2012 Reading Wrap-Up

I'm finally getting around to assessing last year's reading.  Once again, I'm using pretty much the same format as I did in 2011 and 2010.  In 2012 I read 43 books (the same as 2011) and 14,626 pages.  I read the same number of books as last year, but just shy of 300 pages less.  I can absolutely identify the drop in my reading.  I moved out of my office and into a cubicle earlier this year and now I cannot read on my lunch break.  Coworkers talk to me, student workers talk to me... if I go to the break room and put headphones on they still talk.  I've left the building and found that outside or at the dining hall people talk.  I've avoided going to Inman Perk because I know so many people there that I still cannot have quiet time to read.  I end up driving across town to Starbucks and it is loud and crowded.  At home there is a two-year old to contend with and out of everyone I'm least annoyed by him (he's two... he can interrupt me). I swear to god if I don't get some uninterrupted reading time I will go insane. 

Okay.. rant over.... for now.....

On to the books:


Best Books (in random order)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin 
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Memento Mori by Muriel Spark
Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
Uncle Silas by Sheridan LeFanu
Ghost Hunters:  William James and the Scientific Search for Life After Death by Deborah Blum
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

Worst Book
The Dead Alive and A House to Let by Wilkie Collins (godawful)

Most Disappointing
A World of Love by Elizabeth Bowen (it lacked the Bowen-esque depth I adore)
The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman

Most Surprising (in a good way)
Memento Mori by Muriel Spark (this is the first Spark novel I have loved)


Book I Recommended the Most 
Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Favorite New Authors
Thomas Hardy
Claire Tomalin
Deborah Blum
Sheridan LeFanu
Jo Walton

Most Thrilling, Unputdownable Read
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

Book I most anticipated reading in 2012
Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

Favorite Cover

Most Memorable Character
Cromwell from Bring up the Bodies

Most Beautifully Written
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Greatest Impact 
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Book I can't believe I waited so long to read
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

Best Comfort
All the Harry Potter books!

Bleakest 
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

Book that took me forever to read (in a good way)
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

Book Where I had no clue what was going on
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (it is a tricky little book!)


Most Obnoxious Character
Bella Wilfour in Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens (seriously... enough with the cutesy pouts)


2012 Stats
Pages Read:  14, 626
Number of Books: 43
New to me reads: 35
Re-reads: 8
Novels: 26
NonFiction: 9
Graphic Novels: 5
Short Story Collections:3
Books by men: 13
Books by women: 30
Plays: 0
Poetry collections: 0
Virago: 1
Persephone: 0
NYRB: 0
Library Books: 22
Books from my stacks: 21
Multiple Books by the same author:   6 -- Charles Dickens, Deborah Blum, Suzanne Collins, Anne Bronte, Elizabeth Bowen, and JK Rowling

I did much better in 2012 with reading a balance of books from my stacks and from the library.  This is something I hope to keep up with this year.  Now that this is done I feel like I can finally submerge myself in 2013 reading!