Well, it's that time of the year when there is pretty much no year left, so we review everything that has happened since the last time there was pretty much no year left over. That lovely time when we say, "Oh, yeah! I remember that! Was that really this year?" My time flies.
In that spirit, I figured I'd make my contribution to the numerous looking-back lists that will inevitably bombard the internet. Here it is, some of my favorite reads of 2012, in no particular order:
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George (fantastic author, by the by!)
Press Here by Herve Tullet
Receiving Answers to Our Prayers by Gene R. Cook
The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy
As Far As You Can Go Without A Passport by Tom Bodett
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Princess Ben by Katherine Gilbert Murdock
What was on your list this year? And what do you plan to read next year?
Showing posts with label favorites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label favorites. Show all posts
Monday, December 31, 2012
Saturday, July 28, 2012
The truth about Librarians
This week's post is brought to you by some guests: my nieces and nephew. They are getting ready to go on a trip, and I got to play librarian and find some books on CD. When I told them I'd checked out Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians, by Brandon Sanderson, they couldn't wait for their trip to start and listened to it last week. So, in their words, here is what they had to say about the book:
"This book is very entertaining. It has a clever plot, awesome characters, and epic talents. It gives you new insights into why authors write books. You should check it out because it's awesome and entertaining, especially to listen to. My favorite character is Bastille. She's a knight and knights are cool. " Belba*, age 12 (almost 13).
"My favorite part is when Alcatraz's grandpa and Blackburn duel with the lenses. Quentin is my favorite character. He can't say anything that makes sense and he predicts the future." Dudo, age 7.
"I really liked the dinosaurs. [This is one of my favorite parts, too, in case you care] I liked all the characters. This book is funny and entertaining." Ruby, age 10.
"My favorite part is when Sing trips when he is in danger. I like Alcatraz." Dimple, age 5.
So, there you have it. You don't have to trust me, or those dudes on the jacket. Trust the kids who read it, and check out Alcatraz!
*Note: These are not their real names. But they ARE real people. I promise.
"This book is very entertaining. It has a clever plot, awesome characters, and epic talents. It gives you new insights into why authors write books. You should check it out because it's awesome and entertaining, especially to listen to. My favorite character is Bastille. She's a knight and knights are cool. " Belba*, age 12 (almost 13).
"My favorite part is when Alcatraz's grandpa and Blackburn duel with the lenses. Quentin is my favorite character. He can't say anything that makes sense and he predicts the future." Dudo, age 7.
"I really liked the dinosaurs. [This is one of my favorite parts, too, in case you care] I liked all the characters. This book is funny and entertaining." Ruby, age 10.
"My favorite part is when Sing trips when he is in danger. I like Alcatraz." Dimple, age 5.
So, there you have it. You don't have to trust me, or those dudes on the jacket. Trust the kids who read it, and check out Alcatraz!
*Note: These are not their real names. But they ARE real people. I promise.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Favorites
I am not a fan of favorites. There are too many good things in the world to pick favorites, most of the time, so I actually have very few favorites. (Random favorite: word. Defenestrate. Yes, I know. What kind of nerd has a favorite word?!) Besides, favorites require making decisions, which is just a lot of work.
That being said, you can imagine that "what's your favorite book?" is not a question I look forward to. If you were to ask me that question, I would say, "Be more specific. Give me a genre" or some such qualification. I mean, out of all the books that have been written, you can't expect me to choose just one. But I do have a few favorites. Keep in mind this is by no means a complete and fixed list.
Picture book: Three Cheers for Tacky, by Helen Lester and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. I read this book for the first time when I was in high school, and I spent fifteen minutes rolling on the floor, laughing my head off at the pictures. It has been a favorite ever since. Their other books are also fantastic.
Favorite fantasy: I think that I have to vote for Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien. I'm going to cheat a bit, and include The Hobbit in here. I read these for the first time rather late in life, and loved them. I think the timing was just right for me. I think the characters are just amazing.
Favorite classic: I'm not sure if this really counts as a classic, but it is the best way to categorize it for me. My favorite here is probably To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. As I mentioned before, Atticus Finch? Amazing. And such a well written story.
Favorite series: Okay, I know, this is a stretch, because in a way, Lord of the Rings is a series. However, it was meant to be one book, and this is my blog, so I'm going to fudge here, because I don't know what else to put this in. It's kind of fantasy, but more mythological than fantastical, so I don't really know how to categorize it. Here it is [drumroll]: The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner. I'm not sure what the name of the series is, and there is a fourth book, A Conspiracy of Kings, which I have listened to, but the narrator and I have a different interpretation, so I need to actually read it before making a decision. Anyway, the first three books are absolutely wonderful. Excellent plot twists, great characters, and a little bit of the spy element. Gen? Totally awesome. And there are a lot of great philosophical questions, if you look for them. Little nuggets of truth, if you will. Anyway, the author did a fantastic job and I highly recommend them.
I'm going to leave off on favorites for now, but there are definitely more categories to cover. I just have to figure out if I have a favorite in them! But, in the meantime, I'd love to know your favorites. (Because my to-read list isn't long enough?)
That being said, you can imagine that "what's your favorite book?" is not a question I look forward to. If you were to ask me that question, I would say, "Be more specific. Give me a genre" or some such qualification. I mean, out of all the books that have been written, you can't expect me to choose just one. But I do have a few favorites. Keep in mind this is by no means a complete and fixed list.
Picture book: Three Cheers for Tacky, by Helen Lester and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. I read this book for the first time when I was in high school, and I spent fifteen minutes rolling on the floor, laughing my head off at the pictures. It has been a favorite ever since. Their other books are also fantastic.
Favorite fantasy: I think that I have to vote for Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien. I'm going to cheat a bit, and include The Hobbit in here. I read these for the first time rather late in life, and loved them. I think the timing was just right for me. I think the characters are just amazing.
Favorite classic: I'm not sure if this really counts as a classic, but it is the best way to categorize it for me. My favorite here is probably To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. As I mentioned before, Atticus Finch? Amazing. And such a well written story.
Favorite series: Okay, I know, this is a stretch, because in a way, Lord of the Rings is a series. However, it was meant to be one book, and this is my blog, so I'm going to fudge here, because I don't know what else to put this in. It's kind of fantasy, but more mythological than fantastical, so I don't really know how to categorize it. Here it is [drumroll]: The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner. I'm not sure what the name of the series is, and there is a fourth book, A Conspiracy of Kings, which I have listened to, but the narrator and I have a different interpretation, so I need to actually read it before making a decision. Anyway, the first three books are absolutely wonderful. Excellent plot twists, great characters, and a little bit of the spy element. Gen? Totally awesome. And there are a lot of great philosophical questions, if you look for them. Little nuggets of truth, if you will. Anyway, the author did a fantastic job and I highly recommend them.
I'm going to leave off on favorites for now, but there are definitely more categories to cover. I just have to figure out if I have a favorite in them! But, in the meantime, I'd love to know your favorites. (Because my to-read list isn't long enough?)
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