Favorite Reads for 2012

Shannon Hale one of my favorite authors (she's LDS and writes YA Fantasy) near the end of the year she always posts her favorite books she has read that year. I decided at the beginning of 2012 to keep a reading journal so now I want to share with you some of my favorites for this year.
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson-YA Fiction. Tyler Miller is just part of the furniture at High School until he's caught putting graffiti on the High School. Now after a summer of a growth spurt and hard labor community service he suddenly goes from wallpaper to popular. But when he is wrongly accused of something heinous his life goes from bad to worst. I grumped through the first part of the book and then stayed up all night finishing it. I loved that through it all he did what was right and stood up for himself.
The Dark Wind by Tony Hillerman-Four Corners based Indian Reservation Mystery. Officer Chee is investigating several seemingly unrelated cases; pawnshop burglery, John Doe murder and left in the desert and vandalism of a windmill.Then there is a plane crash in the desert. A drug deal gone wrong.
Chee brings in all together.
I love Tony Hillerman. My son-in-law gave this to me last year for Christmas. I consumed it in one gulp.
CROSSED by Ally Condie-YA dystopia. The second in the Trilogy which started with MATCHED. This story is told in the voice of Cassie and Ky. After they are separated Cassie is determined to be reunited with Ky but Ky is in the Outer Reaches and no one out there survives for longer than 6 months. Daniel and Cristin bought this for me for Christmas this year.
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale-YA fantasy, fairy tale rewrite. This was a reread for me I was able to get it on my Kindle for $2.51. She is a wonderful writer!!!
Austenland by Shannon Hale-Light Romance. Another reread. Jane inherits an all expenses paid vacation to Pembrook an Austen based resort. you dress and behave as they did at the time of  Regency England. 33 yr-old Jane is determined to finally put all her Fitzwilliam Darcy/Colin Firth fantasies to rest. Fun! Fun! They made a movie of this book and it was chosen for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Too Cool! I have extra copies if anyone wants to borrow it. If I see it on the discount self of the local book store I buy it.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead-YA Fiction. Miranda finds a note in a book in her room after their hidden apartment key goes missing. It reads, "I'm coming to save your friend's life and my own, I ask two favors, First you must write me a letter..." Twelve year-old Mirand looses friends gains friends and tries to unravel the mystery of the notes she receives while her mom prepares to appear on $100,000 Pyramind.
The Christmas Homecoming by Anne Perry-Mystery. She is also an LDS author. I love to read anything by her.
Fire by Krisin Cashore-YA Fantasy. A companion novel to Graceling. Fire is the last human "monster" and she tries to right the terrible wrongs done by her father. The writing is well done. I. didn't like the moral message. Great tension throughout the book.
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins-YA Romance. Recommended by Shannon Hale. Fun light read.
Brooklyn by Colm Tolbin-Fiction. Eilis Lacey grows up in small town in Ireland. It soon becomes apparent that she will have to leave her small town to find a good paying job. Her priest knows of job opportunities in America. Eilis gets a job at department store, she lives in boarding house with other working girls. She never really makes any friends but finds romance at a local dance. I didn't love this book. The ending left me deflated. Others really liked it.
Portrait of a Lady by Henry James-Fiction. Isabella inherits, marries against everyone's wishes and advice and lives to regret it. My mom read it out loud to me as we traveled from Texas to Denver and back. A very lovely memory.
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury-Fiction. Doug Spaulding is twelve years old the summer of 1928, his little brother Tom is 10. Their summer is full of all the wonders of pre-world war two small town America. From new tennis shoes to dandelion wine, from the ice house to the ravine. There is death, more death, there is love and near death and all the people who make up Doug and Tom's world. It is very beautifully written. I laughed, I cried. I can't recommend it enough.
Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale-Mystery. Same setting as Austenland. Fun, light, fiction. Shannon has done it again. Taking us back to Penbrook. Some of the original cast members, some new  and murder most foul. She read alot of Agatha Christie to prepare to write this.
The Watsons & Emma Watson by Jane Austen and Joan Aiken-Fiction. Jane Austen's unfinished novel finished by Joan Aiken. It was delightful.
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery(author of Anne of Green Gables)-Fiction. Valancy's life is anything but exciting. She is 29 and lives with her mother and aunts. her life is regimented and colorless until the fateful day it rained. The family picnic was canceled.
Valancy works up enough courage to consult a heart doctor about the pains in her heart. The results change everything for her. Loved it! Loved it!
The Guernesey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer & Anne Barrows-Fiction. Written as a series of letters during post WWII, 1946. It tells the story of the Island of Guernsey's occupation by German troops for five years during the war. It was stunningly done. This book was wonderful, amazing. I chuckled, laughed out loud, and dropped tears on the page.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card-Science Fiction. Ender is a six year old genius. Who is being groomed to save the world. They are making a movie that should come out in 2013. Harrison Ford is starring in it. This is another reread for me. A Classic.
Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card-Science Fiction.The parellel book was written many years after Ender's Game. We see all the events of Ender's Game through Bean's story. Card laces his writing with alot of theology. I wept as Bean gave the final farewell to the soldiers of the final battle against the 'buggers'.
Mistmantle Chronicles: Urchin of the Riding Stars by M. I. McAllister  -YA Fantasy. Urchin is a squirrel who fell from the sky on the night of the Riding Stars. Mistmantle is an island shrouded by mist and populated by hedgehogs, moles, squirrels and otters. Urchin is different from the other squirrels, as a page at court he is in the thick of things.
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson-Fantasy. I reread the last half of the book. Wonderful!
Farewell to Summer by Ray Bradbury-Fiction. Douglas Spaulding does not want the summer to end so he declares war. On the old men of the town, the town clock and against growing older. The writing is beautiful and lyrical. Sequel to Dandelion Wine.
Leven Thumps: The Return of Alder (Book 5, finale) by Obert Skye (Robert Smith)-YA Fantasy.
My niece's husband Ben Sowards did the illustrations for these books. I like them sometimes and hated them at other times. Recommended for ages 8-12.
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton-Fiction. A tiny girl is abandoned aboard a ship headed to Austrailia in 1913. The only clue to her identity is a small white suitcase with a book of illustrated fairy tales inside. It's a lovely read.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho-Fiction. A young shepherd boy takes a journey to find his personal legend. The journey shapes him as he learns to recognize the omens he is given and learns the language of all things. Delightful story reminded me a little of Og Mandino's Greatest Salesman.
The Room by Emma Donoghue-Fiction. Told in the voice of a five year old. This story is the final days of captivity for Jack and Ma. Jack was born in Room. Ma was kidnapped seven years earlier and has been living in this 11x11 foot cell. Old Nick makes visits at night. Very heart rending but soften by looking at it through Jack's eyes.
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton-Fiction. In the spirit of Downton Abby and Upstairs Downstairs. This is a mystery told by Grace the ladies maid to an aristocratic woman. This book flows by with an almost languid pace and the ending is the big pay off. I was proud of myself. Usually when a book is moving too slow for me I jump to the end to see if I like how it ends. I forced myself not to do that this time and it paid off.
How to Kill 11 Million People: Why the Truth Matters More Than You Know by Andy Andrews-Non Fiction.
How did the German people let 11 million people be systematically killed during WWII and not do anything about it. They were lied to over and over again and they believed it.
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand-Non Fiction Biography of Louis Zamperini. Louie was an Olympic runner, bombardier  survived 40+ days in a rubber life raft and was a POW in a Japanese POW camp. John and I read this out loud together. It was an absolutely wonderful book. Very highly recommended.
The Wednesday Letters by Jason F Wright (author of the Christmas Jar)-Fiction. A story of love, discovery and redemption. Jack has written a letter every Wednesday to his dear wife Laurel. After their deaths their three adult children discover secrets kept as they read the letters. It was a lovely read.
A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L Peck-Fiction. This is good old fashioned horror story. Soren Johansen, a Mormon geologist, finds himself across a desk from a demon who is telling him that he is going to hell now that he is dead. The obscure religion in India was the true religion. Soren's hell is trying to find his own story in an endless library of all the books that have been written, all the books that could have been written and every combination of the letters and symbols on the keyboard. I love a good horror story it made me think of some Alfred Hitchcock stories I've enjoyed.

