1. The Book Thief By Markus Zusak
I guess I cheated a little with The Book Thief because I
actually started it before the New Year but I did read the bulk of it during
2012. This book is set in Germany during the Second World War and follows the
story of a young girl who steals books and teaches herself to read. I found
this story to be very interesting for a number of reasons, the first being that
you rarely get stories that are from the German side of the war. Sometimes it
seems that people forget that there were innocent people living in Germany
during the war, people who were just like those living in the ally countries,
being killed even though they didn’t agree with Hitler and what he was doing.
The other reason was because it is narrated by death. This gave the story such
an interesting perspective especially during a war.
2. The Fault In Our Stars By John Green
I have loved John Green for quite a while now and when I
discovered that he was going to release a new book I preordered it as soon as
possible. I read The Fault In Our Stars in two days, it is one of those books
that you just can’t put down. The story is about a girl named Hazel who has
cancer and meets a boy name Augustus at a cancer support group and the
relationship that the two develop. The Fault in Our Stars is a story that hits
you hard right in the heart. It evokes so many feeling, and emotions that you
start to really think about life while you read it. There is not enough praise
that I can give this book, you really just need to read it.
3. The Descendents By Kaui Hart Hemmings
I saw the movie of The Descendents before I read the book
and I can honestly say that it didn’t ruin the book for me. It is one of the
best adaptations that I have ever seen, and while reading the book I could
picture everything from the movie that is how closer the movie is to the book.
If you don’t know The Descendents is about a man whose wife is in a coma and
tells how he deals with it and his two daughters. The thing that jumps out
about this story to me is how realistic it is, I feel like this story could
happen for sure.
4. Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children
By Ransom Riggs
If you want a book that grips you then this is the one for
you! The story follows a boy who is trying to find out if the stories that his
Grandfather told him about a home for children are true. This was such a
surprising read; I didn’t know where it was going to end up. I enjoyed the
journey so much and the experience was enhanced by the use of old strange
pictures.
5. Divergent By Veronica Roth
In a world where there are now tons of dystopian young adult
novels you’d think that there aren’t really any new interesting stories within
this genre, but there is! Divergent is different! Yes, the world is still not
as it should be, and the government is still corrupt, but it is done is such a
captivating way that it makes the whole genre seem fresh and new. It was one
book that I could not put down and more than once read late into the night.
6. 13 Reasons Why
Teen suicide seems to be at a high right now, but you never
really know the reasons why. 13 Reasons Why is a haunting suicide note in the
form of tapes. These tapes are being passed around to all the people that are
mentioned and the reader finds themselves experiencing the story with one of
these people and getting his commentary on what is said on the tapes. I think
that this is an important book, it shows how your actions can affect someone,
even if you don’t realise it.
7. Before I Fall By Lauren Oliver
This was probably the book that surprised me the most, at
first I wasn’t really sure if I was going to like it but by the time I was half
way through I was hooked. The story follows a teenage girl, Samantha, who goes
to a party and then is in a car accident. Each chapter is Sam living the same
day over and over as she sees how her actions effect and change the events that
happen. At first I really didn’t like Sam, but by the end of the story I had a
strong emotional attachment to her and had to continue reading to find out what
was going to happen to her next.
8. White Oleander By Janet Fitch
This was a reread for me, I had read White Oleander about
two years previous, and I can say that I enjoyed it more the second time
around. The book follows Astrid after her mother is put in jail and she is put
into foster care. The writing is absolutely amazing, it really grabbed me and
kept me interested throughout the whole book. The story is sad, but ultimately
hopeful, and I know that I will reread this book again.
9. The Causal Vacancy By J.K Rowling
I am a fan of the Harry Potter series and yes, that is part
of the reason that I wanted to read J.K. Rowling’s newest book, but it was more
because of her writing and not because I was wanting another book just like
Harry Potter. The Causal Vacancy is nothing like Harry Potter and it is
definitely not for kids. I know that a lot people didn’t like this book, but I
really liked it! It is an interesting and different read. I can’t say that I’ve
read anything that is quite like it, and it is all about a community and how
people interact and influence each other lives. In the end it is Rowling’s
writing that really make this book great, she has such a distinctive style that
enhances the story.
10. Who I Am: Pete Townshend By Pete Townshend
This is the only non-fiction book I read in 2012 and I sure
did pick a good one! If you are unaware Pete Townshend is the guitarist and
principal songwriter for The Who. However, if you are looking for a book about
The Who then you have the wrong book. This autobiography is about Pete
Townshend’s life, sure it touches on The Who, it was a huge part of his life,
but it gives more insight into the feelings and thoughts that went into what
happened to Pete rather than the band as a whole. One of the coolest things
about this autobiography is that the words sound like Pete Townshend talking,
and the book reads like he is telling you a bunch of stories. To make this book
even more special I was lucky enough to meet Pete Townshend and get him to sign
my copy!
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