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1Miss_Moneypenny
Hi all! I participated in the challenge last year but only got through around 30 books and stopped posting in my 2015 thread entirely around March. It was a wild and crazy year! This year should be a little calmer: I'm done with my master's degree and am only working full time now. My fiancé works mostly nights, which means that I've got a lot more free time so I'm back to see if I can beat last year's goal!
I'm not putting any restraints on what I'm going to read this year. I've got a huuuuuuge stack of TBR books, so I'm going to try to work my way through them first. But new books are always welcome :D
2Miss_Moneypenny
January
1. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan: Despite only having read the first 7 books, Wheel of Time is my favorite fantasy series ever. And this is the year I'm going to finish it! The Eye of the World is kind of weird in that the first bit reads like a Tolkien rip off, but power through and it gets significantly better. I love this book, and I can't wait to see how it ends.
Five stars
2. Possession by A.S. Byatt: This was so slow going, but once the plot picked up I was hooked. It's an excellent romance, an excellent historical novel, and just an all around good read definitely deserving of the Booker Prize.
Four stars
3. The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff: This was a super quick, interesting read. I'll admit that I picked up the book because of Eddie Redmayne's gorgeous mug on the cover, lol. I knew nothing about the history of transgenderism before reading it and this book sparked a lot of research. Only four stars though because I thought it was too brief.
Four stars
4. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo: My fiancé Bear and I do a declutter of our houses and cars every spring and fall, so I figured I should read about this method. The book was a super quick read, like less than two hours. I don't get most of the rules (thanking your socks and not balling them up?), but underneath it all there's some really solid advice. I thought that her order of working through the house made a lot of sense, but what about the kitchen? Overall, a decent read and even if we don't follow the process exactly it still made us think and sparked a lot of conversation about how to downsize our stuff especially now that we have a baby on the way.
Three stars
5. What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff: We're having a baby! One that was VERY much a surprise, but a very welcome surprise nonetheless. My lovely mother sent me this and a baby name book (see below) when we shared the big news. I've heard a lot of bad things about this book but I loved it. It was easy to read and understand, I liked the layout of the information, and it answered a lot of my questions and laid a lot of my fears to rest. Even the last chapter about what can go wrong wasn't too intense, as long as you keep in mind that these are things that very rarely happen and the information is good to have on hand in an easily accessible, non fear-mongering presentation. If I can't or don't want to call my OB, I turn to this book before I turn to Dr. Google. Highly recommended.
Four stars
6. The Baby Name Wizard by Laura Wattenberg: This was another gift from my mother. Bear and I have been browsing through baby name websites, but by and large they're confusing, unwieldy, and give way too many absolutely ridiculous options. I loved the layout of this book and I really loved the categories that she put the names in. We both had names in mind that we liked but the other didn't, and so it's been incredibly helpful to look that name up and see if there are brother/sister pairings or what category it's in for names with a similar feel.
Four stars
7. Rattled by Christine Coppa: A memoir about being single and pregnant in NYC. A very quick read, but not one that I was crazy about. The author was absolutely obsessed with gaining weight and the size of the people around her. She made so many mentions of her size and how awful she felt fitting into a size large outfit that it took me out of what was otherwise a very compelling story. Her voice is good, and while some of it felt a little ham-handed it was a decent read.
Two stars
8. The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan: Second in Wheel of Time and definitely one of my favorites. I feel like this and The Dragon Reborn (number 3) are the best in the series or at least what I've read so far. I'm on bed rest currently, and the complexity of WoT has been a lifesaver!
Five stars
9. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge: My younger sister is a teen librarian and has recommended a whole host of YA books for me this year. Cruel Beauty was on that list. It's a mix between Beauty and the Beast and the Persephone myth, landing it squarely in "reimagined fairy tales" which is one of my favorite categories to read. This wasn't terrible, but as with most YA books I can't help thinking that I would have loved it if it had been written for an adult audience with less love triangle and angst and more adult emotions.
Three stars
10. Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge: Another recommendation from my sister. This was a retelling of Red Riding Hood and the critique of Cruel Beauty stands here too, sadly.
Three stars
11. What to do When You're Having Two by Natalie Diaz: Bear and I found out that we're expecting identical twins this September! What a shock. I was prepared for one baby, but the thought of taking care of two infants quickly overwhelmed me and I may or may not have cried real tears and wailed to Bear in the parking lot "But how on earth do you feed two babies at once?!" My ever lovely mother was with us at the ultrasound where the Water Bears made their grand debut, saw my meltdown, and quickly hopped onto Amazon and ordered (among a lot of other twin and baby related items) this book. It was a super quick read, but very helpful. I'm feeling not as overwhelmed, and it has a lot of really good information that I wouldn't have even thought I needed to know.
Four stars
12. Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin: My lovely mother gifted us with the first two children's books for the Water Bears' library. Super cute, super fun, and who doesn't love dragons?
Three stars
13. Giraffes Can't Dance by Andreae Parker-Rees: Another mother present for the Water Bears' library. The illustrations here are adorable and the story is good too.
Three stars
1. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan: Despite only having read the first 7 books, Wheel of Time is my favorite fantasy series ever. And this is the year I'm going to finish it! The Eye of the World is kind of weird in that the first bit reads like a Tolkien rip off, but power through and it gets significantly better. I love this book, and I can't wait to see how it ends.
Five stars
2. Possession by A.S. Byatt: This was so slow going, but once the plot picked up I was hooked. It's an excellent romance, an excellent historical novel, and just an all around good read definitely deserving of the Booker Prize.
Four stars
3. The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff: This was a super quick, interesting read. I'll admit that I picked up the book because of Eddie Redmayne's gorgeous mug on the cover, lol. I knew nothing about the history of transgenderism before reading it and this book sparked a lot of research. Only four stars though because I thought it was too brief.
Four stars
4. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo: My fiancé Bear and I do a declutter of our houses and cars every spring and fall, so I figured I should read about this method. The book was a super quick read, like less than two hours. I don't get most of the rules (thanking your socks and not balling them up?), but underneath it all there's some really solid advice. I thought that her order of working through the house made a lot of sense, but what about the kitchen? Overall, a decent read and even if we don't follow the process exactly it still made us think and sparked a lot of conversation about how to downsize our stuff especially now that we have a baby on the way.
Three stars
5. What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff: We're having a baby! One that was VERY much a surprise, but a very welcome surprise nonetheless. My lovely mother sent me this and a baby name book (see below) when we shared the big news. I've heard a lot of bad things about this book but I loved it. It was easy to read and understand, I liked the layout of the information, and it answered a lot of my questions and laid a lot of my fears to rest. Even the last chapter about what can go wrong wasn't too intense, as long as you keep in mind that these are things that very rarely happen and the information is good to have on hand in an easily accessible, non fear-mongering presentation. If I can't or don't want to call my OB, I turn to this book before I turn to Dr. Google. Highly recommended.
