22 votes

What were your favorite books that you read this year, and why?

Tell us about what books you read and, most importantly, why you liked them.

The books do NOT have to have been released in 2024. If you read them this year, they still count.

33 comments

  1. RheingoldRiver
    (edited )
    Link
    I don't have time to do a proper write-up of this right now because I have to read more books haha but I've read approx 260 books this year and plan to read about 5-6 more. Highlights include:...

    I don't have time to do a proper write-up of this right now because I have to read more books haha but I've read approx 260 books this year and plan to read about 5-6 more. Highlights include:

    • Final Realm of the Elderlings trilogy by Robin Hobb [to clarify, I read the earlier ones a while ago, that entire series is highly rated for me]
    • Dungeon Crawler Carl 1-6 (waiting on audio for 7)
    • Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
    • Someone you can build a nest in
    • Chip War (nonfiction)
    • Sun Eater
    • everything by Ann Leckie
    • Mercy of Gods and Livesuit
    • The 5 or 6 Tchaikovsky novels I got through this year

    I think if I have to pick a single best thing, though, I have to say Terra Ignota (yes all 4 books)

    Here is as good a screenshot as I can get of all the books I rated 5 stars on goodreads in 2024

    9 votes
  2. [2]
    ChingShih
    Link
    Favorite audiobook: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Thank you to all the Tildians, Tilderinos, and Tildespians who suggested the audiobook version in one thread or another on this topic! By far...

    Favorite audiobook: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Thank you to all the Tildians, Tilderinos, and Tildespians who suggested the audiobook version in one thread or another on this topic! By far the best audiobook adaptation ever! Right up there with the best audio dramas! I also loved that this was optimistic sci-fi and not the usual (and unrealistic) dystopian sci-fi.

    Favorite literary fiction: The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas by Machado de Assis - I didn't know what to expect going into this. What a wild ride of the torments and foible of youth. I haven't read much South American (really, colonial Portuguese) literature. This is a fun and short classic to sink one's teeth into.

    Favorite fiction: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas - There's so much great humor in this, from "the best part of me is pointing towards Paris, and my mistress" to how each character is a caricature of some failed element of masculinity, femininity, or society. I also love the time period and that the plot revolves around chivalry and aloofness going hand-in-hand. This is historical fiction at its finest and while many of the characters are fictional, Cardinal Richelieu was real, somewhat evil, and somewhat responsible for the modern French language and accent.

    Favorite history: The War That Killed Achilles by Caroline Alexander - I really enjoyed learning about the historical and anthropological relevance of Greece's founding myths and how they tie into older cultures. Really, really fascinating. Worked well as an audiobook as well.

    Favorite graphic novel: My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Book 2 by Emil Ferris - Not the conclusion to the story I thought it might be, but I'm glad there's opportunity for more of this story in the future.

    Favorite short story: I'll have to think about this one as none of them are fresh in my mind. But I read a lot of speculative fiction/sci-fi short stories this year so probably between You Have Arrived at Your Destination by Amor Towles and Randomize by Andy Weir.

    Favorite I-almost-loved-it: Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn. When I started this as an audiobook I went in completely blind. Didn't know it was a young adult (well-researched) historical fiction novel nor written by a woman. I didn't even know what period of Japan's history it took place in. But I really enjoyed this up to a point. I don't want to give any spoilers, but it's well written and when not everything that I expected happened I immediately picked up the second book to see what would happen next.

    8 votes
    1. Protected
      Link Parent
      The Three Musketeers are always good. Don't forget the sequels!

      The Three Musketeers are always good. Don't forget the sequels!

      5 votes
  3. [8]
    Weldawadyathink
    Link
    This year was mostly a reread year for me. I did have a few new books though. The best was the collapsing empire books by John Scalzi. They are sci FI plus political intrigue. Fantastic books....

    This year was mostly a reread year for me. I did have a few new books though. The best was the collapsing empire books by John Scalzi. They are sci FI plus political intrigue. Fantastic books.

