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My Progress:


9 / 30 books. 30% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan
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- Mississippi
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- New York (1)
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- Oregon (2)
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- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
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- Virginia (1)
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*

International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (5)
- France (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Scotland (1)
- The Netherlands (1)

My Progress:


12 / 51 states. 24% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

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10 / 50 words. 20% done!

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15 / 50 books. 30% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

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32 / 50 books. 64% done!

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27 / 52 books. 52% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

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21 / 40 books. 53% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


13 / 40 books. 33% done!

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5 / 25 books. 20% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

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17 / 26.2 miles. 65% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

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15 / 100 books. 15% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


34 / 104 books. 33% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


31 / 52 books. 60% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


32 / 165 books. 19% done!
Monday, December 31, 2012

2012: A BBB Year in Review (Part II)


I saw this fun end-of-the-year book survey over at The Perpetual Page-Turner and decided to try it on my own blog.  Did you do the same?  Leave me a link and I'll check it out!

1. Best Book You Read In 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)
Adult (any genre):  Bones Are Forever by Kathy Reichs
YA Dystopian/Sci Fi/Fantasy:  Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi and Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Ya Contemporary:  How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Middle Grade:  The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray—I was expecting more of a action/adventure and survival story and got a satire, which I would have still liked except that it got very raunchy.  The raunch really got in the way of the story for me.  Hate that.
 3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012? 
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green—I've read a million cancer stories and was expecting this to be the same kind of predictable, melodramatic tearjerker as all the rest.  It wasn't.  Not melodramatic and predictable, anyway.
 4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?
Probably The Fault in Our Stars by John Green or Cinder by Marissa Meyer
 5. Best series you discovered in 2012?
Gosh, there are so many, but here are my Top 3 (in no particular order):  Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi; The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer; and The Shades of London by Maureen Johnson 
 6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?
Maureen Johnson, John Green, Veronica Rossi, Marissa Meyer, N.C. Allen
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Nothing's coming to mind, although I started Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand yesterday.  It's a non-fiction book about war, which isn't something I read often, but it's really holding my interest.  
 8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
 9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:
I very, very rarely re-read books, so probably none of them.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012?
I don't pay that much attention to covers, but I thought the one for How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr was particularly striking.  
11. Most memorable character in 2012? 
Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  I adored him.  
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr—it made me laugh, it made me cry ...
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012? 
Impactful?  Hmmm ... Probably The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler.  Very eye-opening book about teenage pregnancy and adoption before Roe v. Wade.  
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read? 
The List by Melanie Jacobson
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012? 
Uh, does everything that came out of Augustus Waters' (The Fault in Our Stars) mouth count?
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012? 
Longest — Probably Nightingale by David Farland.  It was HUGE and totally not worth the read.
Shortest — The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate maybe?
 17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
Totally the surprise twist in Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.  I did not see that coming!  Also, the very ending of Defending Jacob by William Landay.  Didn't see that coming either.
18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
Augustus Waters and Hazel Lancaster from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Aria and Roar from Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult or Bones are Forever by Kathy Reichs
20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
Probably Defending Jacob by William Landay

 Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2012 (optional)


1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2012? 
Too many to name, but a few that come to mind are:  Under a Gray Sky; The Perpetual Page-Turner; Pretty Books
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2012? 
Drawing a blank here ... 
3. Best discussion you had on your blog?
My Mormon Mentions feature often sparks some good discussion.  
4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?
Um, gosh ... I can't think of anything.  I've stayed WAY out of all the recent book blogging drama, so not that.  I guess I'd have to say the Unpopular YA Opinions post over at YA Librarian Tales.  I didn't agree with most of what Sarah said, but it was interesting to read everyone's responses.  
5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Probably the LDS Storymakers Conference.  I got to spend time with awesome authors like Kimberley Griffiths Little and Melanie Jacobson.  I also attended classes/lectures by more great writers:  Elana Johnson, Kiersten White, Janette Rallison, etc.
6. Best moment of book blogging in 2012?
Getting to meet some of my favorite book bloggers in person.
(From l to r): Melissa from One Librarian's Book Review; Me (I'm about 60 lbs. skinnier in real life—okay, in my dreams); Suey from It's All About Books and Gaye from Inside A Book
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
This is kind of sad, but my most popular posts are those that include giveaways.  The one for Smart Move, Melanie Jacobson's newest, was especially well-visited.
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
Um, how 'bout all of them?  I love reading comments :)
9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Definitely my Kindle Fire.  I held off getting an e-reader, but I'm so glad I finally did.  
10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I failed at the only goal I set (reading 200 books).  Oh well, there's always next year!

