How many books read in 2023:
143, which was a lot more than I was intending :O
How many fiction and non fiction?:
I read more fiction like I usually do, but I did read more non fiction than usual, so yayyyyy!
Male/Female author ratio?:
I feel like I read slightly more female authors this year. And I think that tends to me the norm for me.
Favorite book of 2023?:
Not counting re-reads (since the Lord of the Rings trilogy and An Enchantment of Ravens would be on the list)
Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio - this was an AWESOME science fiction story, with great world building and a main character that I adored (I loved Hadrian a LOT as a MC).
I, Jedi by Michael Stackpole - best Star Wars book I read this year! Corran Horn had an excellent arc in this book, I enjoyed seeing stuff from the Jedi Academy trilogy from his POV, and the ending was great!
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett - I LOVE this book so much! Emily is a character I highly related to, the Nordic setting and the take on the Fae was so homey to me, and the romance is very cute!
Mistborn era 2 by Brandon Sanderson - while I still prefer era 1 of Mistborn, era 2 was a lot of fun and dealt with some heavy emotions as well! The characters were all enjoyable to read from, the way the world and magic system was expanded was really great, and the autism rep was solid!
The Secret History by Donna Tartt - this was such a messed up, well written work! Definitely the epitome of dark academia. Also really rang true regarding the college experience, oddly enough.
Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb - beautifully written epic fantasy. The world building is excellent, the character work is very well done, and the ending had a great emotional punch. Also made me like a wolf/dog character, which is a feat.
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson - the author is one of the best current YA authors and this book was another excellent edition. Love her prose, the characters (and their interactions), and the world. I also love how the author can write such different, but all equally great, YA fantasies.
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner - while I loved the whole trilogy, book 1 was my favorite. The romance was great for me, the set up was one I was really craving when I read it (and it was a GREAT depiction), I loved how both characters were competent and helped with surviving, and was just all around GREAT YA sci-fi!
The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber - I loved the whole trilogy for this one as well, but book 2 was my favorite! This book pulled off a hero x villain romance PERFECTLY and the drama and emotions were so good! The world building was also a lot of fun and the author certainly knows how to convey TRAGEDY very well >:D
The Kyrtos Trap by Michael Stackpole - a very fun addition to the X-Wing series that had a lot of clever reveals (like the upside down prison, which was freaking brilliant on the author's part!), as well as Corran coming more into his own here (and getting a LIGHTSABER).
The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mike Oshiro - I love the PJO universe and this book was a really satisfying addition to that world. We get closure on some things from Heroes of Olympus, the romance between Nico and Will was well done (as were their character arcs), the humor and emotional moments were great, and by the end, I was so happy!
Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes - a very FUN space opera that managed to have a lot of things in it that worked well for me! I loved the human x alien romance we got, the hints of the wider plot, and the crazy, hilarious shennanigans that our lead, Eva, got into were great!
Age of War by Michael J. Sullivan - an awesome addition to the Legends of the First Empire series! The characters were great, the romance was great, the humor was great, and so was the plot progression and additions to world building. Also I am friends with the author on goodreads :)
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan - While I had some issues with how gender was handled in this book, it was still an amazing read. The way everything wrapped up for all the characters was very powerful and the dramatic moments all hit the correct way. This author is definitely one to watch!
Normal People by Sally Rooney - My first Sally Rooney book and I loved it and related to it in a lot of complicated and uncomfortable ways. The characters messy emotions and relationships were highly relatable to me and I loved how vivid the Irish setting was. Definitely not a book for everyone, but the author deserves her positive reputation.
Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds - While the character work is a bit weak, the world building is outstanding. The attention to detail to the science and the alien civilization(s) was amazing and made me very excited to continue into this series!
Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney - A lot of people say the author's books are relatable to white women who are college educated, millennial/gen z, middle class, and liberal. And they are right, since I am all of the above and this book, like Normal People, resonated with me a LOT. The thoughts the characters have and struggle with are ones I have in my own life. The romances also worked for me, even if they were very messy.
The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim - while not as fun as book 1, this was a great finale for the duology! Shiori continues to be a character I love to follow and the world and arcs were great! I also very much love her step mother as a character and am excited to see how she is in the prequel!
