Books Read in 2012

In 2011, my goal had been to read 75 books and I made it to 82. This year, I didn't want to pressure myself so I set my goal at 50 books... which ended up being met by July. Well, I wasn't about to just stop reading because my goal was met so I kept increasing the goal by 5. 

My end of the year count was 90. Which, I'm really excited about but at the same time highly disappointed that I didn't make it to 100. If I hadn't slacked off for most of October/November, it would have easily happened. 

So here it is, my list of books read in 2012:

1. Grave Sight (Charlaine Harris)
2. Girl, Interrupted (Susanna Kaysen)
3. Grave Surprise (Charlaine Harris)
4. Dragon's Oath (P.C. Cast)
5. An Ice Cold Grave (Charlaine Harris)
6. A Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin)
7. Grave Secret (Charlaine Harris)
8. The Sisters Grimm: A Very Grimm Guide (Michael Buckley)
9. Erec Rex: The Three Furies (Kaza Kingley)*
10. Crossed (Ally Condie)
11. Lenobia's Vow (P.C. Cast)
12. The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)*
13. The Warm & Witty Side of Attila the Hun
14. Vampire Crush (A. M. Robinson)
15. Just Listen (Sarah Dessen)
16. Keeping the Moon (Sarah Dessen)
17. Along for the Ride (Sarah Dessen)
18. The Truth About Forever  (Sarah Dessen)
19. Lock & Key (Sarah Dessen)
20. Dreamland (Sarah Dessen)
21. What Happened to Goodbye (Sarah Dessen)
22. Erec Rex: The Secret of Ashona (Kaza Kingsley)
23. Hex Hall (Rachel Hawkins)
24. Demon Glass (Rachel Hawkins)
25. That Summer (Sarah Dessen)
26. Divergent (Veronica Roth)*
27. Insurgent (Veronica Roth)
28. The Ash-Born Boy (Victoria Schwab)
29. Deadlocked (Charlaine Harris)
30. Across the Universe (Beth Revis)
31. The Fault in Our Stars (John Green)
32. Will Grayson, will grayson (Green & Levithan)
33. Spellbound (Rachel Hawkins)
34. Purity (Jackson Pearce)
35. The Sisters Grimm: The Council of Mirrors (Michael Buckley)
36. Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song
37. The Enchantress (Michael Scott)
38. Fifty Shades of Grey (E.L. James)
39. Fifty Shades Darker (E.L. James)
40. Nikolas & Company: The Merman and the Moon Forgotten 
41. Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver)
42. Nikolas & Co: When Boats Breathe and Cities Speak
43. The Hunger Games: Official Illustrated Companion
44. Second Variety (Philip K. Dick)
45. Delirium (Lauren Oliver)
46. Billy the Kid & The Vampyres of Vegas (Michael Scott)
47. What Type Am I? (Renee Baron)
48. Pandemonium (Lauren Oliver)
49. Hana (Lauren Oliver)
50. F For Effort (Richard Benson)
51. Post Secret: Life, Death & God
52. Legend (Marie Lu)
53. F in Exams (Richard Benson)
54. Fifty Shades Freed (E.L. James)
55. Fathomless (Jackson Pearce)
56. The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell (Chris Colfer)
57. Deathless (Catherynne M. Valente)
58. Honor Bound: My Journey to Hell and Back with Amanda Knox (Raffaele Sollecito)
59. Girl of Nightmares (Kendare Blake)
60. Cinder (Marissa Meyer)
61. The Red Fairy Book (Andrew Lang)
62. An Apple for the Creature, anthology
63. Saving Halloween (Lisa Ard)
64. Turn Here (Jackson Pearce)
65. Glitches (Marissa Meyer)
66. Real  Murders (Charlaine Harris)
67. Lamia (John Keats)
68. A Bone to Pick (Charlaine Harris)
69. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse (Charlaine Harris)
70. The Julius House (Charlaine Harris)
71. Lips Touch, Three Times (Laini Taylor)
72. The Sookie Stackhouse Companion (Charlaine Harris)
73. Dead Over Heels (Charlaine Harris)
74. If I Had A Hammer (Charlaine Harris)
75. A Fool and His Honey (Charlaine Harris)
76. Last Scene Alive (Charlaine Harris)
77. Poppy Done to Death (Charlaine Harris)
78. A Tale Dark and Grimm (Adam Gidwitz)
79. The Saga of Larten Crepsley: Palace of the Damned (Darren Shan)
80. Doctor Who: Aliens and Enemies
81. The Saga of Larten  Crepsley: Brothers to the Death (Darren Shan)
82. Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses (Ron Koertge)
83. In A Glass Grimmly (Adam Gidwitz)
84. Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Laini Taylor)*
85. Hidden  (P.C. Cast)
86. Days of Blood and Starlight (Laini Taylor)
87. The Archived - ARC (Victoria Schwab)
88. The Queen's Army (Marissa Meyer)
89. Annabel (Lauren Oliver)
90. School Spirits - NetGalley (Rachel Hawkins)

