348/250

過去一年嘗試減少電子書的購買數量，畢竟過去這兩三年真的累積太多書需要消化了，即使這樣，買的依然是比看的多啊！(嘆~

也因為疫情的關係，減少到圖書館走動，紙本書的部份，主要是以清理自有書為主，順便也將一些不會再翻的書回收掉。

整體閱讀的品質來說並不算好，不過還是足以挑出10 1本讀完有所迴響的書：

1. 瘟疫與人／麥克尼爾
2. 性掠食者與牠們的帝國／羅南．法羅
3. 黑色優勢／席拉．寇哈特卡
4. 寫給每個人的基本收入讀本／蓋伊．史坦丁
5. 全球只剩北京標準時間／艾利克．寇爾、吉勒．峰丹
6. 致富心態／摩根．豪瑟
7. 無效的醫療／尤格．布雷希
8. 蜜蜂與遠雷／恩田陸
9. 分解人系列／尼爾．舒斯特曼
10. 成為一個新人／張子午
11. 餐巾紙的背後／丹．羅姆

1/8 PS. 突然發現漏列了《無效的醫療》，就多加一本吧！ ( )

"I'll temper my goal down to 75 books, which should be high but doable," is how I closed my 2020 year in review. Turns out, a "tempered" goal was still too much, as I ended up "only" reading 66 this year (GR doesn't count the last one since I finished it a few days into the new year, but I'll include it here). I'll consider this either underestimating the impacts of starting a new job, or the problem of having too much media to consume. Also in the pile of things I'm not caught up on or got far enough along: Monster Hunter Rise, Pokemon Sword DLC, the backlog of prestige shows out there...

Once again, I used Brock Roberts' spreadsheet to keep track of my reading/book purchases which makes for meaningful comparisons with data!

My local library DID reopen for browsing mid-June, but the percentage of library books read continued to shrink from 61.7% in 2020 to 27.3% in 2021. I actually read more from my shelf (43.9%, up from 16%) and purchases (27.3%, up from 19.8%). On that note, I spent less on books in 2021 than in 2020. I deliberately wanted to read more of what I have on hand to try to make a dent in the TBR pile (which I added to, but not as wide as past years).

In terms of patterns, this was another year with rereading, which lines up with my goals/prediction from last year:

what I'd like to do in 2021 is (mostly rereads apparently):
-resume and finish my Wheel of Time reread before the Amazon Prime show debuts (TBD)
-actually do my Little House reread
-do a Cosmere reread, as I'm already kind of a third of the way through one anyway with my last minute Stormlight Archive reread before Dawnshard/Rhythm of War.
-get to Custard Protocol books by Gail Carriger I checked out, as well as the Bridgerton novels probably

-ahahahaha I did not end up finishing WOT reread before the show debuted, but I DID resume, and made it through the second quarter of the series (4-6, which is as [a:Brandon Sanderson|38550|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1394044556p2/38550.jpg] put it, Dune where we increase political intrigue, plots, and have arguably some of the best of the series). I am a third of the way through what's historically The Slog, which was more arduous in real time when we had to wait years between books but I'm curious to see how it goes on a reread.
-lmao once again punting Little House, though this time I actually did pull out [b:Little House in the Big Woods|8337|Little House in the Big Woods (Little House, #1)|Laura Ingalls Wilder|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1621570121l/8337._SX50_.jpg|1200805] on New Years' Eve wondering if I could speedread several to hit my 75 book goal.
-Did not start my own Cosmere reread, though my husband started listening to the first Mistborn trilogy through the GraphicAudio audiobooks. It's a great format, like a radio play with multiple voice actors if you're looking for something different!
-I DID get through Custard Protocol but did not start the other [a:Gail Carriger|2891665|Gail Carriger|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1476925456p2/2891665.jpg] series that overlaps that world. I also managed to get through the first two Bridgerton novels in December.