    Edit: kwfyre, can you make these book questions a regular occurrence? I love having meta thoughts about my reading, and these have been some good questions to consider.

    8 votes
    1. kfwyre
      Link Parent
      I can try to post more book topics intermittently. I'm not sure how many different questions I'd be able to come up with before I run out of ideas, but I do have fun making different topic series...

      I can try to post more book topics intermittently. I'm not sure how many different questions I'd be able to come up with before I run out of ideas, but I do have fun making different topic series here!

      On the other hand, I'd also love it if people posted their own! Nothing makes me happier than seeing people taking the reins or riffing off of something I've posted. Like 611882750722... (damnit)... @611828750722's topic on comfort re-reads.

      5 votes
    2. Queresote
      Link Parent
      Rereading is often discounted by the current book-reading communities I find online. I, for one, think that rereading my past favorite books and looking at my notes in the margin is one of the...

      Rereading is often discounted by the current book-reading communities I find online. I, for one, think that rereading my past favorite books and looking at my notes in the margin is one of the more rewarding aspects of reading.

      I also tend to leave notebook scraps in my books (mostly by mistake) and am delighted to see my opinion or viewpoint evolve from where I was when I read the book.

      After reviewing the available materials online, Collapsing Empire does sound exciting. I'll have to add The Interdependency Series to my major reading projects.

      2 votes
    3. [2]
      Sapholia
      Link Parent
      There's a biweekly recurring topic about what we've been reading; are you asking for something more specific?

      There's a biweekly recurring topic about what we've been reading; are you asking for something more specific?

      2 votes
      1. Weldawadyathink
        Link Parent
        I’m not really sure to be honest. Those threads never convinced me to participate, but kfwyre’s threads have.

        I’m not really sure to be honest. Those threads never convinced me to participate, but kfwyre’s threads have.

        1 vote
    4. [3]
      TheRTV
      Link Parent
      I love John Scalzi! The Interdependency Trilogy is really good. I should give that another listen this year.

      I love John Scalzi! The Interdependency Trilogy is really good. I should give that another listen this year.

      1 vote
      1. [2]
        RheingoldRiver
        Link Parent
        haha I really don't like Scalzi in general but Interdependency is the one exception! I really enjoyed that

        haha I really don't like Scalzi in general but Interdependency is the one exception! I really enjoyed that

        1 vote
        1. TheRTV
          Link Parent
          That's understandable. His more humor based stories will not be everyone's cup of tea. His serious stuff is really good

          That's understandable. His more humor based stories will not be everyone's cup of tea. His serious stuff is really good

          2 votes
  4. [4]
    d32
    Link
    I've read the Bobiverse books this year and they have been very pleasant. Simple heroic space operas with agreeable characters, bit of philosophy and measured bits of drama.

    I've read the Bobiverse books this year and they have been very pleasant. Simple heroic space operas with agreeable characters, bit of philosophy and measured bits of drama.

    7 votes
    1. ChingShih
      Link Parent
      The Bobiverse books are so fun! I really liked how the stories developed through the first three or so books that I've read. I also liked that the Bobs made a Bobipedia. I'm hoping to get into the...

      The Bobiverse books are so fun! I really liked how the stories developed through the first three or so books that I've read. I also liked that the Bobs made a Bobipedia. I'm hoping to get into the later books in 2025.

      4 votes
    2. Sapholia
      Link Parent
      I'm in the beginning of book 2 at the moment. I mostly save them as long drive audiobooks, so I'm going through them pretty slowly, but I'm enjoying them a lot (love Ray Porter's narration too)....

      I'm in the beginning of book 2 at the moment. I mostly save them as long drive audiobooks, so I'm going through them pretty slowly, but I'm enjoying them a lot (love Ray Porter's narration too). It's interesting when

      Click to expand spoiler.the rush for humanity to colonize off-planet, because of post-apocalyptic conditions, is only one of several main plotlines going. Definitely looking forward to see whatever the heck happens with the mysterious genocidal stripmining alien civilization.

