Quick book tally and final reviews
Sneaking in under the wire with my final book count. The standard year-end survey/meme will have to wait.
2017 books
2016 books
2015 books
2014 books
2013 books
2012 books
2011 books
2010 books
2009 books
2008 books
2007 books
2006 books
2005 books
2018 Books:
* = re-read
1. Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
2. Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley
3. A Wind In the Door by Madeleine L'Engle (Read aloud)
4. Beast - Brie Spangler
5-6. Novice by Taran Matharu* (read once for myself, once aloud for Two)
7. The Haas Sisters of Franklin Street by Frances Rothmann
8. Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
9. Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon
10. Inside Camp David by Michael Giorgione
11. Whyborne & Griffin #5: Bloodline by Jordan L Hawk*
12. Hexbreaker by Jordan L Hawk
13. W&G #4 Necropolis by Jordan L Hawk*
14. W&G #6 Hoarfrost by Jordan L Hawk*
15-16. Leah on the Offbeat* (once for myself, once aloud)
17. The True Queen by Sarah Fine
18. W&G #7 Maelstrom by Jordan L Hawk*
19-20. In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan* (read it twice in a row!)
21. The First Year: The Black Mage, Book 1 by Rachel E Carter
22-23. Inquisition by Taran Matharu (once for myself, once aloud)
24. W&G #8 Fallow by Jordan L Hawk*
25. Best. State. Ever. by Dave Barry
26. W&G #9 Draakenwood by Jordan L Hawk*
27. The Wanderer by Sharon Creech
28. Peace Breaks Out by John Knowles
29. W&G #10 Balefire by Jordan L Hawk
30. Battlemage by Taran Matharu* (once for myself, once aloud)
31. The Trials of Apollo #3: The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan (read aloud, but I would have read it anyway)
32. Dead Poet's Society by N. H. Kleinbaum (read aloud)
33. The Hills Have Spies by Mercedes Lackey
34. Simon & the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli* (read aloud)
35. The Golden Tower by Cassie Clare and Holly Black (read aloud but I would have read anyway)
36. The Outcast by Taran Matharu (read aloud but I probably would have read anyway)
37. The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller
38. Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart
39. The White Mirror by Elsa Hart
40-41. What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera* (once to myself, once aloud)
42. Imprudence by Gail Carriger
43. Going Rogue by Robin Benway
44. Guarding His Melody by Victoria Sue
45. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
46. Moving Pictures by PTerry
47. Becoming by Michelle Obama
Short Stories:
1. RoL graphic novel #4: Detective Stories by Ben Aaronovitch
2. Poison or Protect by Gail Carriger
3. Romancing the Inventor by Gail Carriger
4. RoL graphic novel #5: Cry Fox by Ben Aaronovitch
Not too shabby for someone who mostly only gets to read when she walks the dog (and, more recently, during PT and on planes). The handful of times I've read in bed at night, I've ended up staying awake way WAY too late, so I try not to do that too often. :P
Favorite books of the year: Autoboyography, In Other Lands, Inside Camp David, The Philosopher's Flight and Becoming.
Last couple of reviews:
Murder on the Orient Express: I bought this at a sale somewhere a few months ago, don't remember where, and it's been on my to-read shelf, but I brought it along to CA since it was pocket-sized and easy to transport (along with my Kindle). Also, I knew at some point I'd want to see the recent movie. (I did see the first 20 mins or so of the movie while on the flight west, but that was as far as I'd read at the time, so I stopped at that point.) As non-scary whodunnits go, it was good, but I found myself unsatisfied by a number of points. First of all, the main point which lead to the appropriate lines of questioning was who Johnny Depp's character really was - the perpetrator of at least one heinous kidnapping/murder that had taken place in NYC a good 10+ years before. The fact that Poirot made this deduction based on the sole scrap of burned paper and no other evidence just felt incredibly flimsy. The idea that all these people who had been connected to the kidnapping had managed to find each other using the communication methods of 90 years ago felt strained, as well. The relationship between the former governness and the colonel felt like it never went anywhere - like they set it up and then never paid it out. I dunno - I enjoyed reading it but was disappointed by the final execution, I guess.
Cry Fox: Lent to me (as almost all the RoL graphic novels have been) by the generous
hamsterwoman. I don't have a whole lot to say here, except that I inhaled it while reading in my chilly bed that first night in Oregon, and definitely enjoyed it. Although - what's up with semi-titular talking foxes? What makes them sentient?
Definitely looking forward to getting my hands on Lies Sleeping soon.
Becoming: Will gave this to me (Kindle format) for Christmas, but between time at airports, time on planes, time in bed and some time reading while my dad watched TV, I managed to finish it on the flight home last night. I LOVED it. Mrs. Obama has a very accessible writing style. I won't say anything spoilery here, but in general terms, I liked the way she divided the book into three main sections: her youth, her pre-presidential years with Barack, and their years in the White House. It gave me a lot more to think about, in terms of race and making your own opportunities, and even what to do when you realize the career you've worked so hard for is NOT the right choice for you (which happened to me with speech pathology). How to find your own happiness and your own balance when your spouse isn't available. What First Families sacrifice by living in the White House. Anyway, I recommend this book, definitely, and am hoping MiniPlu will find time to read it, too.
