So, after my last entry I decided not to post New Year’s goals here after all. Partly because I’m still figuring them out, and partly because I’ve been too busy working on Hunting the Dark (Moth’s second full-length adventure) to take the time to figure them out!
Instead, here are 12 books that I enjoyed reading in 2012. This list is in no particular order. I also didn’t include any of my fellow Deadline Dames, just in terms of fairness. Most of these books were published in 2012 (I’ve noted where they weren’t). Oh, and I didn’t include many comics – although there’s one original graphic novel (OGN) on the list, and Cecil Castellucci’s book is told in alternating chapters of prose and comics – because otherwise we really would be here all day. 
And talking of things taking ALL FREAKING DAY, this post took so long to format that I almost gave up on saying why I liked any of these. But that would’ve been pretty rubbish, so I decided to write Twitter-style ‘reviews’ instead (just to challenge myself even more!). So each review recommendation is 140 characters or less.
Here goes…
THE YEAR OF THE BEASTS
by Cecil Castellucci (illustrated by Nate Powell)
“First love, sibling rivalry. A beautiful & heartbreaking fable of love, loss & hope, it gives us a modern take on the Medusa mythology.”
THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING
Kelly Thompson
“Superheroes, good vs evil & girl power all come together in a rollercoaster ride of a story that you’d imagine Joss Whedon could’ve written.”
[Hey, did you know that Kelly's book started life on Kickstarter? It did! Um... this isn't part of the review.]
THIS IS NOT A TEST
Courtney Summers
“Lyrical prose that will make you shiver. Sharp-toothed horrors waiting in the shadows, and a heroine you’ll become more & more invested in.”
UNSPOKEN
Sarah Rees Brennan
“One of my favourite protagonists of 2012, a contemporary YA heroine who sleuths her way through gothic mystery & not-so-imaginary love.”
DARE ME
Megan Abbott
“The subversive love-child of Bring it On & Heathers, this disturbing look at cheerleading & female rivalries in high school had me hooked.”
[I will also cheat and add a little more: if you like Courtney Summers' contemporary stuff, you'll probably love this.]
PERMEABLE BORDERS
Nina Kiriki Hoffman
“I’ve loved Nina Kiriki Hoffman’s stories for years. Try this collection & I promise you’ll believe that magic really CAN exist in our world.”
[For a full review, check out this one at Strange Horizons.]
THE TAKEN
Vicki Pettersson
“Supernatural noir that screams of originality. A story drenched in murderous shadows & rockabilly cool, with two main characters you’ll LOVE.”
GUNMETAL MAGIC
Ilona Andrews
“Oh, Andrea Nash… I adore you. This book delivered on every single one of my (VERY high) expectations. And then some. Also: Raphael!”
ARCHANGEL’S STORM
Nalini Singh
“Jason is the black-winged angel & spymaster whose story I’ve been waiting to gulp down. A darkly delicious treat laced with passion & depth.”
FRIENDS WITH BOYS
Faith Erin Hicks
“A quiet girl with 3 older brothers transitions to high school after being home schooled. Oh, and she’s haunted by a Victorian lady ghost.”
RIVER MARKED
Patricia Briggs
“Mercy Thompson is my favourite UF heroine. Here we finally delve into the Native American side of her heritage – and the magic that entails.”
[Not strictly a 2012 release, but I bought it when it came out in paperback in 2012 so I'm counting it anyway.]
STRONG POISON, HAVE HIS CARCASE, GAUDY NIGHT and BUSMAN’S HONEYMOON
Dorothy L. Sayers
These are the ‘classic reads’ on my list. I can’t possibly sum them up in less than 140 characters (and I know I’m cheating by including all four books that make up the Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane arc), so I’ll just redirect you to the joint review I did of Strong Poison with Ana at The Book Smugglers. (NOTE: The giveaway with this review is now closed.)
Phew! What did you love reading in 2012?