Four stars
6. The Baby Name Wizard by Laura Wattenberg: This was another gift from my mother. Bear and I have been browsing through baby name websites, but by and large they're confusing, unwieldy, and give way too many absolutely ridiculous options. I loved the layout of this book and I really loved the categories that she put the names in. We both had names in mind that we liked but the other didn't, and so it's been incredibly helpful to look that name up and see if there are brother/sister pairings or what category it's in for names with a similar feel.
Four stars
7. Rattled by Christine Coppa: A memoir about being single and pregnant in NYC. A very quick read, but not one that I was crazy about. The author was absolutely obsessed with gaining weight and the size of the people around her. She made so many mentions of her size and how awful she felt fitting into a size large outfit that it took me out of what was otherwise a very compelling story. Her voice is good, and while some of it felt a little ham-handed it was a decent read.
Two stars
8. The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan: Second in Wheel of Time and definitely one of my favorites. I feel like this and The Dragon Reborn (number 3) are the best in the series or at least what I've read so far. I'm on bed rest currently, and the complexity of WoT has been a lifesaver!
Five stars
9. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge: My younger sister is a teen librarian and has recommended a whole host of YA books for me this year. Cruel Beauty was on that list. It's a mix between Beauty and the Beast and the Persephone myth, landing it squarely in "reimagined fairy tales" which is one of my favorite categories to read. This wasn't terrible, but as with most YA books I can't help thinking that I would have loved it if it had been written for an adult audience with less love triangle and angst and more adult emotions.
Three stars
10. Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge: Another recommendation from my sister. This was a retelling of Red Riding Hood and the critique of Cruel Beauty stands here too, sadly.
Three stars
11. What to do When You're Having Two by Natalie Diaz: Bear and I found out that we're expecting identical twins this September! What a shock. I was prepared for one baby, but the thought of taking care of two infants quickly overwhelmed me and I may or may not have cried real tears and wailed to Bear in the parking lot "But how on earth do you feed two babies at once?!" My ever lovely mother was with us at the ultrasound where the Water Bears made their grand debut, saw my meltdown, and quickly hopped onto Amazon and ordered (among a lot of other twin and baby related items) this book. It was a super quick read, but very helpful. I'm feeling not as overwhelmed, and it has a lot of really good information that I wouldn't have even thought I needed to know.
Four stars
12. Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin: My lovely mother gifted us with the first two children's books for the Water Bears' library. Super cute, super fun, and who doesn't love dragons?
Three stars
13. Giraffes Can't Dance by Andreae Parker-Rees: Another mother present for the Water Bears' library. The illustrations here are adorable and the story is good too.
Three stars
4Miss_Moneypenny
February
It's been a difficult month so far. Troubles at work, wedding planning entering the final stretch (we're tying the knot in early April), and most devastatingly, we lost the twins last week. So reading has been a little bit of escape for us both and I'm very grateful for this space to track what we're reading.
14. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty: Super quick chick lit read. I wasn't expecting it to be an emotional heavy hitter with the domestic abuse theme, and was pleasantly surprised by how well written it was. I liked it enough to seek out another by Ms. Moriarty, see below.
Four stars
15. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriary: Another super quick read, but I one that I didn't like as much as Big Little Lies.
Three stars
Lent starts tomorrow, and it's time to bring out the religious heavy-hitters! I'm thinking either a reread of Remade for Happiness by the Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen (one of my favorite Catholic books of all time) or Pope Francis's new book The Name of God is Mercy, or maybe something else entirely. If anyone has recommendations for a good Lent non-fiction book, send them my way!
16. Remade for Happiness by Fulton Sheen: One of my all time favorite books. Wonderfully and accessibly written and so powerful. Highly recommended for anyone interested in what the Catholic Church teaches!
Five stars
17. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin: I had some complications from the miscarriage and wound up being in the hospital for almost a week. My lovely roommate had a stack of books that she graciously shared, and the entire stack was chick lit. Not my usual genre, but it was better than nothing and I was so grateful for her company. This one was maybe the best of the bunch, certainly different. The protagonists weren't entirely likable, but it was entertaining for sure.
Three stars
18. Something Blue by Emily Giffin: This was a hard one to read. It's a sequel to Something Borrowed, and centers on the worst character from that book. And to top it off, she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. I sped read through this one and found it mostly forgettable.
Two stars
19. Baby Proof by Emily Giffin: Again with the pregnancy/baby themes of chick lit! I appreciated the main character's reasoning and determination to remain child-free but was so very disappointed in the ending that I almost threw the book across the room.
Two stars
20. Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin: Thankfully the last of the chick-lit books and easily the worst. The main character was entirely unsympathetic and the entire story was just a contrived mess.
Two stars
Thankfully the entire stay wasn't just chick lit. Bear brought me a stack of books to read from home.
21. Sabriel by Garth Nix: This was the first true fantasy novel I remember reading and it's remained one of my favorites ever since. A lovely re-read :)
Five stars
22. Lirael by Garth Nix: The second in the Old Kingdom trilogy. I haven't re-read this one in years and I don't remember it being so unevenly paced, but enjoyed it thoroughly none the less. The parts in the Clayrs' Library is fascinating and I love the Disreputable Dog almost as much as I loved Mogget from the first book.
Five stars
23. Abhorsen by Garth Nix: The immensely satisfying conclusion to the Old Kingdom trilogy. And now Google tells me that there was another book that followed called Clariel (?!) and that Garth Nix might be working on a fifth Old Kingdom book (!!).
Five stars
24. The Name of God is Mercy by Pope Francis: This was the last book I read while in the hospital. I couldn't bring myself to read it at first (which explains why I chose old books and even chick lit first!) because of my anger and sorrow over losing our twins. But this book was exactly what I needed. God's infinite mercy and love as related by the most excellent Pope Francis was an excellent first step in healing my grief.
Five stars
It's been a difficult month so far. Troubles at work, wedding planning entering the final stretch (we're tying the knot in early April), and most devastatingly, we lost the twins last week. So reading has been a little bit of escape for us both and I'm very grateful for this space to track what we're reading.
14. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty: Super quick chick lit read. I wasn't expecting it to be an emotional heavy hitter with the domestic abuse theme, and was pleasantly surprised by how well written it was. I liked it enough to seek out another by Ms. Moriarty, see below.
Four stars
15. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriary: Another super quick read, but I one that I didn't like as much as Big Little Lies.
Three stars
Lent starts tomorrow, and it's time to bring out the religious heavy-hitters! I'm thinking either a reread of Remade for Happiness by the Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen (one of my favorite Catholic books of all time) or Pope Francis's new book The Name of God is Mercy, or maybe something else entirely. If anyone has recommendations for a good Lent non-fiction book, send them my way!
16. Remade for Happiness by Fulton Sheen: One of my all time favorite books. Wonderfully and accessibly written and so powerful. Highly recommended for anyone interested in what the Catholic Church teaches!
Five stars
17. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin: I had some complications from the miscarriage and wound up being in the hospital for almost a week. My lovely roommate had a stack of books that she graciously shared, and the entire stack was chick lit. Not my usual genre, but it was better than nothing and I was so grateful for her company. This one was maybe the best of the bunch, certainly different. The protagonists weren't entirely likable, but it was entertaining for sure.
