So the end of my first full-year of blogging draws to a close - 2012 has been a big year for me for all sorts of reasons. Have I learnt much? Probably not. Has it been fun? Oh yes. And to all you stoic readers of the blog - thank you. You are martyrs to the cause and I salute you. I hope you've found the odd post of interest amongst the nonsense ramblings and fawning over a certain author *cough* Love you Mart *cough*. I don't do new year's resolutions - not public ones at least - but I promise more of the same in 2013, so if you've tolerated me this far, why give up now? Who knows, stick around and we might actually become quite attached to one another!

Wiping away the tears that such an impassioned and emotional outpouring has undoubtedly raised in us all, shall we take a look at 2013? Last year I planned to read a whole lot of Dickens but gave up after three novels as it just didn't seem the right way to read one of the most popular authors around. So I'm not planning any big personal reading missions this year, I'm just taking one book at a time.

For January, my big read is going to be Hunger by Knut Hamsun. Current you say? Why thank you very much. And yes it might be over one-hundred-years old, but this is one of my favourite books to date and a good re-read is definitely in order. Hunger is about a starving novelist who drifts through the streets of Oslo, half-deranged and skirting the line between life and death throughout. My first read was one of the most harrowing reading experiences I've had, and if for nothing else, then a book that can stir such a strong reaction must be worth spreading the word about.

I'm also going to read Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro - a collection of short stories from an author I enjoy. They're supposedly tied together by themes of love and music, but I must confess I didn't bother to get past the first fifty pages the first time I tried this, so I really couldn't comment. Hopefully this time round I'll get into the collection a little more.

For slightly lighter reads to break the new year in nicely, I'm continuing on my Potter read-through with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and I'll also try another Nick Hornby in the form of About a Boy. I enjoyed the film years back so I should be on steadier ground than when I tried the turgid How to be Good earlier in the year.

How's 2012 been for you? What should I read in 2013? Let me know, below.

Notable Posts from December