2018 in Books with Book Meme
Jan. 2nd, 2019 04:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bearshortyBooks I've Read in 2018 (with date finished):
1. Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey [Expanse Book 1](started in 2017), 561pp, (Jan 14).
2. Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks, 352pp, (Jan 22).
3. Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik [Temeraire Book 7], 304pp, (Feb 2).
4. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf, 132pp, (Feb 8).
5. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, 303pp., (Feb 11).
6. City of Thieves by David Benioff, 244pp., (Feb 19).
7. Endurance: a year in space, a lifetime of discovery. by Scott Kelly with Margaret Lazarus Dean, 359pp., (Mar 2).
8. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold. [Vorkosigan Saga], 313pp, (Mar 16).
9. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, 324pp, (Mar 20).
10. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein, 400pp (Apr 5).
11. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, 256pp (Apr 9).
12. King Without a Kingdom by Maurice Druon, 431pp (Apr 24).
13. The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin, 192pp (May 1).
14. Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie, 368 pp (May 12).
15. All Systems Red by Martha Wells, [Murderbot]94pp, (May 15)
16. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, 1206pp (June 23)
17. Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik [Temeraire Book 8], 431pp (July 11)
18. Brief Cases by Jim Butcher, 437pp (July 27).
19. Bossypants by Tina Fey, 275pp (Aug 3)
20. Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee, 167pp (Aug 20)
21. Rocket Fuel: Some of the Best from Tor.com non-fiction by Bridget McGovern and Chris Lough, eds., 291pp. (Aug 23)
22. The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin, 464pp (Sept 6)
23. Kosmoolukhi: before, in-between, after by Olga Gromyko, 540pp [Russian] (Sept 13)
24. Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold, [Vorkosigan Saga], 268pp, (Sept 21).
25. In Pieces by Sally Field, 416pp, (Oct 1).
26. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, 110pp, (Oct 4).
27. League of Dragons by Naomi Novik [Temeraire Book 9], 418pp (Oct 19)
28. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon, 391pp (Nov 8)
29. Borders of Infinity by Lois McMaster Bujold, [Vorkosigan Saga], 270pp, (Nov 15).
30. Paradise Lost by John Milton, 339pp, (Dec 5).
31. Domesday Book by Connie Willis, 659pp, (Dec 7).
32. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling), 656pp, (Dec 23).
33. Darius the Great is not Okay by Adib Khorram, 312pp, (Dec 25).
Book Meme 2018:
The first book you read in 2018:
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey [Expanse Book 1]. - I read about a third in 2017 and finished it in 2018.
The last book you finished in 2018:
Darius the Great is not Okay by Adib Khorram
The first book you will finish (or did finish!) in 2019:
Either The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle or Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. Probably the Last Unicorn since I only have 30 pages left or so and will probably be done with it tomorrow.
How many books read in 2018?
33 - 3 really long ones though.
Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
28 Fiction/5 non-fiction
Male/Female authors?
13 male authors/18 female authors - for an edited collection I just counted the editors, one male and one female. I read more than one book by two female authors.
Most books read by one author this year?
3 by Naomi Novik
3 by Bujold
Favorite books read?
Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik [Temeraire Book 7], Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie are my top three, with no clear winner.
I also enjoyed the Bujold books and really liked all the non-fiction books I read. And I really liked Brief Cases by Jim Butcher - so great to go back to the Dresden universe.
Best books you read in 2018?
Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie - really pulls the trilogy together and made me love it.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells - very amusing
In terms of writing/language, Michael Chabon wrote beautifully.
Least favorite?
The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin - I'm realizing that many of the classic kids book I'm reading I tend not to like. Maybe I aged out of them and my brain overanalyzes them, so I can't enjoy them for what they are. Last year I didn't like "13 Clocks" and hated "Wrinkle in Time". "Wizard of Earthsea" was ok but not my favorite (I tended to like most books I read this year). And now I'm reading "The Last Unicorn" and it is reminding me of the 13 Clocks and stalling in places.
Most disappointing book/Book you wished you loved more than you did?
Domesday Book by Connie Willis - I wish I loved it more. I liked it; it was a good book and flowed well. But I loved "To Say Nothing of the Dog" last year so much that my expectations were too high. This book was too depressing by the end of it and while it had those glimpses of Willis humor I like so much, it had a much more serious intent. I think I would have liked it more if I came to it with different mentality. Or read this first.
Best series you discovered in 2018?