*denotes re-read

2012 Movies & TV in Review

Since I already did my post on my favorite books read this year, all I have left are movies and television. 

Television

This year, I made it a point not to get addicted to any "new" shows. Meaning all the shows that premiered this year... I haven't seem any. I did, however, discover two shows that have been around for a while but are new to me!

1. Doctor Who: Either you love it or you just don't get it.  Not that there's really anything to "get" but I've had a few people watch it and all I get from them are head shakes. No matter, I love it dearly and look forward to continuing on the journey (since I'm only on series five).

Favorite Episodes:

-The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances (s. 1)

-The Girl in the Fireplace (s. 2)

-Army of Ghosts/Doomsday (s. 2)

-The Shakespeare Code (s. 3)

-Blink (s. 3)

-Human Nature/The Family of Blood (s. 3)

-Utopia/The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords (s. 3)

-Partners in Crime (s. 4)

-Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead (s. 4)

-Stolen Earth/Journey's End (s. 4)

-The End of Time (special)

2. The Big Bang Theory: I think this is the most brilliant and hysterically funny show I've ever seen. Every episode brings laughter into my life and I think Sheldon Cooper is one of the best characters. I love his quirks.

Favorite Episodes:

-The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis (s. 2)

-The Adhesive Duck Deficiency (s. 3)

-The Zazzy Substitution (s. 4)

-The Shiny Trinket Maneuver (s. 5)

-The 43 Peculiarity (s. 6)

Movies

As usual, there was an abundance of movies released this year. Some great, some ok, some bad.

Favorites:

1) The Hobbit: Like the Lord of the Rings trilogy before this first installment, An Unexpected Journey is beautifully done. Peter Jackson continued to create a world in which I would love to get lost, Orcs and all. The only problem is that I can't decide if I like Bilbo, Thorin or Gandalf the most...

2) The Hunger Games: While the book was vastly more enjoyable, the film was still very well made. I left the theater fully satisfied that they hadn't mucked it up, as had happened with Twilight.

3) The Dark Knight Rises: I love Bane. Very, very much. He's just awesome. And, the end of this movie, at the cafe... Alfred... Bruce and Selina... I was very content.

4) The Avengers: For the most part, I'm a big fan of movies based on Comic Books. Well, at least these comic books (I'm not into Spider Man). All of my favorites in one movie... it was fun!

5) Prometheus: I actually just watched this on DVD today and I loved it more than I thought I would. I was gripped with suspense throughout the entire movie and even shrieked once or twice.

Honorable Mention: The Cabin in the Woods. Such twists, such enjoyment!

Worst of the Year:

1)Rock of Ages: I really, really wanted to like it. However, from the first five minutes I was very much doubting that I would... and I didn't. A musical at it's worst.

2)Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter: It had some decent moments but for the most part, I lost interest and had to fight to pay attention.

3) Magic Mike: There were some very enjoyable parts (the dance numbers) but then there was the unfortunate aspect of the actual story line. Too much movie, not enough taking off their clothes.

2012 in Review

2012 is nearly over, which means that the next few weeks will be spent trying to cram in as many books and movies as possible. Even so, I thought I would post a list of my 2012 favorites. While other lists focus on books/etc. that came out during the year, I'm going to focus on the books/movies/TV that I personally read/experienced during the 2012. This post will deal with, drum roll please...

Books

Favorite:

5. Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver) Well, to be honest, the reason this book made my list is because it stuck with me. The scenario is interesting: living the day you died over and over, making changes along the way, all the while learning more about yourself and the people in your life. I enjoyed the book and went on to read more of Lauren Oliver's work.

4. Cinder (Marissa Meyer) & Days of Blood and Starlight (Laini Taylor) Obviously, it's a tie. Cinder made my list for a number of reasons: It's based on a fairy tale, it features cyborgs, and the end isn't what you'd really expect. The next book in the series, Scarlet, comes out in a few months and I look forward to continuing the adventure. Days of Blood and Starlight, well... I haven't actually finished it as of this moment. I'm about half way through and am loving it. Laini Taylor is a brilliant writer and I love her world and characters. 

