Maybe Matilda: What I Read in 2012

Friday, December 21, 2012

What I Read in 2012

I set myself a goal this year (on Goodreads!) of reading 50 books, and I finished just in the nick of time! I love to read, but it’s something I often need a little push to do . . . if it’s been too long since I’ve read a really really great book, I tend to get discouraged about it and kind of give up for a few months and not want to read anymore. So this goal really helped me to keep reading and searching for new books, even after a lousy one would creep in (and they always do).

Here are the 50 books I read this year, organized by how many stars I rated them on my Goodreads account. (If you’re seeing this in an email/reader, I think you’ll have to click over to the actual site to see the book lists.)

5 Star Books (loved it)

4 Star Books (really liked it)

3 Star Books (liked it)

2/1 Star Books (it was ok/didn’t like it)

What was your favorite book in 2012? I’m always looking for suggestions!

28 comments :

  1. You are a reading machine! I thought I was doing good reading 37 books this year.
    I am always looking for good book suggestions, I will have to check out your list on goodreads.

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  2. I wanted to read The Snow Child. Not good? I think it was the birch trees on the front. They called to me. I'm about to start Gone Girl since everyone seems to rave about it.

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    1. I was probably overly harsh on The Snow Child. Honestly, the writing is lovely and the story is interesting. But I never cared about any of the characters--not even a little bit--and that really ruined it for me. And I thought it spiraled downhill toward the end. But a lot of people love it, so you should give it a try!

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  3. Oh, I'm so happy you liked Rebecca. It's one of my all time favorite books. You should watch the movie--it's super old and creepy and wonderful.

    Now that you've read The Wednesday Wars, you have to read Okay for Now. I think I liked it even more than The Wednesday Wars.

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    1. I've put off reading Rebecca for years because a teacher made me read it when I was in like middle school (way too young to appreciate it) and I hated it. But I'm glad I gave it another chance, it's wonderful! Okay for Now is going on the list for my next library trip. Thanks for the recommendation!

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  4. Good job Rachel! I think this is something I want to do in 2013. I love reading but since having kids I go through long periods of not reading at all. You've helped motivate me! :) I have a goodreads account but haven't really done much with it. How can I find you on it?

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  5. there's a few up there that i've read-i was just saying that my favorite books of the year were the night circus and the age of miracles. below that would be gone girl. i didn't love half broke horses nearly as much as the glass castle, and daughter of smoke and bone, and i concur on mindy kaling's book.

    sigh, it's good seeing someone who loves reading as much as i do!

    happy holidays!

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  6. oh, and room i LOVED but i don't think i read it this year...? i convinced my mom's book club to read it, and they loved it, too.

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  7. You didn't like Baker's Daughter?? I LOVED it!! I've recommended it to everyone I know and they all love it too!

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  8. 50 books, you maniac! ;) I will have read 32 out of my goal of 36 this year (reading #32 now). It was a new years' resolution. I didn't quite make it to 36, but after last year's whopping *3*, I'm extremely pleased.

    I liked the Snow Child, but couldn't get into the Night Circus, and put it down.

    My all-time favorite book I read in 2012: The Book Thief. And if you're up for a series to get totally sucked into, I thoroughly enjoyed Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion trilogy. I neglected my family & home for a solid week, reading these!

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    1. Neglecting family and home is always a sign of a great book ;-) Thanks, I'll check that series out!

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  9. Wild by Cheryl Strayed was one of my favorites of the year!

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    1. Just read the synopsis of this one--sounds so interesting! Thanks!

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  10. I love love to read...I even keep a book journal because I'm a nerd like that. I just barely finished reading 84, Charring Cross Road. It was so charming! I totally loved it to.
    -liZ

    ps---I read Rebecca against my will recently...my book club made me do it...and I really enjoyed it...and I watched the old movie, which was pretty awesome to.

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  11. Super impressed by this goal. You go girl. And I'm excited to see what you liked so I can shamelessly steal them for my to-read list.

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  12. Have you read any BettY Smith? A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is famous and I like it, but my favorite is Joy in the Morning.

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    1. I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn a loooong time ago . . . I'll check out Joy in the Morning. Thank you!

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  13. There's a sort-of sequel to Austenland. It happens in the same place, but with different main characters. I was hesitant to try it because I didn't overly love Austenland, but I thought it was definitely better. More mystery and excitement. It's a good quick read when you're in the mood for something light.

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  14. Mauve Binchy is an amazing author as well. her books make you feel lie you are inside the story and are one of the few non fantasy books I race out to get :)

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  15. Ooh yay, I love me some good book recommendations! You didn't like The Good Thief?! I loved that book. And I loved The Thirteenth Tale and Half Broke Horses, too. The Glass Castle is another good one by Jeanette Walls.

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  16. Some of my favourite reads of 2012 were:

    A discovery of witches by Deborah Harkness - this is the first in a trilogy.
    The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

    Solomons Oak by Jo Ann Mapson.

    I have just got the new Barbara Kingsolver book to read over Christmas.

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    1. Oh how I love Barbara Kingsolver--you lucky lady, getting her newest. Those other titles sound interesting--thank you for the recommendations! As a fellow Kingsolver fan, I can trust you have great taste ;-)

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  17. I've been reading your blog for about a year now but I don't think I've ever commented. But as a fellow reader who would also 5 star the books you have five-starred (The Road?? C'mon, how great was that!! And the Guernsey Potato Pie and Literary Club (probably manged that title, but you know what I mean), I feel good about giving you my recs from the last year or so of reading. Zeitoun by Dave Eggars, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, and my all-time favorite (I actually have a tatoo based on this book) East of Eden by John Steinback. Happy New Year of Reading!!!

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  18. I'm cheap when it comes to books, partly because I read fast and nothing really stays in my head for very long, so I read either free Kindle books or whatever I can get at the library (which aren't usually worth sharing). I also love classics, so I re-read a lot (aka Pride and Prejudice). Anyways, here's a recent stunner: Catherine the Great by Robert Massie. Extra points for it being non-fiction and educational! There was also The Stumpwork Robe by Prue Batten. I'm just really impressed that you kept track of them all!

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  19. Ooh, yes! Ready Player One and Daughter of Smoke and Bone were EXCELLENT! As was The Help! I have Half-Broke Horses, but still haven't read it, though I did really love her other book, The Glass Castle. I also have The Forest of Hands and Teeth, but I'm hoping I like it since I have the other two books in the series as well!

    Good for you reaching your goal for the year! I hope you can reach it in 2013. :)

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  21. You have to read the Glass Castle. If you loved Half Broke Horses then you'll love the Glass Castle even more.

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Thanks for commenting!

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