As part of our pre-launch countdown celebration we put together a slideshow of our favorite reads of the past twelve months (that is, books we read for the first time last year, not ones that were necessarily published then) titled Best Read in 2012. While you can still view that original presentation here, we’ve recreated the countdown to now include links to our full reviews of each title.
Enjoy, and be sure to comment below and let us know what you’re favorite books of 2012 were as well. We’re always looking to add more excellent and highly recommended titles to our already overflowing to-read piles!
#30: The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
This is a poignant portrayal of the ways we respond to crises. And whether we endure global or personal disaster, our greatest fear is not that we will perish, but that our experiences will not retain the importance that we ascribe to them. -KARLI
#29: Don’t let the title mislead you. For a novel called Faith, religion takes a surprising back seat. Don’t get me wrong, it’s obviously discussed. How could it not be? Just don’t expect this to be a novel that becomes overly preachy and unfairly balanced in its fervor to defend organized religion. -AARON
#28: A Surrey State of Affairs by Ceri Radford 
A Surrey State of Affairs is hilarious, charming, and quirky, and Ceri Radford’s writing is sharp-witted and fresh. This new novel is a sparkling testament to the state of debut literature. 2012 has been a good year for books, and I’ll be recommending this heartwarming and delightful story for years to come! -KARLI
#27: Lost Memory of Skin by Russell Banks
Banks has taken a hot button issue that many would like to ignore and has spun a fictional tale about those that have been branded as sexual offenders for the rest of their lives. The novel is an engrossing, thought-provoking read that doesn’t offer up any easy answers to the questions that it raises, because sadly there are none to found. -AARON
#26: If Walls Could Talk by Lucy Worsley
I really enjoyed reading this book as Worsley traces the history of domestic life from pre-medieval times to present day amenities. It’s almost like taking a tour of historical English homes and castles without ever having to leave the couch! -KARLI
#25: Man & Other Natural Disasters by Nerys Parry
Get yourself a copy, take a moment to clear your mind of any troubling thoughts and your schedule of needless commitments, find a comfortable place to settle in, and begin reading one of the most intriguing, magical pieces of fiction you’ve experienced in years. -AARON
#24: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Miller’s writing is graceful and natural, and the book is very well-organized and highly researched. Patroclus and Achilles may not be as famous as Odysseus and Penelope, but Miller’s version of their story is equally tragic and unforgettable – prompting discussions of love, sexuality, gender roles, and sacrifice. -KARLI
#23: Intense and immediate, all exploring in some way the idea of dreaming vs waking life, every single story in this collection demands the reader’s attention. -AARON
#22: Treasure Island!!! by Sara Levine
Treasure Island!!! is a strange, quirky book with a very unlikeable narrator, but it may inspire you to take a few steps back from your own life and make sure that you are absolutely nothing like this narrator – so preoccupied and selfish that she’s no longer the protagonist of her own story. -KARLI
#21: Heft by Liz Moore
Heft is a novel that takes a raw, honest look at loneliness through the eyes of two protagonists who couldn’t be more different from one another. In fact, one of the few things the two have in common other than the fact that they’re both male is that they’re both extremely lonely individuals. -AARON
#20: Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
As a lover of southern literature, I can’t help but appreciate the book’s southern charm and firecracker plot. Sheila Turnage’s debut YA novel is a delight for teens and adults alike. Mo LoBeau is a sassy, southern-bred heroine, and believe me, you do not want to miss her fast-paced and endearing story. -KARLI
#19: A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers
Reading like a series of amusing anecdotes that are strung together by the strangeness of a foreign setting a la Lost in Translation, A Hologram for the King manages to subtly sneak it’s points across while also keeping the reader highly entertained by the missteps and misadventures of its protagonist. -AARON
#18: Abbott must be one of the few people who didn’t force herself to forget what it was like to be a teenager. She can perfectly pen every hormone surge and exaggerated moment of pain or pleasure…With her gritty teenage Americana in Dare Me, she has overwhelmed me with the intensity of her skillful language and insight. -KARLI
#17: Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
Bring Up the Bodies is a near perfect historical novel. In fact it’s only flaw may be that the third and final book in the series, The Mirror & the Light, doesn’t exist yet, so when you finish Bodies and you’re clamoring for more there’s nowhere you can turn to get this good a Cromwell fix. -AARON
#16: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
With this book, Ann Patchett reminds us that our own personal world is microscopic, and that the enormity of our planet is unimaginable until our emotional limits and breaking points overlap with someone else’s idea of normalcy. -KARLI
