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ladybusinessThere are a few books I meant to read this year that I simply didn't manage to get through due to the fact I over-extended myself with challenges (be careful with these, they're addictive and dangerous). When I saw Elizabeth's Top 5 Wednesday video for books she was going to finally read in 2017, I went, "I can definitely do that and guilt myself into responsibility. Maybe."
The Labyrinth of Flame by Courtney Schafer — I waited and waited for this book and then once I had it I froze. Half the reason is that I'm terrified about all the pain and suffering I'll experience while reading it, the other half is that after I read it the series will be over. :( Although, bright side: the author has some short stories set in this universe, but let's be real. This is me and I want large bricks of text flung at my brain by preference. BUT I'LL TAKE WHAT I CAN GET.
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor — Several folks have been after to me to read this book that I have sitting on my shelf with my preferred cover, even, and I still haven't done it. Part of me is annoyed and then another part of me thinks a little distance from the hype can't hurt because hype tends to damage books for me, Sheep Person.
The Country of Ice Cream Star by Sandra Newman — I read half of this book and got intimidated even though I liked it. This was, of course, during the time that if something made me feel ignorant, I blamed myself and gave up on the thing. Now, looking back, I feel pretty silly about that. Worst case scenario: I get to the end of the book and maybe don't understand everything, the world doesn't end, and I move on. Shocker!
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara — Jenny recced this to me and I have checked it out twice and twice have failed, utterly, to get past the first page. Since the first time was immediately before the election and the last time was immediately after, I can only assume the third time — in 2017, completely divorced from election emotional shenanigans — will be the charm.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — This is another Jenny rec. I've never read any of Adichie's longer fiction work, so this will be a first for me. I considered this novel a few times this year, but it's really long and not SF and I have been in largely an SF mood in 2016. So the first break I want from aliens and spaceships in 2017, this is one I'll be picking up.
iD by Madeline Ashby — I have read vN multiple times to prep for this novel but I'm been too flakey to get to it for some reason; by the time I finish my vN reread there's something new on the horizon or a hold comes in at the library and I go, "Well, I own it, so..." But, unless Angry Robot moves the last book in this series again, I do plan to read this one in 2017 so I can be ready to complete the series.
The Shadowed Sun by N.K. Jemisin — I've talked about this before. I'm running out of Jemisin books and that hasn't changed. But 2017 is the year, my friends. I'm doing it.
Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone — I've lost count of the people telling me to read this book, and this series, and to do it ASAP. I'm not sure why I'm being so cagey about it...probably because Gladstone is a white dude and the past few years you had to be a white dude named Corey or Scalzi for me to prioritize your work, especially re: fantasy, because I tend to be very Picky with fantasy by dudes for objectification/marginalization issues re: women. But I'm finally going to go for it: I bought the book and everything!
A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan — This is one of the fantasy series that KJ loves a whole bunch. I've been meaning to get to it, but, Victorian setting, memoir-style books intimidate me. But the series is wrapping up next year, so if I like it I'll be able to push through all of the books without the torturous wait! And if I don't I will still have tried a new-to-me woman writer! WIN.
Broken by Susan Jane Bigelow — I had this book on my radar since Ana loved it a few years ago, and now that it's been republished via Book Smugglers Publishing, I figure it's time for me to dust off my TBR list cobwebs and pull it out and get back into the burgeoning fantasy superhero genre I wanted so badly back when Hero by Perry Moore came out.
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore — I loved Graceling, the first book in this series, and Fire, the companion novel that takes place before Graceling, was lovely, too. Although I have had conversations about Fire that lead me to think its topic, while relevant and necessary at the time, has aged out as Feminism has become a deeper and more well-understood topic, which makes it a bit of an awkward read now. Bitterblue follows from Graceling on the timeline, and I bought this book the day it came out in hardcover and I haven't managed to read it yet. I hate when series end. I'm so bad at letting them go. :(
Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older — I meant to give this series a shot on its release date, but got put off by some reviews that said the women weren't as great as they could have been. Opinions about the second book in the series were much better, so I meant to pick the first and second up together but, you know, life, and also, 2016 was for women and Older is many things, like smart and funny, but he's also a dude. So now that my reading challenge in 2017 will leave me space to read more men, it's time!
The Labyrinth of Flame by Courtney Schafer — I waited and waited for this book and then once I had it I froze. Half the reason is that I'm terrified about all the pain and suffering I'll experience while reading it, the other half is that after I read it the series will be over. :( Although, bright side: the author has some short stories set in this universe, but let's be real. This is me and I want large bricks of text flung at my brain by preference. BUT I'LL TAKE WHAT I CAN GET.
