2012 Reading Wrap-Up
by Jenners • 01/01/2013 • Book Recommendations, Lists • 74 Comments
It is time to do the wrap-up of my best and worst reads from 2012. I thought I’d just go through my list of all 100 books and highlight the ones that stood out for me.
Favorite Book of the Year: Watership Down by Richard Adams – yeah, it’s an oldie but darn, it was perfect.
Favorite YA Book: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green — I defy you to read this without crying … or laughing … or falling in love with Hazel and Augustus. (Hey … kind of funny that two of my favorite reads from 2012 had main characters named Hazel!)
Favorite Memoir: Undress Me In the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman — Funny, freaky, scary and wonderful, Gilman’s account of her youthful trip to China with a friend had me riveted from page one.
Favorite Non-Fiction Books: People always tell me that they don’t like to read non-fiction, but non-fiction books are almost always some of the best I read each year. This year, I had more than my fair share of excellent non-fiction reads that were as good or better than much of the fiction I read. Here are my favorites:
- Moonwalking With Einstein by Joshua Foer — participatory journalism at its best
- A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson — hello, it’s Bill Bryson! He’s a genius!
- Game Change by John Heilermann and Mark Halperin — I could not care less about politics … until I read this
- Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson — Had no idea I’d be so enthralled with this biography, but what Jobs did in his life really created so much of the technology we use and rely on today. Amazing.
- The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson — Serial killer and the World’s Fair in the 1880s — fantastic!
- People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry — True crime that goes beyond the crime to explore grief and Japanese culture and legal system
My Official New Favorite Author (Fiction): Tana French — She’s only written four books, but they were all brilliant. I await her next book with eager anticipation. Broken Harbor was one of my best reads of the year and it haunts me still.
My New Literary Best Friend: Caitlin Moran — I read both of her books (How To Be A Woman and Moranthology) and not only wished that I knew her but that I was her!
Best Series I’m Reading: Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie series is awesome! (But Susan Hill’s Simon Serrailler series is up there too.)
Two Books by the Same Author That Couldn’t Be More Different: Every Last One and Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen — talk about talent, Quindlen can write a gripping, shocker of a novel and then turn around and write a memoir about aging full of warmth, wit and good humor.
Best Book By An Author I’ve Been Reading Forever: 11/22/63 by Stephen King — I love that King has been writing for ages and still can turn out a brilliant read like this time travel book about preventing the JFK assassination, which garnered him all kinds of new fans.
Biggest Surprise: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce — I thought this was going to be a quirky throwaway book and was surprised to find it one of my most affecting reads this year.
Book I Never Would Have Read If Not For Blogging: Care of Wooden Floors by Will Wiles — I wouldn’t have given this a second glance but ended up loving this quirky, over-the-top tale of mayhem the unfolds during a house sitting gig.
Biggest Disappointments of the Year: Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore and I Am The Messenger by Marcus Zusak — I was prepared to love and enjoy both books but really didn’t like either. Sigh.
Least Favorite Books of the Year: The 500 by Matthew Quirk, Wicked by Gregory Maguire, A Friend of the Family by Laura Grodstein, So Cold the River by Michael Kortya
In all, I read 100 books in 2012 (67 fiction and 33 non-fiction by 48 male authors and 52 female authors). Here are the covers of some of my favorite reads from 2012. If you haven’t read them yet, I’d highly recommend each one of them. Here’s wishing you a wonderful 2013 filled with 5 star reads! Happy New Year!
I really need to get Harold Fry. The more I hear about it, the better it sounds. And I really hope I have time to read the Stephen King book this year. I wanted to last year but, well, TOO MANY BOOKS!
I was so surprised how much I ended up liking Harold Fry. I really thought it was kind of a throwaway book. And too many books? I hear you!
I enjoyed reading your list, and so glad you are enjoying the Jackson Brodie books by Kate Atkinson, I love that series. I have just bought The Fault in our Stars and am really looking forward to reading it. I enjoyed Harold Fry too.
Lindsay
http://thelittlereaderlibrary.blogspot.co.uk/
I’m at the end of the series now so I’m anxiously awaiting the next installment. I see she has a book coming out in 2013 but it isn’t a Jackson Brodie one. I shall still read it though!