Looking Ahead…


1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2012 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2013?
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.  I started it yesterday.
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?
Orleans by Sherri L. Smith.  I've got the ARC, but am waiting to read it until closer to the book's pub date.
3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2013?
Well, I really, really, really want to reach my goal of reading 200 books in a year, just so I can say I did it.  Besides that, I just want to keep writing reviews, entertaining my readers and finding awesome new book blogs to read.   
How would you answer these questions?

2012: A BBB Year in Review (Part I)

As 2012 slowly slips away, I've been looking back at my year here at BBB.  It's been a good one and I thank all of you for that.  I appreciate all the comments, recommendations, laughs and love you've given me over the last 12 months.  You are the reason I enjoy blogging so much.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Oddly enough, this has not been a stellar year for me numbers-wise, even though I feel like I've spent every spare moment of 2012 reading.  Although I vowed to conquer 200 books this year, I only managed to read 157.  That's 29 less than last year!  I know.  It's weird.  I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what happened and I think I've figured out the problem—my Kindle Fire.  Yes, it has helped me finish books, but it's also hindered me.  Why?  In a word, apps.  I'm totally addicted to Words With Friends, Scramble With Friends, DropWords, etc.  They're very distracting.  Oh well.  They're fun and I'm not giving them up.  So there.

Here's how my 2012 reading broke down:

I read 157 books.  Of those:

  • 147 (94%) were fiction; 10 (6%) were non-fiction
  • 76 (49%) were adult books; 62 (39%) were YA; and 19 (12%) were middle grade
  • 89 (57%) were review books; 38 (24%) were borrowed from the library; 17 (12%) came from my own bookshelves; 11 (7%) were sent to me for contest judging; and 2 (1%) were manuscripts I read for friends
  • 34 (22%) were e-books; 1 was an audiobook
  • 111 (71%) were written by females; 39 (25%) by males; and 6 (4%) by teams of both females and males
  • 49 (31%) were written by LDS authors   
Reading Challenges at which I Failed Spectacularly:
  • 50 States Challenge 2012 
    • (Because I was doing this challenge, I kept track of the states where each of the books I read this year took place.  Just for fun, here's the Top 5:  California (9 books); Utah (6 books); Iowa (4 books); Tie between Arkansas, Florida, New York, North Carolina and Washington (3 books); Tie between Virginia, New Mexico, Minnesota, Michigan, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Arizona (2 books)
Reading Challenges at which I Totally Rocked:
Before I list all the books I read this year, I wanted to let you know what will (hopefully) be happening around here in the next few weeks.  I'm going to be catching up on reviews (I'm 13 behind—gulp!); updating my Pages (All Reviews, LDS Authors, Baby Steps, etc.); joining a couple of challenges (because I'm so dang awesome at completing them); and cleaning up my sidebars (so they'll look all pretty for the new year). I'm going to have lots of fun stuff coming up in 2013, so stick with me, won't you?  

Happy New Year!

