Flavorwire

We may be up to our ears in best of 2012 lists, but from we’re standing, the year in books is just about over and done with. It had its moments, to be sure, and its share of big names and shiny new stars like, but now we’ve turned a weather eye on the literary horizon — and we’ve got to say, it’s looking pretty balmy. At least if you like killer short story collections, triumphant returns, and more delicious-sounding novels than you can shake a stick at. After the jump, we’ve listed the 30 upcoming books we’re most excited about right now. Take a peek, and let us know which ones have you counting the minutes in the comments.

Tenth of December: Stories, George Saunders (January 8)

At last, a new collection from the hilarious, wise, and deliciously surreal Saunders, whose last effort, 2006′s In Persuasion Nation, has its own creepy cabin inside our hearts. Already our light in the encroaching darkness, with these stories, Saunders holds the torch a little higher.