I was given surprisingly few books for Christmas this year, just Becoming and two interesting-looking books fromhamsterwoman. I might have to start digging into my to-read pile! *g*
2017 books
2016 books
2015 books
2014 books
2013 books
2012 books
2011 books
2010 books
2009 books
2008 books
2007 books
2006 books
2005 books
2018 Books:
* = re-read
1. Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
2. Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley
3. A Wind In the Door by Madeleine L'Engle (Read aloud)
4. Beast - Brie Spangler
5-6. Novice by Taran Matharu* (read once for myself, once aloud for Two)
7. The Haas Sisters of Franklin Street by Frances Rothmann
8. Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
9. Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon
10. Inside Camp David by Michael Giorgione
11. Whyborne & Griffin #5: Bloodline by Jordan L Hawk*
12. Hexbreaker by Jordan L Hawk
13. W&G #4 Necropolis by Jordan L Hawk*
14. W&G #6 Hoarfrost by Jordan L Hawk*
15-16. Leah on the Offbeat* (once for myself, once aloud)
17. The True Queen by Sarah Fine
18. W&G #7 Maelstrom by Jordan L Hawk*
19-20. In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan* (read it twice in a row!)
21. The First Year: The Black Mage, Book 1 by Rachel E Carter
22-23. Inquisition by Taran Matharu (once for myself, once aloud)
24. W&G #8 Fallow by Jordan L Hawk*
25. Best. State. Ever. by Dave Barry
26. W&G #9 Draakenwood by Jordan L Hawk*
27. The Wanderer by Sharon Creech
28. Peace Breaks Out by John Knowles
29. W&G #10 Balefire by Jordan L Hawk
30. Battlemage by Taran Matharu* (once for myself, once aloud)
31. The Trials of Apollo #3: The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan (read aloud, but I would have read it anyway)
32. Dead Poet's Society by N. H. Kleinbaum (read aloud)
33. The Hills Have Spies by Mercedes Lackey
34. Simon & the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli* (read aloud)
35. The Golden Tower by Cassie Clare and Holly Black (read aloud but I would have read anyway)
36. The Outcast by Taran Matharu (read aloud but I probably would have read anyway)
37. The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller
38. Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart
39. The White Mirror by Elsa Hart
40-41. What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera* (once to myself, once aloud)
42. Imprudence by Gail Carriger
43. Going Rogue by Robin Benway
44. Guarding His Melody by Victoria Sue
45. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
46. Moving Pictures by PTerry
47. Becoming by Michelle Obama
Short Stories:
1. RoL graphic novel #4: Detective Stories by Ben Aaronovitch
2. Poison or Protect by Gail Carriger
3. Romancing the Inventor by Gail Carriger
4. RoL graphic novel #5: Cry Fox by Ben Aaronovitch
Not too shabby for someone who mostly only gets to read when she walks the dog (and, more recently, during PT and on planes). The handful of times I've read in bed at night, I've ended up staying awake way WAY too late, so I try not to do that too often. :P
Favorite books of the year: Autoboyography, In Other Lands, Inside Camp David, The Philosopher's Flight and Becoming.
Last couple of reviews:
Murder on the Orient Express: I bought this at a sale somewhere a few months ago, don't remember where, and it's been on my to-read shelf, but I brought it along to CA since it was pocket-sized and easy to transport (along with my Kindle). Also, I knew at some point I'd want to see the recent movie. (I did see the first 20 mins or so of the movie while on the flight west, but that was as far as I'd read at the time, so I stopped at that point.) As non-scary whodunnits go, it was good, but I found myself unsatisfied by a number of points. First of all, the main point which lead to the appropriate lines of questioning was who Johnny Depp's character really was - the perpetrator of at least one heinous kidnapping/murder that had taken place in NYC a good 10+ years before. The fact that Poirot made this deduction based on the sole scrap of burned paper and no other evidence just felt incredibly flimsy. The idea that all these people who had been connected to the kidnapping had managed to find each other using the communication methods of 90 years ago felt strained, as well. The relationship between the former governness and the colonel felt like it never went anywhere - like they set it up and then never paid it out. I dunno - I enjoyed reading it but was disappointed by the final execution, I guess.
Cry Fox: Lent to me (as almost all the RoL graphic novels have been) by the generous
hamsterwoman. I don't have a whole lot to say here, except that I inhaled it while reading in my chilly bed that first night in Oregon, and definitely enjoyed it. Although - what's up with semi-titular talking foxes? What makes them sentient? Definitely looking forward to getting my hands on Lies Sleeping soon.
Becoming: Will gave this to me (Kindle format) for Christmas, but between time at airports, time on planes, time in bed and some time reading while my dad watched TV, I managed to finish it on the flight home last night. I LOVED it. Mrs. Obama has a very accessible writing style. I won't say anything spoilery here, but in general terms, I liked the way she divided the book into three main sections: her youth, her pre-presidential years with Barack, and their years in the White House. It gave me a lot more to think about, in terms of race and making your own opportunities, and even what to do when you realize the career you've worked so hard for is NOT the right choice for you (which happened to me with speech pathology). How to find your own happiness and your own balance when your spouse isn't available. What First Families sacrifice by living in the White House. Anyway, I recommend this book, definitely, and am hoping MiniPlu will find time to read it, too.
I was given surprisingly few books for Christmas this year, just Becoming and two interesting-looking books from
hamsterwoman. I might have to start digging into my to-read pile! *g*