So today is New Year's Eve. There are many things that I look forward to in the new year. Although I think it is sort of funny the way we act as though a date on a calendar marks a start of something totally different. It is not totally different, right? It's just another new day. But I always feel something new when January 1 rolls around, and this year is no different. I have a good feeling about this one. Of course I have many many goals and such, and I am not going to list them all here. But...this is a blog about books...or it is supposed to be, primarily, and once I am all finished with this writing every day thing, I am going to focus on books and books and then more books. And today I am going to write a list of books that I cannot wait to read in 2012.
1. Saving Francesca and Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta. I put these together because of Marchetta. She's fantastic, and I love her writing...in fact, she is probably my favorite YA author (along with E. Lockhart, of course). Moreover, I respect her novels because she respects teenagers and their intelligence. She creates stories that speak to the human condition in a very honest/real way. Unfortunately, I don't think that enough YA authors give that sort of thought/effort to their target audience. So I'm putting her at the top of my list this year.
2. Middlemarch by George Eliot. I've been putting this off for far too long, and I haven't had enough of the classics in my literary diet, so this is high priority. I've been sort of missing something in my reading, and I really do think it's more of the more classical variety. Especially work by the Brits. I love the Brits!
3. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. I adored the movie version. Oh that BBC!!! How I love those folks over across the pond. Another classic.
4. Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison. I know how it sounds, but it comes highly recommended by a friend that I completely trust. We have very similar taste in books. That and she says it is hi.lar.i.ous. And heaven knows I could use some hilarity.
5. Bossy Pants by Tina Fey. I have got to get my hands on this. I love Tina Fey.
6. Uncle Silas by Joseph Sheridan le Fanu. It's another classic, but I've done a little research, and I'm saving this for my October fright fix...that yearly urge that comes around every fall that tells me I need to get a bit scared. Please, oh please, I hope this one does the trick!
7. Okay for now by Gary D. Schmidt. Since I fell in love...IN LOVE...with The Wednesday Wars, I've been dying for another gem from Mr. Schmidt, and I hear some good things about this one.
8. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton. I'm hoping that she'll be one of those writers that I just can't stop reading. Two books in, and so far it's a go. Her fourth book should come out this year, too. Good stuff.
9. The Twelve by Justin Cronin. I'm probably more excited about this book than any other. I loved The Passage. It was a creeeeeeeepy book, and so when I say loved, I probably mean intrigued/enthralled/engrossed/couldn't put it down. So I'm pretty excited about this next one in the series. It's supposed to release this year, and I hope it comes sooner rather than later.
10. Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood. I'm not going to lie to you and call me ridiculous if you must, but I picked this book based solely on its title. Why? Don't people mostly just choose based on a cover? Why yes they do...including me. I'll admit that the YA genre is filled with mediocrity disguised in a fabulous cover. But this title...recalling a favorite line from the new Alice in Wonderland movie...has me intrigued. And I absolutely fell in love with that movie and its message...to do the impossible...oh, I'm really hoping for an emotional pay off.
So that is my list of top ten to reads in 2012. Happy Reading in the new year!
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