The books I read in 2012

Happy New Year, dearest blog readers!

Here’s wishing each and every one of you the most wonderful things for the year ahead 😀

It’s time for another blog post sharing the books I managed to read over the course of the past year (you can also see my posts for 2009, 2010 and 2011).

In 2011, I set my initial goal as 100 books and eventually totalled 145. For 2012, I decided to ease into things by again setting my goal at 100 books, especially since I knew how crazy-busy the second half of the year would be with work deadlines (lack of sleep for days on end is no fun…)

And despite all the madness, I still managed to beat my initial goal and bump my reading for the year up to 160 books!

So, below follows the (looong) list of all the books I read. If you’re not in the mood to scroll through and peruse it now, you can always download the PDF version thereof: Books Read 2012

Oh, and if you want me to recommend any of the books on the list or highlight some of the ones I enjoyed the most, you only need to ask. I’d also love if you’d like to share some of the books you found worthwhile. Happy reading!!

BOOKS I’VE READ THIS YEAR:

* American Gods – Neil Gaiman

* Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen

* Angelology – Danielle Trussoni

* The Ultimate Book of Jewish Jokes – David Minkoff

* Incarceron – Katherine Fisher

* The Book with No Name – Anonymous

* The Private Life of the Cat Who…: Tales of Koko and Yum Yum – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Eye of the Moon – Anonymous

* The Cat Who Came to Breakfast (Cat Who… #16) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who Blew the Whistle (Cat Who… #17) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who Said Cheese (Cat Who… #18) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who Tailed a Thief (Cat Who… #19) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who Sang for the Birds (Cat Who… #20) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who Saw Stars (Cat Who… #21) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who Robbed a Bank (Cat Who… #22) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who Smelled a Rat (Cat Who… #23) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who Went up the Creek (Cat Who… #24) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who Brought Down the House (Cat Who… #25) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who Talked Turkey (Cat Who… #26) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* Cinnamon Roll Murder (Hannah Swensen series #15) – Joanne Fluke

* The Cat Who Went Bananas (Cat Who… #27) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* Through the Woods: The Final Catdown – Troy Blackford

* The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell (Cat Who… #28) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Cat Who had 60 Whiskers (Cat Who… #29) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* Plugged – Eoin Colfer

* Praying for Sleep – Jeffery Deaver

* Delirium (Delirium #1) – Lauren Oliver

* Hana (Delirium #1.5) – Lauren Oliver

* Pandemonium (Delirium #2) – Lauren Oliver

* Matched (Matched #1) – Ally Condie

* Grimms’ Fairy Tales – Brothers Grimm

* Crossed (Matched #2) – Ally Condie

* Wither (The Chemical Garden #1) – Lauren DeStefano

* Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) – Lauren DeStefano

* Birthmarked (Birthmarked #1) – Caragh M. O’Brien

* Extras (Uglies #4) – Scott Westerfeld

* The Last Dickens – Matthew Pearl

* Treasure Island – Robert Louise Stevenson

* Tortured (Birthmarked #1.5) – Caragh M. O’Brien

* Prized (Birthmarked #2) – Caragh M. O’Brien

* The Invisible Man – H.G. Wells

* The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex #1) – Caitlin Kittredge