Three stars
18. Something Blue by Emily Giffin: This was a hard one to read. It's a sequel to Something Borrowed, and centers on the worst character from that book. And to top it off, she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. I sped read through this one and found it mostly forgettable.
Two stars
19. Baby Proof by Emily Giffin: Again with the pregnancy/baby themes of chick lit! I appreciated the main character's reasoning and determination to remain child-free but was so very disappointed in the ending that I almost threw the book across the room.
Two stars
20. Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin: Thankfully the last of the chick-lit books and easily the worst. The main character was entirely unsympathetic and the entire story was just a contrived mess.
Two stars
Thankfully the entire stay wasn't just chick lit. Bear brought me a stack of books to read from home.
21. Sabriel by Garth Nix: This was the first true fantasy novel I remember reading and it's remained one of my favorites ever since. A lovely re-read :)
Five stars
22. Lirael by Garth Nix: The second in the Old Kingdom trilogy. I haven't re-read this one in years and I don't remember it being so unevenly paced, but enjoyed it thoroughly none the less. The parts in the Clayrs' Library is fascinating and I love the Disreputable Dog almost as much as I loved Mogget from the first book.
Five stars
23. Abhorsen by Garth Nix: The immensely satisfying conclusion to the Old Kingdom trilogy. And now Google tells me that there was another book that followed called Clariel (?!) and that Garth Nix might be working on a fifth Old Kingdom book (!!).
Five stars
24. The Name of God is Mercy by Pope Francis: This was the last book I read while in the hospital. I couldn't bring myself to read it at first (which explains why I chose old books and even chick lit first!) because of my anger and sorrow over losing our twins. But this book was exactly what I needed. God's infinite mercy and love as related by the most excellent Pope Francis was an excellent first step in healing my grief.
Five stars
5scaifea
I haven't chimed in here on your thread yet, but I've been following along, and I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry about your loss. I know we don't know each other, really, but if you don't mind, I'll be keeping you in my thoughts...
7Miss_Moneypenny
Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts. I really appreciate them :)
8Donna828
I try and read some new threads now and then, and your caught my eye tonight. I'm very sorry for your devastating loss. I'm glad the Pope Francis book was helpful to you.
9Miss_Moneypenny
March
March is finally here, and I feel like spring is just around the corner. I feel weird wishing winter away when we didn't really get one here in Ohio, but really I'm just eager for the months to turn and to get farther away from February. Work is still difficult, my Bear is still the most amazing man I've ever known, and I'm trying to just be grateful for all the good we still have.
25. Perfect Days by Raphael Montes: A super quick read. I finished this one in less than 2 hours. It reminded me heavily of You by Caroline Kepnes, but not as well done. This wasn't bad by any means and if I hadn't read Kepnes first, I'd rate this one much more highly. As it was, pretty gruesome and chilling and a good read.
Three stars
26. Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin: Another super quick read while I waited for Bear to come home today. I'm not sure what made me check this book out of the library, but I hated it the entire time I was reading it. I wanted it to be a serious, in-depth look at mothering and the issues that face this group of women, but it was shallow and bitchy and a dreadful read. Easily the worst book I've read this year.
One star
27. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood: I have a large soft spot for reimagined myths and fairy tales and this one hit the sweet spot with a healthy dose of feminism. I love Greek mythology, I love Margaret Atwood. This whole book was a great read, especially in light of the previous book.
Four stars
28. The Witches of Cambridge by Menna van Praag: Another romance/chick lit novel sweetly given to me by my hospital roommate, the last of them! This one was more tolerable than the others and the magic was a nice touch. It was under developed for my taste and highly predictable, but not a bad way to spend an afternoon.
Three stars
29. Sailor Moon, Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend! This is probably my least favorite of the mangas, to be honest.
Four stars
30. Sailor Moon, Vol. 2 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend! Volume 2 starts getting better and showing some promise for the overarching storyline.
Four stars
31. Sailor Moon, Vol. 3 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend!
Four stars
32. China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan: I really enjoyed reading Crazy Rich Asians last year over Thanksgiving and so I figured I'd like the sequel just as much. Not exactly. It was less enjoyable than the first. I felt like it was just one endless name-dropping list of brands and food. It was still a fun read, just not as good as the first.
Three stars
33. The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman: After finding out last week that Neil Gaiman published a prequel of sorts to his most excellent Sandman series, I figured I was long overdue for a reread of this. The Sandman is far and away my favorite comic series, and this first volume is excellent, laying the groundwork for the rest of the series.
Five stars
34. The Sandman: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman: Pure excellence.
Five stars
35. Sailor Moon, Vol. 4 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend!
Four stars
36. Sailor Moon, Vol. 5 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend! The second arc is by far my least favorite, but I'm plugging along.
37. Sailor Moon, Vol. 6 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend! While the first arc is my favorite, I love the third one because it really starts to expand the world of the Sailor Guardians.
As a side note, I can't believe it's almost the end of March and I've already read 38 books. At this rate, I'll have read more books this year than any other, even the years I was working as a bookseller and was paid to read. Crazy!
38. The Sandman: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman: My least favorite of the Sandman series, if only because it doesn't advance the overall plot. Still an excellent read, however.
Five stars
39. The Sandman: Season of Mists by Neil Gaiman: Love love love this installment.
Five stars.
40. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan: A really delightful Saturday read. The authors are really good at creating believable characters and relationships. It was also fun without being dumb and really well written. I didn't expect to like this as much as I did, color me surprised!
Four stars
41. Girl Through Glass by Sari Wilson: Really well written, captivating. I don't think I liked it so much as I appreciated it. Very well done, but it's not a book that I'd re-read.
Four stars
March is finally here, and I feel like spring is just around the corner. I feel weird wishing winter away when we didn't really get one here in Ohio, but really I'm just eager for the months to turn and to get farther away from February. Work is still difficult, my Bear is still the most amazing man I've ever known, and I'm trying to just be grateful for all the good we still have.
25. Perfect Days by Raphael Montes: A super quick read. I finished this one in less than 2 hours. It reminded me heavily of You by Caroline Kepnes, but not as well done. This wasn't bad by any means and if I hadn't read Kepnes first, I'd rate this one much more highly. As it was, pretty gruesome and chilling and a good read.
Three stars
26. Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin: Another super quick read while I waited for Bear to come home today. I'm not sure what made me check this book out of the library, but I hated it the entire time I was reading it. I wanted it to be a serious, in-depth look at mothering and the issues that face this group of women, but it was shallow and bitchy and a dreadful read. Easily the worst book I've read this year.
One star
27. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood: I have a large soft spot for reimagined myths and fairy tales and this one hit the sweet spot with a healthy dose of feminism. I love Greek mythology, I love Margaret Atwood. This whole book was a great read, especially in light of the previous book.
Four stars
28. The Witches of Cambridge by Menna van Praag: Another romance/chick lit novel sweetly given to me by my hospital roommate, the last of them! This one was more tolerable than the others and the magic was a nice touch. It was under developed for my taste and highly predictable, but not a bad way to spend an afternoon.
Three stars
29. Sailor Moon, Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend! This is probably my least favorite of the mangas, to be honest.
