things of 2012

January 11, 2013

Year of

Unceasing fruitfulness.

Jeremiah 17:5-8. There will be heat in the world (economy, business). The blessed person will go through heat but when they go through it, they hardly see it. I’m adding this too much later to remember much of 2012, it’s literally a decade behind me. It was the second year in a new home and I had a stable but boring job. If I walked through heat, I don’t remember it. Jeremiah says the cursed man cannot see when good comes his way. I think I saw the good in my home, in my job, in building stability and mostly in my family. Pastor Prince said it was going to be a year of famine in natural for people of the world but we will not see when heat comes our way because we’re too busy looking at Jesus. That was probably true. I had a good church and a very good small group.

Jeremiah goes on that leaves will be green, not wither, not dry up in the heat. We don’t have to be careful or anxious in the year of drought. He’s telling people how to live and prosper and thrive in the midst of famine, neither cease from yielding fruit. I don’t recall how much fruit I yielded but I read lots of books.

Books of 2012

Many people had great lists of books from 2012, much more creative ways of looking back like Tracy Neithercott’s YA Superlative Blogfest. I just have a boring old list of the best books I read in 2012 – but it’s got superb books on it!

For my book list I went to goodreads and browsed all the books I read in 2012. I selected the books I remember loving and ended up with a list of 7 books. Random number, I know. I could have stuffed in three more to make it an even ten but didn’t feel like it.

The Other Countess (The Lacey Chronicles #1)

7. The Other Countess by Eve Edwards
I discovered Eve Edwards and that she writes lovely historical fiction. This novel had fun, engaging characters and a plot that involved a lot of story and things changing and characters changing and that was really refreshing. Edwards reminds me a little of Eva Ibbotson and I like that.

Poison Study (Study, #1)

6. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Technically, this wasn’t the book that introduced me to Maria V. Snyder (that would be Touch of Power) but since I went on to read the entire Study series it feels like it did. And this was my favorite of the series. It’s dark without being disturbing and interesting with complicated characters and an intriguing premise.

I read so much of Snyder this year I started to see her tells and that was less fun. But Poison Study was an interesting book with a little more substance than your standard YA and unexpected characters.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon

5. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
I adore Sarah Addison Allen and the fact that I read one of her books in 2012 almost guarantees it a place on the list. Her writing is so rich, so uniquely evocative and still so fun. The Girl Who Chased the Moon, specifically, has really lovely, broken characters. The sense of magic wasn’t quite as tangible as some of her other books but it had a very calm and wonderful sort of sweet all its own.

The King of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, #3)

4. The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
This seemed to be the year of discovering amazing authors because I also started reading Megan Whalen Turner and read the entire Thief series. The King of Attolia is my favorite because of Gen’s character, especially in the second half, and the ideas he evokes about power and responsibility and manipulation and there’s so much really good stuff in this book right along with the interesting plot and kind of brilliant philosophical ideas.

Enchanted (Woodcutter Series, #1)

3. Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
This was an unexpected lovely fairy tale hodge podge. It’s got great romance in the beginning and is so subtle and brilliant in weaving elements from different fairy tales into a single story. It’s really just a lovely little book.

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)

2. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Magic and dastardly bad guys and power and romance. With Russian undertones. This book is splendidly written; full of just the right balance of angst and humor. And the language in it was just so appealing to me; the ideas about magic and power unique. This would have been the best book I read all year if it wasn’t for Melina Marchetta.

Froi of the Exiles (The Lumatere Chronicles #3)

1. Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
Melina Marchetta is unparalleled. Her stories have so much depth, such absolutely incredible characters and intricate, compelling plots.
I’ve said it before but she just rips your heart right out and you love her for it. I’ve never read anyone who can write like Melina Marchetta; anyone with such complicated and torn and alluring characters.

Froi was painful to read. And beautiful.

“In a kinder world,” he whispered, “one I promise you I’ve seen, men and women flirt and dance and love with only the fear of what it would mean without the other in their lives.”

Also there’s music.

These were my favorite country songs of 2012 because I now live in a place that actually has country radio stations (but reversed order from the books – the ones I like the best are on top).

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