I have to say, I am really proud of this list. As the Teen Librarian, I get to spend most of my time reading all the fabulous YA books that come out. This year I really made an effort to branch out and I think my list reflects the wide variety of books that I enjoyed. In no particular order, I give you my Top 12 of 2012.

1. The Rook by Daniel O’Malley. I loved this wildly imaginative debut novel!

2. 11/22/63 by Stephen King. This is not the Stephen King I remember from high school! I listened to the audio version of this book and even after 31 hours I was sad to see it end.

3. Broken Harbor by Tana French. The latest installment of The Dublin Murder Squad does not disappoint!

4. Locke & Key by Joe Hill. I recently discovered this graphic novel series by Stephen King’s son, Joe Hill. It is creepy and amazing!

5. The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure. I loved this charming trip down memory lane.

6. The Daily Coyote by Shreve Stockton. This one made me want to pack up the car and head out west!

7. Defending Jacob by William Landay. This was an edge-of-your-seat courtroom thriller.

8. I’ve Got Your Number by Sophia Kinsella. This was a fun, quick romantic comedy.

9. Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz. If you aren’t familiar with the Spellmans, I highly recommend picking up this series! So much fun.

10. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin. I totally jumped on the bandwagon and got myself hooked on this series. The third book was definitely the most action-packed and shocking.

11. The Diviners by Libba Bray. This is the first in a dark new series. The glitz and glam of the Roaring Twenties meets super creepy demons. A chilling combination.

12. Hold Me Closer Necromancer by Lish McBride. Stacey called this one “odd and quirky” and a perfect choice for “adults who aren’t afraid to be caught in the teen section” and I wholeheartedly agree!

You know, I think I have to make this list a baker’s dozen. What is my lucky number 13 pick?

13. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. This first book in a new series has a little bit of everything-spooky suspense, a great London boarding school setting, a touch of history, and a hint of romance. I can’t wait for the second book, The Madness Underneath, due out in February.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Here’s my rather eclectic list of the best books that I read in 2012. Some are newer, some are older, but all are well worth reading!

Nonfiction

Moneyball, by Michael Lewis
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession, by Mark Obmascik
When I Stop Talking, You’ll Know I’m Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man, by Jerry Weintraub and Rich Cohen
Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, by Daniel Okrent
The Sociopath Next Door, by Martha Stout
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope, by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, by Joshua Foer

Fiction

Before I Go to Sleep: A Novel, by S.J. Watson
Tonight I Said Goodbye, by Michael Koryta
A Scanner Darkly, by Philip K. Dick

Graphic Novels

Fables: Legends in Exile, by Bill Willingham
American Vampire Vol. 1, by Scott Snyder  and Stephen King, and  Rafael Albuquereque (Illustrator)

~Steve

 1. A Place in the Country: A Novel

by Elizabeth A. Adler

2.  Ruth’s Redemption: A Novel

by Marlene Banks

 3. Twelve Clues of Christmas

by Rhys Bowen

  4. True Sisters

by Sandra Dallas

 5. Wife 22

by Melainie Gideon

6. Christmas in Harmony

by Philip Gulley

7. Faith Bass Barling’s Last Garage Sale

by Lynda Rutledge

 8. The Light Between Oceans: A Novel

by M.L. Stedman

 9. The Dog Who Danced

by Susan Wilson

10. Two Rings: A Story of Love and War

by Millie Werber & Eve Keller

+2

My Antonia by Willa Cather

(A moving story of a strong woman who faces tragedies and joys with grace)

What in God’s Name by Simon Rich

(A quick funny read with an irreverent take on heaven and God)

~Emma