In addition to that, I did a reread of [a:Emily B. Martin|14589587|Emily B. Martin|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s books because the second and final part of the sequel duology, [b:Floodpath|54110078|Floodpath|Emily B. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1610435829l/54110078._SY75_.jpg|84457409] came out this spring. It's a pleasure to see someone you know grow as an author, and I highly recommend the Woodwalker books if you're looking for something fantasyish (albeit with the natural world instead of magic for wonders) with landscapes inspired by America's national parks instead of vaguely European. I reread His Dark Materials as we started watching the HBO/BBC adaptation, and started on The Book of Dust sequel series. I reread [b:The Silmarillion|77673|The Silmarillion|J.R.R. Tolkien|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356898537l/77673._SY75_.jpg|4733799] as an overachiever for themed bar trivia, and reread [b:Dune|44767458|Dune (Dune, #1)|Frank Herbert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1555447414l/44767458._SY75_.jpg|3634639] (though this time using [b:The Illustrated Dune|53762|The Illustrated Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1)|Frank Herbert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1421622926l/53762._SX50_.jpg|3634639]) in anticipation of the movie.

It's an excellent time to be a sci-fi/fantasy fan with the sheer number of quality adaptations being made of our favorite properties. Here's my thoughts on The Wheel of Time which is my favorite series- in short, thought it was a solid start with visible struggle after dealing with COVID shutdowns and sudden departure of a main actor. I also finished The Expanse this year on audio, catching up and listening to the final book (like WOT, this is now another completed series that I can confidently say sticks the landing!) I read all of [a:Martha Wells|87305|Martha Wells|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1397566224p2/87305.jpg]'s Murderbot which I'm also happy to see have an adaptation in the works.

For 2022, I plan on:
-actually getting to the Little House reread. I got as far as putting the first book on my nightstand so, y'know, it'll happen.
-clear some books out of Currently Reading (as in, pick them up again and finish them). I recognize that it's perfectly ok to DNF something, but I'm a completionist and for the most part I'm still interested in these.
-continue to read more shelf, in particular the large amounts of sci-fi my husband added/adds to our home library. He really wants me to get through more Discworld in particular.
-utilize ebooks more

I've lowered my goal to a feasible 60. My pace for this year definitely slowed because I didn't consume as many YA/MG, and most of July was spent on fuckin' [b:Calhoun: American Heretic|52044030|Calhoun American Heretic|Robert Elder|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1591799228l/52044030._SY75_.jpg|76774057] (a solid biography, but one of those dense nonfictions with footnotes).

Oh! Looking back, I also see I never got to any 2016-2020 political tell-alls which is perfectly fine with me. I'll attribute that to only visiting the library 2-3 times, so maybe more library visits in 2022 too. ( )

All in all, a really great year of reading for me. I joined a virtual book group in the spring, which exposed me to new books, and books I could re-visit. The group has reinvigorated my reading life, especially in re-reading, which I have only done for a few select books before. It also motivated me to read more books (over 100) and more pages (over 22,000) than in any other year I've been keeping track. Highlights include new-to-me [b:The House in the Cerulean Sea|45047384|The House in the Cerulean Sea|T.J. Klune|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569514209l/45047384._SY75_.jpg|62945242], and re-reads of [b:The Murder of Roger Ackroyd|6251566|The Murder of Roger Ackroyd|Agatha Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1392471057l/6251566._SY75_.jpg|1073110] and [b:The Count of Monte Cristo|7126|The Count of Monte Cristo|Alexandre Dumas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1611834134l/7126._SY75_.jpg|391568].

[b:The Liars' Club|14241|The Liars' Club|Mary Karr|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1499665766l/14241._SY75_.jpg|1269768] by Mary Karr
Finally got around to reading this, and realized why it is hailed as the book that revitalized the modern memoir.

[b:Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Audio Collection|34429916|Sherlock Holmes The Definitive Audio Collection|Arthur Conan Doyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1488293263l/34429916._SX50_.jpg|55535767] read by Stephen Fry
I have read and re-read Sherlock Holmes most of my life, and the Fry audiobook gave me an even greater appreciation of these stories.

[b:Piranesi|50202953|Piranesi|Susanna Clarke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609095173l/50202953._SY75_.jpg|73586702] by Susanna Clarke
Vastly different from Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel, but just as good. Going in clueless made me realize I love not knowing anything about a book before I open it, and started doing "blind dates."

[b:The Sandman|53435637|The Sandman (Sandman Audible Original, #1)|Dirk Maggs|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594334345l/53435637._SX50_.jpg|82626543] & [b:The Sandman: Act II|58661719|The Sandman Act II (Sandman Audible Original, #2)|Dirk Maggs|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631706565l/58661719._SX50_.jpg|92435785]
Re-read the graphic novels this year, and went into these audiobooks with a certain amount of skepticism. But these use Gaiman's original scripts/notes to recreate the stories in a way that makes them just as enjoyable as the books.

