books I have read this year
Jun. 11th, 2023 11:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edenfallingI want to track this somewhere, so. Here is a list of NEW novels and novellas/stories I have read this year. (I have also reread various things, but those were already part of my mental landscape and therefore don't belong here.
---The Saint of the Bookstore, by Victoria Goddard (A short story in the Greenwing & Dart strand of her Nine Worlds universe; I adore Goddard's writing)
---Red, White & Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston (Son of an American president and British prince fall in love; cute but didn't grab me deeply)
---The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, by KJ Charles (Fortune hunter falls in love with his target's guardian; meanwhile his sister avoids making a terrible mistake with an awful nobleman; does exactly what I wanted it to do)
---Masters of the Hall, by KJ Charles (Tangential to her Lilywhite Boys duology. A disgraced hotel guard attends a Christmas house party to confront the ex-lover he thinks actually committed the theft he was accused of; does exactly what I wanted it to do)
---The Angel of the Crows, by Katherine Addison (Sherlock Holmes pastiche in a fantasy world where 'angels' are sort of the genius loci of various buildings. Interesting, but the narrator's reticence kept a window between me and any deep emotional involvement. Might work better on a reread)
---Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune: How Younger Sons Made Their Way in Jane Austen's England, by Rory Muir (Interesting, well-researched, and well-written)
---Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah (Memoir of growing up in a complicated family during the end of apartheid in South Africa, humorous and wrenching)
---Moira's Pen, by Megan Whalen Turner (Short stories set in the Queen's Thief world; interesting mostly from a completist perspective)
---The Naming, by Alison Croggon (Book one of the Pellinor tetralogy. I read this at LARM's recommendation and it's a perfectly fine book once you get past the blatant Tolkien homage aspects, just not something that especially grabbed me. I might finish the rest of the series at some point)
---Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women, by Kate Moore (Exactly what it says on the tin. Moore focuses more on the assorted dial painters themselves rather than the details of the court cases. Well-researched, well-written, and absolutely infuriating; OSHA regulations are written in blood)
---The Wizard Hunters, by Martha Wells (Book 1 of the Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy, in which people from two separate worlds come together -- mostly by accident -- in a fight against the invading Gardier)
---The Ships of Air, by Martha Wells (Book 2 of the Fall of Ile-Rien, in which Our Heroes undertake a perilous voyage)
---The Gate of Gods, by Martha Wells (Book 3 of the Fall of Ile-Rien, in which events escalate. This series is fascinating as a bridge between Wells's earlier Ile-Rien books, which were sort of... mmm... more typical faux-English fantasy standalones set in a medieval period and then a sort of Georgian period, and her more mature works in which she is very much an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink worldbuilder and is very interested in culture clashes)
---Tsalmoth, by Steven Brust (The latest in the Vlad Taltos series, in which we go back in time to watch Vlad and Cawti in the early days of their relationship and learn one fact that has fascinating worldbuilding implications)
---Derring-Do for Beginners, by Victoria Goddard (The first book about the Red Company back before... uh... well, anyway, this is about how Jullanar, Damien, and Fitzroy first meet, and is also a lovely exercise in both worldbuilding and character work)
---Shady Hollow, by Juneau Black (Cozy mystery in a small forest community of semi-anthropomorphic animals. I read this at Snacky's recommendation and enjoyed it a lot! Black walks a very narrow tightrope in regard to tone, but manages to avoid coming off as twee)
---Cold Clay, by Juneau Black (Shady Hollow book 2, in which a decade-old crime is unearthed -- literally -- and Vera Vixen is on the case)
---Mirror Lake, by Juneau Black (Shady Hollow book 3, in which an upstanding citizen claims that her husband is dead even though he's standing right in front of her. These mysteries are not super difficult to figure out, honestly, but the books are just very pleasant to read)
---Evergreen Chase, by Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow short story, presumably set prior to the first novel, in which someone steals a massive Yuletide tree)
---The Physical Manifestation of My Cancelled Plans Gets Me Off Because Deep Down I Kinda Didn't Want to Go, by Chuck Tingle (Short story that does exactly what it says on the tin. The Kindle download also includes a B-side story because Tingle is nice like that)
---Necessary Repairs, by Skye Kilaen (Short story about a bounty hunter reuniting with her partner for a job after their messy breakup)
---Clary Sage, by Victoria Goddard (A Greenwing & Dart short story explaining how Hal Leaveringham chose to attend Morrowlea University)
---Between Worlds, by Martha Wells (Short stories set in Ile-Rien and Cineth, the two main worlds in the Fall of Ile-Rien series, as well as the earlier standalones The Element of Fire and Death of the Necromancer)
---Witch King, Martha Wells (Standalone fantasy novel following two time threads. In the present day, Our Hero wakes from a magical imprisonment and tries to figure out what happened and find his missing friend. In the past, we follow the attempted conquest/genocidal cleansing of the world and how some people begin to fight back. There is a STRONG element of post-apocalyptic trauma running through both timelines. I enjoyed this a lot!)
