Kirsten (kgriffith) reads in 2017

Looking for another successful year after hitting and exceeding my goal for the first time in 2016!

Here's last year's thread:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/209952

My top 5 from 2016:

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Achingly beautiful, and a wonderful narration by Frazer Douglas. This has been my before bed soundtrack pretty much since I first listened to it: I must have listened to the whole thing 5+ times through by now.

The Stolen Child by Lisa Carey
Even if I didn’t know and adore the author, this would have been one of my picks. You really feel like you’re a part of the world she builds, and the touch of magical realism plus these turns of phrase that made me stop reading and just think—gorgeous.

Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan E. Coyote
In case I didn’t already have a massive crush on Ivan Coyote.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
This was a total surprise. I’d seen the book featured in the window of a local shop for a while, and was looking for a new audiobook when this title popped up. By turns funny and bemusing and sweet, it’s just a damned good book.

Freedom Is a Constant Struggle by Angela Y. Davis
A really difficult but hugely illuminating book. Listening to Angela Davis narrate it made it that much more powerful. Very timely and a quick read, highly recommend to everyone.

Kirsten’s honorable mentions:

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

2017:



1. Men at Arms, Terry Pratchett
2. Feet of Clay, STP
3. Factoring Humanity, Robert J Sawyer
4. Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi
5. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Sáenz
6. Uprooted, Naomi Novik
7. Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson
8. Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff
9. Essential Muir, John Muir
10. The Country of the Pointed Firs, Sarah Orne Jewett
11. Angels in America, Tony Kushner
12. Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey
13. The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Simon Vance
14. Silver: Return to Treasure Island, Andrew Motion
15. When the Moon Was Ours, Anna-Marie McLemore
16. Go the F*ck to Sleep, Adam Mansbach
17. The Fate of the Tearling, Erika Johansen
18. Seventh Son, Orson Scott Card
19. Annihilation, Jeff Vandermeer
20. The Trials of Apollo, book one: The Hidden Oracle, Rick Riordan
21. The Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchett
22. Red Prophet, Orson Scott Card
23. Prentice Alvin, Orson Scott Card
24. Alvin Journeyman, Orson Scott Card
25. Heartfire, Orson Scott Card
26. Freakling, Lana Krumwiede
27. Of Beast and Beauty, Stacey Jay
28. Beast, Donna Jo Napoli
29. Sophie's World, Jostein Gaardner
30. Feed, MT Anderson
31. The Lightning-Struck Heart, TJ Klune
32. A Destiny of Dragons, TJ Klune
33. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke
34. Plus One, Elizabeth Fama
35. The Lies of Locke Lamora, Scott Lynch
36. Red Seas Under Red Skies, Scott Lynch
37. The Republic of Thieves, Scott Lynch
38. The High King's Golden Tongue, Megan Derr
39. Hunter, Mercedes Lackey
40. The Prestige, Christopher Priest
41. Heir of Fire, Sarah J Maas
42. The Golem and the Jinni
43. The Hate U Give
44. Pirate of Fathoms Deep
45. The Mists of Avalon
46. The Consumption of Magic, TJ Klune
47. Saga Vol 7, Brian K Vaughan

I am part of the group.
I love being part of the group.
I love the friendships bestowed upon my by dint of my membership of this wonderful fellowship.
I love that race and creed and gender and age and sexuality and nationality make absolutely no difference to our being a valued member of the group.

Thank you for also being part of the group.

Welcome back Chris and I look forward to your list of shame!

A wonderful first post. There are a couple on there I wouldn't mind taking a look at. Maybe I ought to get to my own towering tbr pile first....just for January ;)
Happy new yer!

Happy reading in 2017, Kirsten!
My husband and I both loved A man called Ove too.

Welcome back!

Hi, Kirsten. Just stopping by to drop a star.

I'm patiently waiting for my turn at A Man Called Ove from the library - perhaps, now, impatiently waiting!

Thanks, all!
>4 FAMeulstee: and >6 rretzler: I've been hesitant to read more of his because I don't want this one to lose its charm!

Hi Kirsten! You read a bunch of really great books last year. I'm looking forward to seeing what you end up getting to this year.

4. Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi
Five stars, both story and narration.

5. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Very sweet, and of course loved LMM's narration

6. Uprooted, Naomi Novik
Excellent story but do NOT recommend the audiobook. Far too heavily (and surprisingly poorly) accented; stilted, halting speech; book obviously not read ahead of time as sentences don't make sense the way she emphasizes certain words or phrases.
Do read the book though!!!
7. Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson
Lovely. Will read more Woodson for sure.

9. Essential Muir, John Muir
10. The Country of the Pointed Firs, Sarah Orne Jewett
11. Angels in America, Tony Kushner

I've also been listening to The Complete Sherlock Holmes on my own (11 of 58 hours to go!), and eavesdropping on my brother's first listen of the HP audiobooks. I can't express how much joy it brings me to hear him reacting to these books, and he even said he wants to read them on paper when he's finished with the audio

12. Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey
13. The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Simon Vance

14. Silver: Return to Treasure Island, Andrew Motion
15. When the Moon Was Ours, Anna-Marie McLemore
16. Go the F*ck to Sleep, Adam Mansbach

Also DNF For We are Many: Bobiverse book 2, Dennis E. Taylor. The first book was interesting and fun and had a lot of psychology and anthropology, but this is a lot more biology and harder sci-fi, which is where I lose interest.

Finally read A Man Called Ove - I really enjoyed it! I've had Brown Girl Dreaming on my list for a while now too.

>15 rretzler: We watched Rogue One to celebrate 😊

17. The Fate of the Tearling, Erika Johansen
This is out of order, but I've no way of knowing when I listened to it; Hoopla history doesn't have dates. Oops.
18. Seventh Son, Orson Scott Card
19. Annihilation, Jeff Vandermeer
20. The Trials of Apollo, book one: The Hidden Oracle, Rick Riordan
21. The Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchett

Oh, and DNF The Badass Librarians of Timbuktu. I didn't realize it was non-fic and it was much too dry for my limited non-fic palate.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Kirsten

>16 kgriffith: Great idea! We have been planning a marathon starting at the beginning and watching them in order. It's been a while since we've done that, and I wonder how the two recent additions will change the dynamics.

31. The Lightning-Struck Heart, TJ Klune
32. A Destiny of Dragons, TJ Klune
33. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke
34. Plus One, Elizabeth Fama
35. The Lies of Locke Lamora, Scott Lynch
36. Red Seas Under Red Skies, Scott Lynch
37. The Republic of Thieves, Scott Lynch