      3 votes
    3. unkz
      Link Parent
      You might be interested to hear that the next book drops January 5, or is already out if you like audiobooks.

      You might be interested to hear that the next book drops January 5, or is already out if you like audiobooks.

      3 votes
  5. [3]
    Flother
    (edited )
    Link
    I've come to accept that the likelihood of me finishing full-length novels is low, so I've focussed more on novellas and poems this year. I've most likely consumed more non-fiction than fiction,...

    I've come to accept that the likelihood of me finishing full-length novels is low, so I've focussed more on novellas and poems this year. I've most likely consumed more non-fiction than fiction, but as this is usually from reference books I've mostly disregarded them here.

    • Biedermann und die Brandstifter, "The Arsonists" by Max Frisch. Quite a clever and thought-provoking play about how easily the average person can be manipulated into subscribing to extremist views (here: fascism). Gives similar vibes to Die Welle/The Wave, without being as direct.

    • A Happy Death by Albert Camus. Put Camus on anything and I'll like it. One of his earliest works and certainly reads more 'optimistic' than others. I found it quite slow to start off with, but it certainly left a lasting impression when I'd finished. You'll find no scarcity of beautiful quotes in this; a personal favourite: "What matters — all that matters, really — is the will to happiness, a kind of enormous, ever-present consciousness.".

    • The Fall by Albert Camus. I found this harder to get into and enjoy than other works, admittedly. It's not one I'd be fane to re-read, but the narration technique and the storyline is somewhat interesting. Again, heavily quotable. I think it's worth reading alone purely for his reflections on life, so I won't spoil any quote in toto here, but the brief passage on "Friendship is less simple" has lingered with me.

    • The Pearl by John Steinbeck. My only experience with Steinbeck before this is Of Mice and Men which I may have enjoyed had I not been forced into it at school, and then East of Eden which I never finished due to its length. I picked this up for 50p in a second-hand shop and didn't regret it at all. Reading it was a visceral experience and I then purchased Cannery Row afterwards just to get more of Steinbeck.

    • Out of Your Mind by Alan Watts. Sort of cheating as it's a collection of transcribed lectures. My most recent read. It's, beyond doubt, one of the few things this year which has lead to a serious shift in my perspective of life.

    • The Nation's Favourite Poems, misc. Just felt like becoming more acquainted with other types of literature so picked up this little gem, which has sparked a small interest in poetry. My personal favourite is Silver by Walter de la Mare.

    • The Rape of the Lock, Alexander Pope. Picked this up with Paradise Lost (yet to finish), both Oxford Notes editions and without the notes it'd be a struggle. A pleasantly satirical poem about a faux-scandal amongst the upper class at the time. The amount of extrinsic references is enough to make you feel like an idiot.

    • The Earliest English Poems. Wonderful insight into the extant poetry we have from Anglo-Saxon times with brief but detailed commentary on each poem.

    • It's On Me by Sara Kuburic. Quite a nice bit of easily comprehensible 'existential' therapy, though I would not read it purely for reference to existentialism. It could have been shorter, but it definitely had some nice takeaways, mostly the analogy of the burning room.

    Honourable mentions that I have yet to finish:

    • Der Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse. I've had to re-start this as I left it too long to continue. I remember the earlier pages vividly due to Hesse's poignant description of a wolf/man and the "gotcha moment".

    • The First Philosophers: The Presocratics and Sophists.. Incredibly concise, well-sourced, and easy to flick through when you have a spare few minutes.

    • Wilhelm Tell by Schiller. This is either the second or third literary work I own by Schiller, and the only one I reckon I'll finish anytime soon. I find Schiller oddly challenging to read compared to Goethe, and German is not my native language so it adds another layer of difficulty.

