The year in review

With 2012 over, I thought I'd do my own "best of" list. Not everything here was released in 2012, but I did see it this year and since this is my list, I'll make my own rules.

Books

Code Name Verity. Two awesome, distinct heroines in World War II Britain. I mean, it's totally right up my alley. I love the structure of this book -- I think to say more would spoil it. But it's witty and touching and I got sniffly on the bus when I read it so I'm sure people were like, What's up with her? Here's the book trailer (which, btw, I enjoy book trailers; this one is really cool.)

The Fault in Our Stars. I've written about this book before. It's about two teenage cancer patients, but it's not a cancer book. Funny, poignant and sad. I cried and cried after reading it and then couldn't settle into a new book for days after -- always a good sign of a great book. I want to read it again, but I dunno if I can handle it.

Bitterblue. A fantasy-ish book that's part of the Graceling series, so you should probably read "Graceling" first. That book is good -- about a medieval-ish kingdom in which some people have particular gifts. Bitterblue is set 10 years later, centering on a young queen. The part I find really interesting is its focus on how the queen's kingdom tries to recover from its horrific recent past.

Music

The Civil Wars. I want to say some celebrity on Twitter -- Sophia Bush or Scott Porter or someone -- mentioned loving the Civil Wars, and so I checked 'em out. And boy did I fall in love. Haunting harmonies and emotional vocals. LOVE. And I was all, Man, next time they come to D.C., I'm totally going to see them ... and then they decided to pretty much call it quits. Sigh. Just my luck.

Helen Jane Long. She's filed under New Age on iTunes, I think, but her instrumentals are just lovely. Quiet and relaxing. I like to listen to it at night before I go to sleep. Which sounds like a backhanded compliment, but I don't mean it to be. I want to get one of her songs on sheet music and learn it, even though I don't have a piano readily available.

Movies

The First Grader. This movie is streaming on Netflix. Go watch it. It's about this elderly man in Africa who enrolls in elementary school so that he can learn to read. Sniffles abound. Seriously. Sniffles. If you need more convincing, Naomi Harris, who stars in "Skyfall," co-stars here. Such a tearjerker of a movie. But heartwarming too...

Avengers. The one-liners and cadence of Joss Whedon's script and Marvel together means, dang, I loved this movie.

Lincoln. Mostly it's because it's like "The West Wing -- Civil War Edition." Plus it inspired and/or capped my family's exploration of Virginia's Civil War history. We recently toured the "White House of the Confederacy" in Richmond, then Petersburg's battlefield site, then followed Lee's Retreat to Appomattox and ended at Appomattox Court House to see where he surrendered.

Drama

Nashville. My favorite new show of the season. I can't remember the last time I liked Hayden Panettiere -- wait. Yes, I do. I liked her in "Remember the Titans." But she's good here, really -- and of course so is Tami Taylor, er, Connie Britton. Plus the music is awesome. I would've put the soundtrack up in the music category, but I just got it and I don't want to put it on the list without repeat listens at this point.

One Man, Two Guvnors. Okay this isn't a TV show, it was a play on Broadway, but it was fantastic. Quite possibly the best play I've ever seen. The first time I saw this farce -- about a big lunkhead who has to balance have two masters -- I thought it was hilarious. Then next two times just slightly less so -- mostly because you realize where the improv is and where the scripted bits are. But you also see how hard the cast works to make the scripted bits seem unscripted.

Downton Abbey. Watch Season 3 starting Sunday on PBS. No spoilers, but there are some WTF moments. That's all I'm saying. I agree with this review that says that whereas the second season was wobbly but ended strong with the Christmas special, this one is the opposite. Still highly watchable and addictive. Season hasn't even premiered here yet and I've already watched it twice....