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh - A lovely, fairy tale esque story that slowly built up into a satisfying story and romance! The world and folklore elements were also a lot of fun!
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern - a beautifully written book that shows the best an author can achieve when it comes to prose. The love of stories is central to this book and it works soooo well for me! One I highly recommend for readers!
Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim - This graphic novel handled a very sad and difficult subject matter (the life of a woman forced to become a comfort woman when Japan invaded Korea) in a sensitive and hisotircally accurate way. Definitely a sad story, but an important one for people to know about.
The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan - I've wanted to read this author's work for a long time and I am so glad I finally did. She is an excellent historical fiction writer and really captures each time period she writes about. The two leads we follow are expertly drawn as well!
The Bacta War by Michael Stackpole - Another good addition to the X-Wing series, this one wrapping up the first Rogue Squadron arc. The book had a lot of good things going for it, the humor was great, and I felt like the arc ended in a way I found satisfying.
Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson - This short story really explores the behind the scenes stuff of the Cosmere, showing Kelsier as he refuses to accept death and try to keep his home safe. The story is super good, the Cosmere connections were exciting, and the story really made me love Kelsier even more as a character.
Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong by Angela Saini - an important book about women and how history and science have gotten so much wrong about us as a gender. While I don't agree with one point the author made, the rest was very interesting and helped me feel better about being a woman.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson - this was such a cool book about science and the history of science. The author managed to get a lot of information across in a fun and interesting way and I had so much fun learning about all the different branches of science and the HISTORY of those branches of science!
Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft - A book every woman who dates men should read. I learned a lot about how to spot abusers, the different types of abuse, and ways that leaving can be possible. I also appreciated the author's sympathy for the women who are being abused and his critical approach to the abusers.
The Bitter Twins by Jen Williams - A great continuation to the trilogy, with some good explorations of the lore of both Sarn and of the aliens attacking and actual stakes for the world (definitely feels like it could end). While I wasn't the biggest fan of the war beasts, I did enjoy the rest of the book. Definitely continues its original feel and genre-blend and I'm excited to see how what we learned in book 2 about Sarn affects things going forward for book 3.
Unmasking Autism by Devon Price - Probably one of the better autism based books I've read in a while. I appreciated how into depth it went and especially that it answered my questions about why it seemed like when people meet me they usually dislike me right away. I also liked how the author pulled in different kinds of people to give their experiences, as it showed different kinds of autistic people.
Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski - This book is another I'd recommend all women- and men and women that date women- give a read. This book goes into depth about female sexuality and the different kinds of sexuality that exist. It was very informative and gave me a better understanding of how different women work. It was also cool to see where I matched the norm and where I differed from it.
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko - an excellently written YA fantasy novel that has an expansive world that makes me think of adult novels. The main characters are also charming and complex, each with their own personalities and struggles. I also liked how the author took some different routes that veer off from the norm.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna - This book was just plain cute while also dealing with a lot of difficult issues. I also was thankful at how empathetic the author and the characters all were, as it made what could have been a "eww, I hate this person" into something else. Felt a lot truer to life. Also the quoting of Emma at the ending was SO CUTE.
Heartless by Marissa Meyer - This book really surprised me. The author really went there in regards to the ending and while I don't want to spoil it, at the end, I agreed with the choices our MC made.
The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu - Really well done historical fantasy, with an almost history textbook approach that really worked! The prose is stunning and while I had issues with how the women were written at times, the characters were generally well done.
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh - A beautifully written and sad story about Syria and the people from that land that have to deal with all the crap going on due to their military government. Definitely helped me understand what is going on in Syria. Also beautifully written.
Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky - A really fun and weird sci-fi/fantasy blend that makes me super excited to read more by this author! The characters were fun, the set up was AWESOME, and the alien stuff was perfectly creepy
Least favorite?:
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones - Basically, I HATED how the women were written and treated in this book. From Sacagawea being called a traitor, to a man thinking it was ok for a guy to kill his wife cause she was white, to the brutal killing and descecration of the corpse of two women, was just plain disgusting.
