It’s that time again – the end-of-the-year recap time! Here at Info Cafe we’re going to take a look back at our favorite books of the past year. Not all of these books were published in 2012, but were read and enjoyed in 2012. Enjoy!

Amber starts us off with a controversial pick: The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling. “Although several of my fellow staff members may disagree with me, I found J.K. Rowling’s newest novel to be absolutely compelling and I can think of no other book that I have read this year that has affected me as much. Although the novel has mostly been discussed for its depiction of politics and social issues set against a backdrop of the idyllic English country village, I found the interactions between teens, technology and their community to be the most explosive”. Maggie had a different view of this book which she blogs about here. Which side of the debate do you fall on?

Michelle’s favorite book was Louise Penny’s latest Chief Inspector Gamache book, The Beautiful Mystery. “Entirely set in the closed walls of a monastery, Gamache methodically interrogates each of the 23 monks trying to determine who murdered Frere Matthieu (the monaastery’s choirmaster) and what would drive a monk to murder.” Michelle tells us more about it here.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett was Ann’s pick. “Patchett is one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint, creating interesting, complex characters and placing them in unusual situations and regions (in this case, remote Amazon River) and making them relate-able and memorable. I was surprised at how tense and action packed this title was, yet manages to be thoughtful and heartbreaking too. It’s the kind of book you think about again and again, long after finishing it”. Michelle liked this book too and blogged about it here.

Check back tomorrow for more favorites from our blogging librarians!