This was the year for finishing series for me. I finished Temeraire, Druon's "Accursed Kings" series, Leckie and Jemisin trilogies. Technically I discovered the Expanse series at the end of 2017, but i don't think I want to read more in it. Earthsea is a series but I don't want to read more either. Oh, the Murderbot Series - I can't wait to read more. The second is on hold in the library already.
Other new series for me this year
See above.
Favorite new author you discovered this year?
It's between Martha Wells and Michael Chabon.
Other new authors
James S.A. Corey, Becky Albertalli, David Benioff, Scott Kelly with Margaret Lazarus Dean, Ken Follett, Tina Fey, J.M. Coetzee, Bridget McGovern and Chris Lough, Sally Field, Sandra Cisneros, Adib Khorram.
Oldest book read?
Paradise Lost, published in 1667.
Newest?
Huh. i just looked it up and two of the books I read were published on the same day:
In Pieces by Sally Field and Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
I read Sally Field's Autobiography pretty much the week after it came out and the Strike book I read in December.
Longest book title?
Rocket Fuel: Some of the Best from Tor.com non-fiction
Shortest title?
In Pieces
How many re-reads?
1 - Agatha Christie; and I read 8 of the 12 books of Paradise Lost before.
Any in translation?
King Without a Kingdom by Maurice Druon (French), and I read one books in Russian - Gromyko.
How many of this year's books were from the library?
19 books. All borrowed on Kindle.
Book that most changed my perspective:
Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks - He showed just how common hallucinations are. More people hear voices than we think. And how hallucinations can explain a lot. I just love learning from Sack's books.
Favorite character:
It's between Miles Vorkosigan and Breq from Ancillary Mercy.
Most memorable character:
Murderbot
Favorite scene:
Many scenes in the three Bujold books I read stand out to me - generally Miles getting into situations.
Favorite quote:
I never remember specific quotes
Most inspirational in terms of own writing?
The House on Mango Street - I liked the idea of putting the book together with unrelated fragments. I was kind of doing it already but this book showed me how it can work.
How many you'd actually read again?
I don't tend to reread books very much because there are just so many books to read. Temeraire series perhaps. I can see myself re-reading certain scenes.
A book that you never want to read again:
The Wizard of Earthsea.
Book you recommended most to others in 2018?
The whole Temeraire series - which I got someone at work to read and love.
The book series you read the most volumes of in 2018:
Temeraire with 3.
Vorkosigan Saga with 3.
The genre you read the most in 2018:
Sci-fi: 11
Fantasy: 5
Classic: 3
Non-fiction memoir: 3
YA: 4
historical fiction: 3
mystery: 2
general non-fiction: 2
Your favorite "classic" you read in 2018:
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
Most surprising (in a good way) book of the year?
Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik - many people think it is not as good as other books in the series so I wasn't expecting much coming in but I really enjoyed it.
Also, for some reason, before reading Cetaganda by Bujold, I thought of Cetagandans as insect type aliens. I don't know why! So it was always surprising to me to read that they were humans (more or less). It still jars me.
The hardest book you read in 2018 (topic or writing style):
Paradise Lost - Poetry is hard to read for long for me. And it is just so long. Having to read this as a project for 12 months helped me get through it.
The funniest book you read in 2018:
It's between the Vor Game and Kosmoolukhi: before, in-between, after
The saddest book you read in 2018:
Domesday Book by Willis
The shortest book you read in 2018:
All Systems Red by Martha Wells, [Murderbot] at 94 pages
The longest book that you read in 2018
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett at 1,206 pages
Best book that was outside your comfort zone/a new genre for you?
No new genre. Nothing really outside my comfort zone
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2018?
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Ancillary Mercy, Murder on the Orient Express and Darius the Great were fast reads.
Ancillary Mercy wins for me though.
Most beautifully written book in 2018?
Michael Chabon had beautiful language but I would probably want to say A Room of One's Own.
Book you most anticipated in 2018?
There were lots of books I wanted to read but I don't think I really anticipated anything. I guess finishing Temeraire books and more Bujold. And I did anticipate more Willis.
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2018?
I don't really look at covers much since I mostly read Kindle books.
Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?
I don't think I had one.
Book you can't believe you waited till 2018 to finally read?
Bujold books.
Book that had a scene that left you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
I don't think it terms of scenes - but books rarely make me reel.
Looking Ahead:
One book you didn't read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2018?
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
New book you are most anticipating for 2019?
I have a list of books I want to get to - new to me. They are below in Book List 2019.
Here is my list of books I want to try to read this year. My book list for the year ends up half of books on my list and half books that come up during the year when someone recommends them. I want to read 5 books that won a Hugo as one of my goals. I don't count small kid books that I read to the girls. Anyway, here it is: Book List 2019 .
1. Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey [Expanse Book 1](started in 2017), 561pp, (Jan 14).
2. Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks, 352pp, (Jan 22).
3. Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik [Temeraire Book 7], 304pp, (Feb 2).
4. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf, 132pp, (Feb 8).
5. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, 303pp., (Feb 11).
6. City of Thieves by David Benioff, 244pp., (Feb 19).
7. Endurance: a year in space, a lifetime of discovery. by Scott Kelly with Margaret Lazarus Dean, 359pp., (Mar 2).
8. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold. [Vorkosigan Saga], 313pp, (Mar 16).
9. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, 324pp, (Mar 20).
10. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein, 400pp (Apr 5).
11. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, 256pp (Apr 9).
12. King Without a Kingdom by Maurice Druon, 431pp (Apr 24).
13. The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin, 192pp (May 1).
14. Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie, 368 pp (May 12).
15. All Systems Red by Martha Wells, [Murderbot]94pp, (May 15)
16. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, 1206pp (June 23)
17. Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik [Temeraire Book 8], 431pp (July 11)
18. Brief Cases by Jim Butcher, 437pp (July 27).
19. Bossypants by Tina Fey, 275pp (Aug 3)
20. Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee, 167pp (Aug 20)
21. Rocket Fuel: Some of the Best from Tor.com non-fiction by Bridget McGovern and Chris Lough, eds., 291pp. (Aug 23)
22. The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin, 464pp (Sept 6)
23. Kosmoolukhi: before, in-between, after by Olga Gromyko, 540pp [Russian] (Sept 13)
24. Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold, [Vorkosigan Saga], 268pp, (Sept 21).
25. In Pieces by Sally Field, 416pp, (Oct 1).
26. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, 110pp, (Oct 4).
27. League of Dragons by Naomi Novik [Temeraire Book 9], 418pp (Oct 19)
28. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon, 391pp (Nov 8)
29. Borders of Infinity by Lois McMaster Bujold, [Vorkosigan Saga], 270pp, (Nov 15).
30. Paradise Lost by John Milton, 339pp, (Dec 5).
31. Domesday Book by Connie Willis, 659pp, (Dec 7).
32. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling), 656pp, (Dec 23).
33. Darius the Great is not Okay by Adib Khorram, 312pp, (Dec 25).
Book Meme 2018:
The first book you read in 2018:
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey [Expanse Book 1]. - I read about a third in 2017 and finished it in 2018.
The last book you finished in 2018:
Darius the Great is not Okay by Adib Khorram
The first book you will finish (or did finish!) in 2019:
Either The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle or Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. Probably the Last Unicorn since I only have 30 pages left or so and will probably be done with it tomorrow.
How many books read in 2018?
33 - 3 really long ones though.
Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
28 Fiction/5 non-fiction
Male/Female authors?
13 male authors/18 female authors - for an edited collection I just counted the editors, one male and one female. I read more than one book by two female authors.
Most books read by one author this year?
3 by Naomi Novik
3 by Bujold
Favorite books read?
Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik [Temeraire Book 7], Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie are my top three, with no clear winner.
I also enjoyed the Bujold books and really liked all the non-fiction books I read. And I really liked Brief Cases by Jim Butcher - so great to go back to the Dresden universe.
Best books you read in 2018?
Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie - really pulls the trilogy together and made me love it.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells - very amusing
In terms of writing/language, Michael Chabon wrote beautifully.
Least favorite?
The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin - I'm realizing that many of the classic kids book I'm reading I tend not to like. Maybe I aged out of them and my brain overanalyzes them, so I can't enjoy them for what they are. Last year I didn't like "13 Clocks" and hated "Wrinkle in Time". "Wizard of Earthsea" was ok but not my favorite (I tended to like most books I read this year). And now I'm reading "The Last Unicorn" and it is reminding me of the 13 Clocks and stalling in places.
Most disappointing book/Book you wished you loved more than you did?
Domesday Book by Connie Willis - I wish I loved it more. I liked it; it was a good book and flowed well. But I loved "To Say Nothing of the Dog" last year so much that my expectations were too high. This book was too depressing by the end of it and while it had those glimpses of Willis humor I like so much, it had a much more serious intent. I think I would have liked it more if I came to it with different mentality. Or read this first.
Best series you discovered in 2018?
This was the year for finishing series for me. I finished Temeraire, Druon's "Accursed Kings" series, Leckie and Jemisin trilogies. Technically I discovered the Expanse series at the end of 2017, but i don't think I want to read more in it. Earthsea is a series but I don't want to read more either. Oh, the Murderbot Series - I can't wait to read more. The second is on hold in the library already.