Four stars
30. Sailor Moon, Vol. 2 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend! Volume 2 starts getting better and showing some promise for the overarching storyline.
Four stars
31. Sailor Moon, Vol. 3 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend!
Four stars
32. China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan: I really enjoyed reading Crazy Rich Asians last year over Thanksgiving and so I figured I'd like the sequel just as much. Not exactly. It was less enjoyable than the first. I felt like it was just one endless name-dropping list of brands and food. It was still a fun read, just not as good as the first.
Three stars
33. The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman: After finding out last week that Neil Gaiman published a prequel of sorts to his most excellent Sandman series, I figured I was long overdue for a reread of this. The Sandman is far and away my favorite comic series, and this first volume is excellent, laying the groundwork for the rest of the series.
Five stars
34. The Sandman: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman: Pure excellence.
Five stars
35. Sailor Moon, Vol. 4 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend!
Four stars
36. Sailor Moon, Vol. 5 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend! The second arc is by far my least favorite, but I'm plugging along.
37. Sailor Moon, Vol. 6 by Naoko Takeuchi: A super quick re-read. Bear loves anime, but has somehow never seen Sailor Moon (? I have no idea how, either). So I figured I'd brush up on my Sailor Moon knowledge in anticipation of binge-watching the first series this weekend! While the first arc is my favorite, I love the third one because it really starts to expand the world of the Sailor Guardians.
As a side note, I can't believe it's almost the end of March and I've already read 38 books. At this rate, I'll have read more books this year than any other, even the years I was working as a bookseller and was paid to read. Crazy!
38. The Sandman: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman: My least favorite of the Sandman series, if only because it doesn't advance the overall plot. Still an excellent read, however.
Five stars
39. The Sandman: Season of Mists by Neil Gaiman: Love love love this installment.
Five stars.
40. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan: A really delightful Saturday read. The authors are really good at creating believable characters and relationships. It was also fun without being dumb and really well written. I didn't expect to like this as much as I did, color me surprised!
Four stars
41. Girl Through Glass by Sari Wilson: Really well written, captivating. I don't think I liked it so much as I appreciated it. Very well done, but it's not a book that I'd re-read.
Four stars
10Miss_Moneypenny
April
Woo, April!
42. Version Control by Dexter Palmer: I have a large soft spot for well-thought out time travel novels and this might just be the best one I've ever read. The science parts were very well explained and accessible. It just completely sucked me in and entranced me. Superb book, the best one I've read this year.
Five stars
43. The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin: The positive review from Jodi Picoult on the front cover should have been a sign for me to put this one back. It wasn't terrible, but it was awfully maudlin.
Two stars
Woo, April!
42. Version Control by Dexter Palmer: I have a large soft spot for well-thought out time travel novels and this might just be the best one I've ever read. The science parts were very well explained and accessible. It just completely sucked me in and entranced me. Superb book, the best one I've read this year.
Five stars
43. The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin: The positive review from Jodi Picoult on the front cover should have been a sign for me to put this one back. It wasn't terrible, but it was awfully maudlin.
Two stars
11Miss_Moneypenny
May
What a whirlwind of a month April was! We had canceled our wedding back in March so that Bear and I could continue working through our loss, and out of respect to his father who was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. So surgery, lots of therapy, and best of all: the cutest French bulldog I've ever seen. We adopted Bibi at the beginning of April and she's been the best thing to happen to us in months.
44. Contact by Carl Sagan: This is one of my favorite books of all time. I love the science, the way that religious faith isn't belittled, and the overall story. Absolutely killer.
Five stars
45. Sphere by Michael Crichton: Crichton was one of my favorite authors before his death, and Sphere is one of his most underrated books. Very tense, very fast-paced, excellent.
Five stars.
What a whirlwind of a month April was! We had canceled our wedding back in March so that Bear and I could continue working through our loss, and out of respect to his father who was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. So surgery, lots of therapy, and best of all: the cutest French bulldog I've ever seen. We adopted Bibi at the beginning of April and she's been the best thing to happen to us in months.
44. Contact by Carl Sagan: This is one of my favorite books of all time. I love the science, the way that religious faith isn't belittled, and the overall story. Absolutely killer.
Five stars
45. Sphere by Michael Crichton: Crichton was one of my favorite authors before his death, and Sphere is one of his most underrated books. Very tense, very fast-paced, excellent.
Five stars.
12Miss_Moneypenny
June
Aaah, how is it July already?! This year is going too fast!
I read only one of the books on my list last month. I need to step it up in a big way!
46. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes: Ugh. This book. It was well written, but good lord. I take severe umbrage with the "if you're not an able bodied person, your life isn't worth living" message. I was in a wheelchair for the entirety of my junior and senior years of high school, and have no patience for this actively harmful message.
One star
47. Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky: Recommended by my history buff honeybear; this was fascinating! Who knew that salt was so important to world history?
Four stars
48. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory: I'm going through and rereading some of the older books on our bookshelf in an effort to downsize our collection (the only draw to loving another voracious reader is that we have enough books to open our own public library). I remember really liking this when I read it back in 2007, but upon reread it wasn't good enough to keep.
Three stars, mostly for nostalgia
49. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant: A mom recommendation from the early aughts, this story resonated with me. It was the first Biblical-based fiction I had read, and sparked my feminist learnings. This is from going through the bookshelf, and this one is a keeper.
Four stars
50. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: The Outlander series has been one of my favorites for nearly half my life. I was waaaaay too young the first time I read it on my mother's recommendation, but I've been in love with series from the first page. I haven't reread these books in too long, so I devoured it over the long holiday weekend. Love :)
Five stars
Aaah, how is it July already?! This year is going too fast!
I read only one of the books on my list last month. I need to step it up in a big way!
46. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes: Ugh. This book. It was well written, but good lord. I take severe umbrage with the "if you're not an able bodied person, your life isn't worth living" message. I was in a wheelchair for the entirety of my junior and senior years of high school, and have no patience for this actively harmful message.
One star
47. Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky: Recommended by my history buff honeybear; this was fascinating! Who knew that salt was so important to world history?
Four stars
48. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory: I'm going through and rereading some of the older books on our bookshelf in an effort to downsize our collection (the only draw to loving another voracious reader is that we have enough books to open our own public library). I remember really liking this when I read it back in 2007, but upon reread it wasn't good enough to keep.
Three stars, mostly for nostalgia
49. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant: A mom recommendation from the early aughts, this story resonated with me. It was the first Biblical-based fiction I had read, and sparked my feminist learnings. This is from going through the bookshelf, and this one is a keeper.
Four stars
50. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: The Outlander series has been one of my favorites for nearly half my life. I was waaaaay too young the first time I read it on my mother's recommendation, but I've been in love with series from the first page. I haven't reread these books in too long, so I devoured it over the long holiday weekend. Love :)
Five stars
13Miss_Moneypenny
August
Oh man, the time just keeps slipping away from me. At work on Friday, I set up a series of meetings that will carry through the end of the year and was horrified/glad to see that there are only 18 more weeks until 2016 is over. Good riddance to the hardest year of my life, I say!
On to the books!