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amelie When Zhao - this book is basically "I hate white people, they are all evil and everything they have ever created is horrible and ugly and their magic is distorted" and it was so annoying to read. And to top it off, the romance was bad, there were random moments of cattiness that made no sense, and the prose was bad.
The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish - Not only did this book have bad prose, it was just boring which was soooo disappointing. This could have been a great story in the hands of a good writer, but just...UGH. I didn't like any character (besides the villains who seemed much more interesting to read about) and the plot just moved around randomly and I couldn't bring myself to care.
Newest?:
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan (August 2023)
Longest and shortest book titles?:
For longest, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna and The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Shortest would be Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim and Spare by Prince Harry
Longest and shortest books?:
Longest was Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb at 869 pages
The Girl Who Steals Christmas by C.G. Drews at 15 pages
How many books from the library?:
About 60 percent were library books, I think
Any translated books?:
Yona of the Dawn 1-3 from Japanese
Blue Flag 2-3 from Japanese
Grass from Korean
Before the Coffee Gets Cold from Japanese
Sailor Moon 6-10 from Japanese
Your Name 1-2 from Japanese
A Man Called Ove from Swedish
The Golden Sheep 1-3 from Japanese (and Love letter)
Most read author?:
Brandon Sanderson, Amie Kaufman, Michael Stackpole, and Naoko Takeuchi.
Any re-reads?:
I re-read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, An Enchantment of Ravens, and Howl's Moving Castle.
Favorite character of the year?
Not counting characters in re-reads (cause I love all the LOTR characters and Isabel and Rook from An Enchantment of Ravens and Sophie and Howl from Howl's moving castle)
Hadrian from Empire of Silence
Emily Wilde from Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Wendell Bambleby from Emily Wide's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Mara Jade Skywalker from Star Wars EU books (she especially shone in I, Jedi)
Luke Skywalker from Star Wars EU books
Leia Organa Solo in Star Wars EU books
Han Solo in Star Wars EU books
Corran Horn in Star Wars EU books
Nico di Angelo in The Sun and the Star
Waxillium Ladrian from Mistborn era 2
Steris Harms by Mistborn era 2
Evangeline Fox from Once Upon A Broken Heart
Jaks from Once Upon A Broken Heart
Lilac LaRoux from These Broken Stars
Tarver Merendsen from These Broken Stars
Fitz Chivalry Farseer from the Farseer trilogy
Burrich from the Farseer Trilogy
Kettricken from the Farseer trilogy
Artemesia from Vespertine
Persephone from Age of War
Raithe from Age of War
Suri from Age of War
Moya from Age of War
Rasmira from Warrior of the Wild
Will Solace from The Sun and the Star
Shiori from The Dragon's Promise
Eva Innocente from Chilling Effect
Jaya Mills from First Light
Tynan from First Light
Marianne from Normal People
LuLing from The Bonesetter's Daughter
Ruth Young from The Bonesetter's Daughter
Ove from A Man Called Ove
Mina from The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
Vintage from The Bitter Twins
Aldasair from The Bitter Twins
Bern from The Bitter Twins
Tarasai from Raybearer
Tau from The Fires of Vengeance
Which countries did you go to through the page in your year of reading?:
Ireland, China, Japan, Wales, Korea, Sweden, England, France, Syria, Germany, Australia, United States, Canada, Palestine, etc
Which book wouldn't you have read without someone’s specific recommendation?
The Boy Who Steals Houses, The Smell of Other People's Houses, Tomorrow Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Heartless, If You Could See the Sun, Dark and Shallow Lies, etc
Which author was new to you in 2023 that you now want to read the entire works of?
Christopher Ruocchio, Robin Hobb, Heather Fawcett, Sally Rooney, Erin Morgenstern, Amie Kaufman, Valerie Valdes, Amy Tan, Stephanie Garber, Zoulfa Katouh, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Alastair Reynolds, etc
Which books are you annoyed you didn't read?:
A lot :( I am bummed I couldn't finish the Callista trilogy, Defiant, Best Served Cold, Oathbringer, The Shadow of the Gods, Fevered Star, Camelot, Children of Time, Wraith Squadron, etc
Did you read any books you have always been meaning to read?