    I could write about 20 more on here but the list will never end. I've come to accept that I just like to flick back and forth between books, and that's okay.

    7 votes
    1. [2]
      updawg
      Link Parent
      You are forced to read American novels in UK schools? That seems odd to me because we read them as ways to teach us about our country/society and get everyone in the country a similar literary...

      You are forced to read American novels in UK schools? That seems odd to me because we read them as ways to teach us about our country/society and get everyone in the country a similar literary background as much as we do to just read literature.

      1 vote
      1. Flother
        Link Parent
        I think the aim is to expose us to literature in the wider anglosphere, but Of Mice and Men was the only novel by an American author that I recall having to study. There's not a tremendous amount...

        I think the aim is to expose us to literature in the wider anglosphere, but Of Mice and Men was the only novel by an American author that I recall having to study. There's not a tremendous amount of focus on truly classic works from the UK in English schools imo, as they often opt to study a Shakespeare play instead.

        I managed to find the current list of possible set texts per exam board here - https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/tag/gcse/. The schools will select an exam board, and then select one of X possible books per category usually.

        It seems the Welsh (WJEC) and Northern Irish (CCEA) exam boards offer more American Literature options.

        3 votes
  6. [4]
    boxer_dogs_dance
    (edited )
    Link
    I read a lot of books, so I have a few favorites. A tree grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith is a classic coming of age story about a girl in a poor family in the early 20th century. It is...

    I read a lot of books, so I have a few favorites.

    A tree grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith is a classic coming of age story about a girl in a poor family in the early 20th century. It is beautifully written and thoroughly imagined.

    Island of the missing trees by Elif Shafak is set in the UK and in Cypress. It is just a little bit of magical realism but is mostly about a daughter of a mixed Turk and Greek couple from Cypress and her extended family. It tells the forbidden love story of her parents and a lot more.

    The Thief by Megan Whelan Turner is a fun, suspenseful fantasy heist book.

    We have always lived in the castle by Shirley Jackson is creepy and well written.

    Horse by Geraldine Brooks is an excellent historical fiction featuring the trainer of a famous race horse, and a modern related parallel story.

    Matterhorn by Karl marlantes is a brilliant novel about a young US marine officer in Vietnam on his first tour of duty.

    Erotic Stories for Punjabi widows was sort of coming of age thriller. I loved it.

    In nonfiction, favorites included,

    All about me the life of Mel Brooks,

    Paxton's the anatomy of fascism,

    Michelle Obama's the light we carry overcoming in uncertain times,

    Quincy Jones 12 notes on life and creativity

    6 votes
    1. [2]
      ChingShih
      Link Parent
      Great list of favorite books! I'll have to look into the book by Jackson, it sounds interesting. Also would love to read the one on Mel Brooks, but I might just watch a documentary. Navy Cross...

      Great list of favorite books! I'll have to look into the book by Jackson, it sounds interesting. Also would love to read the one on Mel Brooks, but I might just watch a documentary.

      Matterhorn by Karl marlantes ....

      Navy Cross recipient, Yale and Oxford graduate, and real Vietnam combat veteran Karl Marlantes :P

      I like to point that out because if anyone outside of the military or military-history community reads one book written by someone who served, it should absolutely be Karl Marlantes. Not only is he able to humbly convey his intellect and experience in war, but he's also an honorable guy not trying to idolize or vilify anyone in the process, unlike a lot of the memoir slop that has come out in the past 20 years. Marlantes is a wonderful writer and I also recommend What It Is Like to Go to War.

      4 votes
      1. boxer_dogs_dance
        Link Parent
        Mel Brooks wrote all about me. He got his start writing for comedy and it shows in the book. Glad you liked my list. It was a good reading year.

        Mel Brooks wrote all about me. He got his start writing for comedy and it shows in the book.

        Glad you liked my list. It was a good reading year.