51. The Cellar by Natasha Preston: I picked this one up from the library on a whim. The premise (4 girls are locked in the cellar of a madman and what happens after) was intriguing, but it was severely lacking in development.
Two stars
52. The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer: I think I've found a new favorite author. I absolutely loved Version Control and was delighted to find that I loved this one as well. Palmer is inventive and I don't even mind the winding, twisting essays/imbedded think pieces that sometimes threaten to derail the story. Loved it and am already looking forward to his next book.
Four stars
53. The Bloody Chamber & Other Stories by Angela Carter: I love reimagined fairy tales. Taking something as timeless as a fairy tale and adjusting it to tell a new story or to make the reader have a new view on the tale is just fascinating to me. So it was no surprise that I would love this anthology by Angela Carter. I've had this book for ages, since I was a sophomore in college and read "The Tiger's Bride" for a paper and am only sad it took me so long to read the rest.
Four stars
54. We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver: I'm still re-reading old books as Bear and I attempt to pare our ridiculous amount of books into something more manageable. This book absolutely disquieted me the first time I read it, and it's just as potent on the second reading. I don't think I can bear a third (still grieving the loss of my twins this winter), and so this excellent book goes to the sell pile.
Four stars
Oh man, the time just keeps slipping away from me. At work on Friday, I set up a series of meetings that will carry through the end of the year and was horrified/glad to see that there are only 18 more weeks until 2016 is over. Good riddance to the hardest year of my life, I say!
On to the books!
51. The Cellar by Natasha Preston: I picked this one up from the library on a whim. The premise (4 girls are locked in the cellar of a madman and what happens after) was intriguing, but it was severely lacking in development.
Two stars
52. The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer: I think I've found a new favorite author. I absolutely loved Version Control and was delighted to find that I loved this one as well. Palmer is inventive and I don't even mind the winding, twisting essays/imbedded think pieces that sometimes threaten to derail the story. Loved it and am already looking forward to his next book.
Four stars
53. The Bloody Chamber & Other Stories by Angela Carter: I love reimagined fairy tales. Taking something as timeless as a fairy tale and adjusting it to tell a new story or to make the reader have a new view on the tale is just fascinating to me. So it was no surprise that I would love this anthology by Angela Carter. I've had this book for ages, since I was a sophomore in college and read "The Tiger's Bride" for a paper and am only sad it took me so long to read the rest.
Four stars
54. We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver: I'm still re-reading old books as Bear and I attempt to pare our ridiculous amount of books into something more manageable. This book absolutely disquieted me the first time I read it, and it's just as potent on the second reading. I don't think I can bear a third (still grieving the loss of my twins this winter), and so this excellent book goes to the sell pile.
Four stars
14Miss_Moneypenny
September
Well, better late than never I suppose? Here it is, September 25, and I'm finally getting around to cataloguing this month's reads!
55. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins: I didn't like this one as much as I thought I would. It was suspenseful and well written, but it just didn't grab me. Still, not a bad way to spend an afternoon!
Three stars
56. Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel: This is Matthew's favorite book of all time and it was shocking to him that I still had never read it. So I did, and loved it! Only four stars because too much detail in the writing kept bogging me down, but small quibbles for such an excellent book.
Four stars
57. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Love, love, love this book. This is definitely in my top five favorites of books I've read this year. One Hundred Years of Solitude is in my top three books, so it's not surprising that I loved this one. I wanted to read it over again immediately, which is something that I rarely do. LOVED.
Five stars
58. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders: This was such an incredible book. Magic and science and love and doomsday: it was like this book was written for me specifically. I can't believe I haven't heard more praise for this novel, because it was shockingly, wonderfully good. Another favorite from this year. I'm definitely going to have to do a retrospective of best/worst books from this year.
Five stars
59. Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier: A quick re-read as Matthew and I continue to pare down our multi-room collection of books. Good book, but not one that's worth the space on our shelves.
Three stars
60. The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith: After seeing the previews for the recent movie of this book, I felt like I needed to read it before we saw the film. I'm very glad I did, because I really liked this book but I don't think I need to see the film now.
Three stars
61. The Witch of Painted Sorrows by MJ Rose: This was a recommendation from my lovely mother with whom I share very similar readings tastes. A very good pick, even if I'm getting slightly tired of finding modern ideals in historical fiction.
Four stars
62. The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg: Ugh. I need to quit reading YA for good I think. This had such excellent world-building potential, and it was all tossed aside with the completely out-of-nowhere love story.
Two stars
Well, better late than never I suppose? Here it is, September 25, and I'm finally getting around to cataloguing this month's reads!
55. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins: I didn't like this one as much as I thought I would. It was suspenseful and well written, but it just didn't grab me. Still, not a bad way to spend an afternoon!
Three stars
56. Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel: This is Matthew's favorite book of all time and it was shocking to him that I still had never read it. So I did, and loved it! Only four stars because too much detail in the writing kept bogging me down, but small quibbles for such an excellent book.
Four stars
57. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Love, love, love this book. This is definitely in my top five favorites of books I've read this year. One Hundred Years of Solitude is in my top three books, so it's not surprising that I loved this one. I wanted to read it over again immediately, which is something that I rarely do. LOVED.
Five stars
58. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders: This was such an incredible book. Magic and science and love and doomsday: it was like this book was written for me specifically. I can't believe I haven't heard more praise for this novel, because it was shockingly, wonderfully good. Another favorite from this year. I'm definitely going to have to do a retrospective of best/worst books from this year.
Five stars
59. Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier: A quick re-read as Matthew and I continue to pare down our multi-room collection of books. Good book, but not one that's worth the space on our shelves.
Three stars
60. The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith: After seeing the previews for the recent movie of this book, I felt like I needed to read it before we saw the film. I'm very glad I did, because I really liked this book but I don't think I need to see the film now.
Three stars
61. The Witch of Painted Sorrows by MJ Rose: This was a recommendation from my lovely mother with whom I share very similar readings tastes. A very good pick, even if I'm getting slightly tired of finding modern ideals in historical fiction.
Four stars
62. The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg: Ugh. I need to quit reading YA for good I think. This had such excellent world-building potential, and it was all tossed aside with the completely out-of-nowhere love story.
Two stars
15Miss_Moneypenny
October
Hallelujah, we're in my favorite month of the year :D I'm eagerly anticipating the end of 2016 and I'm even more excited about potentially meeting my 75 books goal! One book a week and I'll have successfully completed the challenge.
63. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn: I loved Gone Girl and figured it was time to read some of her earlier books. This one was more predictable, but still unsettling and definitely worth reading.
Three stars
64. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard: I know that I swore of YA dystopia fiction in my last post, but I still have a stack from my librarian sister that need to be read. I culled the pile and kept only what she deemed the best of the best. This one was markedly better than the last few I've read. There wasn't an overly pronounced love triangle, and the protagonist wasn't as one dimensional as others I've read. The world building was decent, and it peaked my interested enough to read the inevitable second book.