---The Touch of Murder, by JF Lee (Tales of the Magistrate book 1, sort of a wuxia detective story in which Magistrate Tao Jun has to solve a complicated and politically tangled case. Good fun)
---The Hands of Revenge, by JF Lee (Tales of the Magistrate book 2, in which Tao Jun has to solve the apparent reappearance of a long-dead serial killer. Less fun due to exploring themes of misogyny and unresolved trauma, but still highly entertaining)
---The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789, by Joseph J. Ellis (A history of how the Articles of Confederation failed and the ways George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay worked to replace them)
---Star Mother, by Charlie N. Holmberg (Cat gave this to me two years ago and I finally got around to reading it. Interesting worldbuilding, but the characters didn't really grab me)
---The Silver Branch, by Rosemary Sutcliff (Another story about Roman Britain, this time about a breakaway Emperor during the Tetrarchate, and how two cousins get swept up in the events around an usurpation attempt backed by Saxon mercenaries. Slight and a bit scattered, honestly)
---Nature on the Doorstep: A Year of Letters, by Angela E. Douglas (What it says on the tin. Douglas is a professor at Cornell and I got this book by attending a reading she did at the Tompkins County Library. A lovely book, easy to read in small chunks if you want)
---The Helios Syndrome, by Vivian Shaw (Novella in which a magical consultant to the NTSB investigates the impossible disappearance of an airplane)
---The Mimicking of Known Successes, by Malka Older (In a future where both Earth and Mars were ecologically destroyed and humans live in floating platforms high in Jupiter's atmosphere, a detective and her college girlfriend investigate a logistically impossible murder)
---A Psalm for the Wild-Built, by Becky Chambers (On the moon of Panga, where robots gained sentience and walked out generations ago, a monk having a sort of existential/spiritual crisis encounters the first robot to reappear in generations. Fascinating worldbuilding, and I love the philosophical musing)
---A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, by Becky Chambers (In which the monk and robot embark on a tour of Panga's human-occupied zones and are now BOTH having something of an existential crisis. These remain deeply calming, empathetic, and lush books)
---Translation State, by Ann Leckie (A standalone novel set in the world of the Raadch, this one finally explaining at least some of WTF is going on with the Pressger translators)
And now to bed. :)
---The Saint of the Bookstore, by Victoria Goddard (A short story in the Greenwing & Dart strand of her Nine Worlds universe; I adore Goddard's writing)
---Red, White & Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston (Son of an American president and British prince fall in love; cute but didn't grab me deeply)
---The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, by KJ Charles (Fortune hunter falls in love with his target's guardian; meanwhile his sister avoids making a terrible mistake with an awful nobleman; does exactly what I wanted it to do)
---Masters of the Hall, by KJ Charles (Tangential to her Lilywhite Boys duology. A disgraced hotel guard attends a Christmas house party to confront the ex-lover he thinks actually committed the theft he was accused of; does exactly what I wanted it to do)
---The Angel of the Crows, by Katherine Addison (Sherlock Holmes pastiche in a fantasy world where 'angels' are sort of the genius loci of various buildings. Interesting, but the narrator's reticence kept a window between me and any deep emotional involvement. Might work better on a reread)
---Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune: How Younger Sons Made Their Way in Jane Austen's England, by Rory Muir (Interesting, well-researched, and well-written)
---Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah (Memoir of growing up in a complicated family during the end of apartheid in South Africa, humorous and wrenching)
---Moira's Pen, by Megan Whalen Turner (Short stories set in the Queen's Thief world; interesting mostly from a completist perspective)
---The Naming, by Alison Croggon (Book one of the Pellinor tetralogy. I read this at LARM's recommendation and it's a perfectly fine book once you get past the blatant Tolkien homage aspects, just not something that especially grabbed me. I might finish the rest of the series at some point)
---Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women, by Kate Moore (Exactly what it says on the tin. Moore focuses more on the assorted dial painters themselves rather than the details of the court cases. Well-researched, well-written, and absolutely infuriating; OSHA regulations are written in blood)
---The Wizard Hunters, by Martha Wells (Book 1 of the Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy, in which people from two separate worlds come together -- mostly by accident -- in a fight against the invading Gardier)
---The Ships of Air, by Martha Wells (Book 2 of the Fall of Ile-Rien, in which Our Heroes undertake a perilous voyage)
