At this time of year, I like to look back at all the books I've devoured over the last 12 months and decide which ones I rate highest. As I've mentioned before, I read a lot of books. For 2012 I set myself a goal of 60 books, and I managed to achieve it. Most of my reading time is during my commute. I spend over 2 hours a day travelling to and from work on public transport, and this is mostly why I get through so many books.
My favourite crime writer Sara Paretsky recently put out a call on her blog asking for people's favourite reads of 2012, to increase her own TBR pile. I was very flattered that she included my response in her post.
I've mentioned before my love of Goodreads. Not only does it allow me to keep track of exactly what I've read and when, and list things I want to read, but I also use their guidelines for my star ratings (with one star meaning 'didn't like it' and five stars meaning 'it was amazing'). I don't throw five stars around lightly. Most books I will enjoy, but they have to be pretty special to warrant a five star rating.
However, it so happens that in 2012 I gave no less than six books five stars, which makes choosing my best picks a bit easier Many of them I've also reviewed on Goodreads, and in each case there's a link back to the review, to save me repeating myself here. They are in no particular order, apart from the order I read them in.
BODY WORK - Sara Paretsky: I don't mean to become a dribbling fan girl whenever the esteemed Ms Paretsky's name is mentioned, but I can't help it. This is the fourteenth book in her series about the tough woman detective VI Warshawski, and I have loved every single one of them. VI is older in this one, but still charging in without thought, in her desire to save the world from the bad guys. Ms Paretsky never disappoints, and neither does VI.
THE ASSASSIN'S PRAYER - Ariana Franklin: This fourth book in the series about 12th century doctor Adelia Aguilar, will sadly be the last because Ariana Franklin died in 2011. Adelia is a wonderful character. Not only is she a doctor specialising in forensics, at a time when the medical profession was viewed with suspicion, but she is a woman doctor to boot. A fact she tries to keep hidden, because in primitive England she would be burned as a witch. Instead, Adelia travels in the company of a Moor, who pretends to speak no English, so they can pretend that he is the doctor and she is his nurse and translator.
FLASH & BONES - Kathy Reichs: Another writer who, in my view, never fails to deliver. This fourteenth offering in the adventures of forensic pathologic Temperance Brennan is the best in some time, I think. Set in the exciting world of motor racing, it was tense and thrilling and had me turning the pages.
ODD APOCALYPSE - Dean Koontz: This is the fifth book in the series about a strangely named young man who can see ghosts, and I was introduced to it when I had to review this book for Shotsmag. I enjoyed it so much I immediately bought the first book in the series as soon as I finished this one.
ODD THOMAS - Dean Koontz: Hence why this, the first book in the series, I read after the fifth book in the series. Start with this one and get introduced to Odd properly.
11/22/63 - Stephen King: This time-travelling thriller from the Master of Horror seems to be the Marmite of the literary world - you either love it or hate it. I loved it.
And what of my reading target for 2013? I could have been ambitious and upped the stakes. But since my job hasn't changed I don't anticipate any more or fewer hours of reading time, so I've set myself the same goal again. I average a book a week. I aim to read 60 books in 2013, which is more than a book a week, but it does depend on the length of the book, and how much time I spend sitting on the beach (for every day I spend doing nothing but lazing around on holiday reading, I can get through one book). So, we shall see if I can reach the same target again.
What are your reading goals for this year?
My favourite crime writer Sara Paretsky recently put out a call on her blog asking for people's favourite reads of 2012, to increase her own TBR pile. I was very flattered that she included my response in her post.
I've mentioned before my love of Goodreads. Not only does it allow me to keep track of exactly what I've read and when, and list things I want to read, but I also use their guidelines for my star ratings (with one star meaning 'didn't like it' and five stars meaning 'it was amazing'). I don't throw five stars around lightly. Most books I will enjoy, but they have to be pretty special to warrant a five star rating.
However, it so happens that in 2012 I gave no less than six books five stars, which makes choosing my best picks a bit easier Many of them I've also reviewed on Goodreads, and in each case there's a link back to the review, to save me repeating myself here. They are in no particular order, apart from the order I read them in.
BODY WORK - Sara Paretsky: I don't mean to become a dribbling fan girl whenever the esteemed Ms Paretsky's name is mentioned, but I can't help it. This is the fourteenth book in her series about the tough woman detective VI Warshawski, and I have loved every single one of them. VI is older in this one, but still charging in without thought, in her desire to save the world from the bad guys. Ms Paretsky never disappoints, and neither does VI.
THE ASSASSIN'S PRAYER - Ariana Franklin: This fourth book in the series about 12th century doctor Adelia Aguilar, will sadly be the last because Ariana Franklin died in 2011. Adelia is a wonderful character. Not only is she a doctor specialising in forensics, at a time when the medical profession was viewed with suspicion, but she is a woman doctor to boot. A fact she tries to keep hidden, because in primitive England she would be burned as a witch. Instead, Adelia travels in the company of a Moor, who pretends to speak no English, so they can pretend that he is the doctor and she is his nurse and translator.
FLASH & BONES - Kathy Reichs: Another writer who, in my view, never fails to deliver. This fourteenth offering in the adventures of forensic pathologic Temperance Brennan is the best in some time, I think. Set in the exciting world of motor racing, it was tense and thrilling and had me turning the pages.
ODD APOCALYPSE - Dean Koontz: This is the fifth book in the series about a strangely named young man who can see ghosts, and I was introduced to it when I had to review this book for Shotsmag. I enjoyed it so much I immediately bought the first book in the series as soon as I finished this one.
ODD THOMAS - Dean Koontz: Hence why this, the first book in the series, I read after the fifth book in the series. Start with this one and get introduced to Odd properly.
11/22/63 - Stephen King: This time-travelling thriller from the Master of Horror seems to be the Marmite of the literary world - you either love it or hate it. I loved it.
And what of my reading target for 2013? I could have been ambitious and upped the stakes. But since my job hasn't changed I don't anticipate any more or fewer hours of reading time, so I've set myself the same goal again. I average a book a week. I aim to read 60 books in 2013, which is more than a book a week, but it does depend on the length of the book, and how much time I spend sitting on the beach (for every day I spend doing nothing but lazing around on holiday reading, I can get through one book). So, we shall see if I can reach the same target again.
What are your reading goals for this year?
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