I love Watership Down! I’m with you on Fault and French too!
Watership Down was so good. I cannot believe I waited until 2012 to read it.
Haven’t read any of those. Watership Down has been sitting on my shelf forever, and I’m really curious about the John Green book.
I think you and The Girl should read Watership Down together. I’m sure she’ll love it too.
First, congrats on reaching that 100 mark. I actually thought you surpassed that number. And you always read the most amazing books. Second, I love the Hazel connection. LOVE noticing things like that. Third, you are pretty cool. #IJS (which means “I’m just saying” and I know that cuz I had to look it up.)
Thanks for clarifying IJS because I would have no idea what it meant! And I’m trying for quality … not quantity. One thing I’m going to try and do more is stop reading a book if it just isn’t working for me.
I’m late to the party, so I’ll just note that Friend of the Family was one of my top reads a couple of years ago! But different tastes is what keeps the world interesting.
Exactly!! If we all liked the exact same things, it would be boring. And now I wonder if read that book because of you. I’ve been reading your blog for a few years now and I bet you “made” me add it to my TBR!
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven was riveting. I still need to finish reading Moonwalking with Einstein. I got distracted and didn’t finish it even though it was very good.
Oh I’m glad you thought Undress Me was riveting. I couldn’t put it down once I started. And do make time for Einstein!
Happy New Years, Jenners and family!
Wow, 100 books! I think I read like 2, maybe 3 books last year. Makes me feel bad that I’m not reading as much as I should…. Maybe I’ll have more downtime this year and will end up reading some of the books you recommended while home with the baby. Maybe. We’ll see.
Good job on accomplishing the 100 books! So is the goal this year 200 books?
Yea, I’m finally making my way through my blog reader….so I’ll probably be commenting on posts that you put up ages ago. Sorry about that…
No need to apologize … I believe in guilt-free blogging!
And 100 seems to be my limit — I can’t imagine reading more until my son is more independent or lives away from home! HAHA!
And the key when you can’t read as many books is to make them count!
Wow 100 books! My goal is to read 12 this year– yes only 12 as when I read I get way too caught up in books and just don’t have time. Someday when Ryder is in school maybe I can bump that up
One a month is a good goal. It is hard when you have a little one home. I didn’t read as much until my son was in school so I totally get it!
I like how you did this wrap up. I might have to do the same thing instead of a boring list like I’ve done in the past. I agree with you. The non-fiction books are the most interesting.
What do they say? Truth is stranger than fiction? I certainly find that to be true.
It is great to see so many of my favourites on your list – especially People Who Eat Darkness. I always find that non fiction books appear high up my list too. I really should read more of them.
I’ve not read Watership Down, but you’ve persuaded me to get it out. I will read it in the next few weeks.
Thank you for writing such an entertaining blog.
Have a wonderful 2013!
You MUST read Watership Down. Amazingly good. Perfection really. And then you must put it into the hands of your children when they are old enough for it. Consider it my trade for your steering me to People Who Eat Darkness!
Happy 2013!
100 books! Wow! That’s a huuuge number!
Only King’s book was on my list as well. Talk about different tastes, eh?
I must look up Watership Down, I have no idea what the book is about but “favorite book of the year” is a pretty big title.
Different tastes is what makes the world go round, right? And Watership Down is a book about rabbits. Don’t let that turn you off though. It is brilliant perfection. If you can get the audio narrated by Ralph Cosham, all the better.
Watership Down rocks.
And go see Wicked the Musical – it is far better than then book.
How was your Christmas and did your son enjoy it? I thought of you as our son wanted minifigures and I recall a posting your did a couple years ago about Little One wanting Ewok minifigures but you did not want to buy an expensive set just to get them.
I’ve heard that Wicked the Musical is better than the book. I shall have to test that out.
And Christmas was good (it was an “electronic” Christmas — he is at that age) but there were still Lego Minifigures. Those little packs where you get one figure was a perfect stocking stuffer. He still likes them more than the actual sets!
The Fault in Our Stars is such a lovely book! Heart-wrenching. Excellent wrap-up post. Stephen King is hit or miss for me, but I do want to read 11-22-63.