---The Gate of Gods, by Martha Wells (Book 3 of the Fall of Ile-Rien, in which events escalate. This series is fascinating as a bridge between Wells's earlier Ile-Rien books, which were sort of... mmm... more typical faux-English fantasy standalones set in a medieval period and then a sort of Georgian period, and her more mature works in which she is very much an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink worldbuilder and is very interested in culture clashes)
---Tsalmoth, by Steven Brust (The latest in the Vlad Taltos series, in which we go back in time to watch Vlad and Cawti in the early days of their relationship and learn one fact that has fascinating worldbuilding implications)
---Derring-Do for Beginners, by Victoria Goddard (The first book about the Red Company back before... uh... well, anyway, this is about how Jullanar, Damien, and Fitzroy first meet, and is also a lovely exercise in both worldbuilding and character work)
---Shady Hollow, by Juneau Black (Cozy mystery in a small forest community of semi-anthropomorphic animals. I read this at Snacky's recommendation and enjoyed it a lot! Black walks a very narrow tightrope in regard to tone, but manages to avoid coming off as twee)
---Cold Clay, by Juneau Black (Shady Hollow book 2, in which a decade-old crime is unearthed -- literally -- and Vera Vixen is on the case)
---Mirror Lake, by Juneau Black (Shady Hollow book 3, in which an upstanding citizen claims that her husband is dead even though he's standing right in front of her. These mysteries are not super difficult to figure out, honestly, but the books are just very pleasant to read)
---Evergreen Chase, by Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow short story, presumably set prior to the first novel, in which someone steals a massive Yuletide tree)
---The Physical Manifestation of My Cancelled Plans Gets Me Off Because Deep Down I Kinda Didn't Want to Go, by Chuck Tingle (Short story that does exactly what it says on the tin. The Kindle download also includes a B-side story because Tingle is nice like that)
---Necessary Repairs, by Skye Kilaen (Short story about a bounty hunter reuniting with her partner for a job after their messy breakup)
---Clary Sage, by Victoria Goddard (A Greenwing & Dart short story explaining how Hal Leaveringham chose to attend Morrowlea University)
---Between Worlds, by Martha Wells (Short stories set in Ile-Rien and Cineth, the two main worlds in the Fall of Ile-Rien series, as well as the earlier standalones The Element of Fire and Death of the Necromancer)
---Witch King, Martha Wells (Standalone fantasy novel following two time threads. In the present day, Our Hero wakes from a magical imprisonment and tries to figure out what happened and find his missing friend. In the past, we follow the attempted conquest/genocidal cleansing of the world and how some people begin to fight back. There is a STRONG element of post-apocalyptic trauma running through both timelines. I enjoyed this a lot!)
---The Touch of Murder, by JF Lee (Tales of the Magistrate book 1, sort of a wuxia detective story in which Magistrate Tao Jun has to solve a complicated and politically tangled case. Good fun)
---The Hands of Revenge, by JF Lee (Tales of the Magistrate book 2, in which Tao Jun has to solve the apparent reappearance of a long-dead serial killer. Less fun due to exploring themes of misogyny and unresolved trauma, but still highly entertaining)
---The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789, by Joseph J. Ellis (A history of how the Articles of Confederation failed and the ways George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay worked to replace them)
---Star Mother, by Charlie N. Holmberg (Cat gave this to me two years ago and I finally got around to reading it. Interesting worldbuilding, but the characters didn't really grab me)
---The Silver Branch, by Rosemary Sutcliff (Another story about Roman Britain, this time about a breakaway Emperor during the Tetrarchate, and how two cousins get swept up in the events around an usurpation attempt backed by Saxon mercenaries. Slight and a bit scattered, honestly)
---Nature on the Doorstep: A Year of Letters, by Angela E. Douglas (What it says on the tin. Douglas is a professor at Cornell and I got this book by attending a reading she did at the Tompkins County Library. A lovely book, easy to read in small chunks if you want)
---The Helios Syndrome, by Vivian Shaw (Novella in which a magical consultant to the NTSB investigates the impossible disappearance of an airplane)
---The Mimicking of Known Successes, by Malka Older (In a future where both Earth and Mars were ecologically destroyed and humans live in floating platforms high in Jupiter's atmosphere, a detective and her college girlfriend investigate a logistically impossible murder)
---A Psalm for the Wild-Built, by Becky Chambers (On the moon of Panga, where robots gained sentience and walked out generations ago, a monk having a sort of existential/spiritual crisis encounters the first robot to reappear in generations. Fascinating worldbuilding, and I love the philosophical musing)
---A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, by Becky Chambers (In which the monk and robot embark on a tour of Panga's human-occupied zones and are now BOTH having something of an existential crisis. These remain deeply calming, empathetic, and lush books)
---Translation State, by Ann Leckie (A standalone novel set in the world of the Raadch, this one finally explaining at least some of WTF is going on with the Pressger translators)
And now to bed. :)