[b:True Grit|257845|True Grit|Charles Portis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436277655l/257845._SY75_.jpg|1320617] by Charles Portis
An American classic. Many people have seen the movies, but, as good as they are, they're not as good as this book.

[b:A Wizard of Earthsea|16029682|A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, #1)|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453835082l/16029682._SY75_.jpg|113603] by UK LeGuin
Read this first as a kid, but re-reading it with a friend gave me a much greater appreciation of it, and of LeGuin.

[b:Carmilla|48037|Carmilla|J. Sheridan Le Fanu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386923594l/48037._SY75_.jpg|47015] by Sheridan Le Fanu
The original vampire novel. Read this with a bunch of people from the book group in October, along with [b:Dracula|17245|Dracula|Bram Stoker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387151694l/17245._SY75_.jpg|3165724] and [b:The Historian|30236962|The Historian|Elizabeth Kostova|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1592232171l/30236962._SY75_.jpg|3061272], and found Carmilla to be my favorite. An outstanding book.

[b:Moby-Dick or, the Whale|153747|Moby-Dick or, the Whale|Herman Melville|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327940656l/153747._SY75_.jpg|2409320] by Herman Melville
Finally tackled this book, after avoiding it for years. One of the best books I have ever read. Why have I never heard about how funny it is, and only heard about how "difficult" it is? My 100th book for the year, and my 1000th marked as "read" on Goodreads.

And, I have to say, I'm irrationally proud of the fact that I read Count of Monte Cristo, [b:David Copperfield|58696|David Copperfield|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1461452762l/58696._SY75_.jpg|4711940], and Moby Dick all in the same year. ( )

Goodreads tells me that I have read 145 books in 2021. The year got off to a good start with a book bingo challenge, which resulted in me seeking out titles that I might not have otherwise read, such as one published the year I was born (Scent of Heather, a fairly run-of-the-mill slightly Christian romance set in England and Scotland, but boy, did it check a lot of boxes for me!) or "by an author you like, but don't read synopsis or reviews (The Empty World, a sci-fi-ish novel by my beloved D.E. Stevenson that was weird but entertaining), or set somewhere you have been (The Moonlight School, actually set in my tiny hometown and a very surreal reading experience!).

Beyond book bingo, there were lots of other enjoyable reads. One of my favorite "guilty pleasure" genres is Regency chick-lit or clean romance or whatever you want to call it, but sometimes those stories seem a dime a dozen. Happily, there were a few stand-outs this year that either subverted my expectations a bit or drew me in with some emotional depth: With Love, Louisa and In Pursuit of the Painter, both lovely books from Ashtyn Newbold; Summerhaven by Tiffany Odekirk, and Mischief, Mayhem, and Marriage by Rebecca Connolly.

This was the year I got quite a lot of Agatha Christie read (although, thankfully, there are still many to go!), and I came to value her more than I used to for her tight narration and beautifully constructed puzzles. A great go-to author, especially when read sporadically.

This was also the year that I more or less got my TBR under control and had the luxury of doing some re-reading. Although I've ended up with a few new reads on the docket for this next month (and will always have upcoming releases by favorite authors to anticipate), I look forward to continuing the trend in 2022 and having time to revisit some old favorites.

Some of my favorite discoveries from NetGalley were: Meet Me In The Margins by Melissa Ferguson, a delightful romantic comedy with some highly enjoyable dynamics between the main characters, and The Hunt for Mount Everest by Craig Storti, which filled me in on a history I didn't even realize existed: the saga of mathematics, politics, and adventure that led to finally laying eyes on the mountain decades after it was pinpointed as the tallest.

It's been a good reading year, but I have to say that I look to 2022 with some wariness. It's a fine line between life being stressful enough to welcome the distraction of reading, and life being too stressful to focus, and sometimes I fear the pendulum is going to swing too far that direction. We'll see.

Some fun stats:
Of 145 books read, only 5 (I think) were hard copy. The rest were ebooks. And I'm honestly surprised there were even 5.
About 27% of the books I read were actually new in 2021, thanks largely to NetGalley!
About 19% of the books were actually re-reads (I'm fairly confident this is a much higher number than other years).
Yay for getting the TBR under control! It's a weird see-saw: I feel driven to get through everything on my list, but I also like having things on that list, and if it were ever to actually get to zero, I would immediately have to find something new to add to it. The life of a bookworm. ( )