3. Hex Hall (Rachel Hawkins) Basically, the number three spot goes to all three books: Hex Hall, Spellbound, and Demon Glass. Especially the second half of Spellbound and Demon Glass in it's entirety. The series was fun and had some great characters. And now there's going to be a spin-off featuring Izzy Brannick. Fall 2013 cannot come fast enough.

2. The Enchantress (Michael Scott) This was the final book in the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series and it was spectacular. It was a wonderful end to one of my favorite series.

1. The Fault in Our Stars (John Green) This book moved me. Simple as that. I hoped with the characters, I loved with the characters, and I cried. A lot. I believe that this book should be required reading for everyone. John Green does an amazing job at making cancer realistic. Of course cancer is real, but it's the Big Scary. Typically, forms of fictional media tend to focus on the people in the story who do not have cancer. We view it from outside looking in. We see the physical toll it can take, but hardly ever get a glimpse of what that person is internally experiencing. With Hazel and Augustus, we see all of the damage caused. We see the glimmers of hope, as well as the moments when nothing seems worth it...

Honorable mention to every book by Sarah Dessen. I read/reread them all this year and adore every single one of them. They manage to make me wish I could go back to high school because, hey, maybe my life could be like anyone from her books.

Most Disappointing:

1. Crossed (Ally Condie) I had enjoyed the first book in the series, but found this one to be incredibly lacking. Ugh. The only reason I'm going to read Reached in the next couple weeks is because I need to know how it ends, even if I officially no longer care.

2. The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell (Chris Colfer) Good concept, average execution. Nothing new or exciting. It had some good moments but was mostly just, eh.

Crushes:

1. Cal from the Hex Hall series. Forget Archer, I was Team Cal. He seemed genuinely Good, and handsome, and useful.

2. Akiva from Days of Blood and Starlight/Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Any man/seraphim that falls in love with you twice/in two different forms, is a keeper. Well, then again... he did do a horrendous act. Oh, screw it. Put him on probation and just make some Seraphim/Chimaera peace/babies.

3. Eli/Dave/Nate/Owen/Wes from the works of Sarah Dessen. Swoon.

Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop

I decided to participate in this Blog Hop because I love the Holiday season. The weeks leading up to Christmas are something I look forward to every year.

For this giveaway, it will be winner's choice of prize. The only requirements are that:

1)It has to be $11 or under

2)It has to be from Amazon and eligible for Amazon Prime Shipping.

That's it. Anything you want, because it's the holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here's the link back to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

December

I can't believe it's December already. It doesn't feel like it. We haven't had any snow (well, it's snowed but it was just a slight dusting) and today feels like Spring. It's fantastic.  Perhaps Mother Nature listened when I suggested that it only snow between December 22 and January 2.  I only want snow for the holidays.

Anyway, not much has been happening. I did finally decide to begin watching Doctor Who, so I got series one from the library. Well... the first episode was rather... corny. Mannequins come to life because they're being controlled by an alien thing hiding beneath the Millennium Wheel? Like I said, corny. But I kept watching and then "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" happened and I was hooked. I must say, I enjoyed Christopher as the Ninth Doctor very much, though I was looking forward to David Tennant (as I had heard SO much about how amazing he is). And, everyone was right. David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor is phenomenal. I finished series four 2 weeks ago and have been putting off series five. I'm sure Matt Smith is great, but David Tennant is my Doctor. Just as Rose is my companion (I felt that Martha was just eh, though Donna is a close second to Rose). Doomsday broke my heart.

Other than becoming a Whovian, I've been reading. Not as much as I'd like to, but oh well! I'm up to 85 books read for the year and 2 weeks ago I received an ARC of The Archived by Victoria Schwab that I'd dying to read. The only problem is that I just haven't felt much like reading. Plus, the library finally got in "Days of Blood and Starlight" for me and I keeping telling myself that I must. read. it. soon.

Also, I've been working on my autograph collection. I received a couple signed book plates (Marissa Meyer, George W. Bush) and signed photos (Joan Fontaine & Mary Costa, aka the voice of Sleeping Beauty). I have a few more letters out, waiting for a response. I just love doing this :)

I'll be participating in a Blog Hop in a couple days, so check back!