Best of 2012

I thought we would start the year of 2013 with a bit of reflection of the year of 2012. I may be getting older, but I can remember 2012 as if it were yesterday....oh, yes- it WAS yesterday. I had better write down my top books of 2012 before it gets lost in this motherly mind of mine filled with dance,boy scouting, sports and school schedules.

This past year I read so many wonderful books, most of which were recommended to me by my fellow bibliophile buddies. It was very challenging to choose a top ten. I must preface this list by telling you, my book loving friends, my rating criteria. I do not rate books based solely on the quality of writing(although, of course, this is taken into consideration). I rate primarily on the enjoyment of the read and the emotions evoked within me. The best books, in my humble opinion, are those in which you are a different person after reading them.

With that said, here is my top ten of 2012. I did NOT rank them. It was a challenge to simply come up with a top ten list- ranking them would have been impossible!

Drum roll, please.......

 Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell
The Girls by Lori Lansens
City of Thieves by David Benioff
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The Red Tent by Anita Diamont
Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud by Ben Sherwood
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

If you have a book recommendation for me, I would be delighted to hear it! May the upcoming year be full of love, joy and bountiful reading for us all!