Top Ten Tuesday (12-18-12)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 

they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 

topic is:

Top Ten Books I Read in 2012

1) Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani - this was probably the best book I read this year and it was an audiobook! I loved it so much ... the characters, the stuggles, the settings ... it was just a great book and I cannot wait for the final book in this trilogy to come out!

2) The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach - I was so hesitant to read this book because I don't like baseball, but it turned out that although the sport was talked about, it wasn't the sole focus of this novel. This was Harbach's first novel and I'm so anxious to see what else he writes.

3) Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead - a close look at a New England family in the midst of a wedding, this novel examines society's expectations for us, what we expect from ourselves, and how certain milestones in life bring about certain behaviors.

4) Arranged by Catherine McKenzie - I became a huge McKenzie fan this year and read all of her books (she has three published), but this one was my favorite. It's chick lit but a step up, and something that you attempt to devour in one sitting (even though life kept on getting in the way!)

5) Dearie: The Remarkable Life Story of Julia Child by Bob Spitz - I've always wanted to know more about Julia Child and Spitz has written the definitive work on her life in this book. Very engrossing and read quite easy (which can be hard to do for a biography well over 500 pages).

6) More Than You Know by Penny Vincenzi - this was my first Vincenzi book and I fell in love with her writing style and characters. 

7) Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling - so, Mindy and I are destined to be best friends and this book proves it. It was like having a conversation with my best friend, who is geeky like me but we are both okay with it.

8) The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani - another Trigiani novel that has made my list! A moving love story spanning decades and continents, this was one of my favorite stories from 2012.

9) Defending Jacob by William Landay - I don't read many legal thrillers but I had to make an exception for this book. It was riveting and kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire novel. I never could have guessed the ending!

10) The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Lost by Rachel Freidman - I love a good travel memoir and Freidman's is one of my all-time faves. Showing how someone who always does thing by the book, Freidman takes you on an amazing journey across many continents.

There were so many great books that I read this year! It was hard to only choose ten! So, what were your favorite books of 2012? Let me know!