Other new series for me this year
See above.
Favorite new author you discovered this year?
It's between Martha Wells and Michael Chabon.
Other new authors
James S.A. Corey, Becky Albertalli, David Benioff, Scott Kelly with Margaret Lazarus Dean, Ken Follett, Tina Fey, J.M. Coetzee, Bridget McGovern and Chris Lough, Sally Field, Sandra Cisneros, Adib Khorram.
Oldest book read?
Paradise Lost, published in 1667.
Newest?
Huh. i just looked it up and two of the books I read were published on the same day:
In Pieces by Sally Field and Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
I read Sally Field's Autobiography pretty much the week after it came out and the Strike book I read in December.
Longest book title?
Rocket Fuel: Some of the Best from Tor.com non-fiction
Shortest title?
In Pieces
How many re-reads?
1 - Agatha Christie; and I read 8 of the 12 books of Paradise Lost before.
Any in translation?
King Without a Kingdom by Maurice Druon (French), and I read one books in Russian - Gromyko.
How many of this year's books were from the library?
19 books. All borrowed on Kindle.
Book that most changed my perspective:
Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks - He showed just how common hallucinations are. More people hear voices than we think. And how hallucinations can explain a lot. I just love learning from Sack's books.
Favorite character:
It's between Miles Vorkosigan and Breq from Ancillary Mercy.
Most memorable character:
Murderbot
Favorite scene:
Many scenes in the three Bujold books I read stand out to me - generally Miles getting into situations.
Favorite quote:
I never remember specific quotes
Most inspirational in terms of own writing?
The House on Mango Street - I liked the idea of putting the book together with unrelated fragments. I was kind of doing it already but this book showed me how it can work.
How many you'd actually read again?
I don't tend to reread books very much because there are just so many books to read. Temeraire series perhaps. I can see myself re-reading certain scenes.
A book that you never want to read again:
The Wizard of Earthsea.
Book you recommended most to others in 2018?
The whole Temeraire series - which I got someone at work to read and love.
The book series you read the most volumes of in 2018:
Temeraire with 3.
Vorkosigan Saga with 3.
The genre you read the most in 2018:
Sci-fi: 11
Fantasy: 5
Classic: 3
Non-fiction memoir: 3
YA: 4
historical fiction: 3
mystery: 2
general non-fiction: 2
Your favorite "classic" you read in 2018:
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
Most surprising (in a good way) book of the year?
Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik - many people think it is not as good as other books in the series so I wasn't expecting much coming in but I really enjoyed it.
Also, for some reason, before reading Cetaganda by Bujold, I thought of Cetagandans as insect type aliens. I don't know why! So it was always surprising to me to read that they were humans (more or less). It still jars me.
The hardest book you read in 2018 (topic or writing style):
Paradise Lost - Poetry is hard to read for long for me. And it is just so long. Having to read this as a project for 12 months helped me get through it.
The funniest book you read in 2018:
It's between the Vor Game and Kosmoolukhi: before, in-between, after
The saddest book you read in 2018:
Domesday Book by Willis
The shortest book you read in 2018:
All Systems Red by Martha Wells, [Murderbot] at 94 pages
The longest book that you read in 2018
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett at 1,206 pages
Best book that was outside your comfort zone/a new genre for you?
No new genre. Nothing really outside my comfort zone
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2018?
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Ancillary Mercy, Murder on the Orient Express and Darius the Great were fast reads.
Ancillary Mercy wins for me though.
Most beautifully written book in 2018?
Michael Chabon had beautiful language but I would probably want to say A Room of One's Own.
Book you most anticipated in 2018?
There were lots of books I wanted to read but I don't think I really anticipated anything. I guess finishing Temeraire books and more Bujold. And I did anticipate more Willis.
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2018?
I don't really look at covers much since I mostly read Kindle books.
Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?
I don't think I had one.
Book you can't believe you waited till 2018 to finally read?
Bujold books.
Book that had a scene that left you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
I don't think it terms of scenes - but books rarely make me reel.
Looking Ahead:
One book you didn't read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2018?
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
New book you are most anticipating for 2019?
I have a list of books I want to get to - new to me. They are below in Book List 2019.
Here is my list of books I want to try to read this year. My book list for the year ends up half of books on my list and half books that come up during the year when someone recommends them. I want to read 5 books that won a Hugo as one of my goals. I don't count small kid books that I read to the girls. Anyway, here it is: Book List 2019 .