BOOKS READ IN 2012 (ASTERISKS DENOTE FAVORITES)

  • 157. MIND GAMES BY KIERSTEN WHITE
  • 156. THE IMPLOSION OF AGGIE WINCHESTER BY LARA ZIELIN
  • 155. THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT BY VERONICA ROSSI*
  • 154.  The fire horse girl by kay honeyman*
  • 153. BAKER TOWNS BY JENNIFER HAIGH
  • 152. NUTCRACKER BY E.T.A. HOFFMAN
  • 151. LONE WOLF BY JODI PICOULT*
  • 150. SPEECHLESS BY HANNAH HARRINGTON
  • 149. IBOY BY KEVIN BROOKS
  • 148. THE LOVELY SHOES BY SUSAN SHREVE
  • 147. DISTANT WAVES BY SUZANNE WEYN
  • 146. THE MADNESS UNDERNEATH BY MAUREEN JOHNSON*
  • 145. THE 13TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS BY JASON F. WRIGHT
  • 144. THE RITES AND WRONGS OF JANICE WILLS BY JOANNA PEARSON
  • 143. ON THE ROAD TO MR. MINEO'S BY BARBARA O'CONNOR
  • 142. ALL FALL DOWN BY JULIE COULTER BELLON
  • 141. BEAUTY QUEENS BY LIBBA BRAY
  • 140. THE NAME OF THE STAR BY MAUREEN JOHNSON*
  • 139. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE THIRD WHEEL BY JEFF KINNEY
  • 138. THE RENT COLLECTOR BY CAMRON WRIGHT
  • 137. NIGHTINGALE BY DAVID FARLAND
  • 136. THE EPIC TALES OF A MISFIT HERO BY MATT PETERSON
  • 135. SCARLET BY MARISSA MEYER*
  • 134. CINDER BY MARISSA MEYER*
  • 133. IDEAL HIGH BY VALERIE IPSON (MY FRIEND'S W.I.P.)
  • 132. BREATHE BY SARAH CROSSAN
  • 131. NINTH WARD BY JEWELL PARKER RHODES
  • 130. OUT OF THE EASY BY RUTA SEPETYS*
  • 129. BREAKING STALIN'S NOSE BY EUGENE VELCHIN
  • 128. SMART MOVE BY MELANIE JACOBSON
  • 127. ONE CRAZY SUMMER BY RITA WILLIAMS-GARCIA
  • 126. SHADOWS BY ILSA J. BICK
  • 125. STORY OF A GIRL BY SARA ZARR
  • 124. TEN BY GRETCHEN MCNEIL
  • 123. SISTER BY ROSAMUND LUPTON
  • 122. HOW TO SAVE A LIFE BY SARA ZARR*
  • 121. PRIMAL BY D.A. SERRA
  • 120. BROKEN HARBOR BY TANA FRENCH*
  • 119. VICTORIOUS WOMAN! BY ANNMARIE KELLY
  • 118. TRANSCENDENCE BY C.J. OMOLOLU
  • 117. THE TURNING BY FRANCINE PROSE
  • 116. THE INFINITY RING: A MUTINY IN TIME BY JAMES DASHNER
  • 115. THE AGE OF MIRACLES BY KAREN THOMPSON WALKER
  • 114. DITCHED: A LOVE STORY BY ROBIN MELLOM
  • 113. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS BY JOHN GREEN*
  • 112. DEFENDING JACOB BY WILLIAM LANDAY
  • 111. NEVER ENOUGH BY DENISE JADEN
  • 110. UNWHOLLY BY NEAL SHUSTERMAN*
  • 109. COME AUGUST, COME FREEDOM BY GIGI AMATEAU
  • 108. REAL INTIMACY BY KRISTIN B. HODSON, ALISHA B. WORTHINGTON & THOMAS G. HARRISON
  • 107. SULAN; EPISODE 1: THE LEAGUE BY CAMILLE PICOTT
  • 106. DON'T TURN AROUND BY MICHELLE GAGNON
  • 105. STANDING UP IN A SIT-DOWN WORLD BY MERRILEE BOYACK