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor — Several folks have been after to me to read this book that I have sitting on my shelf with my preferred cover, even, and I still haven't done it. Part of me is annoyed and then another part of me thinks a little distance from the hype can't hurt because hype tends to damage books for me, Sheep Person.
The Country of Ice Cream Star by Sandra Newman — I read half of this book and got intimidated even though I liked it. This was, of course, during the time that if something made me feel ignorant, I blamed myself and gave up on the thing. Now, looking back, I feel pretty silly about that. Worst case scenario: I get to the end of the book and maybe don't understand everything, the world doesn't end, and I move on. Shocker!
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara — Jenny recced this to me and I have checked it out twice and twice have failed, utterly, to get past the first page. Since the first time was immediately before the election and the last time was immediately after, I can only assume the third time — in 2017, completely divorced from election emotional shenanigans — will be the charm.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — This is another Jenny rec. I've never read any of Adichie's longer fiction work, so this will be a first for me. I considered this novel a few times this year, but it's really long and not SF and I have been in largely an SF mood in 2016. So the first break I want from aliens and spaceships in 2017, this is one I'll be picking up.
iD by Madeline Ashby — I have read vN multiple times to prep for this novel but I'm been too flakey to get to it for some reason; by the time I finish my vN reread there's something new on the horizon or a hold comes in at the library and I go, "Well, I own it, so..." But, unless Angry Robot moves the last book in this series again, I do plan to read this one in 2017 so I can be ready to complete the series.
The Shadowed Sun by N.K. Jemisin — I've talked about this before. I'm running out of Jemisin books and that hasn't changed. But 2017 is the year, my friends. I'm doing it.
Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone — I've lost count of the people telling me to read this book, and this series, and to do it ASAP. I'm not sure why I'm being so cagey about it...probably because Gladstone is a white dude and the past few years you had to be a white dude named Corey or Scalzi for me to prioritize your work, especially re: fantasy, because I tend to be very Picky with fantasy by dudes for objectification/marginalization issues re: women. But I'm finally going to go for it: I bought the book and everything!
A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan — This is one of the fantasy series that KJ loves a whole bunch. I've been meaning to get to it, but, Victorian setting, memoir-style books intimidate me. But the series is wrapping up next year, so if I like it I'll be able to push through all of the books without the torturous wait! And if I don't I will still have tried a new-to-me woman writer! WIN.
Broken by Susan Jane Bigelow — I had this book on my radar since Ana loved it a few years ago, and now that it's been republished via Book Smugglers Publishing, I figure it's time for me to dust off my TBR list cobwebs and pull it out and get back into the burgeoning fantasy superhero genre I wanted so badly back when Hero by Perry Moore came out.
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore — I loved Graceling, the first book in this series, and Fire, the companion novel that takes place before Graceling, was lovely, too. Although I have had conversations about Fire that lead me to think its topic, while relevant and necessary at the time, has aged out as Feminism has become a deeper and more well-understood topic, which makes it a bit of an awkward read now. Bitterblue follows from Graceling on the timeline, and I bought this book the day it came out in hardcover and I haven't managed to read it yet. I hate when series end. I'm so bad at letting them go. :(
Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older — I meant to give this series a shot on its release date, but got put off by some reviews that said the women weren't as great as they could have been. Opinions about the second book in the series were much better, so I meant to pick the first and second up together but, you know, life, and also, 2016 was for women and Older is many things, like smart and funny, but he's also a dude. So now that my reading challenge in 2017 will leave me space to read more men, it's time!
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Date: 2016-12-13 08:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-13 08:05 pm (UTC)Love the Craft Sequence!
Date: 2016-12-13 08:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-13 08:04 pm (UTC)The plus side to waiting this long is if the books are as good as everyone says then I have LOTS of them to read. :D
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Date: 2016-12-14 01:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-14 07:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-14 07:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-14 02:07 am (UTC)Shadowed Sun and the Schafer trilogy are on my TBR, too, as is Three Parts Dead. And A Natural History of Dragons! SO MUCH OVERLAP.
My book goals in 2017 are going to be "read things that aren't 100% self-care escapism" because, while there is nothing wrong with that, 2016 has been ENTIRELY THAT and I am determined to, like, expand my horizons more.
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Date: 2016-12-14 07:43 am (UTC)I plan to do a bit more self-care reading next year than I did this year. There's gotta be a balance between "read comforting things" and "read great things and improve yourself". XD
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Date: 2016-12-15 04:00 am (UTC)I'm gonna do it, though. Gonna balance more things. Self-care and improvement; original fic and fandom; solo time and friendship. SOMEHOW I WILL MANAGE.
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Date: 2016-12-14 04:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-14 07:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-14 08:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-15 10:36 am (UTC)List also sporting three other titles in my TBR pile, and I already own A Natural History of Dragons. Gotta get on that. Plus adding a couple more now hehe.