RtP Top 10 Books Read in 2012!

It has been one heck of a year, ladies and gentlemen. I got finished school, moved, got married, adopted a demon posing as a cat...and I read some pretty great books too. So now, for your reading pleasure, I present the top ten books reviewed on Reading to Penguins in 2012.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, published in 2011, was reviewed in January. It's almost impossible to place genre-wise--not solidly romance or fantasy or anything else, but a little bit of all things fantastic. It tells the story of two magicians in a magical fight surrounding a circus. It's memorable for its rich imagery and setting driven story. It's a book to immerse yourself in, a book that makes you desperately crave caramel corn. If it's a bit low on the list, it's only because I felt the plot was a bit weak compared to some of the other books in our top 10.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins was published in 2010, and I reviewed it back in March. It's a very simple YA romance, but I find it completely charming. I like that it's a "friend's first" love story, with a build up of chemistry that I always find appealing. The characters are fun and easy to relate to. Most importantly, the setting will have you wishing for a vacation in Paris tomorrow. I put it a bit low on the list only because, having glanced through it again, I do find that it does a lot of very cliched YA things--like the instant group of perfect friends for the new girl, and the Etienne's somewhat bitchy current girlfriend.

So, I don't read a lot of high fantasy. I don't have a lot to compare to. But Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, published in 2012 and reviewed this August, managed to leave an impression. It's a novel about dragons, and about a heroine who must accept her own deep connection to the dragons. The setting and plot are extremely creative. I liked that the author put us right inside Seraphina's head, allowing us to see her dreams and the secret visions that she keeps hidden away. It's a fun novel, but the plot is slow and the pacing stalls out at times, much to my frustration. It's still well worth your time.

The Color of Snow by Brenda Stanley, published in 2012, found it's way onto my blog in July. Admittedly, this isn't my usual fair, and I don't know how many people it will appeal to. But I found it uniquely enjoyable. It's the story of a teenager who lived in isolation for years after her paranoid father kidnapped her from her grandparents. What stood out about this story, for me, was it's lack of a villain and it's ability to make the character sympathize, to some degree, with all of the characters. It's a serious book about love, insanity, finding your place, and learning to think for yourself. 

I knew at the outset that Fables was going to appear on this list somewhere, but it was honestly difficult to decide which one to put and where. In the end, I decided to put Volume 1, Legends in Exile, here. First, because it introduced me to the series and got me hooked. Two, because it actually made book of the month back when I reviewed it in October. Fables is a graphic novel series in which fairy tale characters are stuck in the real world, trying to live normalish lives. Legends in Exile is actually something of a murder mystery, but the plot is less important than the introduction of the fantastic fairy tale characters--all at once familiar and totally unexpected. If you only ever read one graphic novel, it should be Fables.

If you asked me which book I was most surprised to be including in a top 10 list, it would be Angelfall by Susan Ee. I say that because, on the surface, it sounds derivative and amateurish. Once you delve into it, though, you find that it's better than a lot of main stream, popular urban fantasy currently on the market. It's the story of Penryn, a teenage girl who wants to protect her little sister, and her broken journey alongside the angel Raffe. It's everything a post-apocalyptic story should be--horrific, disturbing, thoughtful, and vaguely hopeful. But be warned, it ends on a cliffhanger that might make you throw your reading device at a wall.

Night Sky by Jolene Perry is an absolutely fantastic contemporary romance. It was published in 2012, and I reviewed it in April for a blog tour, feeling mostly surprised and relieved to have really liked it. The characters and the romance feel very real, and the power of their impact lies in how serious and yet sweet it all is. Notably, it's told from the hero's perspective, and that male point of view put an entirely novel dimension to an otherwise simple story. Jameson is a typical guy in many ways, but a really nice guy all the same, and it's hard not to love him. It's hard not to love this love story.

Spoiler alert, folks, Duchess War by Courtney Milan was my favorite book of December. More importantly, it was the #3 book of 2012. It's a historical romance with a remarkably smart but sadly suppressed heroine, and a hero trying to right many ancient wrongs. Milan writes the most compelling characters I've seen recently, and the plot almost doesn't matter because it's so interesting to just watch these people be. The plot, however, is engaging by itself. All around, the complete package. Go read this book. Go read it now.

It's surprising to tell that I had somewhat mixed feelings toward Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and yet Days of Blood and Starlight ranks at number 2 on my list of favorite books for the year. I felt deeply invested in the world while I read this book. The stakes seemed so high, and so was my level of sympathy for Karou. The world building is just so strange and unique and fantastic. The love story is compelling--you want everything to end up happy. But above all, it's a story of war at it's worst, and trying to overcome it's effects with acts of mercy and love.

And the #1 book of 2012 is...

Yes, it's Cinder, by Marissa Meyer. It's a science fiction fairy tale retelling, and it is even more awesome than it sounds. It's the best possible version of Cinderella, with a charming and quirky heroine who at least gets to know her prince charming a bit. The world building knocked me on my ass, it was so interesting and so bizarre. If you haven't read this book yet, you need to read it in 2013. It's absolutely essential.