#15: The Yips by Nicola Barker
The Yips is deliriously brilliant, but as much as I want you to read it, I also want to keep it for myself. It’s like having a favorite album months before anyone else has heard it and then hating it when it’s eventually all over the radio because you can’t escape it, as if it somehow gets less brilliant with each person that listens to it. -AARON
#14: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
I completely devoured this book. I didn’t leave the house for 2 days and I have a crick in my neck from staring at the book, feverishly turning pages! Not many stories elicit such a reaction from me, so I know Gone Girl is tremendous. Horrifying and jarring – but tremendous…You have no choice but to be consumed by the plot. -KARLI
#13: Children In Reindeer Woods by Kristin Omarsdottir
Told by way of a beautiful translation which utilizes clear and concise language to convey young Billie’s point of view, Children in Reindeer Woods is ultimately one of the strangest, most dazzling pieces of fiction one is likely to come across all year. -AARON
#12: Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Bernadette’s adventure is both cynical and heartwarming, silly and poignant. I am disappointed that the story is over because Bernadette is infectious and she’s definitely one of my new favorite characters. But it’s really not that surprising considering Semple’s resume. No one is more qualified to create such perfectly quirky characters. -KARLI
#11: The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman
On the surface it seamlessly blends multiple genres together as it attempts to tell the not so heroic tale of one young Egon Loeser, a German born theatrical set designer who desires nothing more out of life than to either snort coke up his nose or to f*ck, f*ck, f*ck any woman who’ll have him, or if possible both. -AARON
#10: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Mantel’s writing is unparalleled – I’ve not come across anything that compares to her unique style. Sometimes it’s formal, sometimes it’s conversational, and other times it’s full of dark, witty dialogue. It may be a little inconsistent, but it perfectly reflects the volatile nature of England under Henry VIII’s rule. -KARLI
#09: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
I cried as I finished this book. Let’s just get that tidbit out of the way now. Yes, there I was, sitting smack in the middle of a jam-packed train full of strangers, all of whom were sandwiched together during their morning rush hour commute, silently, uncontrollably weeping. -AARON
#08: Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
A man like Robert Grainier would have achieved few accomplishments by today’s standards and left behind little that would resemble a legacy, but here Johnson draws our attention to the unrecalled aspects of American heritage. The novella is powerful, offering a portrait of forgotten Americana and questioning what it means to leave a legacy. -KARLI
#07: Swimming Home by Deborah Levy
In the end almost everyone gets exactly what they wanted, which of course isn’t even remotely close to what they actually needed and for this group of dysfunctional characters, and perhaps for the reader as well, life will never be quite the same again. -AARON
#06: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
It is reminiscent of a Laura Ingalls Wilder book in the descriptions of the isolated landscape and quiet, domestic scenes, but the fairy tale characteristics add a whole new dimension to the story. -KARLI
#05: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain
Billy Lynn is a book that’s designed to push the reader out of their comfort zone by way of satire that attacks our love of the 24 hour news cycle, corporate greed, consumerism, and our need for the belief in a higher power that watches over and protects America’s every move. -AARON
#04: The Hollywood Sign by Leo Braudy
An entire book about the history of a sign might sound excruciatingly boring, but I assure you, The Hollywood Sign is entertaining and very readable, because it’s not just a book about a sign – it’s about the origins of America’s romance with fame, fortune, scandal, celebrity, and iconicism. -KARLI
#03: The Canvas by Benjamin Stein
Stein pushes the limits of how we as individuals each perceive the exact same events in uniquely different ways as he explores the boundaries of what memory is on a quest that ultimately seeks to unmask the truth with regards to his chosen subjects. -AARON
#02: We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Shriver has tapped into the most controversial questions about motherhood here, and I’ve never been more sympathetic to a character than I was with Eva. The nature vs. nurture question has been around for a while, but Shriver takes the implications further, especially regarding the instincts that are ascribed as umbrella terms to motherhood. -KARLI
#01: The Marriage Artist by Andrew Winer
Andrew Winer delivers by way of The Marriage Artist a hauntingly realistic tale of love and loss that crosses generations, continents, languages, and beliefs. It’s a tale that begins with death, but repurposes that ending as a tool that hints at rebirth and purpose. -AARON
There you have it, our top 30 favorite reads of 2012! What books did you really enjoy reading last year? Tell us what we should be adding to our to-read piles!
