Favorite Reads of 2012

Before we get too far into 2013, I want to post a list of my favorites of the 80 books I read in 2012. On goodreads I gave five stars ("it was amazing") to six books. I gave another 56 books a four-star rating ("really liked it"). Here are my favorites of those 62 good reads:

Highly- and widely-recommended book that ended up meeting my expectations: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Young adult novel that made me wish I were eighteen years old and falling in love for the first time: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Favorite book that I subsequently recommended to my thirteen-year-old son: After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

Favorite book recommended to me by my thirteen-year-old son: Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick

Best experiences with books I was offered for review: The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. by Nichole Bernier and Return to Exile by E.J. Patten

Longest book I read (which was worth every page): 11/22/63 by Stephen King

Book I joyfully read in one sitting: Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

Best beginning to a new series: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Most hoped-for sequel: Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

Best look at today's political climate: The Oath: The Obama White House and the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin

Favorite book that I was not interested in the first time I saw it: With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo

Most thought-provoking dystopian novel: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Most thought-provoking memoir: Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor

Favorite "I'm glad I finally got around to reading this one" book: Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Favorite re-read: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

Biggest "pleasant surprise" (resulting from my low expectations of a self-published debut novel): The Sand Bar by Rebecca Bryan

Hardest book to put down: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Favorite young adult novel exploring an aspect of history I knew little about: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Favorite young adult novel exploring a geographic area I knew little about: Red Glass by Laura Resau

Best cathartic experience: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Favorite scene: The "cameo" of Frances Hodgson Burnett in The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Books with the biggest impact on my life: One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and Flunking Sainthood by Jana Riess

What were your favorite reads of 2012?