Three stars
65. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard: This is the second book in the Red Queen trilogy, and unfortunately I didn't like it as much as Red Queen. The plot was more convoluted but unnecessarily so. The protagonist wore on my nerves and it wasn't as interesting as the first. At this point, I'm unsure if I'll read the final book.
Two stars
66. The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler: Loved this. Magical realism, rusalka, tarot, the ocean, the northeast, curses, mermaids: it sounds overwrought, but it was really lovely and deeply sad. I'll be sending this on to my mother and sister, and that's the highest praise I can give a book.
Four stars
67. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: One of my all time favorites, this book can only be read in the fall. I re-read it every two or three years, and it never fails to make me cry. I had forgotten about the graphic depiction of miscarriage in this book and had I remembered, I would have skipped this read for another year or so. Regardless, one of my favorites.
Five stars
68. Firebird by Mercedes Lackey: Another one of my all time favorites. I received this book from my mother for Christmas in 1997, and I've read it so many times that the spine is cracked and pages are falling out. I love reimagined fairy tales, and this is one of the best in my library.
Five stars
69. Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston: By all accounts, I should have loved this book. Magic, alternate history, London: it's right up my alley. But it just left me cold. The story didn't grab me, I didn't care about the characters, the entire thing was just meh. What a shame.
One star
Hallelujah, we're in my favorite month of the year :D I'm eagerly anticipating the end of 2016 and I'm even more excited about potentially meeting my 75 books goal! One book a week and I'll have successfully completed the challenge.
63. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn: I loved Gone Girl and figured it was time to read some of her earlier books. This one was more predictable, but still unsettling and definitely worth reading.
Three stars
64. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard: I know that I swore of YA dystopia fiction in my last post, but I still have a stack from my librarian sister that need to be read. I culled the pile and kept only what she deemed the best of the best. This one was markedly better than the last few I've read. There wasn't an overly pronounced love triangle, and the protagonist wasn't as one dimensional as others I've read. The world building was decent, and it peaked my interested enough to read the inevitable second book.
Three stars
65. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard: This is the second book in the Red Queen trilogy, and unfortunately I didn't like it as much as Red Queen. The plot was more convoluted but unnecessarily so. The protagonist wore on my nerves and it wasn't as interesting as the first. At this point, I'm unsure if I'll read the final book.
Two stars
66. The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler: Loved this. Magical realism, rusalka, tarot, the ocean, the northeast, curses, mermaids: it sounds overwrought, but it was really lovely and deeply sad. I'll be sending this on to my mother and sister, and that's the highest praise I can give a book.
Four stars
67. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: One of my all time favorites, this book can only be read in the fall. I re-read it every two or three years, and it never fails to make me cry. I had forgotten about the graphic depiction of miscarriage in this book and had I remembered, I would have skipped this read for another year or so. Regardless, one of my favorites.
Five stars
68. Firebird by Mercedes Lackey: Another one of my all time favorites. I received this book from my mother for Christmas in 1997, and I've read it so many times that the spine is cracked and pages are falling out. I love reimagined fairy tales, and this is one of the best in my library.
Five stars
69. Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston: By all accounts, I should have loved this book. Magic, alternate history, London: it's right up my alley. But it just left me cold. The story didn't grab me, I didn't care about the characters, the entire thing was just meh. What a shame.
One star
16Miss_Moneypenny
November
The hits just keep on coming this year: I had emergency surgery on Halloween and will be laid up for the next two weeks at least while I recover. Bad news for me, good news for my challenge.
70. Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges: This was a really excellent biography. It was hugely dense and so much longer than I expected, but it was an absolute page turner. Alan Turing was fascinating and this is one of the best biographies I've ever read.
Four stars
71. The Good Girl by Mary Kubica: My librarian sister sent me a list of books to read that have a plot twist in the vein of Gone Girl, and this was on that list. It was a quick read, and I liked the shifting viewpoints. But both twists I predicted in the first 60 pages and it just didn't wow me. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning though.
Three stars
72. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis: Loved the movie, loved this book just as much. I'm very glad I watched the movie first as it helped me keep track of the characters and the concepts. Without having watched the movie first, the book would have taken me much longer and caused much more head scratching.
Four stars
73. Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton: This was recommended to me by a teammate at work, and I read it within three hours. It was engaging and well-written, but I honestly don't know how I feel about it. A lot of it feels too intensely personal and voyeuristic and I cringe for her children reading this book one day. I recognize that I'm in the minority here, as someone who is private about her personal life, potentially to a fault. There were some nice insights in here, and it was good to read that Doyle Melton found peace. But I think that this particular brand of tell-all isn't for me.
Two stars
74. The Killing Lessons by Saul Black: Yowza, was this a graphically violent book. I knew nothing about it when I requested it from the library, and a large part of me wishes I had stopped reading it when the violence kicked off. But putting that aside, it was an excellent thriller. Now, excuse me while I beg my fiancé to come take the dog outside with me, lol.
Three stars
75. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters: I read Waters' excellent "The Little Stranger" a few years back and loved it. When I saw this on a library staff recommendation shelf, I snatched it up immediately. This was an excellent read, and it had me guessing until the very end. Highly recommended, especially if you're a fan of plot twists.
Four stars
I'm so very excited to have completed this challenge! I've never read this many books in a year before and it's been an interesting exercise. There were a lot of misfortunes this year that required time off from work and recuperating, so I don't know if I could pull off reading this many next year. I'm going to try hitting 80 by the time New Year's Eve rolls around, and will definitely be setting 80 as my goal for next year as well even if it will wind up being unrealistic.
76. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: A very decent YA novel. I wasn't a fan of the line breaks peppered throughout the text, but the storyline was decent and it was a good Sunday afternoon read.
Three stars
77. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh: A very quick, engaging read. The scenes of domestic abuse (both physical and psychological) were intense and deeply disturbing. I've been reading a lot of books with plot twists lately, and I didn't see this one coming which make it a sign of a well written book (to me anyway: I have an irritating tendency to guess plot lines in movies and books, so when one takes me by surprise I like it even more).
Four stars
78. Fractured by Catherine Mckenzie: This was really well written and engaging. I started it during my lunch break at work and was finished with it by 10 pm that same night, so I was definitely hooked. The end was lackluster though. I wanted more: more explanation, more closure, something.
Three stars
The hits just keep on coming this year: I had emergency surgery on Halloween and will be laid up for the next two weeks at least while I recover. Bad news for me, good news for my challenge.
70. Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges: This was a really excellent biography. It was hugely dense and so much longer than I expected, but it was an absolute page turner. Alan Turing was fascinating and this is one of the best biographies I've ever read.
Four stars
71. The Good Girl by Mary Kubica: My librarian sister sent me a list of books to read that have a plot twist in the vein of Gone Girl, and this was on that list. It was a quick read, and I liked the shifting viewpoints. But both twists I predicted in the first 60 pages and it just didn't wow me. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning though.
Three stars
72. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis: Loved the movie, loved this book just as much. I'm very glad I watched the movie first as it helped me keep track of the characters and the concepts. Without having watched the movie first, the book would have taken me much longer and caused much more head scratching.