        4 votes
    2. Queresote
      Link Parent
      I listened to her audio book Becoming, and it's a terrible shame I hadn't heard her speak at length before. She has a strong control of spoken/written language, and her story evokes a lot of...

      Michelle Obama's the light we carry

      I listened to her audio book Becoming, and it's a terrible shame I hadn't heard her speak at length before. She has a strong control of spoken/written language, and her story evokes a lot of emotion from a reader.

      2 votes
  7. [6]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. first-must-burn
      Link Parent
      I have not read all of Pratchett (a tall order, that), but Death is 100% my favorite character from the ones I have read. Chills every time: And some of the best parenting advice around:
      • Exemplary

      I think I definitely liked the Death series the most. I found the depiction of Death extremely moving, and reading the specific books about him made it that more impactful when he showed up in other books.

      I have not read all of Pratchett (a tall order, that), but Death is 100% my favorite character from the ones I have read.

      Chills every time:

      LORD, WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN?

      ~ Death, from Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett

      "YOU MUST LEARN THE COMPASSION PROPER TO YOUR TRADE."
      "And what's that?"
      "A SHARP EDGE."

      ~ Death and Mort, his apprentice, from Mort by Terry Pratchett

      And some of the best parenting advice around:

      You can't give her that!' she screamed. 'It's not safe!'
      IT'S A SWORD, said the Hogfather. THEY'RE NOT MEANT TO BE SAFE.
      'She's a child!' shouted Crumley.
      IT'S EDUCATIONAL.
      'What if she cuts herself?'
      THAT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT LESSON.

      ~ Terry Pratchett, Hogfather

      3 votes
    2. DefinitelyNotAFae
      Link Parent
      I agree that the Guards series probably would hit me different now than it did when I first read them. Night Watch is a classic though to watch him go back through the past traumas. Small Gods...

      I agree that the Guards series probably would hit me different now than it did when I first read them. Night Watch is a classic though to watch him go back through the past traumas. Small Gods never hit me quite so hard, perhaps because my religious experiences were different or at least different when I read them.

      I do love the Witches though, Equal Rites is more about dealing with Wizards and the later Witch books show them off better.

      Glad you found your way through them!

      3 votes
    3. [3]
      boxer_dogs_dance
      Link Parent
      Did you finish the Discworld series?

      Did you finish the Discworld series?

      2 votes
      1. [3]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. [2]
          Protected
          Link Parent
          The witches books are usually about people and common sense triumphing over "magic." The books often call out a perceived bullshit in stories and fairy tales (there's even one about the Phantom of...

          The witches books are usually about people and common sense triumphing over "magic." The books often call out a perceived bullshit in stories and fairy tales (there's even one about the Phantom of the Opera), pointing out how easily we accept a lot of flawed moral judgments without giving them a second thought. Did you read any Tiffany Aching?

          2 votes
          1. [2]
            Comment deleted by author
            Link Parent
            1. Protected
              Link Parent
              When it comes to the Wizards post-Sourcery, it becomes firmly established that the whole point of the existence of the Unseen University is to stop people from doing magic - put all the wizards in...

              When it comes to the Wizards post-Sourcery, it becomes firmly established that the whole point of the existence of the Unseen University is to stop people from doing magic - put all the wizards in one place and give them a lot of food so they won't blow anything up. So these are goofy city stories except for Rincewind's travels (Rincewind is a "good" wizard because he's too cowardly to be a competent one).

              The Witches are also a bit like that, but with the countryside, fairy tale angle. So Esme is cool because she uses psychology ("headology") rather than humoring the people who want her to do magic. Young witches and their covens are mocked. Fairy godmothers (and fairies in general) are bested. Primal powers are survived. Magic exists, but its natural users are cold, alien creatures who more often than not want to use or control people.

