2012 End of the Year Summary

Happy New Year! I set a reading goal of 70 books in 2012 and I didn't quite make that goal.  I did read 65 books, which was 9 more than the year before. I successfully completed the fourth round of Cannonball Read.

Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner hosted an end of the year book survey again this year. Here are my answers to that survey:

1. Best Book You Read in 2012: While it is tough to pick just one book, I would say The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern was the best book I read in 2012.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn't: Hands down Gone Girl by Gilian Flynn. I know this book was buzzing throughout the book world, but I didn't find the characters that likable. Perhaps I read this book at the wrong time or I missed some key to the book.

3. Most Surprising (In a Good Way) Book in 2012: I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella was my surprise book in 2012.  My expectations for Chick Lit books is never high, but this book had a nice mystery and romance missed into the plot.

4. Book You Recommended To People The Most in 2012: Taylor Stevens' second book The Innocent and In The Woods by Tana French are two books that I recommended the most in the past year.

5. Best Series You Discovered In 2012: I don't tend to read a lot of series books, but I did discover Brad Parks' Carter Ross' Mysteries (Faces Of The Gone, Eyes Of The Innocent, and The Girl Next Door) this year.

6. Favorite New Authors You Discovered in 2012: Rachel Joyce, Tana French and Gregg Hurwitz are three new authors I discovered in 2012.

7. Best Book That Was Out Of Your Comfort Zone or Was A New Genre For You: We read a graphic novel Tricked by Alex Robinson for book club.  I hadn't read a graphic novel since college so it was a "new" experience for me.

8. Most Thrilling, Unputdownable Book in 2012: You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz kept me on the edge of my seat.

9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year: I am not a big fan of rereading books, so probably none.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012: It is a toss-up between Beautiful Ruins and A Secret Kept 

11. Most memorable character in 2012: I would say Harold Fry from The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry.  Rachel Joyce captured the essence of a retiree suddenly encouraged to take on an impossible task.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand because she was able to make non-fiction seem like fiction.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012:  There isn't one specifically, but I found myself gravitating towards books about marriage and motherhood as those two life events happened for me over the past 18 months.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read: Definitely Unbroken.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012: Hmm.. this question is tough.  Many of the books I read this year were full of beautiful passages.

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012: 
Shortest - The Kissing List at 223 pages
Longest - Forever Queen at 629 pages

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It: I think Tricked was one book that had me shocked, perhaps more because it was graphically depicted.

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012: The budding romance between Emily and Winn in The Girl Who Chased The Moon because of the innocent way it started.

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously: Close tie between The Girl Who Chased The Moon and Small Wars.  Both were books by authors that I read before but hadn't enjoyed the first book.

20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else: Definitely You're Next - thanks to Jen at Jen's Book Thoughts recommendation.

Looking ahead to 2013, I've set my reading goal at 70 books again.  It may be challenging with two little ones to take care of as well, but I am going to try.  I'm also going to make some of those books e-books. I have joined Cannonball Read round five as well.  

BBAW - Pimp A Book

Today's topic for BBAW is to pimp up a book or author that needs more attention.

My choice is author Taylor Stevens who has written two books The Informationist and The Innocent. 

I first heard about Taylor at a book buzz session at a library conference.  Her book was described as  featuring a female Jason Bourne character. Plus she was a first time author which I like to support.  I picked up an ARC of The Informationist and promptly started to read it on my flight back home.

I was definitely not disappointed. Taylor's writing pulled me in and I "fell in love" with her main character Vanessa Michael Munroe.  The action was kept me at the edge of my seat, while at the same time I got to learn more about the characters backgrounds as well.

Earlier this year, Taylor released her second book The Innocent.  Again I was lost in Vanessa Michael Munroe's world. What was more amazing is that Taylor drew on her background to create this story line.

It looks like there is another book in the series due in 2013.  I can't wait to see what happens next to Vanessa Michael Munroe.