The X Wing books I read (The Kyrtos Trap and The Bacta War)
Dark Apprentice and Champions of the Force by Kevin J. Anderson
I, Jedi by Michael Stackpole
Star Wars: At War with the Empire comics by various
Children of the Jedi and Darksaber by Barbara Hambly and Kevin J. Anderson
Mistborn Era 2 series by Brandon Sanderson (The Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self, The Bands of Mourning, and The Lost Metal)
Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb (Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, Assassin's Quest)
The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter
Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds
The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
Age of War by Michael J. Sullivan
Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney
The Bitter Twins by Jen Williams
Starbound trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (These Broken Stars, This Shattered World, Their Fractured Light)
Arcanum Unbounded by Brandon Sanderson (The Hope of Elantris, The Eleventh Metal, Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania, Mistborn: Secret History, Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell, Sixth of the Dusk)
White Sand volumes 1-3 by Brandon Sanderson
The Nemesis by S.J. Kincaid
Children of Dune by Frank Herbert
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim
Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy by Stephanie Garber (Once Upon A Broken Heart, The Ballad of Never After, and A Curse for True Love)
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes
First Light by Casey E. Berger
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I. Lin
Iron Heart by Nina Varela
Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley
Grass by
Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston
The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes
Defending Elysium by Brandon Sanderson
Before Mars by Emma Newman
Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong by Angela Saini
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
Unmasking Autism by Devon Price
Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft
Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
The Only Good Indians by Steven Graham Jones
Sailor Moon mangas by Naoko Takeuchi (finished)
Yona of the Dawn by Mizuho Kasanagi (read a few volumes)
Blue Flag by Kaito (read a few volumes)
Have Spacesuit- Will Travel by Robert Heinlein
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Greywaren by Maggie Stiefvater
Wildcard by Marie Lu
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce
Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
The 100 Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Surviving the City 1-2 by Tasha Spillet
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
What books are you planning to read in 2024?
Star Wars EU Legends books (finish the last few X Wing books, Planet of Twilight, The Crystal Star, the Blackfleet Crisis trilogy, The New Rebellion, Corellian trilogy, The Hand of Thrawn duology, Scourge, Survivor's Quest, re-read Young Jedi Knights and Junior Jedi Knights, and at least start the New Jedi Order series. For comics, I want to finish Rebellion comics, The Old Republic comics, Knight Errant comics, Jedi vs Sith comics, X-Wing comics, Early Victories omnibus, Droids omnibus, Rebellion omnibus)
Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson (finish)
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie (finish)
Defiant by Brandon Sanderson
Camelot by Giles Kristian
Arthur by Giles Kristian
Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse
Malice by John Gwynne
The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
The Saga of the Icelanders by unknown
The Blue Beautiful World by Karen Lord
Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson
The Lesser Devil by Christopher Ruocchio
Howling Dark by Christopher Ruocchio
Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
Age of Legend by Michael J. Sullivan
The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley
Velocity Weapon by Megan O'Keefe
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Exiled Fleet by J.S. Dewes (finish)
Ancestral Light by Elizabeth Bear
Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan
The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless
Mirrored Heavens by Rebecca Roanhorse
Prime Deceptions by Valerie Valdes
Valor by John Gwynne
The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne
Dreaming the Eagle by Manda Scott
The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton
Fireborne by Rosaria Munda
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
System Collapse by Martha Wells
Human Kind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman
The Spear by Nicola Griffith
Hild by Nicola Griffith
The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings
Dreamships by Melissa Scott
Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman
Artifact Space by Miles Cameron
Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
The Martian by Andy Weir
Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaivosky
The Expert System's Brother by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Odyssey by Homer
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
The Blossom and the Firefly by Sherri L. Smith
Queen of Oak by Melanie Karsak
The Druid by Jeff Wheeler
The Dawn of Yangchen by F.C. Yee
The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert
Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds
The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec
The Poison Song by Jen Williams
Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart
The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He
Sisters of the Snake by Sasha and Sarena Nanua
This Poison Heart by Kaylyn Bayron
Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone
Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan
Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross
Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman
Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson
Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
Ballad & Dagger by Daniel Jose Older
Together by Burn by Isabel Ibanez
Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen
The Drowned Wood by Emily Lloyd-Jones
The Depths by Nicole Lesperance
The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew
The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford
The Luminaries by Susan Dennard
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
Escaping First Contact by T.S. Beier
The Outside by Ada Hoffman
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Ursa Major by Casey E. Berger
Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight by Jay Barbree
Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson
Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brissett
Nova War by Gary Gibson
Mickey7 by Edward Ashton
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
The Skystone by Jack Whyte
Noumenon Infinity by Marina J. Lostetter
La Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Mallory
On Combat by Dave Grossman
Æthelflæd: The Lady of the Mercians by Tim Clarkson
King Alfred's Daughter by David Stokes
We Are Satellites by Sarah Pinsker
Ascender by Jeff Lemire
Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland
Warrior Queens of History by Maria Small
Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
XOXO by Axie Oh
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James
The Shattered Skies by John Birmingham
All the Horses of Iceland by Sarah Tolmie
Peace and Turmoil by Elliot Brooks
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
Children of Ragnarok by Cinda Williams Chima
The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima
How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez
Girls on the Verge by Sharon Biggs Walker
The Library of Legends by Janie Chang
The Wind from Hastings by Morgan Llywelyn
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne Brown
The IDIC Epidemic by Jean Lorrah
Daughter of Sparta by Claire Andrews
The Vela by Becky Chambers and others
The Collapsing Universe by Isaac Asimov
Enchantress by James Maxwell
Jade City by Fonda Lee
All the Tides of Fate by Adalyn Grace
The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna
Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo
History of the Vikings and Norse Culture by Njord Kane
Battlecry by Emerald Dodge
Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
Meru by S.B. Divya
The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
Britain BC: Life in Britain and Ireland Before the Romans by Francis Pryor
The Bright Ages by Matthew Gabriele
The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry that Forged the Medieval World by Shelley Puhak
Alcestis by Euripides
Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan
Alecto the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
The Red Palace by June Hurr
Crown of Feathers by Nicki Preto
The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White
The Silence of Bones by June Hurr
The Glittering Hour by Iona Gray
Lovely War by Julie Barry
Maame by Jessica George
The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal
The Black Coast by Mike Brooks
Beren and Luthien by J.R.R Tolkien
More Than This by Patrick Ness
Winter Counts by David Weiden
Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden
The Torchkeeper: The Raising by Steven dos Santos
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
Freedom by Jay Kirkpatrick
Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee
The Shadow of What Was Lost by John Islington
The Summer I Wasn't Me by Jessica Verdi
The Hand of the Sun King by J.T. Greathouse
The Will of the Many by John Islington
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham
Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
Traitor's Blade by Sebastian de Castell
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook to Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson
The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Afrika by Colleen Craig
World After by Susan Ee
Imperium by Robert Harris
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
Love & Gelato by Jenna Welch
Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall
The Citadel of Weeping Pearls by Alliette de Bodard
Don Juan by Byron
Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi
This Time It's Real by Ann Liang
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
Odin's Child by Siri Peterson
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizel
Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov
Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee
Your Name v.3 by Makoto Shinkai
There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak
Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce
Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce
A Turn of Light by Julie Czerneda
Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs
Atlas Alone by Emma Newman
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller
Elvish by S.G. Prince
Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis
The Falconer by Elizabeth May
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Golden Sun by Pierce Brown
The Winter Prince by Elizabeth Wein
The Sun and the Void by Gabriella Romero-Lacruz
Son of the Storm by Suyi Okungbowa
A Silent Voice by Yoshitoki Oima
Witch Hat Atlier by Kamome Shirahama
Yona of the Dawn by Mizuho Kusanagi (finish)
Blue Flag by Kaito (finish)
Ultra Maniac by Wataru Yoshizumi
Skip Beat by Yoshiki Nakamura
Shugo Chara by Peach Pitt
Skip and Loafer by Misaki Takamatsu
Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
The Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
Foreigner by C.J. Cherryh
The Wicked King by Holly Black