* The Nightmare Garden (Iron Codex #2) – Caitlin Kittredge

* Possession (Possession #1) – Elana Johnson

* The Wind Through the Keyhole (Dark Tower #4.5) – Stephen King

* Insurgent (Divergent #2) – Veronica Roth

* Hollowland (The Hollows #1) – Amanda Hocking

* Hollowmen (The Hollows #2) – Amanda Hocking

* The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1) – Aimée Carter

* The Goddess Hunt (Goddess Test #1.5) – Aimée Carter

* Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2) – Aimée Carter

* Asphodel (The Underworld Trilogy #1) – Lauren Hammond

* Prophecy of the Sisters (Prophecy of the Sisters #1) – Michelle Zink

* Guardian of the Gate (Prophecy of the Sisters #2) – Michelle Zink

* Circle of Fire (Prophecy of the Sisters #3) – Michelle Zink

* Switched (Trylle Trilogy #1) – Amanda Hocking

* Torn (Trylle Trilogy #2) – Amanda Hocking

* Ascend (Trylle Trilogy #3) – Amanda Hocking

* Entwined – Heather Dixon

* Aftertime (Aftertime #1) – Sophie Littlefield

* Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) – Cassandra Clare

* Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) – Cassandra Clare

* Revived – Cat Patrick

* The Selection (The Selection #1) – Kiera Cass

* Unearthly (Unearthly #1) – Cynthia Hand

* Hallowed (Unearthly #2) – Cynthia Hand

* The Woman in Black – Susan Hill

* Virtue – Amanda Hocking

* The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

* Awaken (Awaken #1) – Katie Kacvinsky

* Mercury Swings (Mercury series #0.5) – Robert Kroese

* Mercury Falls (Mercury series #1) – Robert Kroese

* Mercury Rises (Mercury series #2) – Robert Kroese

* Surrender (Possession #2) – Elana Johnson

* City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) – Cassandra Clare

* City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) – Cassandra Clare

* City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) – Cassandra Clare

* The Giver (The Giver Quartet #1) – Lois Lowry

* The Forest of Hands and Teeth (Forest of Hands & Teeth #1) – Carrie Ryan

* Fallen (Fallen #1) – Lauren Kate

* Torment (Fallen #2) – Lauren Kate

* Passion (Fallen #3) – Lauren Kate

* Fallen in Love (Fallen #3.5) – Lauren Kate

* Simon’s Cat (book #1) – Simon Tofield

* Simon’s Cat: Beyond the Fence (book #2) – Simon Tofield

* Simon’s Cat in Kitten Chaos (book #3) – Simon Tofield

* Rapture (Fallen #4) – Lauren Kate

* City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) – Cassandra Clare

* The Dead-Tossed Waves (Forest of Hands & Teeth #2) – Carrie Ryan

* Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card

* Bonded (Law of the Lycans #0.5) – Nicky Charles

* The Dark and Hollow Places (Forest of Hands & Teeth #3) – Carrie Ryan

* Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian (Artemis Fowl #8) – Eoin Colfer

* Welcome to Moon Hill – Anthony J. Rapino

* The Siren – Kiera Cass

* Critical Incident – Troy Blackford

* Kill You Twice – Chelsea Cain

* Ascent (The Party series #1) – Amy Kinzer

* White Cat (The Curse Workers #1) – Holly Black

* Red Glove (The Curse Workers #2) – Holly Black

* Black Heart (The Curse Workers #3) – Holly Black

* The Heroes of Olympus: The Demigod Diaries – Rick Riordan

* UR – Stephen King

* The Kill Order (Maze Runner #0.5) – James Dashner

* Mercury Begins (Mercury series) – Robert Kroese

* Others – James Herbert

* Empty – Suzanne Weyn

* The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles #1) – Rick Riordan

* The Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles #2) – Rick Riordan

* Forbidden – Syrie James

* The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles #1) – Kady Cross

* The Serpent’s Shadow (Kane Chronicles #3) – Rick Riordan

* The Strange Case of Finley Jayne (Steampunk Chronicles #0.5) – Kady Cross

* The Girl in the Clockwork Collar (Steampunk Chronicles #2) – Kady Cross

* Breathless – Jessica Warman

* The Body Finder (Body Finder series #1) – Kimberly Derting

* Princess of the Midnight Ball (Princess series #1) – Jessica Day George

* Desires of the Dead (Body Finder series #2) – Kimberly Derting

* The Last Echo (Body Finder series #3) – Kimberly Derting

* Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) – Veronica Rossi

* Between – Jessica Warman

* Princess of Glass (Princess series #2) – Jessica Day George

* Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker – Syrie James

* First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson #1) – Darynda Jones

* Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson #2) – Darynda Jones

* Third Grave Dead Ahead (Charley Davidson #3) – Darynda Jones

* Song of Seduction (Seduction #1) – Carrie Lofty

* Nocturne – Syrie James

* The Frenzy – Francesca Lia Block

* The Casual Vacancy – J.K. Rowling

* The Musician’s Daughter – Susanne Dunlap

* The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3) – Rick Riordan

* Ruled (Birthmarked #2.5) – Caragh M. O’Brien

* Promised (Birthmarked #3) – Caragh M. O’Brien

* Poison Study (Study #1) – Maria V. Snyder

* Magic Study (Study #2) – Maria V. Snyder

* Fire Study (Study #3) – Maria V. Snyder

* Power Study (Study #3.5) – Maria V. Snyder

* Storm Glass (Glass #1) – Maria V. Snyder

* Sea Glass (Glass #2) – Maria V. Snyder

* Spy Glass (Glass #3) – Maria V. Snyder

* Dangerous Lover (Dangerous #1) – Lisa Marie Rice

* Dangerous Secrets (Dangerous #2) – Lisa Marie Rice

* Dangerous Passion (Dangerous #3) – Lisa Marie Rice

* Enclave (Razorland #1) – Ann Aguirre

* Endurance (Razorland #1.5) – Ann Aguirre

* Outpost (Razorland #2) – Ann Aguirre

* Portrait of Seduction (Seduction #2) – Carrie Lofty

* Reached (Matched #3) – Ally Condie

* Middle Ground (Awaken #2) – Katie Kacvinsky

* Betrayal (The Descendants #1) – Mayandree Michel

* Sacrifice (The Descendants #1) – Mayandree Michel

* The Bar Code Tattoo (Bar Code #1) – Suzanne Weyn

* The Bar Code Rebellion (Bar Code #2) – Suzanne Weyn

* The Bar Code Prophecy (Bar Code #3) – Suzanne Weyn

* The Night Dance: A Retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” – Suzanne Weyn

* Water Song: A Retelling of “The Frog Prince” – Suzanne Weyn

* Simon’s Cat vs The World (book #4) – Simon Tofield

* Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1) – Bethany Griffin

* Golden: A Retelling of “Rapunzel” – Cameron Dokey

The books I read in 2011

Happy New Year, my beloved blog readers!

I hope that you’ve all been having a superb day, and that 2012 will prove to be an amazing year for each and every one of you *hug*

Following the trend of the last two years, I shall again be sharing with you the books that I managed to read this year. Since I only read 57 books in 2009 and 57 books in 2010, I decided that I wanted to break out of this ‘pattern’ and set myself a goal on Goodreads: to read (*dramatic pause*) 100 books in 2011.

And did I make it? Well, ……

…I managed to bump it up to 145, so I think things didn’t turn out too badly 😉

I’m really quite pleased with myself, especially if you factor in that I got married in May (i.e. two-week honeymoon in Scotland with virtually no reading) and that I have spent most of the year working (as opposed to a chunk of 2010 when I was still job-hunting and, accordingly, sitting at home with a lot of free time on my hands).

If you’re not in the mood to scroll through the looong list below and peruse it now, you can always download the PDF version thereof: Books Read 2011

Oh, and if you want me to recommend any of the books on the list or highlight some of the ones I enjoyed the most, you only need to ask. Happy reading!!