              Traditionally I've suggested that people start with Small Gods and then keep going in publication order, but I've recently read good arguments here against publication order. I'm not a very good person to recommend any order since I read everything more or less randomly, but if the earlier books have put you off (I'm assuming Equal Rites was the witch book you disliked) you could skip a couple of them for now and see how it goes - maybe try Lords and Ladies or Maskerade. Or you can just try the Tiffany Aching sequence, which is more YA (the protagonist, Tiffany, is a younger witch; the adult witches from the other books show up here and there but this can be read as a self-contained sequence).

              2 votes
  8. 1338
    Link
    I mentioned in a different thread this was my first year returning to reading with any focus. As a result a lot of the books I read and loved this year are classics and/or super popular. The ones...

    I mentioned in a different thread this was my first year returning to reading with any focus. As a result a lot of the books I read and loved this year are classics and/or super popular. The ones I rated the highest of those are: George RR Martin's ASOIAF (started it in December and I'm on book 4 now), Neil Gaiman's Coraline and Graveyard Book, Goldman's The Princess Bride. So much has been said about why those books are good I don't really feel I have much more to add.

    The books I enjoyed the most are Erin Morganstern's books: Starless Sea and Night Circus. I don't have much intellectual reason for why I enjoyed those books so much, the author's voice and the world she builds just gave me this wonderful magical feeling like nothing else I read this year.

    The King's General by Daphne du Maurier: this was an early year read for me and the first book that really captured me. It's a novel set in the English Civil War and does a great job building and establishing that setting. It's a love story but not really a happy one with both the highs and lows well captured from the protagonist's perspective.

    Small and Remarkable Life by Nick DiChario: this book is officially considered scifi but certainly isn't the typical scifi. It's set in the 1800s US and alternatingly covers the life and death of a "foreigner" with a weird name, unusually colored skin, and unpopular religious views. Touches on all the expected themes of prejudice and acceptance. I liked the way it tied everything together at the end but I could have done without the epilogue.

    The Dirty Tricks Department by John Lisle: a history of the precursor to the CIA and its antics during WWII. I appreciate reading about the ingenuity of the inventions and techniques. It has both crazy boondoggles that'll never work like bat bombs and devices that are now mainstays like timers. The end of the book is much darker when it describes how the OSS led to the creation of the CIA for all its MK Ultra shame. Overall it's a fascinating bit of history and the book is written in a very enjoyable way.

    5 votes
  9. [3]
    crialpaca
    Link
    I read 94 books this year (so far) and I've maybe been getting more discerning as I go... or maybe less choosey with what I pick up? I had more 5 star reads in the beginning of the summer, when I...

    I read 94 books this year (so far) and I've maybe been getting more discerning as I go... or maybe less choosey with what I pick up? I had more 5 star reads in the beginning of the summer, when I started reading, than I have recently. There are also some that I marked as 5 stars that I maybe wouldn't mark as 5 stars now that they've stewed a bit, so I didn't include those here.

    My favorites this year include a bit of romantasy. It was weird to come back to reading after 10+ years to find my usual genre of YA romantic fantasy now has become a mainstream genre for adults: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent (excellent first person writing for me and execution of games & trials and vampires); Heartless Hunter/The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli (neat magic system and interesting society).

    Other fantasy: Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune (audio was fantastic and the story was poignant - I cried); The First Confessor by Terry Goodkind (unfortunately, I feel like my Goodkind reads may have peaked here, but we'll see if I'm surprised down the road when I read everything else. I liked seeing Magda unravel the mysteries and making friends. This was my first Goodkind read.).

    Other fiction: The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (The Longest Day and the very heart-rending stuff that Roger goes through made me get invested); Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (who can say no to an octopus friend?); The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi (something about the writing carried me through this effortlessly).

    Sci Fi: Sand and Across the Sand by Hugh Howey. I really enjoyed the concept of sand-diving and I'm still very curious about what this society is up to as a whole, since most of these characters aren't privy to that. I feel like I forgot the ending of the second book... I will probably happily reread these if/when the third book comes out.