Review of Fables Vol. 6 Homelands

Reviewing these is starting to feel redundant. What else can I possibly say to recommend this series, other than that it's awesome and you should read it. Graphic novel fans should read it. Fantasy fans should read it. Fairy tale fans should read it. Even if you don't think  you like fairy tales, you should read this--you might change your mind.

But, okay, what is this particular volume about? For one thing, it includes the all to amusing story of Jack, who leaves Fabletown and travels to Hollywood to make movies about himself. It's fun, and it's hilarious. I can't even say that I care for Jack as a character, but I think part of me enjoys his schemes, and enjoys seeing him suffer.

Then, as the title suggests, we take a detour to the Homelands, where Boy Blue has traveled to take down The Adversary. Boy Blue has, in fact, become one of my favorite characters within the series. He's surprisingly bad ass. This portion of the story is great, too, in that it took a turn that I did not entirely guess at.

Ultimately, I felt this was one of the strongest (if not the strongest) volume in the series that I've read thus far. It has action, adventure, and the most when written of the Fable characters right at the center of it all. I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars. 

Review: Fables Vol. 5: The Mean Seasons

The Mean Seasons, which chronicles what goes on in the Fable community after the attack of the wooden soldiers, is honestly something of a downer. Well written and well told, this transitional tale still left me wanting a lot more.

The volume begins with a tale of Bigby's exploits during World War II, which involved terrorizing Nazis among other things. If I'm being truly honest it comes off as entertaining but way out of place in the rest of the story arc.

We also learn that Cinderella (Cindy) is far more than what she seems--not just a bubbly socialite, but also a crafty spy.

The meat of the story, though, is devoted to the birth and first year of Snow and Bigby's children. Because most of them don't look human, Snow is forced to move to The Farm with them, and Bigby is not allowed there. The emotional impact of the separation is keen. I really felt for Snow as she grappled with her feelings and dealing with her very unusual brood. It struck me as highly odd, however, that there was no better solution to be had than her self imposed exile to The Farm. Bigby suggest that they go elsewhere, somewhere secluded, and Snow acts as though this would be a huge betrayal of Fabletown. I just can't understand why, and consequently the whole plot felt slightly forced.

Nonetheless, it was very cool to see the cubs in all of their oddness, and to learn about Bigby's father, The North Wind. It's interesting to see what bits of his nature have been passed down to the cubs.

Overall, it's not the strongest volume of the series, with so many logistical and motivational flaws. However, it wasn't so bad that I don't still want to see more from the series. 3.5 stars. 

Review of Fables, Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers

This volume of Fables marks a lot of changes for our fairy tale characters. We are, of course, familiar with the adversary and the fact that our characters are in exile in the mundane world because of the destruction that this mysterious enemy wrought. This, however, is the first time that we experience the adversary as an active threat in more than a flash-back capacity.

To begin with, I really enjoyed learning of Boy Blue's tragic and romantic back story. I think what makes Fables special is it's ability to take characters who most of us feel that we know, since we've heard since childhood, and cast them in an entirely different light--for better or worse. So seeing a romance for  Boy Blue and Red Riding Hood.

Snow White is continuously fantastic. She basically organizes a defense against an army that marches on Fabletown, and she does so while pregnant and piled down with worries. I'm deeply invested in he story, at this point, and I would love for her and Bigby to find some shred of happiness.

I thought the wooden soldiers, and the way that they are introduced with their connection to Pinocchio, were very clever indeed. They're very much like the Mr. Smiths of the Matrix, with their frightening one track minds and utter disposability. But more importantly, they seem to represent a larger danger that I'm sure we'll see more of in future books.

Finally, in this book we begin to see Prince Charming campaigning for mayor against King Cole. This entire subplot is pathetically hilarious, with the prince making ridiculous promises that you know will land him far in over his head. When I actually read this, the US was in the midst of our election and...it definitely reflected reality.

My final conclusion on this book is that, it is perhaps not my favorite story arc yet, but it was still quite strong. I didn't feel that it had the emotional impact of some of the previous installments, but it had a lot of cleverness and humor that left me wanting more. 4 stars.

Review of Fables, Vol. 3: Storybook Love by Bill Willingham

It's rare that I latch on to a graphic novel, and I have never, ever lacked onto a graphic novel series like this. Fables just happens to have all of the qualities that I enjoy in a story, so why not dive in? And so we're on to volume 3.

The first part of the story features Jack Horner, a notorious schemer, in Civil War era America. In it, he gambles, tries to get the best of death, and also finds true lust. This little story is very funny, if a little pointless.

In the second part, a mundy reporter comes forward with loads of data on the fable community, which he mistakenly believes proves that they're all vampires. Bigby and gang have to neutralize this situation, as the fable community must remain a secret. In this part, we also meet Briar Rose, the notorious sleeping beauty, who's curse is still ongoing. Every time she pricks her finger, she falls asleep--as does anyone around her. What I liked about this part of the story was the character interactions, and the tension inherent in the situation. I really like Bigby, and his very practical way of viewing the world.