Heart-wrenching is the perfect description of Fault. And I agree that King can be hit or miss — 11/22/63 is a definite hit!
That’s a great list! I credit 11/22/63 with convincing me that he truly is one of America’s greatest authors. I cannot wait to read The Shining in February!
I’m thrilled that King gained so many new fans with 11/22/63. He deserves them. He can write!!!
You read such great books in 2012. I want to read that Steve Jobs one and I need to read Tana French soon. I’ve heard such great things about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Great wrapup post!
You definitely must read Tana French. She is sooooo good. And there is a reason Harold Fry is getting such good word of mouth!
Thanks to you, Watership Down got pulled from my shelf where it had been gathering dust for at least twenty years. Not only that, it made my top ten list for 2012, too.! I’m also excited to note that several books listed here are either in my TBR pile or my husband’s. It should be a great reading year!
You asked and yes, I’m still having to entry my info every time I comment here. I don’t know if it’s something on my end or yours. The sporadic times I post to my blog, I don’t seem to show up in anyone’s reader for days, if at all. So…..who knows?! *sigh*
I am thrilled that I got you to read Watership Down and it made your year-end best list too. I can’t wait to read it with my son again in a few years.
And I don’t know what else to do with the commenting .I changed my theme (I thought that might be it) but I guess that wasn’t it.
Harold Fry was so awesome.
I know!! It was such a pleasant surprise to find such hidden depths in it.
Great list of books! I have never read Watership Down, I guess I should fix that, but I loved The Fault in Our Stars
I will be emphatic here: You MUST read Watership Down. Perhaps it would be a good mother-daughter listen on some of your longer trips!
Nice wrap up! I’ve read some of these but others are on my list. I’m looking forward to it and I still need to read Tana French. I swear she has been on my list since 2008!
I suspect that once you do read Tana French, you’ll be mad at yourself for waiting so long to read her.
Tana French…Kate Atkinson…Susan Hill…can’t argue with any of those picks!
will have to try Care of Wooden Floors and Watership Down…which I have never, ever read.
I’m really really surprised you never read Watership Down. I’m fairly sure you’ll like it as much as I did. Just a hunch.
It sounds like you had a great reading year, Jenners! I hope to read more nonfiction this coming year. I hope you have a great New Year!
Yay for trying more non-fiction. There are some good books out there if you look. And I wish you a wonderful 2013!
I’ve been hesitating on Wicked. I’ve heard such mixed things about it.
And oh, TFiOS….*sob*…. it makes me so happy that it’s so high on everyone’s lists!
I know just what you mean about Wicked. Some people really really love it and others (like me) are left cold by it. I guess you need to try it to find out what you think!
I must read Harold Fry then. The book that did the same thing for me this year was The Sisters Brothers. I expected something sort of light and funny but it was anything but. (wow!)
Don’t you love when that happens? I do. I love being surprised by a book and having it affect me more than I expected.
Watership Down is a lifelong favorite of mine
I’ve got several of these on my WishList and added a few more 
These end of the year lists are heck on my TBR 
Yay for Watership Down! I just can’t believe it took me so long to read it! And I know what you mean about your TBR list growing from these year-end lists. I’m adding books to my own left and right.
Nonfiction is my favorite
I haven’t gotten around to The Devil in the White City yet, thanks for the reminder! I did read Larson’s In the Garden of Beasts..whew, good one!
Happy New Year! I hope 2013 is fantastic for you and yours
I’ve heard that Devil in the White City is far better than Garden of Beasts so you are in for a treat! Best wishes for the new year!
Gosh – Watership Down was a book I read in my childhood. Will have to re-visit it.
And you know, I bet your kids might be at the right age to discover it again with you!
Thanks so much for this great list. Most of them will be on my library wish list as soon as I finish writing this comment.
I had read —and loved —the first two Tana French novels. Somehow I missed number 3 & 4. I adore Bill Bryson, too.
I agree about non-fiction. I used to read only fiction. Now I read about 50/50. I especially like biographies and memoirs, even of people I’ve never heard of. Almost everyone I know well has had a “soap-opera” life, so I would bet that almost any life would make a great story in the hands of a good writer.
