One of the things about the Book Blogger Con that would be on my list of Must Does is meet up with fellow bloggers, which means talking about books. What does a book lover most like to do (besides read)? Talk about their favorite recent reads. Today’s writing prompt asks us to talk about our favorite books from the year so far.
I’m cheating a little here. I read The Town That Drowned by Riel Nason in December, not this year (it’s within 12 months, right?) The Town That Drowned recently won the regional Commonwealth Book Prize. I loved this coming of age story of a girl and her family that have to deal with big changes when their whole town has to be moved.
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2012 started out a good reading year with Good Evening Mrs Craven: The Wartime Stories of Mollie Panter-Downes. These were a collection of short stories that captured the spirit of the British people during World War II.
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Something that will give you the heebie-jeebies and also question the character’s sanity, Bedbugs by Ben H Winters. Yep, bedbugs. It’s exactly what you think it’s about…or is it? Does the young couple in the story have bedbugs or the bedbugs imaginary?
That’s just a few great books from 2012. I’m looking forward to reading more fabulous reads before the year ends. Have you read any of these?
And if I was going to BEA, the one book I’d be looking for (and would bite someone to get! Just kidding…maybe) is The Twelve by Justin Cronin. I had an ARC of The Passage way back when and have been waiting impatiently ever since for the sequel. 
The Twelve is one of my most aniticipated reads of this year too! Can not wait to get my hands on it!
ReplyDeleteI saw it was on your list! I bet it's on a lot of people's.
DeleteBoth Bed Bugs and The Passage are books that piqued my interest, but I haven't read either of them yet. They do sound great, though!
ReplyDeleteThey really are!
DeleteHaven't read The Passage but am drawn in by the cover of The Twelve
ReplyDeleteThe Passage has a great cover too.
DeleteCan you believe I still haven't read Cronin's The Passage? I bought it, though, if that counts... ;) All that to say, I'm interested to know you love this other book of his. And, a Persephone classic (Wartime stories)...what's not to love there? Those books are always refreshing, even if they're a bit sad, and I think there are important lessons we could take from war time stories even in our relatively peaceful times.
ReplyDeleteyes, the stories were a bit sad but also funny and hopeful.
DeleteI've seen Bedbugs pop up in a couple places (no pun intended) but haven't read it because I tend to read before bed, and I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep after reading that one! Haven't read your books yet, but they sound interesting!
ReplyDeleteGreat list! Here's my Best of 2012!
Yes! It isn't the kind of book to read before bed. It's creepy.
DeleteGood Evening Mrs. Craven sounds like a book I'd enjoy -- I am drawn to anything set in World War II.
ReplyDeleteI wish she had written a novel. I would have read that too. So good.
DeleteI haven't heard of these titles but Bed Bugs sounds....interesting!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Armchair BEA Best of 2012 post and my giveaway post for today!
Thanks for the visit!
DeleteSo many books I've never hear of, except The Twelve but I still haven't read the book before it. I've got a lot of catching up to do!
ReplyDeleteThe Passage is so good but I wish I had waited. I've been waiting 2 years to read the next.
DeleteI've wanted to read Good Evening, Mrs. Craven for a long time- I love stories from WWII. Glad you brought that one to people's attention.
ReplyDeleteThanks Aarti, I hope you get to it.
DeleteI received The Passage as an ARC too but I guess Cronin wasn't as well known then because I have done everything to get The Twelve this time around and haven't been successful (yet).
ReplyDeleteI think it's going to be in demand this time around.
DeleteI loved Good Evening, Mrs. Craven, too. I have a feeling it'll be harder for those of us not attending BEA to get an ARC of The Twelve than it was to get The Passage. But, I would probably bite for one, too. Or trip, at least.
ReplyDeletelol! We could be a tag team.
DeleteI can't wait for THE TWELVE! I wish I could get a galley NOW NOW NOW!
ReplyDeleteI know! I'm so impatient!
DeleteI can't wait for The Twelve, either! Though I loved the audio of The Passage - so I might be willing to wait until I can listen to the sequel, too. As long as Scott Brick reads it!
ReplyDeleteI bet the audio would be amazing though I read it all in a day.
DeleteAdding The Town that Drowned and Good Evening Mrs. Craven to my TBR list!! They really sound like books I would love :) Thanks for telling us about them!
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm glad!
DeleteNow I want to read all of them! So yeah, my tbr list is getting bigger because of you! ;-)
ReplyDeleteHa! I'm a bad (good?) influence.
DeleteI've been meaning to read something by Justin Cronin and I think I'll try The Twelve soon. Thanks for visiting!
ReplyDeleteThe Passage is very good!
DeleteI am so glad Bedbugs was on your list. I received it from PBS because I read a review somewhere and it looked like the perfect novel to wig me out.
ReplyDeleteIt made me very uncomfortable...in a good way!
DeleteThe Twelve would be on my list, too...if I had a list. ;-)
ReplyDeleteGood thing I don't have a copy though, so I don't have to worry about your teeth.
I haven't heard if anyone got one. Probably because they're afraid.
DeleteOne day I will get brave and read The Passage. Brave, not because I think it might scare me, but because that sucker packs some serious heft. I've already decided that when that day comes, I'm checking it out on my nook!
ReplyDeleteIt's huge but it's a fast read. You can't put it down.
DeleteTwelve months count. I have a copy of Bedbugs that I need to read!
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it!
DeleteBedbugs sounds so good and creepy - I have to check that one out. And I haven't read The Passage yet, but I definitely plan to!
ReplyDeleteIf creepy is what you want, it fits the bill.
DeleteI have never heard of "bed Bugs" until now. That sounds up my alley as soon as I am finished with the Dean Koontz book I'm reading. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely the right book for you then!
DeleteI've never heard of any of these books. I'll have to look them up and see if any of them would catch my fancy.
ReplyDeleteI hope one will!
DeleteI've definitely heard a lot of creepy things about Bedbugs, but since I'm always up for a good creepy story, I'd still like to read it! Though bugs...not the biggest fan of those! **shudders** Lol.
ReplyDeleteI know, I'm not a bug fan but these are unusual bugs so you can pretend they don't exist. ;)
DeleteI am looking foward to The Twelve!
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a popular one.
DeleteThanks for sharing all of these posts! I love the sound of a lot of them, especially Bedbugs - that definitely sounds like something that I'd love. I will have to check it out!
ReplyDeleteNew to your blog!
Stephanie @ Stepping Out of the Page