Some great choices here. I love Patricia Briggs and I have all the Mercedes books, and all of the Alpha & Omega books (although I have the newest release still waiting to be read)
I will have to check some of these out myself…well the ones I haven’t heard of
*makes a note to read This Is Not A Test and Gunmetal Magic*
I need to read more of the Alpha & Omega books… I’m so behind on everything!
I haven’t read any of these yet – oops. I did read another book by Nalini Singh the other day and really enjoyed that!
Let’s see what I read in 2012 and really enjoyed *opens Goodreads*
I read the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins, which were a real page turner for me! (Yes, all three of them – in three days, I believe…)
Also on my list ‘favourite books of 2012′ is Switched by Amanda Hocking and DEFINITELY Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. That one I really loved. I loved the main character with her witty comments.
Other books I really enjoyed: The Selection (Kiera Cass), The Golden Lily (Richelle Mead), The Restorer (Amanda Stevens), and I have to add Falling to Ash and The Wood Queen, too
I’m currently reading the Millenium trilogy and finished the first book on January 2nd, so I cannot include The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for 2012. But I would give it 6 stars if I could.
So, there you go. My goal for 2013 is to read at least 50 books. I tried to read 50 books in 2011 and 2012 and I figured I had – but somehow I didn’t. Or I didn’t add all the books to my Goodreads-list… not sure. However, I’m going to try again this year!
I have The Restorer on my Kindle. I should read that!
Good luck with your reading goal – I’d like to read 52 books in 2013.
Close to mine! (50, see other comment on your blog post of goals for 2013). It doesn’t really help that I’m currently reading the Millenium trilogy by Stieg Larsson. Those count 400 of 500 pages (not entirely sure, the tablet says 400something, my ereader on my phone says over 500… right.)
Oh duh, I already mentioned the 50 books goal. Sorry, I’ve been up since 4.45 AM and obviously only read your post, haha.
I looooved Unspoken too! – and, yes the four o are totally necessary. One other book I particularly liked is For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund, I loved the way the letters complemented the story.
Though they’re not 2012 releases, the Mercy Thompsons I read were great (the second half of the third, gee…), but I’m so behind… (seriously, even my father is waiting for the 7th)
I have For Darkness Shows the Stars and I read the first few pages & thought, “Oh wow… I can’t get sucked into this quite yet,” because I was in the middle of writing a first draft. And then I somehow left it at my mum’s and didn’t get back to it.
I have now picked it back up again and hope to read it soon!
“Superheroes, good vs evil & girl power all come together in a rollercoaster ride of a story that you’d imagine Joss Whedon could’ve written.”
Clearly this is something I need to read, sadly book depositry doesnt seem to have it listed
wish Id seen it on kickstarter
Serena, are you in the UK? It’s available on Amazon. I hope you can get a copy.
Kaz
See now, the danger of “best books” lists is I find new books to read. This is also the best thing about these lists.
Sarah Rees Brennan, Patricia Briggs, Natalie Singh, and Ilona Andrews are all auto-buys for me. I’ve read the Briggs and Singh books, and Unspoken and Gunmetal Magic are in my TBR queue. I also remember you mentioned The Taken in a earlier post and thinking it sounded intriguing. Adding it to the list now…
Have you read the Kevin Hearne Iron Druid series? Or Stacia Kane’s Downside series? I’ve really enjoyed both.
I’m glad to… *cough*… help you buy more books.
I love Stacia Kane’s writing, though I have only read the first two Downside books so far. I have the third one waiting. I still haven’t tried Kevin Hearne, though. Hmm… Must add that to my list. Cheers!
Thanks for the recommendations! I love lists and lists of good books are best of all… I just finished Strong Poison (my first Sayers) and loved it so an extra thank you for that. It was so much funnier than I was expecting; fabulous dialogue. I’m so pleased that I’ve got another three Wimsy/Vane books to enjoy!
I love lists, too! I am so glad that you read and enjoyed Strong Poison. It’s great to share ‘new’ books we fall for.
Kaz