaner by Meir Shalev
  24. Bloom by Kelle Hampton
  25. The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
  26. House of Velvet and Glass by Katherine Howe
  27. 97 Orchard by Jane Ziegelman
  28. Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman
  29. An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff
  30. Fallen Angel by Daniel Silva
  31. Next Year in Israel by Sarah Bridgeton
  32. The Books of Rachel by Joel Gross
  33. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  34. Summerland by Ellin Hilderbrand
  35. History of a Pleasure-Seeker by Richard Mason
  36. Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
  37. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
  38. Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson
  39. Lord of Mountains by S.M. Stirling
  40. Sown in Tears by Beverly Magid
  41. Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich
  42. The Timekeeper by Mitch Albom
  43. The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner
  44. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
  45. Every Day by David Levithan
  46. A World Away by Nancy Grossman
  47. Fire in the Ashes by Jonathan Kozol
  48. Sipping from the Nile by Jean Naggar
  49. Road to Valor by Aili and Andres McConnor
  50. Hot Mamalah by Lisa Klug
  51. Whispers in Autumn by Tricia Leigh
  52. The Last Song by Eva Weisman
  53. Arcadia by Lauren Groff
  54. The Lawgiver by Herman Wouk
  55. A Yellow Raft on Blue Water by Michael Dorris
  56. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
  57. The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
  58. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
  59. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

So what did I like best?
Hmm. I loved Gone Girl. I know it was one of those controversial-love-it-or-hate-it books but I was in the "love it" camp. When She Woke was a great one, and so was The Dovekeepers and The Night Circus. I've recommended Arcadia, and I also have suggested that people read Unorthodox and I Am Forbidden (I actually think they complement each other nicely). The newest Wouk book about Moses (actually about a film about Moses, but let's not be picky) was fabulous, and I can't say enough amazing things about Brene Brown's writing and Kelle Hampton's photography & words. I'm so bummed that I was not a fan of J.K. Rowling's new-and-so-not-Harry-Potter book because I really wanted to be. (I was pleased to slip in an Elm Creek Quilt book at the end of the year - I do love those!) But I did enjoy almost all the books on this list!

And what am I going to read next? I have a whole list. Plus I have other people's lists and it never seems to end. There's always a great book just around the corner waiting for me. But most of the time I just read whatever comes my way...what do you think I should read?

My dad with Yael a few years ago....READING!
P.S. This whole keeping track of what I read thing has inspired my dad. Okay, that's not quite the right word. It challenged him....to beat me! (Which, by the way, he did.) Not totally sure about the fairness of the fight but luckily he is my dad and so it's a friendly competition!

P.P.S. If you want to follow along with what I'm reading, I update on the right-hand sidebar of this blog, and I also have a Goodreads account but I'm not quite as good about updating that.

5 comments:

Nina said...

What an incredible list! 58! wow! You read some serious, major reads.

I have not read Unorthodox but plan to this year. I also want to finally begin reading Brene Brown's stuff.

Thanks for sharing!

Leora said...

I see we both have 97 Orchard on our lists. You do read a lot - but then again, I start a lot of books but don't necessarily finish them. I don't make lists of those.

JanetheWriter said...

A very impressive list!

Today, my dad and I both are starting to read the unabridged Les Mis. But, I think I'll keep reading Jonathan Kozol's Fire in the Ashes because the former is too big to schlep around the city with me...yes, I still read the old fashioned way!

Happy reading in 2013!

tesyaa said...

I loved Blackout and All Clear. My daughter recommended them. I don't like scifi but these are really historical fiction.

Lorri said...

I have read several on your list. My last read for 2012, was your first, 11/22/63.

In fiction, I recommend The Marriage Artist, by Andrew Winer.

In non-fiction, I recommend Saving Monticello: The Levy Family’s Epic Quest to Rescue the House That Jefferson Built, by Marc Leepson.