The second part really hammers home the conflict between Bluebeard and Bigby, and the conflict comes to a head in part three when Bluebeard devises a way to kill off Bigby. I can't say much without getting spoilery, but I will just say (again), that I liked the relationship and character building. I like the romantic tension between Snow and Bigby. I like the violent tension between the villains (if we want to call them that) and the heroes. I like that it gets pretty gory, and kind of dark. Twisted fairy tales, indeed.

Overall, I would say that I like this book for it's unusual and yet familiar characters, and for the fact that I really feel like I'm getting to know them now. If I had to name a flaw, it's that I would like just a smidge more back story on some of them, just because it would help me become emotionally invested in their lives (and deaths, as the case may be.  I continue to recommend the Fables series to fairy tale fans. 4.5 stars.

Review of Fables, Vol. 2: Animal Farm, by Bill Willingham

Today I continue my discussion the Fables series with a brief review of Volume 2, which is the story arc known as Animal Farm.

To briefly recap volume one, we had all of our fairy tale characters living in a secret community in New York City, after they were forced to flee their homelands centuries ago. Snow White is essentially in charge, Bigby (the wolf) is now in human form and is sheriff. Snow White's lesser known sister, Rose Red, fakes her own death and is now (in volume 2) being punished with community service. Snow drags Rose with her on a trip to the farm, an upstate chunk of land where non-human looking fables hide from the mundane world. There they find discontent among the farms inhabitants, with a revolution being plotted against the human fables, perceived now as jailors and overlords.

Positive Comments

Now, at no time in my academic career was I actually made to read Animal Farm by George Orwell. At one point, we did read a summary and watch part of the movie for the purpose of knowing something about it, should it show up on one of our AP tests. I know the general idea, but not necessarily the details. However, I did find recognizable and humorous nods to the original story in this book, and I felt that was very smart.

I found the entire plot of the book engaging. It seemed realistic to me that the farm dwellers would ultimately feel underprivileged and restless, and that this might lead to violence. The real kicker for me was when Goldilocks turns up as a vocal ring leader on the side of the rebellion, she being sympathetic to the animals in light of her history. It was so shocking and so hilarious to see her grown up and wielding a gun--a serious stroke of genius.

We are given more ideas on what it is that makes fables tick, in terms of immortality and power. We are basically told that human belief helps to keep them alive. Not a new idea in the fantasy realm, but still one worth exploring in this world.

Critical Comments

 

Once the revolution comes to it's conclusion, we become removed from the story as it's now told second hand. I was a little disappointed, as I thought they could have shown a lot more in terms of the aftermath. It would have provided an opportunity to see more of the nonhuman fables, many of whom were glossed over so very briefly.

Recommendation

 

All I can really say is that you have to try the series to know if you'll like it. It's a great take on twisted fairy tales, and it's a lot of fun--it's humorous, smart, and quirky. I liked the plot of volume 2 perhaps a hair more than that of volume 1, which was more of a murder mystery and therefor not my cup of tea. So I will say that if you've read the first installment and felt kind of "meh" about it, it's worth trying this one to know for sure. 4 stars.  

Best Book of October/November Preview

My October reading went kind of off the track. I read quite a bit, just not what I really meant to. In any case, I've got two more months to finish up my reading goals. First thing, lets crown the book of the month!

A Review of Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham

Fairytale retellings are big these days. They are literally all over the book market, and I couldn't be happier about that. The only downside is that, with so many, it's really difficult to sniff out the good from the bad. And so I rely on recommendations...and so I decided to try Fables, even though I rarely go for graphic novels.

The basic premise is that the fairy tale characters we're all familiar with (Snow White, Jack the Giant Killer, The Big Bad Wolf, and so forth), were forced to flee their homelands when they were attacked by a mysterious and vicious adversary. Now they reside in New York City, under a secret government with Snow White as the Deputy Mayor. This book is mostly a murder mystery, when Rose Red (Snow White's sister), goes missing amidst a great deal of blood. Bigby (the once Big Bad Wolf), is the detective in charge of solving the mystery.

Positive Comments

I liked the twisted, jaded view of these characters. Snow White is divorced from Prince Charming, who is shown to be quite the tool. Jack is full of get rich quick schemes. Bigby is portrayed as sort of werewolfish, but is also very smart and awkwardly charming. This is a world with a big cast and a lot of potential, and it knows how to use it's characters in a twisted and amusing way.

Critical Comments

As far as the actual story goes, it's a little meh. I'm not big on mysteries, so I wasn't that invested. I wasn't bored, because it was amusing enough just to watch these characters exist and interact in our world. But the plot by itself? Not so fantastic.

Recommendation

Fairytale fans, this one is for you. It's clever, unusual, and just plain fun. Even if you don't normally read graphic novels, I'd recommend this one. 4.5 stars.