Wowbrary Wednesday--A New Year and New Reading!

It's only January 4, but we already have 2012 books on order. The two most recent Wowbrary editions have yielded some tantalizing titles that I'm looking forward to reading. 2012 is starting off on a good note!

Likely 2012 publishing trends are already showing up in the Wowbrary editions. Of course, political books will be all the rage:




The Obamas






The Real Romney



And there's more where that came from (especially once the Republican nominee is determined).


2012 brings many anniversaries, chief among them is the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the British throne. This very private monarch is already the subject of two new biographies:





Elizabeth the Queen: Inside the Life of a Modern Monarch





The Real Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II






2012 also brings the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens's birth. I'm currently rereading A Tale of Two Cities on my ereader (haven't read it since high school); in honor of the anniversary, I'm making an effort to read or reread his works. Charles Dickens: A Life has received terrific reviews, so it's definitely going on my list.


Enough of anniversaries for now. Let's look at some other books heading our way:




I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy


The final cover hasn't been approved yet (the cover in the catalog says "We the People of Facebook Nation," so the title may change), so that's why I'm not showing one. Lori Andrews, a noted privacy experts, shows readers how privacy is being compromised by our everyday use of social networks, and offers advice on how to protect ourselves in this constantly evolving atmosphere.





Sophie: The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog



When the Griffith family lost their Australian cattle dog, Sophie, at sea, they sadly reconciled themselves to the fact that they would probably never see her again, and hoped that her death was quick and as painless as it could be. Little did they know that Sophie swam six miles (through shark-infested waters) to a remote nature preserve, where she survived for five months. Warned that their beloved family dog had probably reverted to a feral state, the Griffiths prepared for a reunion that nearly didn't happen. Dogs rule, and dog books rule too (so do cats and cat books).


I'm eager to read some awesome fiction as well:







American Dervish


This Pakistani American coming of age story sounds like a worthwhile read.






The Flight of Gemma Hardy



This modern take on Jane Eyre is already receiving lots of buzz.






The Lost Saints of Tennessee


I'm usually not a fan of devastating family sagas, but this takes place in "Virginia horse country" (I've tried to find specifics, but haven't been successful), so I'm going to take a chance on it.




The Snow Child

I tend to shy away from magical realism, but The Night Circus has convinced me to not automatically reject them. The main attraction for me is its setting--1920s Alaska.




The French Slow Cooker

Oooh, just in time for winter! If you want to step up your slow cooker recipes, this should do the trick nicely. Just know that these recipes will likely require a bit more prep beyond the the typical basic slow cooker recipes.


That's not fair, Wowbrary. I'm still trying to finish up my 2011 reads!

Children's/YA literature fans: mark Jan 23 on your calendar. That's when the Youth Media Awards will be announced in Dallas (8:45 EST). Crossing my fingers that we have the Newbery/Caldecott/Printz winners (I have my favorites, but this is my main concern). I have three books I want to finish before the awards are announced; after that, I'll post my 2011 favorites. Always a fun morning (if you ever get a chance to attend the presentation in person at the midwinter conference, I highly recommend it).