(5): Celebrating the Best

We are hours away from the The 2nd Filipino ReaderCon! It’s tomorrow, August 18, 2012, 8am to 6pm at the Filipinas Heritage Library. And we are capping The Filipino Friday meme by recalling and sharing our best reads, so far, for 2012.

August 17 – Celebrating the Best. In honor of the first Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards, let’s talk about our favorites for this year. What are your favorite books in 2012 so far? Have you read any awesome Filipino books in the year? If yes, make sure to include them in your list!

After making a quick check on my Goodreads shelf, which among the books I rated 5 stars were favorites, I came up with…

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien - I am not an avid Tolkien fan, but to rate this book below 5 stars is pure blasphemy. All the elements of a good book is in here, in this series.
When Maidens Mourn by C.S. Harris - It’s no secret I am an enthusiastic devotee of Historical Fiction. With this I am simply elated by how this series turned, and excited for the sequel.
The Enchantress by Michael Scott - Don’t let the torrent of mythical characters drown you. This last book gave all the answers to my questions. Scott ended this series with a huge twist that was both shocking and satisfying.
The Prophet by Amanda Stevens - This is the 3rd book from the Graveyard Queen series. The suspense and revelations kept me at the edge, and I love the way that felt.
The Ares Decision by Kyle Mills - this is the latest addition to Robert Ludlum’s Covert One Series. Just finished it today via audio. I have to commend Jeff Woodman for his narration, he was really great. If you like reading relentless action-thrillers, this is the book for you. Kyle Mills knows how to deliver realistic, well-researched, and action-packed drama.
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro - I’ve rated this 4 stars merely because of my personal view on the subject of regret. Why is this a favorite then? Because the themes of this book raised some very good points in our online and F2F7 discussion. Must I say “it was delicious”? ..but yes, it was.

This is tad embarrassing; I am one of the many Filipino readers who seldom read Filipino-authored books. But this year I’ve managed to read a handful…

One Crazy Summer by Ines Baustista Yao.
Fairy Tale Fail by Mina V. Esguerra.
Table For Two by Marla Miniano
Noli Me Tangere by Jose Rizal (a reread for F2F8).
Ang Kwento ng Mga Supot… by Various Writers - this book is definitely not for kids, and I don’t know if this is for adults, either.
Brightest by J. de Venecia, J. Crisner and J. Litonjua - which reminds me to write a deserving review for this bright kid’s book.
After the Birthday Party - by TFG members - it’s a collection of stories from various group members, who voluntarily shared some of their precious memories.

Hopefully this year’s ReaderCon will improve my Filipino book list.

SEE YOU ALL THERE TOMORROW!!!

(Source: athoughtoneachpage)