My Reading in 2019
Dec. 29th, 2019 12:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
convenientaliasThought I'd make this post before the year actually ends, because I doubt the stats will change before then. Books I read in 2019! I read a total of about 125 books (having set a goal to read 100). Having moved back home, I had easier library access, and without a ton of reading homework, I was reading more books that I just wanted to read for my own reasons.
Some brief stats:
My most read authors were Cole McCade (14 books read), Georgette Heyer (6 books read), Hildred Billings (4 books read), Mary Renault (3 books read) and Honore de Balzac (3 books read).
For Cole McCade, I was primarily reading his Criminal Intentions series, a series of thrillers with an m/m romantic subplot. I'd strongly recommend the series; it's very dramatic and I've gotten attached to all the characters. For Georgette Heyer, I was reading some of her historical romances, the best of which was probably These Old Shades. I enjoy her plots but I do think her characterization falls a little flat, and her stories don't have all that much tension. Hildred Billings is a favorite f/f romance author of mine, discovered last year, but while last year I was reading her standalone novels, this year I mostly was reading her Ren'Ai Rensai series. But while I read 4 of her backlist books this year, she wrote about 15 more.... yeah, I'm never going to catch up to her.
Those were the more romantic authors I was reading, while Balzac and Renault were a bit more... literary, I guess you'd say? I was reading Renault for an academic project before graduating (which caused a lot of drama tbh). She wrote a lot of books set in ancient Greece, many focused on queer characters. I also read three of her books towards the end of 2018, so I was on more of a binge than the three books I read this year would indicate. As for Balzac, I wanted to try the Comedie Humaine, so I read three of those novels. For some reason I'm kind of in the mood for 1800s French literature--this year I also read The Count of Monte Cristo and Toilers of the Sea, all after I graduated so none for class purposes.
I've also been on kind of a kick with historical fiction, though it's winding down a bit now. I read 28 historical novels, though some were also romances or mysteries.
The best books I read this year were, in roughly the order I read them:
They were good books!
So... that's about it. Just thought it would be fun to write a blog post kind of summing my year in reading up. Obviously I was reading a lot of other books too, but it's no use getting into literally all of them. If you've read or plan to read any of these books or authors, I'd love to discuss them :)
And as the New Year arrives, these are my plans:
-Try to keep up with classics even though I've graduated.
-Read some KU books, because I just got a very cheap two month KU subscription.
-Try to read more of authors I've read one or two books by, to see if I like their other work.
-Do more rereading, because this year I mostly read books that were new to me.
Some brief stats:
My most read authors were Cole McCade (14 books read), Georgette Heyer (6 books read), Hildred Billings (4 books read), Mary Renault (3 books read) and Honore de Balzac (3 books read).
For Cole McCade, I was primarily reading his Criminal Intentions series, a series of thrillers with an m/m romantic subplot. I'd strongly recommend the series; it's very dramatic and I've gotten attached to all the characters. For Georgette Heyer, I was reading some of her historical romances, the best of which was probably These Old Shades. I enjoy her plots but I do think her characterization falls a little flat, and her stories don't have all that much tension. Hildred Billings is a favorite f/f romance author of mine, discovered last year, but while last year I was reading her standalone novels, this year I mostly was reading her Ren'Ai Rensai series. But while I read 4 of her backlist books this year, she wrote about 15 more.... yeah, I'm never going to catch up to her.
Those were the more romantic authors I was reading, while Balzac and Renault were a bit more... literary, I guess you'd say? I was reading Renault for an academic project before graduating (which caused a lot of drama tbh). She wrote a lot of books set in ancient Greece, many focused on queer characters. I also read three of her books towards the end of 2018, so I was on more of a binge than the three books I read this year would indicate. As for Balzac, I wanted to try the Comedie Humaine, so I read three of those novels. For some reason I'm kind of in the mood for 1800s French literature--this year I also read The Count of Monte Cristo and Toilers of the Sea, all after I graduated so none for class purposes.
I've also been on kind of a kick with historical fiction, though it's winding down a bit now. I read 28 historical novels, though some were also romances or mysteries.