  • 104. ELIZABETH AND HAZEL: TWO WOMEN OF LITTLE ROCK BY DAVID MARGOLICK
  • 103. SAFEKEEPING BY KAREN HESSE
  • 102. ARTICLE 5 BY KRISTEN SIMMONS
  • 101. THE HOMECOMING OF SAMUEL LAKE BY JENNY WINGFIELD
  • 100. WAR HORSE BY MICHAEL MORPURGO
  • 99. GONE GIRL BY GILLIAN FLYNN*
  • 98. WONDER BY R.J. PALACIO
  • 97. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ME BY KAREN RIVERS
  • 96, THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN BY KATHERINE APPLEGATE*
  • 95. THE ART FORGER BY B.A. SHAPIRO*
  • 94. A NEST FOR CELESTE BY HENRY COLE
  • 93. TWITTERPATED BY MELANIE JACOBSON
  • 92. THE HOLLOW CITY BY DAN WELLS*
  • 91. AMERICAN GHOST BY JANIS OWENS*
  • 90. AMELIA ANNE IS DEAD AND GONE BY KAT ROSENFIELD
  • 89. THE LINE BETWEEN HERE AND GONE BY ANDREA KANE
  • 88. HOMESICK BY KATE KLISE
  • 87. THE COVE BY RON RASH
  • 86. THE DEADLY SISTER BY ELIOT SCHREFER
  • 85. THIS IS NOT A TEST BY COURTNEY SUMMERS*
  • 84. ORIGIN BY JESSICA KHOURY
  • 83. ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD BY KENDARE BLAKE*
  • 82. THE SOLDIER'S WIFE BY JOANNA TROLLOPE
  • 81. AN UNMARKED GRAVE BY CHARLES TODD
  • 80. THE KEEPER OF THE CHRISTMAS TREES BY TAMARA PASSEY (MY FRIEND'S WIP)
  • 79. BONES ARE FOREVER BY KATHY REICHS*
  • 78. BUTTER BY ERIN JADE LANGE
  • 77. THE MISADVENTURES OF MAUDE MARCH BY AUDREY COULOUMBIS (AUDIOBOOK)
  • 76. SAFE WITHIN BY JEAN REYNOLDS PAGE
  • 75. ONE BREATH AWAY BY HEATHER GUDENKAUF
  • 74. WAITING BY CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS
  • 73. A BITTER TRUTH BY CHARLES TODD*
  • 72. SLIDE BY JILL HATHAWAY
  • 71. THE WAY WE FALL BY MEGAN CREWE
  • 70. AN IMPARTIAL WITNESS BY CHARLES TODD*
  • 69. A DUTY TO THE DEAD BY CHARLES TODD*
  • 68. SAVING RUTH BY ZOE FISHMAN
  • 67. PARTIALS BY DAN WELLS*
  • 66. BECOMING BAYLEY BY SUSAN AUTEN
  • 65. CODE NAME VERITY BY ELIZABETH WEIN
  • 64. BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY BY RUTYA SEPETYS
  • 63. MY NEW AMERICAN LIFE BY FRANCINE PROSE
  • 62. FEAR BY MICHAEL GRANT*
  • 61. KEEPSAKE BY KRISTINA RIGGLE
  • 60. PANDEMONIUM BY LAUREN OLIVER
  • 59. 13 CURSES BY MICHELLE HARRISON
  • 58. 13 TREASURES BY MICHELLE HARRISON
  • 57. ASHEN WINTER BY MIKE MULLIN
  • 56. ASHFALL BY MIKE MULLIN
  • 55. ACCEPTABLE LOSS BY ANNE PERRY
  • 54. BLOODBORNE BY GREGG LUKE
  • 53. SMOKESCREEN BY TRACI HUNTER ABRAMSON
  • 52. REARVIEW MIRROR BY STEPHANIE BLACK
  • 51. ISABELLE WEBB: PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER BY N.C. ALLEN*