    Nonfiction: Becoming by Michelle Obama. I just loved hearing her tell her story. (If You Can't Take the Heat by Geraldine DeRuiter gets an honorable mention for being very relatable and making me laugh.)

    4 votes
    1. [2]
      boxer_dogs_dance
      Link Parent
      Goodkind is an author I chose not to invest my time in, partially because there are many discussions on the fantasy subreddit re things people didn't like about him and his work. I only mentioned...

      Goodkind is an author I chose not to invest my time in, partially because there are many discussions on the fantasy subreddit re things people didn't like about him and his work.

      I only mentioned it because it sounds like you are committed to finishing the series. Only you can decide but if in the future you change your mind you won't be unique.

      2 votes
      1. crialpaca
        Link Parent
        I own the first six Sword of Truth books (purchased 10+ years ago from the thrift store), and what I found between reading The First Confessor and reading Wizard's First Rule was that his writing...

        I own the first six Sword of Truth books (purchased 10+ years ago from the thrift store), and what I found between reading The First Confessor and reading Wizard's First Rule was that his writing had matured significantly in the 20 years between. (I read the First Confessor before Wizard's First Rule, so the instant "drop" in quality after reading the First Confessor was kind of sad.) So I may very well halt reading them if I get too annoyed when I go to read Stone of Tears or further books!

        I have definitely heard things about folks being dissatisfied with him, as well as what he did with making certain books parts of the full series or something (not sure if that was ret-conning stuff or what) so I'm going forward with a critical eye and won't hesitate to stop it I get too frustrated :)

        2 votes
  10. thecakeisalime
    Link
    Looking back over my Goodreads list this year, I have read a lot more non-fiction this year than I usually do. Partly in an attempt to just read more in general, but also because I discovered I...

    Looking back over my Goodreads list this year, I have read a lot more non-fiction this year than I usually do. Partly in an attempt to just read more in general, but also because I discovered I can listen to audiobooks of non-fiction, but when trying to listen to fiction, I just don't absorb any of it.

    Out of a total of 48 books read, I gave five stars to 14 of them.

    Fiction:

    Non-fiction:

    I'm also in the middle of Wind and Truth (book 5 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson. It will also probably get 5 stars, but there's no way I'm finishing it before the end of the year.

    I didn't actually read the Expanse and Discworld series straight through, but it seems I just didn't enjoy the books between them nearly as much. And Terry Pratchett seems to be on a good run through 2024. The two preceding Discworld books (read in 2023) did not earn 5 stars from me.

    Next year I'm going to try to finish off Wheel of Time. I finished book 10 this year. I really like the story and the world that Robert Jordan created, but the writing is just such a slog; no book in this series has earned 5 stars from me. One common complaint I've heard about Brandon Sanderson taking over in book 12 is that he didn't match the writing style at all. I'm hoping for me that will be a positive, because I like Brandon Sanderson's style of writing.

    4 votes
  11. first-must-burn
    Link
    I went back through my "what have you been reading" posts and these are the books that stood out to me. I've already written about everything but the Southern Reach in the biweekly threads or the...

    I went back through my "what have you been reading" posts and these are the books that stood out to me. I've already written about everything but the Southern Reach in the biweekly threads or the book club threads, so just a quick thoughts here. In no particular order:

    The Future by Naomi Alderman - a story about the overweening power of capitalism and concentrated wealth and a hopeful look at subverting those patterns.

    Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel - as hopeful a look at an after-the-end-of-the-world scenario as I have found

    Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid - a great and disturbing book about overcoming control and the power of patriarchy. Lots of triggers and body horror.

    Kindred by Octavia Butler - an amazing story about the complexity of relationships under slavery and the ways that privilege works to preserve its ignorance of the injustice it causes.

    The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff Vandemier - I just finished this one. One of those books where everything is pretty surreal and you don't entirely know what's going on throughout. It's very introspective and character driven, and I came to care about the main characters through the story. The way it came together at the end was very satisfying.

    3 votes