the best books of 2012 that I didn’t get to read yet

Everybody else makes their “best of year” books list, but because my backlog of books to be read is always so long, I never get to make one of those. I’m envious of those of you who read books as soon as they come out… or even in the same year! But I’m usually reading for novel research or book clubs or willing myself to read a title before the movie version comes out (Anna Karenina). And people just keep writing AWESOME books that sit there clogging up the top of my Goodreads to-read list.

And I WILL read them. Some day. Very soon if I have any say in it.

So my list is going to have to look a little different. These are the best books released in 2012 that I am totally itching to read when I get the time, but haven’t gotten to yet. Blurb quotes are taken from Goodreads.

In order of excitedness:

#10: Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter
“A dazzling, yet deeply human, roller coaster of a novel, spanning fifty years and nearly as many lives. From the lavish set of “Cleopatra” to the shabby revelry of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Walter introduces us to the tangled lives of a dozen unforgettable characters.” — Isn’t that cover beautiful!? I swear I didn’t just pick it for the cover though. It sounds like an epic and colorful novel.

#9: This is How You Lose Her, by Junot Díaz
“The infinite longing and inevitable weakness of the human heart.” — I love Díaz! And I love “love stories”. This collection looks like it’ll revisit Yunior from his Oscar Wao novel. I’m looking forward to it!

#8: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
“After two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.” — It’s about a lighthouse keeper and his wife, enough said, lol! But really, the story sounds complicated and emotionally-wrought. Just my style!

#7: On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves
“At first, their only thought is survival. But as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.’s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.” — This looks like an intense and steamy guilty pleasure read. I’m hoping it’s better written than the last few guilty pleasure reads I’ve picked up, lol!

#6: A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson
“A powerful saga of three generations of women, plagued by hardships and torn by a devastating secret, yet inextricably joined by the bonds of family.” — I never noticed how big southern fiction was until recently. It seems to be all over the place – or maybe it was before too, but now they’re branding it as such? In any case, this looks intriguing!

#5: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
“Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.” — I am prepared for this book to shatter my heart. That’s what people have been saying, huh? I’ve got a stock of tissues ready. *sniff-sniff*

#4: When it Happens to You by Molly Ringwald
“Ringwald follows a Los Angeles family and their friends and neighbors while they negotiate the hazardous terrain of everyday life–revealing the deceptions, heartbreak, and vulnerability familiar to us all.” – A friend of mine enjoyed this one, and because I know her taste is exceptional, I’m excited for this one now too! And I love these slow, deep-probing, interconnected stories. I’m very interested to see how Molly Ringwald does as an author!

#3: One Pink Line by Dina Silver
“A spirited young couple who find themselves in a predicament that changes the course of their lives”. – This book has been on my list for a long, long time. It’s described as tender, warmhearted, absorbing, and wry. About love, family, and difficult choices. Yes, please! That’s about all of my favorite things wrapped up into one book! I can’t wait to read it!

#2: Can I Get an Amen? by Sarah Healy
“Growing up, Ellen Carlisle was a Christian: She went to Jesus camp, downed stale Nilla Wafers at Sunday school, and never, ever played with Ouija boards…” – I fell in love at the Jesus bobblehead on the cover. OMG! <3 <3 <3 I love stories that explore faith. Not a religious book, but a book about God and faith and religion in life. I’m very much looking forward to this! And it looks funny too!

#1: Girl Unmoored by Jennifer Gooch Hummer
“Apron starts to see things the adults around her fail to like what love really means, and who is paying too much for it.” – One of my favorite book bloggers gave this one a rave review. Oh my, a little girl named Apron, Jesus Christ Superstar, death and homophobia, set in the 1980’s. I can feel my heart breaking already.

What new releases of 2012 did you find that you didn’t get to read yet?

If you’ve read any of my picks, please feel free to tell me they’re AWESOME! 😀

* and if you read any of these and didn’t think they were AWESOME, please just don’t tell me, lol!
** upon further examination, it seems One Pink Line was a late 2011, and not 2012. I’d be sad to take it off the list, but I should offer up one more 2012 pick to round out the top 10, so I’ll give you Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn, which I had no intentions of reading simply because EVERYONE else was raving about it (you know how that goes?). But my friend Carla says it’s actually really good, and she has impeccable taste, so I suppose I’m sold! 😉