  • 50. ISABELLE WEBB: LEGEND OF THE JEWEL BY N.C. ALLEN*
  • 49. IF I SHOULD DIE BY JENNIE HANSEN
  • 48. FIRES OF JERUSALEM BY MARILYN BROWN
  • 47. DAUGHTER OF HELAMAN BY MISTY MONCUR
  • 46. BEING LARA BY LOLA JAYE
  • 45. MISS DELACOURT HAS HER DAY BY HEIDI ASHWORTH
  • 44. LETTERS IN THE JADE DRAGON BOX BY GALE SEARS
  • 43. EMERALD CITY BY ALICIA K. LEPPERT
  • 42. BORROWED LIGHT BY CARLA KELLY*
  • 41. COUNT DOWN TO LOVE BY JULIE N. FORD
  • 40. NOT MY TYPE BY MELANIE JACOBSON
  • 39. CAPTIVE HEART BY MICHELE PAIGE HOLMES
  • 38. MISS DELACOURT SPEAKS HER MIND BY HEIDI ASHWORTH
  • 37. THE LIST BY MELANIE JACOBSON
  • 36. SHOWOFF BY GORDON KORMAN
  • 35. A NIGHT OF BLACKER DARKNESS BY DAN WELLS*
  • 34. I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU BY DAN WELLS
  • 33. NO ANGEL BY THERESA SNEED
  • 32. THE ALLOY OF LAW BY BRANDON SANDERSON*
  • 31. THE WEDDING LETTERS BY JASON F. WRIGHT
  • 30. THE EVOLUTION OF THOMAS HALL BY KIETH MERRILL
  • 29. BEFORE I SAY GOODBYE BY RACHEL ANN NUNES
  • 28. GIFTED BY KAREY WHITE
  • 27. THE HERO OF AGES BY BRANDON SANDERSON*
  • 26. THE WALK: MILES TO GO BY RICHARD PAUL EVANS
  • 25. THE WALK BY RICHARD PAUL EVANS
  • 24. THE LOST GATE BY ORSON SCOTT CARD
  • 23. PRIDE & POPULARITY BY JENNI JAMES
  • 22. MY UNFAIR GODMOTHER BY JANETTE RALLISON*
  • 21. SHIFTING BY BETHANY WIGGINS
  • 20. SLAYERS BY C.J. HILL
  • 19. WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE BY TESS HILMO
  • 18. WHY I'M A MORMON BY JOSEPH A. CANNON, ED.
  • 17. GIRLS DON'T FLY BY KRISTEN CHANDLER
  • 16. BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP BY S.J. WATSON*
  • 15. CINDERELLA ATE MY DAUGHTER BY PEGGY ORENSTEIN
  • 14. THE BIRTH ORDER BOOK BY DR. KEVIN LEMAN*
  • 13. ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI BY DUNCAN JEPSON
  • 12. FREEDOM STONE BY JEFFREY KLUGER
  • 11. MAKING BABIES BY ANNE ENRIGHT
  • 10. MICRO BY MICHAEL CRICHTON & RICHARD PRESTON
  • 9. THE SECRET SISTERHOOD OF HEARTBREAKERS BY LYNN WEINGARTEN
  • 8. THE GIRLS WHO WENT AWAY BY ANN FESSLER
  • 7. PROMISE CANYON BY ROBYN CARR*
  • 6. THE SIBLING EFFECT: WHAT THE BONDS AMONG BROTHERS AND SISTERS REVEAL ABOUT US BY JEFFREY KLUGER*
  • 5. DEMONGLASS BY RACHEL HAWKINS
  • 4. BLACK BOY, WHITE SCHOOL BY BRIAN F. WALKER
  • 3. THE CRAZY THINGS GIRLS DO FOR LOVE BY DYAN SHELDON
  • 2. UNDER THE NEVER SKY BY VERONICA ROSSI*
  • 1. LOST IN THE RIVER OF GRASS BY GINNY RORBY
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End of Story by A.J. Finn

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