2012 Reading Journey

My reading journey in 2012 consisted mostly of comic books, but I did find a few gems along the way. I expanded my choice of genres, which I'm proud of, and I found myself enjoying them more than I thought I would. I participated in two (or was it three?) 24 hours BookDepo deals and got myself so many early Christmas presents at a fantastic price.

Without further ado, here's my own little book awards for 2012:

Best Indonesian fiction: Memori by Windry Ramadhina. Everything about the book is perfect.

Best English fiction: In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner, and Rutha Sepetys' Between Shades of Grey. They're both about genocides in two different countries, both very tragic yet so touching. Books about humanity are often the best.

Best manga/comic book: Sepeda Merah by Kim Dong Hwa and Love Me Blue by Fujiwara Yoshiko. I like the illustrations, but the story is heartwarming as well :) oooh, and I love Runway Sweetheart!

Most beautiful book: Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick and All About Me: Father Christmas. Beautiful colorful illustrations. Wonderful story.

Most melancholic book: it's a tie between Maggie O'Farrel's After You'd Gone and Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara. Both manage to capture the feeling of loss, fear, and letting go beautifully.

Creepiest book: the Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. Read it and you'll know why.

Best non-fiction: Saga no Gabai Bachan by Yoshichi Shimada. A family story about morality, life values, and poverty. It makes us reevaluate our priorities and remind us to be more thankful for little things in life.

Most disappointing read: Without Tess by Marcella Pixley. I was expecting to be blown away by the sadness, the inability to let go, the raw emotions of Lizzie. Instead I got poems about selzkies and magic, and a lot of counseling that talks about magic but less of those feelings. I was also disappointed with The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder. The main character is not lovable that it ruins the beauty of the story for me. And I don't even want to mention the Incorrigible Childern series.

Most memorable: the Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and the Fault in Our Stars by John Green. The story just flows beautifully in every page.

New genre: The Dead Room by Chris Mooney. I love crime mystery and finally start reading them. I'm not blown away, but it does make one compelling read. I've also been reading, collecting, and falling in love with all Kanon Iguchi's and Chie Watari's mystery manga.

Here's to a colorful 2013 reading experience!