Top Ten of 2012

My top ten reads for 2012 feel a little more consistent this year than in other years.  I read like a mad thing -- more than 130 books! -- and there were so many winners!  Narrowing down my original list of 23 was agonizing!

So here's the list.  Almost all are historical novels -- perhaps my favorite genre -- and all save for one were new releases in 2012. One male author this year (in 2011, six made the list, and in 2010, none made the list). At least one is an 'indie' published novel (or two, if you count the Rinehart reissue as an indie).

What do you think of this list?  What made your top ten for 2012?

Jesse Blackadder, The Raven's Heart

Having finished this most recently, I don't have a great deal of distance: I'm still caught up in the warm fuzzies and swoony raptures over finishing a really good, chunky book. Blackadder's unique heroine offered entree to a familiar historical figure (Mary, Queen of Scots) and a genre I'm not wild about (historical royals), and I found myself captivated from the first handful of pages. The queer romance didn't hurt either. Extra perk: discovering a new publisher dedicated to lesbian fiction. Yum!

Karen Harper, Mistress of Mourning

Silly as it may be, when I like a character to the point I want her as a real-life friend, well, that usually indicates a winner.  Harper's 16th century novel of a widowed chandler (candle-maker) who gains the confidence of a monarch while involved in some secret missions was a breezy delight, and I just adored Varina, our heroine.  A novel of dual POVs that charmed me, I inhaled this book in about a day.  

Jane Harris, Gillespie & I

This book might win for the whiplash wait-oh-my-god-what-just-happened? moment of the year. From the first page, I adored our sketchy, unreliable narrator Harriet, pompous and filled with self-importance. Harris' locale -- 1880s Glasgow -- was interesting and fascinating, and Harriet's snobbish pursuit to ingratiate herself into artist Ned Gillespie's family was painfully hilarious until ... ! As with my review, I won't say more, but the snap moment in the middle was awesome. I can't shake this book or Harriet.

Rashad Harrison, Our Man in the Dark

I was really blown about by this novel. It felt 'dangerous', in a way -- featuring the unsavory aspect a revered American icon, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. --and had wonderful sense of time and place, prompting me to suggest it's a kind of historical novel. Set in the 1960s, the novel follows a fictional employee of King's, whose ambitions and delusions lead to his downfall.  Tackling the Civil Rights movement, race relations, the FBI investigation of King, this was an eye-opening book and a delicious kind of noir thriller.

Sadie Jones, The Uninvited Guests

I know opinions are split on this one, but for me, this was one million percent a win.  I adored this book from the cover through to the last page, and I thought Jones nailed the snotty superficiality of the Edwardian priviledged while evoking a ghost story reminiscent of Henry James.  I adored every character and hung on every word.  A sort of black-ly comedic ghostly historical novel.

Janice Law, Fires of London

It would not be out of place for me to simply say 'om nom nom' about this one. Seedy, slimy, sexy, gritty, grimy, gorgeous -- this short, snappy historical novel about Francis Bacon (the surrealist painter) in World War II London just blew my mind.  I'm rarely clamoring for a sequel or a new series to commit to, but I am desperate for more of Law's Bacon.  For those who enjoy WWII novels, this is a must; and for those who are over that era, consider this one for the unique angle.

Anouk Markovits, I Am Forbidden

This novel was devastating: beautiful, sad, melancholy, heartbreaking, captivating.  A family saga of two girls from a conservative religious community, this novel literally kept me up all night in my race to finish.  (I was delayed by tears more than once!) Markovits' writing was uncomplicated and clear, conveying the alien world of a conservative Hasidic sect in a manner that made it easy for me to sink into the story.

Maryanne O'Hara, Cascade

Every blogger who has seen the cover has had the same response as me: hello, gorgeous. Happily, I found the book as captivating as the cover.  O'Hara's novel of an artist, a wife, a visionary, and American citizen is unforgettable, a moving story of choices, losses, gains, and the trades made between head and heart.  The quietude of the narrative also sticks with me; I've turned back to this book more than once to study the way she writes. 

Mary Roberts Rinehart, When a Man Marries

This charming, madcap vintage mystery was written in 1911 but reads easily still.  Rich celebutantes, a quarantine, a public/secret divorce, and two lovers who hate/love each other at first sight, this book could be cliched until one remembers its original pub date; and then, it feels fresh and funny and clever.  Perfect for those who like a good cozy but want a different setting, this 'mystery' is has a fabu sense of place and a lot of sass.

Julie K. Rose, Oleanna

This historical novel set in early 20th century Norway hit all the right notes for me.  Reminding me of Willa Cather and Sigrid Undset, Rose's sparse, simple narrative style swept me away and I was charmed and moved by Oleanna.  While without a flashy plot, the simple evocation of Norwegian life -- both modern and old-fashioned -- and the pain and loss of ordinary individuals was delightfully articulated.  I miss Oleanna and the world Rose evoked.