Best of 2012, You Say?

So we're supposed to discuss the best books of this year, and since it's a BEA topic, one thinks "Oh....PUBLISHED this year?" but I don't think I can do that, so best books read this year? Yes indeed.

BUT FIRST. I need to mention that yesterday I met Aarti from BookLust and she's totally charming and awesome and this was my FIRST book blogger I've met IRL, so you all benefit from this by me assuming you're not going to be socially awkward because she wasn't and obviously everyone is the same.

We met at Open Books, and if you haven't gone there when passing through Chicago, c'mon people. We've been over this. Open Books is the best and the awesomest. And the proceeds go to literacy programs. DON'T YOU WANT THE CHILDREN TO READ?

Ok, best I've read this year.

Do I need to go over The Sisters Brothers again? It was a transcendent experience of mirth and an exploration of the deepest fathoms of the soul. Ok, not so much maybe, because I don't get down like that, but I REALLY SUPER LIKED IT.

FUN HOOOOME. Alison Bechdel's awesome book, not to be confused with Are You My Mother?, her less than awesome book. Check out this panel that I snagged from Wikipedia, which therefore makes me feel like it's sorta kinda legal, although who knows really because I'm not a lawyer and I never wanted to be thank you very much except for occasionally while watching Alex Cabot on Law & Order: SVU:

Mmm graphic memoiry

Both of these are books I would recommend to anyone. ANYONE. Unless that person has some weird, irrational hatred for graphic memoirs OR Ye Olde Weste (the 'e' makes it extra old timey). But they're both mega-awesome. And then we get to the book for girls.

OMG ATTACHMENTS. Can we please discuss how adorable and squishy this book is? Everyone I know who's read it has loved it. It's funny and charming and really really cute. And its author is super-nice. Which is just good to know, because sometimes you read something by Jonathan Franzen and it's good but you're like "AGGHHH WHY ARE YOU YOU?"

Those're my top three. I feel like if I did anymore, you would feel INUNDATED with pictures, and no one wants that. I recommend the shit out of these books.