It’s time to kick off the year-end wrap-ups (I believe in waiting until the year is actually over to give every book a fair chance). Today, I have my 2012 favorites. Later this week, my husband will make his annual appearance with his favorites. I am still undecided if there will be a 2012 music wrap-up post (music took a back seat this year). My final wrap-up post will be my reading stats and goals for this year.
In no particular order, here are my favorite reads of 2012, with a one-sentence description why. You can click on each book to read my full review. These are books I read in 2012, not books that were necessarily released in 2012.
Adult Fiction 2012
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendkar is a beautiful love story reminiscent of a fairytale. The Cranes Dance by Meg Howrey is a fascinating look at the life of a professional ballerina as well as a disturbingly honest look at mental illness. Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon combines a charming, funny, and honest tale of marriage with unique storytelling. Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer is beautifully quirky. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (not yet reviewed) is an engrossing tale of first love and consequences.
Audiobooks 2012
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling (narrated by Mindy Kaling) made me want to hang out with her. Death by Black Hole by Neil deGrasse Tyson (narrated by Dion Graham) makes astrophysics entertaining. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach (narrated by Holter Graham) is about so much more than baseball – it might be my favorite book this year. The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney (narrated by Dan Stephens) is a mystery in a mysterious culture. Redshirts by John Scalzi (narrated by Wil Wheaton) is hilarious and surprisingly moving.
Young Adult 2012
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green made me SOB with its gorgeous story of star-crossed love. Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready provides a satisfying end to a much-loved series. Cinder by Marissa Mayer is completely enthralling despite, or because of, its cyborgs and moon people. Across the Universe by Beth Revis is so good I was willing to ignore logic. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, though different from Johnson’s other books, is just as good, if not better.
Your turn. What were your favorites this year?
my books. my life. 
We have only one crossover book. I loved The Fault in Our Stars,my first YA book. It was a good year.
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Death by Black Hole sounds really good! I’ll keep my eye out for it 🙂
Happy New Year!!
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I still have the audiobook of BEAUTIFUL RUINS to listen to, with a narrator I adore. Since it made your favorite fiction list I should probably bump it up.
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I actually listened to this one (even though it’s on my regularly list). Definitely move it up.
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I wish I had gotten the audiobook of “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?” – I really liked the book, and I think it would have been even more fun to hear her read it.
I really need to read The Fault in our Stars too. I’m afraid of it though.
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The only two of your faves I’ve read so far are Wife 22 and The Fault in Our Stars, which I listened to on audio and really liked although it didn’t go on my favorites because I don’t think I could listen to it again. Definitely want to listen to Redshirts on audio!
I really wish more people would read Goodbye for Now by Laurie Frankel (no relation!) that made my list this year. So good!
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Happy new year, Michelle! Hope your 2013 will be amazing 🙂
I love the sound of Across the Universe, I have his PLuto Files on a shelf somewhere.
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Fault was fabulous. It was perfect and I never say that about a book.
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Yay, the Fault in Our Stars and Cinder! I really enjoyed both of those books. Great list
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great list!
you will find my list in this post:
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Wonderful list, Michelle! I want to read ‘The Art of Fielding’ and ‘The Fault in our Stars’. I love the title of ‘The Art of Hearing Heartbeats’ – it is so beautiful! Thanks for sharing your favourites list. Happy New Year!
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Oh shoot, I didn’t include Name of the Star in my top list! I liked it much more than her other books and is one that I will probably add to the short list of books I re-read. I have a few other books from you lists on my shelves – Wife 22, Beautiful Ruins, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me – and am looking forward to reading them all. Hopefully they’ll all be off the TBR shelves by the end of 2013 🙂
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