Nope, that’s not my age (sadly) or the beginning of my special password or my winning lottery numbers (that haven’t won for me just yet). Nothing that exciting. It’s the fairly sad number of books I read during 2012.
Before you berate me, though, I feel the need to point out that this doesn’t include any of the books I read by virtue of copyediting them through Blue Otter Editing. That would technically be cheating since I was paid to “read” those. (Rough job but someone has to do it!)
I read a lot more non-fiction than I usually do: 10 non-fiction out of 31 books. A lot of them were alternative health books designed to keep me motivated to stay off of sugar (and they generally worked.) Most of the fiction was either romance or young adult, sometimes both together.
So…these are the books I read, with comments on a few of them where I felt moved to say something. (Note: The ones without comments are not necessarily unnoteworthy!)
Ain’t She Sweet by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I adored this book. I think it’s my favorite by SEP to date. She’s just so damn GOOD! If you haven’t read anything by this author, run. Get a book by her. Read it. She has a way with characters. You won’t necessarily love them on page one, but by the end of the book, you will know them so well you’ll feel like they’re living and breathing, and you will absolutely be cheering for them to have a happily ever after.
American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper inU.S. Military History by Chris Kyle.
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. I’d heard tons of hype over this one. I normally shy away from hype books (nope, haven’t read 50 Shades of Anything), so I went into it skeptical. And it promptly grabbed my interest. In essence, it’s a romance set in a college setting. New Adult is the new genre that features this age group, I believe. The characters are so believable and likeable, even when they’re doing unlikeable things. Definitely recommend it if you enjoy YA lit.
The Blood Sugar Solution by Mark Hyman
Born at Midnight by CC Hunter
The Dashwood Sisters Tell All by Beth Patillo
Falling For You by Julie Ortolon
Fear of Landing: You Fly Like A Woman by Sylvia Spruce Wrigley
The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan
Grounding Quinn by Stephanie Campbell
In Between by Jenny B Jones
The Inn at Eagle Point by Sherryl Woods
A Little Ray of Sunshine by Lani Diane Rich
A Lot Like Love by Julie James. This was my first by this author but won’t be my last. Very well-written, engaging romance.
Lunatic Detective by Sharon Sala
The Mood Cure: The 4-Step Program to Take Charge of Your Emotions Today by Julia Ross. I can’t recommend this book enough for anyone who suffers from depression, anxiety, ADHD or other mood disorders.
Navy Brat by Debbie Macomber
Over-the-Counter Natural Cures by Shane Ellison. Life-changing book. Seriously. A former pharmaceutical-company chemist tells it like it is and offers easy, cheap ways to improve your health and get away from pharmaceuticals. Highly recommend. (Note: the first few pages sound hokey. Keep reading.)
SEAL Target Geronimo: The Inside Story of the Mission to Kill Osama Bin Laden by Chuck Pfarrer. I have no idea what to think about this book. It was a very good read, but once I finished it, I read the Amazon reviews, several of which maintain that this rendition of the killing of Osama Bin Laden is completely false. I don’t think most of us will ever know what went down, but this seemed realistic, regardless.
Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism by Maria Emmerich. This book is so stuffed full of information on the way the body works and how food and other substances affect it that there was no way I absorbed it all in one reading. I’m currently RE-reading it, and I am absolutely NOT a rereader, of fiction or non-fiction. The only downsides of this book are that it is in desperate need of a copyeditor (I truly would have set it aside ¼ of the way through for this reason alone if it didn’t have such good info) and that the author does not cite her sources. Regardless, I tend to trust her information because I’ve seen the same facts mentioned in other books by other authors, most of who do cite.
Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis. One of my favorite romances of the year. The others in this series are at the top of my To Be Read pile. Engaging characters you can’t help but love, a hot romance, humor and touching moments throughout. Go. Buy it.
Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen
Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities by Alexandra Robbins. Eye-opening report on the Greek system. I thought I was hard to shock but no. I see it has tons of reviews on Amazon and averages 3 stars. Without looking any closer, I’m betting sorority girls gave it 1′s and non-Greeks gave it high marks. But…just a guess.
The Stop Eating So F&%$ing Much Diet by Shane Ellison
Sugar Shock! How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life–and How You Can Get Back on Track by Connie Bennett and Stephen Sinatra
Suicide by Sugar: A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction by Nancy Appleton
Take My Breath Away by Cara Summers
Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs. This young adult book features a mermaid, and I’ll be honest, I’m not a lover of mermaids. But Tracy is a damn good author so I took a chance and she made me lose myself in her world. It’s the first in a series and I fully intend to read more.
Vlad All Over by Beth Orsoff
When It Happens by Susanne Colasanti. Have to give this book kudos for the Say Anything references.
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. Beautifully written young adult novel that centers around eating disorders. It’s not a particularly happy story, but it is so well-done that I loved it anyway.
That’s it, maybe something here will entice you to pick up one of these. I’m all for spreading book love!
The goal for 2013 is 40 books. Seems like it should be easy but I’m a slow reader and short on time. There are many out there who read circles around me and I love them for it! 
So fess up…how many books did you read in 2013? Please, feel free to put me to shame. And if you can remember some of your favorites, please list them.
Weird – I just posted about SEP Ain’t She Sweet, too!
Nice list. xoxo
Ahh, so good, Bobbi! <3