My Top 2012 Picks

I'm a couple weeks late on this post, but here are some of my favourite reads of 2012.

When I look back at my 2012 list of books, there aren't all that many "Must-Reads" ... It seem that in 2012, I didn't spend my time reading literary masterpieces or classic novels - it was a year I spent reading recommended books, top books on the chart, recent releases or simple stuff to pass the time!  It's not about reading what people think you should read, but reading what you're in the mood for!

Instead of listing my top 5 books of 2012 (like I did for 2011), I've decided to pick a few categories and list my top pick for those categories.




Funniest True (or Mostly True) Books

Seriously... I'm Kidding by Ellen Degeneres

I read this book early in 2012 and remember reading it so quickly.  It was a hilarious read about nothing in particular.  It had me laughing out loud and telling everyone to read it if they needed a little "pick-me-up" in their day.  It's a book that I will honestly read again someday.  Buy this book here.

Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson

 

A little more, shall we say, "adult" (or "inappropriate") than the other winner in the "Funniest True (or Mostly True) Book" category, this was a top pick for me this year.  Jenny Lawson (aka The Bloggess) is a hilarious blogger who writes about anything and everything that happens to her.  Her stories are exaggerated (or not, you make that call) and funny.  She takes ordinary (and some not-so-ordinary) situations and turns them into awkward and extremely memorable stories.  I read through this book at a crazy speed and really want to listen to the audiobook of "Let's Pretend This Never Happened", for the sole reason of hearing Jenny Lawson's expressions as she tells some of her stories.  Buy this book here.

Favourite Love Story

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

I'm a sucker for love stories and this love story was a beautiful one.  These two individuals went through so much individually before they tried to make it work out with each other.  Nicholas Sparks tells the story in a way that gives you enough information to see what is going on while keeping you guessing about how everything is going to unfold. I didn't want to put the book down once I started it (and I may have watched the movie "The Lucky One" a few times already...).  Buy this book here.


Most Talked About Series

"Fifty Shades of Grey" series by E.L. James

What would a 2012 list be without this series mentioned?  While it wasn't my favourite series, it was very talked about and popular in 2012.  I asked myself numerous times, "Why am I still reading this?"  Yet I continued to read it.  While I don't think it's any literary masterpiece, I remember my dad saying to me once, "You may say that it's not good writing.  But if the author can get you to ignore everything else that you have to do in your life right now and pick up that book instead, then it's got something."  So, E.L. James, although I'm embarrassed to say it, you get a pick on my 2012 list because I made it through the series in 2012 and so did so many other people.  Buy this series here.

Best Young Adult Book

Shine by Lauren Myracle

Dealing with difficult issues such as bullying, hate crimes, depression, and rape, Shine is a must-read for teens.  It was a book that was a bit difficult to read because of the content, but I think it deals with issues that need more awareness.  While I felt that the way some of these issues were dealt with in the book was unrealistic or different than the larger communities that many of us are used to, the issues are important and the content itself is worth a read.  Buy this book here.

Most Magical Book

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I've talked to a few people who just couldn't get into this book, but I loved it.  I thought The Night Circus was well written and told a story in a different, magical way.  If you're up for using your imagination and getting into a book that will make you think, give this one a try.  Buy this book here.

Did that just happen?

Oh. My.

So, after writing my post about "Let's Pretend This Never Happened" by Jenny Lawson, I tweeted the link to my blog (like I always do) and you'll never guess what happened.  Ok, maybe you will. 

The Bloggess started following me on Twitter!  So. Cool.

Proof.

Ok, so she may be currently following 18,900 people, but it's still pretty cool.  Made. My. Day.

Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) (Jenny Lawson, The Bloggess)

Where do I start with this book?  I have been following Jenny Lawson's blog, The Bloggess, for about 3 years now.  A friend introduced me to the blog and I loved reading it because it was so funny. 

Jenny Lawson has now written her Mostly True Memoir called Let's Pretend This Never Happened.  It was hilarious.  I was sitting outside reading and probably getting weird looks from my neighbours because I was laughing by myself.  They clearly hadn't read the book and just didn't understand how funny it was. 

To get a sense of her writing style and to have a few laughs, maybe check out the picture that cost her $300 to take, how she never dug up a human corpse, her metal chicken named Beyonce, or the time she saw a sasquatch on the road. (Seriously, you should read them.)

I read the book in two days.  I just couldn't put it down.  Her writing is easy to read, not to mention hilarious, and you just want to keep reading.  It made me smile so much and I was honestly laughing out loud and reading excerpts to whoever was in the room with me.  Her stories are so ridiculous and you start to think, "How can all of this stuff happen to one person?" or "If this happened to me, my re-telling of the story wouldn't be quite so funny" or "I have led a boring life compared to hers."  (Well, ok, I haven't led a boring life, just a different life.)

Hamlet von Schnitzel doing a little fishing.
He caught a fish.
It was bigger than he is. 

I almost feel as if I read the book too fast and that I need to re-read it.  Although I think it would be better to get the audiobook for a second-round of the stories because I feel it would be SO AWESOME to hear her expressions as she tells the stories in the book. 

I honestly hope she's not kidding when she says, throughout the book, "That story will be in the second book," because I really do want to read a second book by Jenny Lawson.  But for now, her updates on her blog will have to do...

And now, in the name of being ridiculous (which Jenny Lawson is a fan of), I have taken some pictures of Hamlet von Schnitzel visiting my place in Northern Ontario. 

Hamlet von Schnitzel enjoyed the sunshine at the lake. 
He may have gotten a sunburn, hence the pink-ish colour.
Either that, or my printer was low on ink.

For my Ontario friends, specifically those in the Toronto area, Jenny Lawson (aka The Bloggess) will be at Indigo Manulife Centre (55 Bloor Street West... The Indigo at Bay/Bloor) on Tuesday, August 7th, 2012 at 7 pm.  Please go.  She is hilarious.  I wish I could go.  (I, however, already have tickets to the Roger's Cup... I'll have to catch her on her book tour for book number two!)