This Top Ten topic is perfect for the end of the year – Top Ten Favorite Books of 2012. I’ve read about 110 books so far this year and it’s a little tough choosing which ones to highlight, but here’s my list. They are not necessarily in any order.

The TempestThe Tempest by William Shakespeare

I actually read four of Shakespeare’s plays this year: The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsumer Night’s Dream, and The Taming of the Shrew. All could legitimately be included on this list, but The Tempest was my favorite of the lot.

 

Bury your deadBury Your Dead by Louise Penny

Another author I read several of this year: Bury Your DeadA Trick of the Light, The Beautiful Mystery, and The Hangman. This is my currently my favorite mystery series and I especially liked Bury Your Dead because it settled some issues from the previous installment that I really hadn’t been happy with. It also gave us some wonderful insights into the main characters.

Whiplash RiverWhiplash River by Lou Berney

I love a good caper. Exotic locales, a larger than life cast of characters, a fast-paced plot and snappy dialogue made this one of my faves this year. It made me laugh and cringe, a good combo.

 

Harold's Fairy TaleHarold’s Fairy Tale by Crockett Johnson

Yes, I’ve read this many, many times since we bought it when Amber was little, but I still love Harold and his purple crayon and it is one I re-read this year. I love his imagination and the way this one in particular plays with the standard fairy tale figures.

 

Henry WoodHenry Wood Detective Agency by Brian Meeks

This one was just so odd and orginal I loved it. It was kind of a 1950s detecitve story, but with several odds twists that made it stand out. It’s not perfect, but it was kind of a surprise favorite.

 

the house of silkThe House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

I love the original Sherlock Holmes stories and Horowitz did a great job giving his story the same feel as the originals.

 

 

The Kingdom on the Edge of RealityThe Kingdom on the Edge of Reality by Gahan Hanmer

This is another one I was surprised by. The premise is a rich man has set up a medieval kingdom in the wilds of Canada and more or less kidnaps an old friend to come live there. Doesn’t sounds like it’ll be very good, but I ended up loving it. There’s romance and adventure, betrayals, sexual trysts and violence. It’s a magical story, but without any actual magic.

why mosquitoesWhy Mosquitos Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema

This is another one I’ve read over and over since Amber was little. It’s just such a great book to read aloud and the colorful sharp illustrations are perfect.

 

 

the maltese falconThe Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

It’s quite deservedly a classic of detective fiction. Characters, plot, dialogue, it all works.

 

 

Artists in CrimeArtist in Crime by Ngaio Marsh

I do love vintage mysteries and this is one takes a favorite character, Inspector Alleyn, and introduces him to the woman he will eventually marry, artist Agatha Troy. But Marsh doesn’t let the budding romance take over the book; it’s still all about the mystery.

 

What books made your top ten list this year?

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

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