Just to clarify, I read these books in 2012, but they were not necessarily published this year. Quotes are from my reviews, which are linked to the titles.
The Last Storyteller by Frank Delaney: “I was engrossed from the very beginning, fighting an internal battle between the desire to savor the beautiful words and the even stronger desire to find out if Ben was ever reunited with his Venetia.”
The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani: “I could smell the air of the Italian Alps, taste the pasta, hear Caruso singing, feel the supple leather of the shoes Ciro made. There was not a single section that dragged, nor a single time I wasn’t eager to pick the book up and dive back in. When I finished the last page, it was with the kind of sadness I only experience when I know I am going to miss the world of a book terribly.”
The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons: “This book is just about as close to perfect as you can get – and it is one of the best works of historical fiction I’ve ever read. I know it will turn up on my “best-of” list for the year.”
Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry: “At the end of his life, he looks back over its years, his travels away from and back to the Port William area, and also his personal journey to become the man he should be. It is, to put it as simply as possible, a truly beautiful book.”
Bridege of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris: “McMorris takes her readers from the internment camps to the bloody island battlefields of the Pacific Theater, and every word was perfectly placed to completely immerse the reader in the experience. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, and lovely book, and one that reminds me why I love historical fiction so much.”
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: “Everything you’ve read in the rave reviews of this book? It’s not over-statement or hype. It’s true. As I read, there were times when I actually forgot that this wasn’t a true story. I held my breath, I winced, I smiled, I sighed, I cried. Oh, I cried.”
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys: “Ruta Sepetys uses beautiful language to describe the stark landscapes of Siberia. The writing in this book is simply magnificent, and yet it is a brutal book. There were times when I had to set it aside, simply to take a breath, look around me, and tear myself away from the conditions and treatment suffered by Lina and her family.”
You might also want to check out my favorite crime fiction of 2012, if you missed it. 
Between Shades of Gray made my “best of 2011″ list, so I’m glad to see it made your list this year. I haven’t made my 2012 list yet, but I think Code Name Verity will be on it for sure! The House at Tyneford and Bridge of Scarlet Leaves are on my to-read list.
Anna (Diary of an Eccentric)´s last post ..Review: Ripper by Stefan Petrucha
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Anna – I think you will especially love The House at Tyneford!
Twitter: bermudaonion
says:
I’ve only read 2 of those books and I loved both of them!
bermudaonion(Kathy)´s last post ..Author event and giveaway: Sharman Ramsey
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Kathy –
Well, I read only one of those on your list but own the rest, so at least I have good taste, right? You are making me anxious for my Read My Own Books Year that will be 2013.
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Michelle – great idea for the New Year!
Twitter: avidreader12
says:
I read another book by Delaney and loved it. I’ll have to check this one out. I also read my very first Berry book this year (Hannah Coulter) and just adored it!
Melissa´s last post ..Reading the States: Wisconsin
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Melissa – I’m so glad you loved Hannah Coulter!
If I have read them I really liked them, too. If I haven’t read them I really want to! (I should get you to suggest a Wendell Berry to start with at some point… My library has nothing by him, so I would have to buy something…)
Kailana´s last post ..Saturday Snapshot – December 22, 2012
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Kelly – It’s hard to say where you should start with Wendell Berry! If you prefer short fiction, start with the collection That Distant Land. For poetry, start with Collected Poems. For essays, The Art of the Commonplace is amazing. And for novels, either Hannah Coulter or Jayber Crow would be good to start with.
Code Name Verity ?
Amy @ My Friend Amy´s last post ..Can Anything Good Come from Bad “Art”?
ooops. Code Name Verity <3333
Amy @ My Friend Amy´s last post ..Can Anything Good Come from Bad “Art”?
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Amy – It was easily one of my top five of the year!
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