Four stars
73. Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton: This was recommended to me by a teammate at work, and I read it within three hours. It was engaging and well-written, but I honestly don't know how I feel about it. A lot of it feels too intensely personal and voyeuristic and I cringe for her children reading this book one day. I recognize that I'm in the minority here, as someone who is private about her personal life, potentially to a fault. There were some nice insights in here, and it was good to read that Doyle Melton found peace. But I think that this particular brand of tell-all isn't for me.
Two stars
74. The Killing Lessons by Saul Black: Yowza, was this a graphically violent book. I knew nothing about it when I requested it from the library, and a large part of me wishes I had stopped reading it when the violence kicked off. But putting that aside, it was an excellent thriller. Now, excuse me while I beg my fiancé to come take the dog outside with me, lol.
Three stars
75. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters: I read Waters' excellent "The Little Stranger" a few years back and loved it. When I saw this on a library staff recommendation shelf, I snatched it up immediately. This was an excellent read, and it had me guessing until the very end. Highly recommended, especially if you're a fan of plot twists.
Four stars
I'm so very excited to have completed this challenge! I've never read this many books in a year before and it's been an interesting exercise. There were a lot of misfortunes this year that required time off from work and recuperating, so I don't know if I could pull off reading this many next year. I'm going to try hitting 80 by the time New Year's Eve rolls around, and will definitely be setting 80 as my goal for next year as well even if it will wind up being unrealistic.
76. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: A very decent YA novel. I wasn't a fan of the line breaks peppered throughout the text, but the storyline was decent and it was a good Sunday afternoon read.
Three stars
77. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh: A very quick, engaging read. The scenes of domestic abuse (both physical and psychological) were intense and deeply disturbing. I've been reading a lot of books with plot twists lately, and I didn't see this one coming which make it a sign of a well written book (to me anyway: I have an irritating tendency to guess plot lines in movies and books, so when one takes me by surprise I like it even more).
Four stars
78. Fractured by Catherine Mckenzie: This was really well written and engaging. I started it during my lunch break at work and was finished with it by 10 pm that same night, so I was definitely hooked. The end was lackluster though. I wanted more: more explanation, more closure, something.
Three stars
17Miss_Moneypenny
December
Thank god this year is nearly over! 2016 was the worst year of my life in every respect, and it was terrible for so many people I love as well. Time to gear up for a better, brighter year.
79. The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs: Bear and I are utterly obsessed with the musical Hamilton. I honestly don't think I've listened to anything other than the cast recording in more than a month. So when I saw this on the recently arrived shelves at our library, I snatched it up. I wish I hadn't. It's not very well written, and the pacing is off. I should have read the Hamilton biography by Chernow instead, but I'm determined to meet my new goal of 80 books so I chose the smaller volume instead. Live and learn!
Two stars
80. The Art of Waiting by Belle Boggs: Fertility and motherhood have been on my mind a lot lately. We're coming up on the one-year mark of finding out we were pregnant and the loss of our twins. We're also wrestling with the idea of making some significant life changes that will most likely delay our plans for having a family by at least 3 years. That doesn't sound like a lot, but I'm 30 and starting to worry about time. Finding this book on our newly arrived shelf at the library seemed fortuitous. But this book felt mostly self-indulgent, like the author wanted it to be a memoir of her trials with infertility but at the last minute decided to "elevate" the text to an investigative report on assisted reproductive technology. All in all, a miss for me.
Two stars
Woo!!! I made it to 80! I think I can probably hit 85: Bear starts a new job after 4 months of unemployment and I'll have a lot more time to fill, so let's see how high this thing will go before we ring in 2017.
81. Commonwealth by Ann Patchett: I've been on the waiting list for this since my library got a copy and it finally came in this weekend. I devoured it in an afternoon and have been sitting here trying to think of what to say about this book. It felt like one of the most real books I've ever read. The descriptions of familial love and suffocation and joy and hate and boredom all intermingled was incredible. I'm shocked at how much I loved this book. Definitely one of the best of 2016.
Five stars
82. The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee: I traveled to my parents' home in Colorado last week to see my baby brother graduate from college and this was the ebook I decided to read on the trip. I didn't think I'd get it finished by the time I came back home since even for me, almost 500 pages is a lot. But thanks to several mishaps on the part of American Airlines, I had more than enough time on the trip to finish this truly excellent book. I'm a sucker for good historical fiction, and this was definitely one of the best I've ever read. I love the time period, I love opera (my younger sister is a professional opera singer!), and even though I was not crazy about the formatting of dialogue, this book had me completely hooked within the first twenty pages. It definitely didn't feel like a 500 page book and I'm contemplating reading it again. Highly recommended and one of my favorites of this year.
Five stars
83. You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson: A super quick, funny, and insightful read recommended to me by Bear. Black female experiences, feminism, and healthy dose of comedy (seriously, there were some parts that I had to read out loud because they were just that damn clever): loved it.
Four stars
84. Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld: Confession time. I've never read Pride and Prejudice. I've seen a couple of the movies, but I've just never been able to get into the story. I find Elizabeth and Darcy (and most of the supporting cast) tiresome and bewildering. I can't fathom their motives or why they act the way they do. But my sister recommended this retelling of Austen's tale and so I figured I'd give it a chance. Nope, still leaves me cold. I think this is my last foray into trying to appreciate Austen.
Two stars
85. Storm Front by Jim Butcher: I love urban fantasy and I love hardboiled detective stories. Harry Dresden fits both those bills, and I really enjoyed this. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series in 2017!
Four stars
And just like that, book 85 is in the bag and 2016 is almost done. Thank the Lord, because this was my own personal armageddon of a year.
Thank god this year is nearly over! 2016 was the worst year of my life in every respect, and it was terrible for so many people I love as well. Time to gear up for a better, brighter year.
79. The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs: Bear and I are utterly obsessed with the musical Hamilton. I honestly don't think I've listened to anything other than the cast recording in more than a month. So when I saw this on the recently arrived shelves at our library, I snatched it up. I wish I hadn't. It's not very well written, and the pacing is off. I should have read the Hamilton biography by Chernow instead, but I'm determined to meet my new goal of 80 books so I chose the smaller volume instead. Live and learn!
Two stars
80. The Art of Waiting by Belle Boggs: Fertility and motherhood have been on my mind a lot lately. We're coming up on the one-year mark of finding out we were pregnant and the loss of our twins. We're also wrestling with the idea of making some significant life changes that will most likely delay our plans for having a family by at least 3 years. That doesn't sound like a lot, but I'm 30 and starting to worry about time. Finding this book on our newly arrived shelf at the library seemed fortuitous. But this book felt mostly self-indulgent, like the author wanted it to be a memoir of her trials with infertility but at the last minute decided to "elevate" the text to an investigative report on assisted reproductive technology. All in all, a miss for me.
Two stars
Woo!!! I made it to 80! I think I can probably hit 85: Bear starts a new job after 4 months of unemployment and I'll have a lot more time to fill, so let's see how high this thing will go before we ring in 2017.