The best books I read this year were, in roughly the order I read them:
- Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison--Really a huge postmodern mindfuck at times, and also a great look at racial issues. When I finished reading it, I was like... fuck... that happened... and kind of wandered around in a daze. I will probably have to reread it to actually get some parts.
- The Criminal Intentions series by Cole McCade--as mentioned above.
- The Mask of Apollo and The Last of the Wine by Mary Renault--Really good historical fiction looking at some events in ancient Greece. The politics! The philosophy! The queer romantic subplots! Basically they're excellent.
- The Winter Prince by Elizabeth Wein--This book is either YA or MG, and it's a story about Arthurian mythos, all things I've sworn off, but for some reason I still really liked it. It's really dark and fucked up and I guess I was loving the angst and hatred and reluctant familial love.
- Paper is White by Hilary Zaid--Really good lesfic novel about family, committing to a partner, and Jewish heritage.
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston--I mean? It's a classic? I don't really know what to say about it but it was really good.
- Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner--This is another one that I assume you've already heard of but anyways, fantasy of manners in a world with honestly the worst code of honor involving swordsfighting. The OTP is so good! I'd heard it was good queer content but still liked it better than I expected.
- A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine--Sci-fi political intrigue with amazing worldbuilding. Also pretty queer. But my favorite thing was the fact that in this world you kind of share your head with your predecessor, whose memories you inherit? It was a cool concept.
- These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer--I mentioned this book above too, but basically it's got the most fun protagonist. She's this cross-dressing page who eventually becomes her love interest's ward and helps him with a revenge plot. Didn't really like the romance that much actually but Leon(ie) was so fun that I loved it anyways.
- In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden--A book about a businesswoman who becomes a nun, though it's not just about that woman, it's kind of about the whole abbey community. I haven't read a book about nuns in a long time if ever. What's especially interesting about this book is the way Godden writes it somewhat out of chronological order and also jumps from one character to the next all the time--at first it's confusing but once you adjust to it, it's an interesting way to show the connections in the community and the way it's separated from the rest of the world.
- The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling--Really good horror, definitely made me feel claustrophobic and a little bit paranoid.
They were good books!
So... that's about it. Just thought it would be fun to write a blog post kind of summing my year in reading up. Obviously I was reading a lot of other books too, but it's no use getting into literally all of them. If you've read or plan to read any of these books or authors, I'd love to discuss them :)
And as the New Year arrives, these are my plans:
-Try to keep up with classics even though I've graduated.
-Read some KU books, because I just got a very cheap two month KU subscription.
-Try to read more of authors I've read one or two books by, to see if I like their other work.
-Do more rereading, because this year I mostly read books that were new to me.
no subject
Date: 2019-12-30 11:51 pm (UTC)A Memory Called Empire seems to be quite popular this year. I do love both sci-fi and political intrigue, so I might have to give it a go.
Good luck for your 2020 reading goals :)
no subject
Date: 2019-12-31 02:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-12-31 02:45 am (UTC)How are you, btw? Been ages since we talked!
no subject
Date: 2020-01-01 12:46 am (UTC)In fandom things, I got obsessed with Nirvana in Fire and was holed up in that fandom for about hmmm three to five months? Still mildly obsessed tbh, but I also found some new fun Kdramas so those are kind of distracting me. And I haven't been doing a whole ton of exchanges but I did write some fics for Yuletide.
How are you? Anything exciting going on? Any New Year's Resolutions?
no subject
Date: 2020-01-01 11:01 am (UTC)I'm still into Roswell, New Mexico, but I avoid interacting much with the fanbase because it's wanky af. I've been watching and loving Lucifer and wondering if it might be my next new fandom. Everyone's talking about The Witcher so I watched the first episode, but I haven't watched the second one yet. Have you seen it?
I achieved most of my 2019 goals. This year I want to do fewer exchanges (possibly even none) and to meet more IRL people. These resolutions aren't actually related...lol. What about you - did you achieve your goals? Have you made new any for the new year?