Top 12 Books of 2012

I know for most people that this would be considered a bit late to be putting up a "Best Books of 2012" post. But it's still January, and if it's still January, I think any reminisces on the last year are still fair game. So, whether you consider this late or not, here is my list of the top 12 books I read in the last year (listed in the order in which I read them):

1)Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: My absolute favorite book of the series. I love Umbridge as a villain and how, within the first five minutes, you want her to die way more than you want Voldemort to be defeated.

2)The Fault in Our Stars: Definitely a tearjerker if ever I've read one. John Green once again proves that he is a master of his trade, keeping you laughing and crying all the way through this New York Times bestseller.

3)The Perks of Being a Wallflower: This one's probably an all-time favorite. It's a top-notch book and has just recently been adapted to the big screen. It's movie is almost as fantastic as the book itself . . . and with Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, and Ezra Miller playing our three main characters, how can anyone be surprised?

4)Stardust: The movie version of this story was good. The book was exceptional. I've always heard that Neil Gaiman was a fantasy genius. Now I understand how he got that reputation.

5)Fahrenheit 451: Ray Bradbury's most well-known novel is an outstanding work of literary fiction. There's no questioning why this book is as famous as it is. It absolutely deserves all the fame it has garnered.

6)Howl's Moving Castle: This was another good fantasy that I saw the movie for first. I fell in love with the movie and then fell in love with the book. I am a firm believer in the fact that the books are (with few exceptions) always better than the movies, but I was blown out of the water when I realized this book really could top its movie.

7)Crusade in Jeans: The only one of Thea Beckman's books to be translated into English, this story was simply captivating. After reading it, I'm honestly considering learning Dutch just so I can have the opportunity to read the rest of her works.

8)Speak: An honest portrait of the severe trauma of a young teenage girl, this book both heartbreaking and hopeful throughout its entirety. It has won a plethora of awards and, honestly, it needs to win a hell of a lot more.

9)Sisters Red: The first book in Jackson Pearce's Fairytale Retellings series, this book have me eagerly turning its pages from beginning to end. I especially loved the strong bonds and unfailing loyalty of its protagonists throughout every trial. Loyalty is a trait I admire above most others in real life and nearly as much in fiction.

10)Lovely, Dark, and Deep: A poetic look at one girl's deep heartbreak and her healing process is the best way to describe this beautiful novel. I can't sing its praises enough. And I can't even begin to explain how deeply beautiful it was. You need to read it for yourself if you want to understand at all.

11)The Disenchantments: This was a tale about growing up and what it's like to become disenchanted with life as you begin to fully understand the deep flaws in the world and the people around you. Yet, even through that, it reminds us that even in its heartache and pain, those beautiful pinpoints of light in the patchwork of darkness that makes life lovely and absolutely worth living.

12)Inkheart: The first in a wonderful trilogy (one I'm still halfway through the second book in), I absolutely adored this book. It's movie adaptation is fabulous, but this book series is something to be reckoned with. I still can't believe it took me this long to get to it.

What were your favorite books you read in 2012?

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish People I Would Like to Meet

Over at The Broke and the Bookish, they have this thing called Top Ten Tuesday. Each Tuesday they give other bloggers a chance to participate in making a top ten list with them. This week's topic is "Bookish People I Would Like to Meet."

1. J.K. Rowling
Author of the Harry Potter books, as well as an adult book coming out at the end of the month, The Casual Vacancy. It would be so interesting to have the chance to sit down with her and find out more about both her work and her life. She seems like an incredibly interesting person and one I would really enjoy getting to know.

2. John Green
Author of one of my favorite books, Paper Towns, along with a number of others, John Green also started vlogbrothers along with his brother, Hank Green, a vlogging channel on YouTube where the two of them discuss a plethora of different topics.
Technically, I have already met him, but it was at a book signing and therefore lasted all of six seconds. I would really love to sit down and get the chance to talk with him about the things that inspire him as well as his passion for being proud of his own nerdiness.