81. Commonwealth by Ann Patchett: I've been on the waiting list for this since my library got a copy and it finally came in this weekend. I devoured it in an afternoon and have been sitting here trying to think of what to say about this book. It felt like one of the most real books I've ever read. The descriptions of familial love and suffocation and joy and hate and boredom all intermingled was incredible. I'm shocked at how much I loved this book. Definitely one of the best of 2016.
Five stars
82. The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee: I traveled to my parents' home in Colorado last week to see my baby brother graduate from college and this was the ebook I decided to read on the trip. I didn't think I'd get it finished by the time I came back home since even for me, almost 500 pages is a lot. But thanks to several mishaps on the part of American Airlines, I had more than enough time on the trip to finish this truly excellent book. I'm a sucker for good historical fiction, and this was definitely one of the best I've ever read. I love the time period, I love opera (my younger sister is a professional opera singer!), and even though I was not crazy about the formatting of dialogue, this book had me completely hooked within the first twenty pages. It definitely didn't feel like a 500 page book and I'm contemplating reading it again. Highly recommended and one of my favorites of this year.
Five stars
83. You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson: A super quick, funny, and insightful read recommended to me by Bear. Black female experiences, feminism, and healthy dose of comedy (seriously, there were some parts that I had to read out loud because they were just that damn clever): loved it.
Four stars
84. Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld: Confession time. I've never read Pride and Prejudice. I've seen a couple of the movies, but I've just never been able to get into the story. I find Elizabeth and Darcy (and most of the supporting cast) tiresome and bewildering. I can't fathom their motives or why they act the way they do. But my sister recommended this retelling of Austen's tale and so I figured I'd give it a chance. Nope, still leaves me cold. I think this is my last foray into trying to appreciate Austen.
Two stars
85. Storm Front by Jim Butcher: I love urban fantasy and I love hardboiled detective stories. Harry Dresden fits both those bills, and I really enjoyed this. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series in 2017!
Four stars
And just like that, book 85 is in the bag and 2016 is almost done. Thank the Lord, because this was my own personal armageddon of a year.
19Miss_Moneypenny
Thank you! I'm shocked that I made it!
20PaulCranswick
Wouldn't it be nice if 2017 was a year of peace and goodwill.
A year where people set aside their religious and racial differences.
A year where intolerance is given short shrift.
A year where hatred is replaced by, at the very least, respect.
A year where those in need are not looked upon as a burden but as a blessing.
A year where the commonality of man and woman rises up against those who would seek to subvert and divide.
A year without bombs, or shootings, or beheadings, or rape, or abuse, or spite.
2017.
Festive Greetings and a few wishes from Malaysia!
21Miss_Moneypenny
2016 Books in Review: The Best of the Best (not in any particular order)
I'm not including re-reads in this pile in an effort to be fair. There are few pleasures, for me at least, that can match the revisiting of a favorite book.
The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee: A truly spectacular epic with just the right amounts of tragedy and drama and romance and lush descriptions. Phenomenal, and it made me want to read it again immediately.
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders: I was shocked by how much I loved this book. I picked it up on a whim, not expecting anything fabulous but was taken completely aback by it. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Garcia Marquez wrote one of my all-time favorite books, One Hundred Years of Solitude, so it's perhaps not a surprise that I loved this one too. His writing is just hypnotizing, and I loved loved loved this book.
Version Control by Dexter Palmer: Another one that I wanted to reread immediately. I loved it so much that I bought hardback copies for no less than four people for Christmas. This book just swept me away and made me really think and served as a jumping point for a lot of long, rambly conversations with Bear. I can't think of any higher praise than that.
The Name of God is Mercy by Pope Francis: Pope Francis is just amazing to me, and this book was a deep consolation in the most difficult time I've ever faced. Many tears were shed during the reading of this book. Mercy and forgiveness and love are some of the most beautiful parts of the Catholic faith and it was such a joy to hear Pope Francis's thoughts on them.
All in all, if I had to rank them, The Queen of the Night and Version Control would be tied for first. I'm hoping to be more discriminating with my book choices next year, because only 5 books out of 85 seems like a very low ratio. Still though, I'm deeply grateful for each of these books and their effect on me this year.
I'm not including re-reads in this pile in an effort to be fair. There are few pleasures, for me at least, that can match the revisiting of a favorite book.
The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee: A truly spectacular epic with just the right amounts of tragedy and drama and romance and lush descriptions. Phenomenal, and it made me want to read it again immediately.
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders: I was shocked by how much I loved this book. I picked it up on a whim, not expecting anything fabulous but was taken completely aback by it. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Garcia Marquez wrote one of my all-time favorite books, One Hundred Years of Solitude, so it's perhaps not a surprise that I loved this one too. His writing is just hypnotizing, and I loved loved loved this book.
Version Control by Dexter Palmer: Another one that I wanted to reread immediately. I loved it so much that I bought hardback copies for no less than four people for Christmas. This book just swept me away and made me really think and served as a jumping point for a lot of long, rambly conversations with Bear. I can't think of any higher praise than that.
The Name of God is Mercy by Pope Francis: Pope Francis is just amazing to me, and this book was a deep consolation in the most difficult time I've ever faced. Many tears were shed during the reading of this book. Mercy and forgiveness and love are some of the most beautiful parts of the Catholic faith and it was such a joy to hear Pope Francis's thoughts on them.
All in all, if I had to rank them, The Queen of the Night and Version Control would be tied for first. I'm hoping to be more discriminating with my book choices next year, because only 5 books out of 85 seems like a very low ratio. Still though, I'm deeply grateful for each of these books and their effect on me this year.
22Miss_Moneypenny
2016 Books in Review: The Worst of the Worst (these are in order from worst to least offensive)
Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin: Ugh, I HATED this book. I only finished it out of spite, so it was really a hate read for me. Vacuous, self-involved, mean-spirited. Hated, hated, hated.
The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg: This book is on the list solely for the disappointment factor. There was so much going right! Excellent and novel premise, good world building, a better than average protagonist; but then the author tosses it all away to shoehorn a weird and kind of creepy love story that takes over the story and wrecks it all. I didn't hate it, but I was bitterly disappointed in it. It's books like this that makes me wish that we could re-do books with a new writers similar to how Hollywood re-does movies.
The Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston: Also on the list for disappointment. This book had everything that I love in it: historical fiction, magic, London, a protagonist with a special and huge responsibility. But it was just squandered and it made me so sad.
All in all, only 3 bad books out of 85 isn't too bad!
Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin: Ugh, I HATED this book. I only finished it out of spite, so it was really a hate read for me. Vacuous, self-involved, mean-spirited. Hated, hated, hated.
The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg: This book is on the list solely for the disappointment factor. There was so much going right! Excellent and novel premise, good world building, a better than average protagonist; but then the author tosses it all away to shoehorn a weird and kind of creepy love story that takes over the story and wrecks it all. I didn't hate it, but I was bitterly disappointed in it. It's books like this that makes me wish that we could re-do books with a new writers similar to how Hollywood re-does movies.
The Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston: Also on the list for disappointment. This book had everything that I love in it: historical fiction, magic, London, a protagonist with a special and huge responsibility. But it was just squandered and it made me so sad.
All in all, only 3 bad books out of 85 isn't too bad!