Just a few snippets of reviews :

“Impressive. . . . The gripping plot runs on adrenaline as much as does Vanessa, who unleashes her violent tendencies when the powerless are threatened. . . . Vanessa makes for an intriguing heroine—at once tough, fearless, vulnerable, and compassionate.” —Publishers Weekly

“Part Lisbeth Salander, part Jason Bourne, Munroe comes out swinging hard again. . . . A gritty, suspenseful novel.” —Library Journal

"Fans of thrillers who haven't yet discovered Stevens are in for a treat...Those who have eagerly awaited this sequel will be delighted to find the same intelligent writing, masterful pacing, and tense and fluid action scenes that feel ready-made for the cinema, and an intensely emotional core that lends Stevens' novel a depth not often found in the genre." —Associated Press

My reviews of The Informationist and The Innocent.

BBAW - Book Blogging World

I am a little behind in posting for the past two days so I thought I would just combine posts from day two and three.

I do have an interview partner and I hope to post her answers to my questions later this week.

Here is a brief look at my reading habits/style:

1. What's on your nightstand right now?  I just finished David Baldacci's The Innocent and I'm planning to start Linda Fairstein's Night Watch next.
2. What was your favorite book when you were a child? Why? I remember I read a lot of Nancy Drew and Babysitter's Club books.  I've always been drawn to mystery books and the Babysitter's Club reminded me of some of my childhood experiences.
3. Who are your top five authors and why? David Baldacci - because he always finds a way to keep me on the edge of my seat; Philippa Gregory - because she brings English history to life for me; Nicolle Wallace - because she writes strong woman characters in and around the White House; Taylor Stevens - because she mixes deep characters with amazing action and mystery; Lisa Scottoline - because her characters make me laugh
4. Is there a book you faked reading? Do tell! There have been a few book club books that I skimmed very lightly because I had a hard time getting into the subject matter.  I usually don't count those books towards my overall book count.
5. Is there a book you're an evangelist for? Tell me about it. Two books that I've recommended over the past couple of years were The Help by Kathryn Stockett and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. If you haven't read either of them, I highly recommend that you do! 
6. Any books you've bought for the cover? Which? Why? I am a sucker for a book cover and that's usually what catches my eye first. Sometimes it can be a detriment because the publishers change up the cover for the paperback sometimes.  I've bought a book in the airport thinking I hadn't read it, only to realize about 1/4 of the way through the book that I had read it and only the cover was different.
7. What book do you most want to read again for the first time? Why? I would say The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern because I feel that there was so much detail that a reader could catch on a second read. 

Day three's topic was what does book blogging mean to you?

When I first started blogging, it was more a "requirement" for the reading challenge I signed up for.  I really didn't know how to structure a review and wasn't comfortable capturing my opinions.  Participating in read-a-thons and other book blogging memes has given me a chance to "find my voice" and try different styles of posts.  Capturing my thoughts about a book does make me stop and think about how the book made me feel instead of just moving on to the next book.  

I've also found that the book blogging community is very welcoming and enjoyed reading other blogs  to find more books for my TBR pile.  While book blogging is a hobby for me, I applaud those that are actively posting and sharing with others on a daily basis.  

I am amazed at the responses I've gotten from a few authors regarding my reviews.  Book blogging (and Twitter) has given me another way to connect with authors.  

BBAW 2012 - Appreciation

Today's post is all about sharing the book blogs I like to read daily. I must admit that my daily book blog reading has dropped over the past couple of months. But here are a few of my favorites from my blogroll on the right.

Swapna Krishna @ http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/
Fellow DC metro blogger who reviews various types of books and always brings an interesting perspective.

Meghan @ http://medievalbookworm.com/
Fellow historical fiction lover located across the pond. I always find great recommendations among her reviews.

Jen @ http://www.jensbookthoughts.com/
Mostly focused on mystery/thriller books, I visit Jen's site to find the latest book that will keep me on the edge of my seat.

