Best Books of 2012

One question people constantly ask me is, “what’s a good book to read?” Or “what’s the best book you’ve read recently?”

That’s impossible for me to answer with just one title. A book has to fit your mood. For a story to be a perfect fit for a reader, it’s a unique experience. I try to read a variety of genres with distinctive themes that can appeal to various readers. But overall, a book has to captivate me in some way.

Here are a few of my unforgettable reads for 2012.

5) Starting off it’s hard to narrow it down, this is the first year in a while that I’ve really gotten back into mysteries and thrillers. So I will group these together collectively at #5.  That said there were a few authors that stood out to me. Thanks to the “Girl with a Dragon Tattoo” Series, I’ve looked more to the Swedish crime dramas than to American authors for the gritty thrillers.

 Authors such as: Jussi Adler-Olsen and “The Keeper of Lost Causes.” With the hopeless Department Q, a wonderful mixture of dark and witty humor seen through working cold cases on his own then eventually with his assistant.  The second in the series, “The Absent One” didn’t follow up quite as well. It lacked some of the witty humor that I loved in the first one, added an unnecessary female assistant, and took a much darker turn. Thus far those are the only two in this series to be translated  into English. I look forward to the rest.  

And my favorite, Tana French. Her newest novel in her Irish Detective series, “Broken Harbor,” which is the epitome of a psychological thriller that drives not only the lead detective to the brink of insanity but also you as the reader will be questioning what is real and what is not. After reading all of her novels, I can’t say this is my favorite of hers, but it is one of the most captivating and psychologically thrilling.

4) Let’s Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson – The. Funniest. Thing. You. Will. Ever. Read. I had to call people to read portions of this book to them with, “guess what happens next?!” follow up phone calls. A great book when you need a laugh. Or when dealing with your crazy family, cause Lawson has you beat.

3) The Round House by Louise Erdich – Told from the perspective of a 13 year old boy on an Indian Reservation in the 1980s who had witnessed his mother being the victim of a horrific crime, he seeks to understand what happen and to seek revenge on the man who did the crime. An absolutely stunning coming of age novel highlighting the injustice of a society.

2) Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed – Heartbreakingly beautiful. I wanted to carry this book of advice columns around with me, just so I could quote Sugar to those I know. Some of her advice made me laugh, but most was so painfully real… her responses full of kindness and empathy. For example:

“Most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be. Sometimes you'll put up a good fight and lose. Sometimes you'll hold on really hard and realize there is no choice but to let go. Acceptance is a small, quiet room.” 

“Don't lament so much about how your career is going to turn out. You don't have a career. You have a life. Do the work. Keep the faith. Be true blue. You are a writer because you write. Keep writing and quit your bitching. Your book has a birthday. You don't know what it is yet.” 

“When you meet a man in the doorway of a Mexican restaurant who later kisses you while explaining that this kiss doesn’t “mean anything” because, much as he likes you, he is not interested in having a relationship with you or anyone right now, just laugh and kiss him back. Your daughter will have his sense of humor. Your son will have his eyes.” 

1) Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter – A beautifully written book, focusing on an actress who was in the filming of Cleopatra with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. She escaped to a small island town in Italy when she became ill and the remarkable story unfolds. The book flips between the 1960s and present day to tell the story, but in the variety of ways it comes about, it works. One of the most understated and yet beautiful stories I read all year.

(You thought I was going to say "Gone Girl" didn't you?! Like every book critic in the nation. It was good, yes. But really?! Not that good.)

BONUS: Children’s Books – I’m pretty sure I read a couple hundred kids books in 2012 so here are a few of my favorite:

3) Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills – Follow up to Rocket Learns to Read – the utterly adorable pup Rocket is taught by the bird each spring and summer his letters and works, and learns to LOVE language. A great series for kids learning to read and write.

2) Pete the Cat (Series) – Eric Litwin – Oh my goodness. Pete the Cat loses a button, or muddies his shoes, whatever the catastrophe may be, Pete never worries. He just sings his song, keeps going along, cause it’s all good! How cool is that?!  (I seriously love these books, great message for kids AND adults!)

1) The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore  by William Joyce– The most amazing book ever. It may be a children’s book, but I was weeping when I finished reading it. The first time. And the second time. It is truly about the love of books, and stories. Then I read it was about Hurricane Katrina, and you can see it in some of the darker images. The images, the language, and the story all come together in perfection.

What about you? What were your favorite books of 2012?