BOOKS I’VE READ THIS YEAR:

* Kiss of Evil – Richard Montanari

* Twilight Hour – Carol Smith

* The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

* The Night Ferry – Michael Robotham

* The Uninhabited House – Mrs. J.H. Riddell

* The Haunted Bookshop – Christopher Morley

* The Mating – Nicky Charles

* The Colorado Kid – Stephen King

* 100 Quotes to make you think! – Wolfgang Riebe

* The Keeping – Nicky Charles

* The Princess and the Penis – R.J. Silver

* Soul Identity – Dennis Batchelder

* The Tenth Chamber – Glenn Cooper

* Soul Intent – Dennis Batchelder

* The Demon Girl (Rae Wilder #1) – Penelope Fletcher

* The Hunger Games (Hunger Games Series #1) – Suzanne Collins

* Catching Fire (Hunger Games Series #2) – Suzanne Collins

* Mockingjay (Hunger Games Series #3) – Suzanne Collins

* Freedom Incorporated – Peter Tylee

* Out the Door – Troy Blackford [got to read the manuscript J]

* Under the Wall – Troy Blackford

* Just After Sunset – Stephen King

* Gerald’s Game – Stephen King

* Cycle of the Werewolf – Stephen King

* The Plant – Stephen King

* The Gunslinger (Dark Tower #1) – Stephen King

* The Drawing of the Three (Dark Tower #2) – Stephen King

* Classical Mythology – Geddes & Grosset

* Bond with Me – Anne Marsh

* The Whole Truth – David Baldacci

* The Taking – Nicky Charles

* Our Tragic Universe – Scarlett Thomas

* Hide in Plain Sight (Three Sisters Inn #1) – Marta Perry

* The Variant Effect – G. Wells Taylor

* Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander – J.K. Rowling

* Black Silk – Jan Gordon

* The Defector – Mark Chisnell

* Haunted Heart: The Life and Times of Stephen King – Lisa Rogak

* Alinora – Kara Lockley

* Night Shift – Stephen King

* Kiss Me Deadly – Michele Hauf

* The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1) – Rick Riordan

* The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #2) – Rick Riordan

* The Titan’s Curse (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #3) – Rick Riordan

* The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #4) – Rick Riordan

* Skipping Christmas – John Grisham

* The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #5) – Rick Riordan

* The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus #1) – Rick Riordan

* The Healer’s Apprentice – Melanie Dickerson

* The Glades – Clifton Campbell

* To be Loved – Ian Woodhead

* Twisted Imaginings Vol. 1 – Garry Charles

* Twisted Imaginings Vol. 2 – Garry Charles

* Twisted Imaginings Vol. 3 – Garry Charles

* Twisted Imaginings Vol. 4 – Garry Charles

* Of Mice and Murderers – John Stockmyer

* Darkness Under the Sun– Dean Koontz

* A Christmas to Die For – Marta Perry

* Buried Sins – Marta Perry

* Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen series #1) – Joanne Fluke

* Strawberry Shortcake Murder (Hannah Swensen series #2) – Joanne Fluke

* Bleachers – John Grisham

* Blueberry Muffin Murder (Hannah Swensen series #3) – Joanne Fluke

* Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen series #4) – Joanne Fluke

* Fudge Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen series #5) – Joanne Fluke

* Formland – Troy Blackford [got to read the manuscript J]

* The Night Season – Chelsea Cain

* Sugar Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen series #6) – Joanne Fluke

* Peach Cobbler Murder (Hannah Swensen series #7) – Joanne Fluke

* City of Masks – Mike Reeves-McMillan

* Cherry Cheesecake Murder (Hannah Swensen series #8) – Joanne Fluke

* Key Lime Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen series #9) – Joanne Fluke