3. Ray Bradbury
Though I have, so far, only read one of his books (I do intend to read more of his work in the near future), I definitely look up to this man and wish I could have had the opportunity to meet him. As many of you are probably well aware, Ray Bradbury passed on a few months ago. 
I especially appreciate the fact that most of Bradbury's "training" in becoming an author was self-taught. He taught himself to be a great writer by reading and studying in his own right. I can definitely respect that in a person.

4. C.S. Lewis
This is another author I will never get the chance to meet (in this life) because he is deceased. However, that hasn't stopped him from making a huge impact on my life. I was raised on the Chronicles of Narnia and have since read many of his other works in apologetics. I can hardly begin to explain the genius of this one man, but he has profoundly impacted my life and my faith, for that I am eternally indebted. If I could have coffee with one person in history, nine out of ten times, I would choose Lewis.

5. J.R.R. Tolkien
Though I have to once again admit to not having read all of this author's works, that doesn't stop me from being a huge fan of Tolkien. I have seen the movies at least ten times and haven't yet grown tired of them, I adored The Hobbit, and he was also the man who brought C.S. Lewis to Christ. The two of them were close friends, which I think is amazing, though I do hold a grudge against Tolkien for nearly talking Lewis out of writing the Chronicles of Narnia (Tolkien hated them).  All in all, though, Tolkien managed to create a fantastical world and iconic characters that still profoundly impact the work of many authors today. (Also, I promise I will read the Lord of the Rings trilogy soon! Don't shun me. They're sitting in my TBR pile, I swear.)

6. Orson Scott Card
After reading both Ender's Game and How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, I couldn't refrain from adding Card to the list. His brilliance in the field of science fiction is well-known and I'm simply dying to read more of his works. He is a fascinating person and I would love to have the opportunity to pick his brain on more than one matter. 

7. Maureen Johnson
I met Maureen Johnson seconds after John Green, but this was, once again, a six second meeting. It lasted long enough for her to sign my cell phone and that was all. Not only are her books both lovely and exceedingly witty (I've read most, though not all of them), but she is a hilarious person and has quite a personality. If you don't follow her on Twitter, I suggest you amend that immediately. You won't be sorry. She is hysterical and incredibly interesting. Getting to sit down and talk with her would be a dream come true, and would probably involve some sort of crazy adventure.

8. Robin Wasserman
A close friend of Maureen Johnson (and probably of John Green, seeing as Maureen Johnson is a close friend of his), Robin Wasserman is a fabulous author in her own right. Her Cold Awakening trilogy is stunning and really makes you sit back and take another look at all the things you think you know. I really appreciate that in a story. I would love to have a chat with her about what inspired her to write what she did and how she managed to create such a complex, yet entirely engaging plot line. There are still more of her books that I would love to read, but haven't managed to yet. \

9. Ted Dekker

This man is pure genius. Honestly, the man cranks out novels at a pace I could never imagine emulating, yet each has a richness and texture to it that blows me away every time. Each new story is original and filled with twists and turns I could never have imagined. I think I would be a little scared to take a peek into this man's brilliant mind, but I wouldn't pass up the opportunity if my life depended on it. His works are amazing and I look forward to reading more from him. 


10. Megan Whalen Turner
I am in the middle of her "Queen's Thief" series and already I'm dying to pick her brain. I am a huge fan of Greek mythology and the like (from which she draws a great deal, in this series). Her characters are both relatable and believable, her stories exciting and filled with adventure. Sitting down and talking to her about what went into creating such a rich world and story would be simply wonderful. I can think of few things I would enjoy more.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books since I started Booklist That

Over at The Broke and the Bookish, they have this thing called Top Ten Tuesday. Each Tuesday they give other bloggers a chance to participate in making a top ten list with them. This week's topic is the top ten books you've read since starting your blog. 

This one's going to be fun. Difficult, but fun.

1) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
This book lived up to every raving review I heard about it. Zusak did a wonderful job writing a compelling story from an original perspective. That, and he has such a way with words that I could read a book covering just about anything if it was written by him and still be enthralled.

2) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
At first, I just wanted to put the whole series on here, but thought it would only be fair if I did my favorite of the series. This book was my all-time favorite of the Harry Potter books (its movie was my favorite as well). I love the story, the villain (Umbridge), and basically everything about it.

3) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
I pre-ordered this one and my dad ended up reading it before I did. He adored it as much as I did. The book was a work of pure genius. It will make you laugh and cry, all while filling your desire for witty commentary and great characters. Definitely a must-read.

4) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Upon finishing this book, I immediately added it to the ranks of my absolute favorite books. It was well-written and interesting--an all-around joy to read. I cannot wait for the movie this fall and look forward to lending it out even more than I already have in anticipation of the feature film.

5) Hold Still by Nina LaCour
This book was an emotionally driven book that drew me in from the beginning and left me happily sated at the end. LaCour's understanding of brokenness and her ability to make you feel as if you're not only walking alongside the character, but feeling the same way she does, is beautiful and spellbinding.

6) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
It is considered a classic and for good reason. Bradbury paints a terrifying yet distinctly plausible world that makes you think and gives you the desire to do anything possible to prevent this fiction from becoming reality.

7) Crusade in Jeans by Thea Beckman
The only book by this Dutch author that I can find that's translated into English, I had to search to find this book, but it was entirely worth it. Beckman proves herself a fantastic storyteller and I would love to read more from her in the future. Hopefully, more of her works will be translated in the future.

8) Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
In this story, Anderson created a truly believable character that has had tragedy impact her in the most damaging of ways who still manages to pick herself up and heal. An entirely inspiring character, a seamless plot, and narrative that is both beautiful and compelling work together to make this book also reach my favorites shelf.

9) The Space Between Trees by Katie Williams
If any word can describe this book in its entirely it's "unexpected". Its plot draws the readers in, but the way the author uses it to deal with the nuances of human nature and to explore the way tragedy affects people was truly wonderful. I eagerly look forward to rereading this one.

10) Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Fantasy is almost always going to be quite an intriguing read, but Jones definitely nails it in her creation of this book. everything about it was delightful and interesting. I really enjoyed exploring the worlds she created, as well as meeting the lovely characters and creatures that fill the pages.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

"The magic is only in what the books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us."


I'm not sure where I first heard about Fahrenheit 451. It's most likely that I have heard it mentioned among the ranks of banned books (which is quite ironic for a book centered on the evils of censorship).

I decided to pick it up after reading an article about Ray Bradbury upon his death two weeks ago. The more I read about Mr. Bradbury, the more I am convinced that we think similarly and the more disappointed I become that I'll never have the chance to meet him now. Thankfully, I can still explore his lovely mind through articles written about him and through his own works.

Now, let's get back to the book itself. Fahrenheit 451 is the story of Guy Montag, a fireman in a future where houses are fireproof and firemen start fires rather than put them out. In particular, the set fire to books.

Books have been banned for as long as Guy can remember. Why? They went out of fashion on their own. People chose to stop reading and, by extension, stop thinking. Before long, books were made illegal because truly thinking made people unhappy. And even if it made you happy to learn, it made the people around you feel stupid and therefore unhappy. When you could simply drown in your superficial world bombarded by what is meant to be full-time pleasure, why ruin that with conscious thought?

Guy thinks nothing of the way things are until he meets a seventeen year old girl whose observations and questions make him stop and consider the way things are. Why is it so weird that she likes to be outside? Why is it okay for children to murder each other? What is so threatening about books that they have become illegal? What's so intoxicating about them that people sob over their burnt collections or even choose to go up in flames with them?

The tale told in Fahrenheit 451 is one that anyone who even remotely enjoys reading will appreciate. The story paints a stunning portrait of the evils of censorship and just how easy it is to cross the line into a territory where we don't want to find ourselves. This book makes you sit back and think. I will definitely be shelling out the cash needed to add this to my personal library. I would definitely put this among the ranks of my all-time favorite books. Add it to your "to be read" list ASAP.

Rating: ~♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥~


We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real.