The New York Times best books of 2012 is here. The Publishers Weekly list is here (I haven’t read a single book on the Publishers Weekly list).
Goodreads did a reader poll to generate their list, and I think it’s a much more useful list to most readers because of it.
I have difficulty constructing a list like this because most of the books I read in any given year weren’t published in that year (I’m a fan of used bookstores, and of pulling something off my own shelves that’s been collecting dust for many months).
I read my share of the big releases this year, and add my voice to those who recommend Gone Girl, Where’d You Go Bernadette, and The Casual Vacancy.
But for me, one read of the past year stands out, at least regarding this blog. The Twelve by Justin Cronin is showing up on a few of these year-end lists (including the Goodreads list for best horror). I thought it was a worthy sequel to The Passage and can’t wait to read the third and final installment whenever it comes out. I mention it here because, if you’re a fan of Girls Wearing Black, I think you should check out Justin Cronin’s work.
