January
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt (reread)
Wildwood by Colin Meloy
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Good Enough to Eat by Stacey Ballis
The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht
February
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (reread)
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (reread?)
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day . . . by Pearl Cleage
March
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich (reread)
Dear Dumb Diary: School. Hasn’t This Gone on Long Enough? by Jim Benton
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (reread)
April
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich (reread)
Timeless by Gail Carriger
The Family Man by Elinor Lipman
MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche
The Hunger Pains by The Harvard Lampoon
The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (reread)
A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett (reread)
May
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett (reread)
I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett (reread)
How Beautiful the Ordinary ed. by Michael Cart
My Latest Grievance by Elinor Lipman
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter
The Color of Earth by Kim Dong Hwa
June
Sabriel by Garth Nix (reread)
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman
Entwined by Heather Dixon
The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind by Meg Medina
The Dearly Departed by Elinor Lipman
Then She Found Me by Elinor Lipman
Into Love and Out Again by Elinor Lipman
A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel (reread)
Dear Dumb Diary: The Super-Nice Are Super-Annoying by Jim Benton
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
July
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (reread)
She Got Up Off the Couch by Haven Kimmel (reread)
Perla by Carolina De Robertis
Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King
There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff
Holes by Louis Sachar (reread)
Coraline by Neil Gaiman (reread)
August
Final Jeopardy by Linda Fairstein
I Wish I Had a Red Dress by Pearl Cleage
The Aviary by Kathleen O’Dell
Isabel’s Bed by Elinor Lipman
Daughter’s Keeper by Ayelet Waldman
Babylon Sisters by Pearl Cleage
Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel
I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James
Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
September
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Lies, Knives, and Girls in Red Dresses by Ron Koertge
Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
In the Woods by Tana French
The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy
October
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Dare Me by Megan Abbott
Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
The Pursuit of Alice Thrift by Elinor Lipman
The Giver by Lois Lowry (reread)
November
Calling on Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough
Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay
December
Every Day by David Levithan
The Likeness by Tana French
Faithful Place by Tana French
Broken Harbor by Tana French
Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (reread)
*Note: I gave all the titles in bold a four- or five-star rating on Goodreads. I gave most of the remaining titles a three. (edited 1/1/13)
You read some really great stuff this year. Wish there were more reviews as there are several of these that I would love to know your thoughts on. Any favorites for the year?
I didn’t realize just how few reviews I wrote this year until I posted this! I’ve definitely resolved to do better this year.
It was a great reading year, to be sure. All the covers I included in this post are definitely on my “favorites” list. Most of my rereads are favorites, too, as well as the Patricia C. Wrede and Tana French books.
Any in particular you’re wondering about?
Not in particular, just realized you read some great stuff this year and I would have went back and caught missed reviews if you had done them. I missed a lot of reviews this year myself, either because I just got busy or wasn’t feeling the vibe (too often the excuse). Like Night Circus. I didn’t post a review of Night Circus. What the heck was wrong with me?!?! I went completely gaga over that book. And then never reviewed it. *sigh*
I hope to get to Rebecca Stead’s newest sometime this year. I enjoyed her last one very much.
I loved The Night Circus, too! I was thrilled to pieces when my book club picked it for our January read.
Not feeling the vibe was a frequent excuse for me last year, too. A lot happened last year, but there were lulls when I could have caught up, but I just had a hard time working up the motivations. It’s hard to get OUT of ruts, you know? I’m trying, though. Catching up on your blog is next on my list
That trash?!!? Surely there are better things to do. LOL!
Carl, you are one of my favorites! I know it doesn’t seem that way since I’m never around, but you are
Aw, thanks! Believe me, I know that we all have SO much to do even when life it just cruising along as normal let alone the craziness that pops up frequently.
What a lovely way to review the year. I can’t wait to reread THE NIGHT CIRCUS. It was such a delight the first time around. I didn’t review it either (yet). I have the hardest time writing reviews for books I LOVED. I’m still keeping an eye out for a copy of MWF SEEKING BFF due to your review.
I have a hard time reviewing books I really loved, too! I end up sounding like a gushy mess. And do read MWF! I would love to hear your thoughts.