I’m so glad you didn’t like Sacre Bleu, not because I hated it, but because I had a few misgivings about rejecting it. When I transfer an audio book to my ipod, it often comes up with track titles like 1A, !B, etc. If I leave them like that, I’ll be listening to track 1B of a book and suddenly it will switch to 1C of a completely different book. I have to go to my computer and enter the book title on each track after the 1A or 1B so this won’t happen. It’s easy to do. I type it once, then just copy it and paste it. But Sacre Bleu’s audio version had 8 or 9 disks and each one had 99 tracks. I would have had to copy it 800-900 times. So I returned it to the library.
My theory is that there are thousands of books I want to read and will never have the time, so why waste my time on boring tasks or even on books that don’t “grab” me. I used to think a mediocre book would get better, so I’d plod through to the end, But 99% of the time, a so-so book doesn’t improve, so now I give them 50 pages or one audio disk before giving up.
I need to keep your advice about boring books in mind this year. I always give a book way too many pages to “get better” and they so rarely do.
And I definitely don’t think Sacre Bleu is a must read. Maybe page through the book at a book store for the pictures but I wouldn’t bother reading it. It certainly isn’t worth copying something 800-900 times! YOWZA!
And yay for non-fiction!
I was going to request the last 2 Tana French books from the library and realized I did read the 3rd one. It was so different from 1 & 2 that I remembered the story, but not the auhor. Well, I still have to read #4. Of the 3 I read, I liked them all, but the first one was the best.
They are so different because she switches up the narrator each time — I love that but it took me a while to “accept” it.
Great list of favorites! I am determined to read all 4 of Tana’s French’s books this year after reading so many positive reveiws! Happy New Year.
A word of advice: Parcel out the Tana French books as you’ll be so sad when you’re all done.
I need to go back to the warren! That book remains high on my all time favorite list.
I can’t wait to read more French!
Watership Down now has a permanent place on my favorite books of all time list. And yay for reading more Tana French!
I’ve read, and enjoyed, several of those books and several more are in my stacks. I need to move some of them up my stacks!
I suspect your stacks are from floor to ceiling so be careful!
I also read Watership Down for the first time this year. Loved 11/22/63 and Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake. MUST read Tana French. Gave up on Wicked half way through. Thank you for verifying my reading choices and giving me some new ideas. And congrats on reading 100 books. I fell 3 short of my goal of 75.
We seem pretty in sync on our reading, don’t we? I love that!
Have never read Watership Down, but now I want to!
I almost bought The Fault In Our Stars last week, but didn’t. BTW: my mom’s name? Hazel!
I read Undress Me In The Temple Of Heaven. Didn’t like it much.
I have The Devil In The White City on my TBR shelf and hope to get to it soon.
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake is on my WL.
So are 11/22/63 and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
I wish you and your family a very Blessed 2013!
Too bad that Undress Me in Temple of Heaven didn’t work for you. I suspect that Watership Down will not have that problem. You’ll love it. And I love that your mom’s name is Hazel. I’ve never met anyone with that name.
11/22/63 is showing up on all sorts of lists! Yay!!
And that Jobs book STILL makes me think WTF…that dude was whacked. Genius, but still, whacked.
I love that King is getting such acclaim for 11/22/63 … and so many new fans (like you).
And isn’t being a bit whacked a prerequisite for being a genius?
I actually have a few of these on my list to read this year.. Undress Me in the Tenple of heaven I actually added to my list a while ago based on your recommendation. Jason got the Steve Jobs book last Christmas and for some reason I never felt like reading it but I definitely want to read it this year. Did you read Watership Down on audio? I have the book and read part of it years ago (not sure why I didn’t finish it) but I ended up getting the audio I’m thinking because of someone’s recommendation.
I did listen to Watership Down on audio (Ralph Cosham was the narrator) and it was perfection. I adored it. Couldn’t wait to listen to every day. I think I walked my dogs more listening to that book than any other time.
Because of your Undress Me In the Temple of Heaven review, my daughter has read the book AND bought another one to give as a gift…..AND bought even another copy because her new puppy ate her book….so you were spot on with that review
And 11-22- 63 topped my list and made a new King fan in me.
As an aside, how do you find time for everything?
Oh you just made my day hearing that your daughter loved Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven as much as I did!!! I’m tickled! And I can always find time to read!