Reading in 2012

This wasn't the best year for me and books.. I read plenty but not many blew my mind..

I used to have this thing about never leaving a book unfinished. I thought it rude to the author to not finish. There was always a slight chance that things would turn around and with a little clever twist I would end up liking it rather than not. I can no longer afford to do that. I am mom to a toddler, I am exhausted, I barely get the time to read. I make the time because I love to read. If in the first few chapters I am not even mildly engaged then I just stop reading and move on. I also joined Good Reads this year and love it, I entered a few of the giveaways and one a few books :) Which in turn exposed me to a few writers I hadn't known..

Virgin of Small Plains - Nancy Pickard - Started strong but ended predictably

The World According to Garp - John Irving - Loved this one. It made me laugh and cry. It stayed with me long after I finished reading it.

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest - Stieg Larsson - A great end to a great series.. Lisbeth, you will be missed.

Good Omens - Terry Pratchett and Gail Gaiman - This was supposed to be hilarious.. I expected fits of laughter. It got a few chuckles and a giggle or two from me or maybe I have lost my sense of humor. M would disagree, he thinks I usually laugh for no apparent reason.

Codon Zero - Jim Hendee - The premise while typical, one man beating the odds and saving the world it had a few good twists but that all stopped half way into the book when everything just became so predictable.. If I had finished reading this one I could say that a few more twists occurred and it got interesting.. but I didn't have the patience to.

The River Witch - Kimberly Brock - I had very low expectations when I started reading this one. But I ended up enjoying it immensely. While it had it's predictable moments and it's cliches the writing and message was just so beautiful, the book had soul.

Out Of It - Selma Dabbag - It is a book about the Gaza Strip. As a Muslim this book about Muslims in war torn Gaza offended me on so many different levels. I consider myself a moderate Muslim. Some of our core beliefs include no alcohol which the characters of this book drank constantly. We believe in no sex before marriage, which the characters seemed to be having plenty of. And most of the characters so conveniently were travelling to London?! It just didn't make any sense. Was the author trying to say 'yes we're Muslims but we're not all bad.. look look we drink alcohol and have sex before marriage like all you normal folks?!" I did not just not complete the book I also was angry with it.. it made we angry long after I had banished it to the bookshelf... grrr

To Wander The Labyrinth - Brian Peters - Fast paced. A lot about the torture techniques used by the government, Peters painted such a vivid pictures it was at time disturbing. I may not have loved the book but it was not bad. The only major problem I had with it was the ending, I hate those think what you want endings.. I don't want to have to come up with the ending myself.. you are the author, you are supposed to do that!

The Elusive Mr. McCoy - Brenda L Baker - It was a standard mistaken identity/man living two lives tale but I was hooked. It was a great entertaining read.

Nobody Move - Denis Johnson - This one I stopped reading even before I started it. The Mother in Law Diaries by Carol Dawson and Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris met a similar fate.

Maps of Hell - Paul Johnston - It was a crazy fun ride.

61 Hours - Lee Child - So blah. Sure I didn't know who the bad guy was until it was revealed but I found myself not even caring. But I did finish this one..

Ravens - George Dawes Green - This book could have been so good, it had so much potential. But it was such an utter waste..

The Help - Kathryn Stockett - Do I really need to say much about this one. You know I loved it.. and for those of you who watched the movie but didn't read the book, READ the book. It is better. I waited to read it before I watched the movie..

Fire Season - Jon Loomis - It was funny, clever, unpredictable and sometimes even a little predictable. There were many story lines some more interesting than other.. I liked the book but just not enough to love it. I'm not really sure what was it was... but something was just missing.

So I guess that makes it 12 books read and finished. Unfinished 5.. yikes.
Here's a look at what I read in 2011

What was your favorite read of 2012? Something to add to my never ending list of reads.. :)


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