I have been meaning to get this up for months now!  Here are my favorites:

1. Without a doubt this was my beloved of 2012:In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner – I loved the poetic writing, the “eye-witness” fictional retelling of  the tragic and triumphant story of Cambodia and her people. This novel moved and touched my soul.
2. The Josephine Bonaparte Trilogy: The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, and The Last Great Dance on Earth by Sandra Gulland.  An epic series of the life story of Josephine B.  who became the wife of Napoleon.  The writing is economical; the story captivating.
3. Claude & Camille by Stephanie Cowell – A story of art, of love.
4. Leaving Van Gogh by Carol Wallace – The artist’s plight.
5. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman – A powerhouse of prose, a gift.
6. The Hummingbirds Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea – A tale of a gifted Mexican healer and the cost to heal.
7. In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Durant – Beautiful metaphors and similes.
8. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen – Playful

Currently Reading:  The King’s Agent by Donna Russo Morin

To Read List: The acclaimed “Thornleigh” novels Blood Between Queens, The Queen’s Gamble, The Queen’s Captive, The King’s Daughter and The Queen’s Lady by Barbara Kyle; The Crown and The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau; Illuminations by Mary Sharratt; and Shadow on the Crown  by Patricia Bracewell.