Books of 2012: My Highlights

A lot of great books hit the shelves in 2012. Some highly-anticipated novels left many readers underwhelmed, while other quiet debuts proved that you don't have to have a well-known name to write a quality piece of fiction. 2012 also saw the welcome return of much-loved author Marian Keyes and brought British expat Jane Green briefly back to her native England.

This year, Young Adult fiction became my new favourite genre. Having adored the imagination and complexity of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, I had been searching for something to fill that void. The release of the Hunger Games film earlier in the year sent me to the book trilogy and I managed to devour all three in a very short space of time. It was similar in plot to that of Battle Royale (one of my favourite films!) but it brought a sick reality TV element that made it all the more sinister in its glamour. The Suzanne Collins trilogy was simply the beginning of my YA enjoyment this year though, with an impressive debut from Louisa Reid and a dramatic change in style from world-renowned author Jodi Picoult.

Firstly, Reid's dark book Black Heart Blue blew me away. There is nothing worse than finding something written for teenagers that is filled with a patronising attitude and simplicity - as if they are incapable of grasping anything more. There is none of that here as Reid deals with abuse, neglect and disability with grace and intelligence. The book, about the twin left behind after the death of her beautiful, more socially accepted, sister, is heartbreaking but gripping in its style. An eye-opener that promises more exciting work from an immensely talented author.

Completely different in style to Black Heart Blue, Picoult teamed up with her teenage daughter Samantha Van Leer to write the simply magical Between the Lines. The story, which sees the division between reader and fictional character blurred, saw a teenage girl fall for a character in a book - who wants nothing more than to leave his world and join hers. With gorgeous images in the margins and an utterly captivating and imaginative story, it's pure unadulterated escapism. A delight.

Another impressive debut this year came from Karen Thompson Walker who took a slow and menacing apocalyptic look at the end of the world in The Age of Miracles. It's completely captivating throughout and the prose is just gorgeous.

For the more adult reads this year, highlights have included Jane Green's The Patchwork Marriage, Dorothy Koomson's The Rose Petal Beach and the welcome return of Marian Keyes with her first novel in a few years, Mystery of Mercy Close. Green handled the contemporary issue of blended families with impartiality and understanding. Koomson brought a hidden darkness and humanity to a mystery and Keyes brought her own battle with depression into a courageous book about Helen Walsh.

2012 was also the year when Novelicious creator, Kirsty Greenwood, self-published her hilarious debut novel, Yours Truly. The book is filled with northern charm, humour and endearing characters. The premise - that Natalie Butterworth, people-pleaser and all round wallflower, is hypnotised into telling the truth - is inspired and loses nothing in the execution.

For the even more adult readers, of course, this was the year of 'mummy porn' Fifty Shades of Grey. The writing of this phenomenon was poor but the book was a guilty pleasure enjoyed by millions of readers across the world. The series spawned lots of copycats who tried to follow on from the success of E.L. James's books but only one managed to come close. With the creation of her crossfire series - which began with Bared to You - Sylvia Day created a brilliantly written tale of two dysfunctional people far more equal in their partnership. It's dramatic, naughty and devilishly exciting. Well worth a read.

What have your book highlights been for 2012? Share your tips in the comments below...
 

HOT TIP: Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid

The lovely folks over at Penguin UK recently sent me an advanced copy of a young adult/crossover debut from Author Louisa Reid called Black Heart Blue. I was lured in by the beautiful, eery cover and compelling, dark synopsis. So I was excited to read it when it arrived. What I hadn't realised was just how much I would love it - I devoured it in two days, almost missing stops on the tube and staying up into the early hours of the morning, just to see what happened.

The book starts with Rebecca going to her twin Hephzi's funeral and then proceeds to jump between her perspective and that of her sister in the lead up to her death. The truth behind what Hephzi died of is kept hidden for most of the story, but it is clear that Rebecca knows the truth.

The twins have been hidden away for so long, they have no idea about the realities of the world in which they live. So when they are finally allowed to go to a public school in their late teens, both react differently. Rebecca, the twin who survived, has been born with a genetic disorder that has affected the bone structure of her face and left her almost totally deaf. Hephzi, on the other hand has been blessed with a natural beauty. But both girls are stifled under the watchful and abusive eyes of The Mother and The Father, parents who are so devout in their religious beliefs, they believe only in punishment and seclusion, never in compassion or understanding.

Black Heart Blue deals with sibling relationships, domestic abuse, disability and the lengths many go to just to try to fit in through the mystery around Hephzi's death and the will for Rebecca to find the courage to break free of her parents. The book is guaranteed to shock many readers but will keep you hooked throughout as you spur Rebecca to keep going.

'They tried to make me go to my sister's funeral today. In the end I'd had to give in ... I'd been walking in her shadow for sixteen years and I liked its cool darkness. It was a good place to hide.'

How would you feel if your twin sister died suddenly? Particularly if she was the beautiful one and you were horribly disfigured. And how would it feel to be alone now if you and your sister were the only ones to know the truth about what takes place behind closed doors at home?And what would you do if it was your parents who brought danger and terror into your life? Would you dare reveal how your sister died? And would you be brave enough to find an escape of your own?

Black Heart Blue is a powerful novel about the domestic horrors that can unfold within a small community - and one girl's quest to stand up for the truth.

Louisa can be found on Twitter at @Louisareid

Black Heart Blue is available to pre-order now and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a powerful debut and I cannot wait to see what Louisa Reid has in store for the future.

Check out Novelicious this month for a full review and chats with the author.

New Cover for Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid

Finding an incredible debut author is like finding a needle in a haystack. Many new authors write great books which are well-received by many. However, there are a select few who come out of nowhere and have one of the most read books of the year. Recently for me this was Rosamund Lupton - whose debut book Sister back in 2010 blew my literary socks off. Her follow up had a lot to live up to but she somehow managed to pull off an incredible second book.

Now it seems that the people at Michael Joseph in Penguin towers may have stumbled across the debut author of 2012 to watch. I haven't had a chance to read this yet but the blurb and cover image are certainly enticing...

'They tried to make me go to my sister's funeral today. In the end I'd had to give in ... I'd been walking in her shadow for sixteen years and I liked its cool darkness. It was a good place to hide.'

How would you feel if your twin sister died suddenly? Particularly if she was the beautiful one and you were horribly disfigured. And how would it feel to be alone now if you and your sister were the only ones to know the truth about what takes place behind closed doors at home?And what would you do if it was your parents who brought danger and terror into your life? Would you dare reveal how your sister died? And would you be brave enough to find an escape of your own?

Black Heart Blue is a powerful novel about the domestic horrors that can unfold within a small community - and one girl's quest to stand up for the truth.

Louisa can be found on Twitter at @Louisareid

Black Heart Blue is out in paperback on 10th May 2012