Cannonball Read IV @ http://cannonballread4.wordpress.com/
Group blog where all the reviews are posted from participants in Cannonball Read round 4.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week - Future Treasures

We want to hear all about your FUTURE treasures. We’ve been visiting each other and getting to know each other better…now is your chance to share what you enjoyed about BBAW and also what your blogging goals are for the next year!

Last post for BBAW this year.  Last year I stumbled upon this event and didn't feel like I could participate being so new to blogging - let alone book blogging.  This year I was excitied to see all the festivities and to actively participate. 

I'm glad I did the BBAW blog swap.  It was nice to interview another book blogger.  It was also fun to watch the BBAW community on Twitter and read all the postings on BBAW main website during the week as well.

I don't really have hard and fast goals for my blog over the next year, except to keep posting.  I still feel that my tone is more formal than other bloggers and often times its hard for me to find specific items to comment on regarding a book.  So definitely want to work on 'finding my voice' and pushing myself to find an opinion on a character or an author's style. 

I look forward to next year's BBAW festivities!

Book Blogger Appreciation Week - Forgotten Treasure

Again - a little late with this posting, but here goes.

Sure we’ve all read about Freedom and Mockingjay but we likely have a book we wish would get more attention by book bloggers, whether it’s a forgotten classic or under marketed contemporary fiction.  This is your chance to tell the community why they should consider reading this book!

It's hard to pick one book and looking over my read list from the past year I feel like the books that got the highest 'rating' from me - Let the Great World Spin, The Help, Immortial Life of Henrietta Lacks, A Thousand Splendid Suns - all really had their time in the sun around the blogosphere.

I would have to give an additional shout out to two first-time authors that I feel will keep us coming back to them over and over. I heard them both speak at ALA's Annual Conference in DC this past June.

First is Daphne Kalotay who wrote Russian Winters. I can't say enough about this author.  Her book was very captivating and descriptive.   And second is Mitchell James Kaplan who wrote By Fire, By Water (my review is coming shortly). His book made me think about the beliefs and ideals I've been taught all my life and imagine how they might be challenged in a time with lots of religious strife.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week - Unexpected Treasure

Yes - I know I'm a few days behind in posting.  Unexpected Treasure is the theme of Wednesday's posts this BBAW. 

We invite you to share with us a book or genre you tried due to the influence of another blogger. What made you cave in to try something new and what was the experience like?

Even though I'm a book blogger (kinda) I don't really peruse other book bloggers for book suggestions.  I will say that I have read a book due to influence of another reader though.  Some of my friends started a book club back in February and I've read a few books that I wouldn't have picked up other than it being a book club selection.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is definitely a book that I read due to book club.  To me - I like to stick with the classics and I was worried this book wasn't going to be true to Jane Austen.   But I was wrong and in a small way enjoyed the book. 

A Thousand Splendid Suns is another book that would have never hit my radar without book club mostly because I tried to read Kite Runner after it first came out and could not really get into it.  I'm still not sure why I could get into A Thousand Splendid Suns more than Kite Runner, but I'm glad I gave Khaled Hosseini another shot.

I'm following many book bloggers on Twitter so I hope over the next year I will pick up a book because of their influence.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week - Interview with Book Gazing

This year for BBAW I decided to sign-up to participate in an interview swap with another book blogger.  I was paired up with Jodie over at Book Gazing.  Thanks to Jodie for answering my questions.  Enjoy!

Tell me a little about yourself Jodie.

Agh I hate this bit, I always make myself sound really dull. I’m a 25 year old woman who lives in the West Midlands in England. I work in the marketing department of a small IT firm. Ooo, the excitement! I don’t have a partner and I don’t have pets, but I do have a group of close friends who I wouldn’t be without. I like to travel and took one of my dream holidays two year ago when I went on safari in Kenya. Being a history graduate I am concerned about the way employers react to humanities students when they enter the workplace. I have seen a lot of bands this year and think the advantage of getting older is that it costs less and less to see the bands you grew up with. I have (touch wood – an yes I actually touched wood as I typed that as I’m a little superstitious) a long life to live yet and a long life list to achieve before it’s over (sadly ‘see Oasis live’ will have to wait until they regain their senses and get back together).

