Books read in 2012

Here's my annual roundup of books read in 2012. I aim for a minimum of 50 books a year (not only read, but book-logged) and this year managed 53. I deliberately set out to read some books outside my usual comfort zone. As a result not all my reading experiences were positive, but I did manage to finish everything I started, even though I had to grit my teeth to finish some. (Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, I'm looking at you!) I also did a bit of re-reading of books I'd read before I started my book-logs in 2009.

All these are reviewed in my blog, just click on the 'booklog' tag.

1. Rosemary Sutcliff: Eagle of the Ninth (re-read)
2. Lois McMaster Bujold: Proto Zoa
3. Rosemary Sutcliff: The Silver Branch (re-read)
4. Rosemary Sutcliff: The Lantern Bearers (re-read)
5. Cory Doctorow: Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town
6. N. M. Browne: Wolf Blood
7. Sherwood Smith: King's Shield
8. Sherwood Smith: Treason's Shore
9. Ilona Andrews: Silent Blade – Kinsmen #1
10. Genevieve Valentine: Mechanique – A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti
11. Alan E Nourse: Circus
12. Tanya Lloyd Kyl: 50 Underwear Questions
13. Sherwood Smith: The Trouble With Kings
14. Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl
15. Jon Courtenay Grimwood: The Fallen Blade - The Assassini Trilogy #1
16. George RR Martin: Game of Thrones
17. Barbara Hambly: Bride of the Rat God
18. James A. Burton: Powers
19. Christopher Vogler: The Writer's Journey (Third edition.)
20. Lisa Shearin: All Spell Breaks Loose – Raine Benares #6
21. Sherwood Smith: Once a Princess
22. Sherwood Smith: Twice a Prince
23. Una McCormac: The Way Through the Woods – A Doctor Who novel
24. Aliette de Bodard: Servant of the Underworld – Obsidian and Blood #1
25. Aliette de Bodard: Harbinger of the Storm – Obsidian and Blood #2
26. Aliette de Bodard: Master of the House of Knives – Obsidian and Blood #3
27. Cory Doctorow: A Place so Foreign
28. Chaz Brenchley: Dead of Light
29. Dave Evardson: The Fenwold Riddle
30. Rae Carson: Girl of Fire and Thorns
31. China Miéville: The City and the City
32. Elizabeth E Wein: The Winter Prince
33. Patricia Wrede: Caught in Crystal – A Lyra Novel
34. Vonda McIntyre: Pitfalls of Writing Science Fiction
35. Lois McMaster Bujold: Captain Vorpatril's Alliance – A Vorkosigan novel
36. Georgette Heyer: The Grand Sophy
37. Andre Norton: Trey of Swords – Witch World #8
38. Cathy McDavid: Aidan: Loyal Cowboy
39. Patricia Briggs: Fair Game – Alpha and Omega #3
40. Sherwood Smith: Danse de la Folie
41. Lois McMaster Bujold: Curse of Chalion – Five Gods #1 (re-read)
42. Cassandra Clare: City of Bones – Mortal Instruments #1
43. Cassandra Rose Clarke: The Assassin's Curse
44. Kate Thompson: The New Policeman
45. Leda Swann: Stand and Deliver
46. Liz Williams: Precious Dragon
47. Jaine Fenn: Consorts of Heaven
48. Diana Wynne Jones: Enchanted Glass
49. Josephine Tey: Daughter of Time
50. Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
51. Terry Pratchett: Night Watch (re-read)
52. Jasper Fforde: Lost in a Good Book
53. Diane Duane: So You want to be a Wizard

I particularly enjoyed Lois McMaster Bujold (as usual), Patricia Briggs, Sherwood Smith, Diana Wynne Jones and Terry Pratchett. I was surprised to find a China Mieville I actually liked a lot (The City and the City) when I bounced off Perdido Street Station and Un Lun Dun. I heartily recommend books written by friuends of mine, Jaine Fenn, Liz Williams and James A Burton (Jim Hetley). My huge strategic book reserve beckons in 2013.

Books read in 2012

I aim to read 50 books a year and in 2012 I managed 53, most new, some re-reads from before I started book-blogging in 2009. I set myself the task of reading outside my comfort zone in 2012, so not all my reading experiences were positive, however I did manage to finish everything I started, even though some books were hard going.  As usual I thoroughly enjoyed Bujold,  Smith, Briggs, Pratchett, Shearin and Sutcliff. Several authors were new to me in 2012 including George RR Martin, Aliette de Bodard and Jon Courtenay Grimwood whose books I enjoyed immensely.  Please can I also give a shout-out to friends of mine whose books I read in 2012, Jaine Fenn, James A Burton (aka Jim Hetley), N. M. Browne, Una McCormac and Liz Williams - all excellent.