* Candy Cane Murder – Joanne Fluke

* Carrot Cake Murder (Hannah Swensen series #10) – Joanne Fluke

* Cream Puff Murder (Hannah Swensen series #11) – Joanne Fluke

* Plum Pudding Murder (Hannah Swensen series #12) – Joanne Fluke

* Apple Turnover Murder (Hannah Swensen series #13) – Joanne Fluke

* Gingerbread Cookie Murder – Joanne Fluke

* Devil’s Food Cake Murder (Hannah Swensen series #14) – Joanne Fluke

* The Night Before – Lisa Jackson

* The Morning After – Lisa Jackson

* The Rosary Girls – Richard Montanari

* Case Histories – Kate Atkinson

* The Wasp Factory – Iain M. Banks

* The Skin Gods – Richard Montanari

* Feline Philosophy: Life Lessons from your Cat – Mike Hatt

* Merciless (UK title Broken Angels) – Richard Montanari

* The Secret History – Donna Tartt

* Badlands (UK title Play Dead) – Richard Montanari

* The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath

* The Echo Man – Richard Montanari

* The Perfect Husband – Lisa Gardner

* The Third Victim – Lisa Gardner

* The Next Accident – Lisa Gardner

* A Match for Melissa – Kathryn Kirkwood

* A Season for Samantha – Kathryn Kirkwood

* The Baker Street Letters – Michael Robertson

* 7 Simple Steps to Unclutter Your Life – Donna Smallin

* Mile 81 – Stephen King

* The Brothers of Baker Street – Michael Robertson

* The Killing Hour – Lisa Gardner

* Say Goodbye – Lisa Gardner

* Gone – Lisa Gardner

* Northanger Abbey – Jane Austen

* Scotland: A very peculiar history, Volume 1 – Fiona Macdonald

* The cat who could read backwards (Cat Who… #1) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking trilogy, #1) – Patrick Ness

* The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking trilogy, #2) – Patrick Ness

* Monsters of Men (Chaos Walking trilogy, #3) – Patrick Ness

* The cat who ate Danish Modern (Cat Who… #2) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1) – James Dashner

* The cat who turned on and off (Cat Who… #3) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The cat who saw red (Cat Who… #4) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner #2) – James Dashner

* The cat who played Brahms (Cat Who… #5) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The cat who played post office (Cat Who… #6) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The cat who knew Shakespeare (Cat Who… #7) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2) – Rick Riordan

* Uglies (Uglies #1) – Scott Westerfeld

* The Death Cure (Maze Runner #3) – James Dashner

* Pretties (Uglies #2) – Scott Westerfeld

* Joanne Fluke’s Lake Eden Cookbook: Hannah Swensen’s recipes from The Cookie Jar – Joanne Fluke

* Specials (Uglies #3) – Scott Westerfeld

* Storm Front (The Dresden Files #1) – Jim Butcher

* The Demigod Files: A Percy Jackson & the Olympians Guide – Rick Riordan

* The cat who sniffed glue (Cat Who… #8) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* 20^th Century Ghosts – Joe Hill

* The cat who went underground (Cat Who… #9) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* A Monster Calls – Patrick Ness

* The cat who talked to ghosts (Cat Who… #10) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* An Awesome Book! – Dallas Clayton

* An Awesome Book of Thanks! – Dallas Clayton

* The cat who lived high (Cat Who… #11) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The cat who knew a cardinal (Cat Who… #12) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* 11.22.63 – Stephen King

* The cat who moved a mountain (Cat Who… #13) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The cat who wasn’t there (Cat Who… #14) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The cat who went into the closet (Cat Who… #15) – Lilian Jackson Braun

* The House of Silk – Anthony Horowitz

* Divergent (Divergent, #1) – Veronica Roth

* Demon Day (Rae Wilder #2) – Penelope Fletcher

* Legend (Legend #1) – Marie Lu

* The Merchant’s Daughter – Melanie Dickerson

* Little Critter’s the Night Before Christmas – Mercer Mayer

* Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2) – Jim Butcher

Another year to survive

[The title to this blog post sounds a bit dramatic, doesn’t it? *sigh* Oh well.]

The comic that follows is for all you sceptics and pessimists out there.

Actually, the sentiments stated in this Cyanide & Happiness cartoon are quite accurate, so perhaps my previous statement is made void by this fact.

Either way, however you feel when people wish you a happy New Year, at least you don’t have to be happy all the time. All you have to do is try and survive. That isn’t too difficult…

…is it??