If you had to describe your blog in five words, what would you say?

Critical, friendly, fun, wordy, thoughtful

When and why did you start book blogging?

I started blogging just under two years ago. I’d been reading a lot of established book bloggers for years and finally decided I wanted to join in. So I spent ages trying to think up a clever title, decided everything had been used already and plumped for Bookgazing.

Did you read when you were a kid? Which is your favorite book from your childhood?

I was a big reader when I was a kid and I used to reread books over and over. My favourites were all kind of predictable stuff, big name series like Narnia, Harry Potter and Redwall and books by Jacqueline Wilson and Enid Blyton. I think one of my favourites that’s a little less well know was ‘The Exiles’ by Hilary McKay. Four sisters get shipped off to Big Grandma’s house for the summer. Maybe it doesn’t sound so special, but the individual characters of each sister and the strange, group dynamic they form make this book so much fun.

Are you participating in any book challenges this year?

I’m trying to scale back my challenge involvement this year, but I am taking part in the TBR Challenge, RIP V, the GLBT Challenge and The Year of Biodiversity. Any other challenges I signed up for seem to have fallen by the wayside.

Beside blogs, what other sources do you use to discover new books?

I read Bookslut regularly and the Times arts supplement at the weekends. I like Waterstones catalogue, even though I tend to skip all the features and jump straight to the employee reviews. I return to some publisher websites regularly like Snow Books. The majority of the books added to my TBR list do come from blogs though.

What are your hobbies other than reading?

A couple of years ago I’d have had something to say here, but right now reading is my only hobby. I like to go out with friends, but drinking is not really a hobby and neither is concert attending. Hobby wise there are more things I’d like to get back into like crafting and swimming, than things I’m actively doing right now.

If you were going to be stuck on a desert island alone for the foreseeable future, what five books would you want with you?

So hard and unnecessary because clearly I would be on a ship with a library and I would have time to rescue all the books:

‘Captivity’ – Debbie Lee Wesselman

‘Jane Eyre’ – Charlotte Bronte

‘Small Gods’ – Terry Pratchett (but really I should take ‘Nation’ for practical survival tips)

Who will Run the Frog Hospital – Lorrie Moore

‘Wolf Hall’ – Hilary Mantel

I’m already second guessing that list.

What are your top reads for 2010 so far?

I’m going to limit myself to five because I’ve read so many great books this year already:

‘Devil’s Kiss’ – Sarwat Chadda

‘The Windup Girl’ – Paoulo Bacigalupi

‘Crossing’ – Alexander Xia Fukada

‘The Still Point’ – Amy Sackville

‘Liar’ – Justine Larbalestier

Name a book you recommend to anyone and everyone and they always love it.

I’m not sure I’ve ever managed that, but I think ‘A Wish After Midnight’ by Zetta Elliot would be pretty hard to dislike. It manages to teach readers about a hard time in history, while remaining an enjoyable story.

Check out Jodie's post with my answers as well!

Book Blogger Appreciation Week - First Treasure

This week is Book Blogger Appreciation Week.  Even though I've been blogging officially for two years, I still feel like a novice.  At first I was apprehensive about blogging, but now I've found that writing down a few thoughts about a book I read helps me to come up with an opinion instead of just "really good" or "must read".

Today's topic for BBAW is sharing a new book blog you have discovered since last year's BBAW event.

Definitely in the last year I have become more of a Twitter user which has lead me to some great book bloggers.  Here are a few of my favorite *new* blogs to visit:

• Library Love Fest - behind the scenes fun & recommendations from the HarperCollins folks
• Shelf Life - recommendations from Entertainment Weekly
• Book Maven - Book critic for WETA whose #fridayreads hashtag provides good suggestions each week.