2012 Reading List

I've always been impressed that my friends Kathy (who's format I'm stealing) and Mona keep a record of the books they've read through the year. I've never done it but thought this year I'd try.

Growing up I was an avid reader, into my adulthood as well.  Even after I had my first child I could and often did stay up all night reading a book.  Then I started knitting and my reading suffered badly.  I'm trying to learn to balance the two.

Ariel's 2012 Reading List

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Fiction
I needed a change of reading pace so I looked at Amazon's top sellers and found my first book. I didn't realize until the last page that it was a trilogy.

2. Catching File (The Second Book of The Hunger Games)
Fiction
By this time I'm totally engrossed and am so happy I didn't have to wait for book #2.

3. Mockingjay (The final installment of The Hunger Games)
Fiction
I have to admit, I read these three books in less than a week. They were just that good!!

Note - The movie "The Hunger Games" came out in March and I saw it with my kids. I rarely see movies if I've read the book because so much is left out but all I can say is WOW and I can't wait for the next movie.  The movie followed the book as close as any movie can. 

4. Hidden Summit by Robin Carr
My friend's sister-in-law decided that I needed to read a bunch of "Virgin River" books in 2010 and she brought them to me. I read them all. This was her latest installment. It was a fun read and it's always nice going back to familiar characters.

5. The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice
Fiction
Kathy and I had an unintentional RAL (readalong). She sent me the link saying it was going to be her next read. I thought it sounded interesting so I downloaded it. Remember when you actually held a book in your hands? I rarely do that anymore with my e-reader.

Anne Rice writes beautifully and the book was totally engrossing. I knew I'd hate for it to end and I did. Kathy and I are fairly certain that this will have a sequel. I sure hope so.

6. Redwood Bend by Robin Carr
Fiction
Another Virgin River Series book loaned to me from Terry. She sends them home and I read them.

7. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Fiction
I'd never listened to a "book on tape" before and wanted to try it out.  Technically for me it was a book-on-iTouch.  At first it was odd listening to the book but after the first chapter it had me hooked.  The story was very touching and although it didn't end quite the way I'd hoped I did enjoy the book.

8. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
Fiction
My sister recommended this book to me.  I thought it sounded interesting and downloaded it.   A couple of weeks later I was telling Kathy about it and she started reading it.   She thought it was fairly unbelievable but was enjoying it.  I spent Memorial Day weekend reading that and then.......

9.  Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James
Fiction
.....  most of book #2.  Kathy's right, the story is pretty unbelievable but as stories go, it does what it sets out to do.  It held my interest until about mid-way through the book and then I starting skimming certain parts.  If you've read the book you'll know what I skimmed over.  There was a little bit of a plot thickening at the end of the second book and I wanted to know what happened next so I read............

10.  Fifty Shades Freed by E. L James
Fiction
......... the final book in the trilogy.  I wonder how much of it I read and how much I skimmed.  After all, there's only so much I can read about sex.  Did the author got sick of writing about it. I think this trilogy could have easily fit into one book.  I'm now part of the multitudes of people that have read it.

As I was finishing book #2 I found out they were making a movie based on the books.  I don't plan on seeing it.

11. Little Bitty Lies by Mary Kay Andrews
Fiction
Another audio book narrated by Debra Monk.  She was the narrator of The Snow Child and I liked her voice.  I searched for books narrated by her and thought I'd try another. In the beginning it was strange hearing her voice being different characters but I soon got used to it. I'm having so much fun with these audiobooks.  I don't care at all about traffic to and from work and another side benefit is that I don't feel the need to call anyone while driving.  One less person on their cell phone behind the wheel.

12.  The End of the Affair by Graham Greene and narrated by Colin Furth
For my next audio I found this one and was surprised that it was narrated by Colin Furth.  That helped me decide to listen to it.  Listening to him and his familiar voice it was like listening to a friend read me a story.

13.  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Audio.  This one grabbed me from the beginning and I hated getting out of the car while listening to this book.  I wanted to take a very long road trip just so I could listen to what happened next.  I loved the whole book up until the very end.  It's not the end I would have chosen but that's why I'm not a writer.

14.  Zone One by Colson Whitehead
I watch TV shows about werewolves, vampires, witches, and monsters of many shapes, sizes, and types.  I've read a lot of books about the former as well.  I've watched Zombie movies, my recent favorite is Zombieland.  I've never read a book about Zombie's but they seem to be all the rage and fit in line with my other interests so I read Zone One; A Novel.  I should say I half-way read this book.  It didn't hold my interest at all although I tried really hard to keep going.

15. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
Audio.  This book was HILARIOUS!!!  Things I learned from this book.
Thing #1 - Don't drive while listening because it's dangerous to be laughing that hard while in Southern California traffic.
Thing #2 - don't listen to this book in front of your son because you are wearing headphones and he is watching TV and all of a sudden you start laughing really hard and he looks at you like you have real issues.  It continues to happen but then he films you with his iPhone but you don't know it and he shows it to you later telling you that you were turning purple while laughing.  I'm sure I wasn't and was breathing the whole time I was reading it but apparently I worried him.

16.  Where We Belong by Emily Griffin
Audio.  This was a very touching story about a woman and the child she gave up for adoption 18 years prior.

17.  Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Audio.   I enjoyed this book a lot.  It could have ended where it did but also left an opening for a next book.  In searching for "what's next" I found book #2.  

18.  Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
EReader.   It's been a while since I've read a book but book #2 wasn't available in audio.  Reading a book is so much faster than listening but both have definite advantages.

19.  The Turning (Blood Ties, Book 1) by Jennifer Armintrout
Audio.  Vampires, they're everywhere!!  As usual, I end up finding trilogies without meaning to.  My next search after this series will be for a book that isn't about vampires and isn't a trilogy.  Until then, I keep reading.  

20.  Possession (Blood Ties, Book 2) by Jennifer Armintrout
Audio.  Book two was just as interesting as book 1. 

21.  Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
EReader.  Book #3 of the "Raised by Wolves" series.  I thoroughly enjoyed the trilogy.

22.  Ashes to Ashes (Blood Ties, Book 3) by Jennifer Armintrout
Audio. I'm still enjoying this series.

23.  All Souls Night (Blood Ties, Book 4) by Jennifer Armintrout
Audio.  The end of the series.  I think it ended just as it should.

22.   The Big Bang by Linda Joffe Hull
Audio - No vampires!  No zombies!  No werewolves!
This book was an incredibly unbelievable story about suburban neighborhood with a quirky cast of characters.  It was pretty entertaining.


After this year of reading and listening I'm totally sold on audio books now.  It's so nice to listen to a book while knitting.  I've always wished I could do both at the same time and now I can.   My commute to and from work goes by so fast.  I'll never give up the fun of traditional reading but listening is a wonderful alternative.