1. Rosemary Sutcliff: Eagle of the Ninth (re-read)
2. Lois McMaster Bujold: Proto Zoa
3. Rosemary Sutcliff: The Silver Branch (re-read)
4. Rosemary Sutcliff: The Lantern Bearers (re-read)
5. Cory Doctorow: Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town
6. N. M. Browne: Wolf Blood
7. Sherwood Smith: King's Shield
8. Sherwood Smith: Treason's Shore
9. Ilona Andrews: Silent Blade – Kinsmen #1
10. Genevieve Valentine: Mechanique – A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti
11. Alan E Nourse: Circus
12. Tanya Lloyd Kyl: 50 Underwear Questions
13. Sherwood Smith: The Trouble With Kings
14. Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl
15. Jon Courtenay Grimwood: The Fallen Blade - The Assassini Trilogy #1
16. George RR Martin: Game of Thrones
17. Barbara Hambly: Bride of the Rat God
18. James A. Burton: Powers
19. Christopher Vogler: The Writer's Journey (Third edition.)
20. Lisa Shearin: All Spell Breaks Loose – Raine Benares #6
21. Sherwood Smith: Once a Princess
22. Sherwood Smith: Twice a Prince
23. Una McCormac: The Way Through the Woods – A Doctor Who novel
24. Aliette de Bodard: Servant of the Underworld – Obsidian and Blood #1
25. Aliette de Bodard: Harbinger of the Storm – Obsidian and Blood #2
26. Aliette de Bodard: Master of the House of Knives – Obsidian and Blood #3
27. Cory Doctorow: A Place so Foreign
28. Chaz Brenchley: Dead of Light
29. Dave Evardson: The Fenwold Riddle
30. Rae Carson: Girl of Fire and Thorns
31. China Miéville: The City and the City
32. Elizabeth E Wein: The Winter Prince
33. Patricia Wrede: Caught in Crystal – A Lyra Novel
34. Vonda McIntyre: Pitfalls of Writing Science Fiction
35. Lois McMaster Bujold: Captain Vorpatril's Alliance – A Vorkosigan novel
36. Georgette Heyer: The Grand Sophy
37. Andre Norton: Trey of Swords – Witch World #8
38. Cathy McDavid: Aidan: Loyal Cowboy
39. Patricia Briggs: Fair Game – Alpha and Omega #3
40. Sherwood Smith: Danse de la Folie
41. Lois McMaster Bujold: Curse of Chalion – Five Gods #1 (re-read)
42. Cassandra Clare: City of Bones – Mortal Instruments #1
43. Cassandra Rose Clarke: The Assassin's Curse
44. Kate Thompson: The New Policeman
45. Leda Swann: Stand and Deliver
46. Liz Williams: Precious Dragon
47. Jaine Fenn: Consorts of Heaven
48. Diana Wynne Jones: Enchanted Glass
49. Josephine Tey: Daughter of Time
50. Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
51. Terry Pratchett: Night Watch (re-read)
52. Jasper Fforde: Lost in a Good Book
53. Diane Duane: So You want to be a Wizard

Book Log 1/2013 - Margaret Mahy: The Haunting

Published in 1982 this won the Carnegie Medal – deservedly. It's the story of Barney, aged 8, who is being haunted, initially by a boy in a blue velvet suit and then, as ghostly footsteps close in, by a dead great-uncle. The youngest of three children, Barney's mother died giving birth to him, and after seven years of being motherless with a somewhat distant father he now has a stepmother, Claire, whom he adores and who adores him. But Claire is pregnant and Barney knows how dangerous that can be. So as not to worry her he tries to deal with the ghost with only the help of his older sisters, Tabitha who is nosey and noisy and determined to be a great novelist, and the silent, withdrawn Troy. Revelations abound when Barney's dead mother's family enter the equation and there's a satisfying conclusion after family secrets are revealed.

The characters, child and adult, are well drawn from warm and generous Claire to Great Granny Scholar, a shrivelled soul with a deep secret. This is a psychological thriller, creepy and mysterious, with an increasing threat and a tense climax. Highly recommended.