So here's my list for 2012. I didn't post every book. I'm not proud to tell you I read a few (okay a lot) of fluffy Regency Romances (no sex just romance, okay maybe a kiss or two).

Finished Chapter 20..... finally.

It's rough but it's done!!! Until editing. This chapter was a kind of touch base with all the characters chapter. Started with Daman and Tribute and ended with Daman and Ryu. Here is the final scene of this chapter.

Ryu watched Daman’s health deteriorate as his addiction to the candle smoke increased. A covert perusal of the Chief of Security’s room revealed several boxes of the candles. Ryu replaced them with plain wax candles that he had colored to match the tainted ones expecting a total breakdown when the candles had no effect. A small thing to undermined Korat’s hierarchy.

Now Daman stood grasping the doorframe of Ryu’s room. His eyes looked huge in his pallid sweat soaked face. Daman’s weight loss had left him gaunt and lack of sleep left deep bruises under his eyes.

“Sir, can I help you?” Ryu asked the man.

“Come with me to the dungeons,” his voice rasped

“You are ill sir, you should be in bed.”  

“It is unsafe.” His eyes darted up and down the hall. “There are those who would take advantage of my weakened state.”

“I will come, sir,” Ryu could see the man was barely keeping himself standing as he swayed and leaned his head against the doorframe.

They walked as Daman kept one hand trailing the wall. They stopped infrequently as the sick man clutched both arms across his stomach.

“Sir, what can I do?” Ryu would asked as he watched the pain etch itself across the Chief’s face.

“It will pass. I will conquer this,” he grunted.

They made slow progress down to the guard room of the dungeons. Daman pulled a key off the wall and walked down the dim passageway lined with cells. He used the key to open a cell and then stepped inside.

            A shudder wracked his body and then he turned to face the young man.

            “You alone will know of my true whereabouts. I have left orders on my desk you will follow to the letter.”

            He swung the door closed.

            “Lock the door and hand me the key through the grill.”

            “But sir there is no way to unlock the door from inside the cell.”

            “Do it!” Daman rasped.

            “I don’t have a good feeling about this, sir.” Ryu turned the key, pulled it from the lock and handed it through the grill.

            “Come back in week, if I live I will give you the key to open the door if I die this will be my tomb. Now go away!”

            “Yes, sir.” Ryu heard a muffled thud and assumed that Daman’s legs had finally given out.

            So Daman thought to purge the demon. Ryu farely skipped up the stairs Damon’s fate securely in his hands and an open field to wreak havoc on the Empire. He had a week perhaps longer and the list was endless of the mischief the rebellion could accomplish.

            Ryu read the papers on Damon’s desk. He destroyed the page with the official story to explain Damon absence over the next week. He slightly altered orders for rations to recruits newly acquired at the last tribute. He wrote his own order for the care of the new prisoner in the dungeon. There was a chance Damon would get another guard to release him after a few days so everything had to be explainable, but so much could be done in the next week.