Gone Gone Gone by Hannah Moscowitz
Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
Eifelheim by Michael Flynn
Silksinger by Laini Taylor
I Am the Chosen King by Helen Hollick
The Relentless Legion by J.S. Dewes
Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale
Crossed by Emily McIntire
The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell
Powwow Summer by Nahanni Shingoose
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim
The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold
Skyborn by David Dalglish
Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko
Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty
Blackwing by Ed McDonald
The High Crusade by Poul Anderson
The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield
The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston
Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior by Catherine Hanley
The Sword Defiant by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan
But Everyone Feels This Way: How An Autism Diagnosis Saved My Life by Paige Layle
The Autism Spectrum Guide to Sexuality and Relationships: Understand Yourself and Make Choices that are Right for You by Emma Goodall
I Overcame My Autism and All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder: A Memoir by Sarah Kurchak
Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum by Jennifer O'Toole
Letters to My Weird Sisters: On Autism and Feminism by Joanne Limburg
The Silver Serpent by David Debord
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Northhanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer's Guide to the Universe by Philip Plait
Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization by Neil Degrasse Tyson
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield by Gayle Lemmon
Shoot Like a Girl: One Woman's Dramatic in Afghanistan and on the Home Front by Mary Jennings Hegar
Jet Girl: : My Life in War, Peace, and the Cockpit of the Navy's Most Lethal Aircraft by Caroline Johnson
Love My Rifle More than You: Young and Female in the Army by Kayla Williams
Undaunted: The Real Story of America's Servicewomen in Today's Military by Tanya Biank
The Six: The Untold Story America's First Female Astronauts by Loren Grush
Dawn of the Overlords by Kevin Potter
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
The Farm by Emily McKay
Calling on Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
House of Dragons by Jessica Cluess
Moonshadow: The Nightmare Ninja by Simon Higgins
At the Hot Gates by Donald Samson
Be Water, My Friend by Shannon Lee
Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes
Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher
Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher
The Lord of Demons by Evan Winter
2001: Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
To Explore Strange New Worlds by Elizabeth Barnes
Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar
Devil in the Device by Lora Beth Johnson
Radium Girls by Kate Moore
Aoife of Leinster: The Price of a Throne by Sean. J Fitzgerald
The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare
Federations by John Joseph Adams, etc
Veiled Alliances by Kevin J. Anderson
These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs
The Blighted Stars by Megan O'Keefe
The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
For the Throne by Hannah Whitten
Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
A Flame in the North by Lilith Saintcrow
Neferura by Malayna Evans
The Archive Undying by Emma Candon
Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Stars and Bones by Gareth L. Powell
Embers of War by Gareth L. Powell
Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks
You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
Real Knockouts by Martha McCaughey
The Last Gifts of the Universe by Rory August
The Great Mortality by John Kelly
The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman
In the Wake of the Plague by Norman Cantor
The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang
Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell
Dark Space by Lisa Henry
After by Amy Efaw
Helliconia Spring by Brian Aldiss
Men Like Gods by H.G. Wells
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Fox Meadows
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Wreath by Sigrid Undset
The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake
Terraform: Watch/Worlds/Burn by Brian Merchant
Elvish by S.G. Prince
The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland
Sistersong by Lucy Holland
Medusa in the Graveyeard by Emily Devenport
The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow
The Women by Kristin Hannah
Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth
Unremembered by Jessica Brody
Poison Study by Maria Snyder
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Ghost Empire by Richard Fidler
Rouge by Mona Awad
Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas
Cemetary Boys by Aiden Thomas
Boys Run the Riot by Keito Gaku
The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Sølvhammeren by Vera Henriksen
Then Merry heard in all sounds of the hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed, and the clear voice was like the ring of steel.
"But no living man am I! You are looking upon a woman. Eowyn am I, Eomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him."
The winged creature screamed at her, but then the Ringwraith was silent, as if in sudden doubt. Very amazement for a moment conquered Merry's fear. He opened his eyes and the blackness was lifted from them. There some paces from him sat the great beast, and all seemed dark about it, and above it loomed the Nazgul Lord like a shadow of despair. A little to the left facing them stood whom he had called Dernhelm. But the helm of her secrecy had fallen from her, and and her bright hair, released from its bonds, gleamed with pale gold upon her shoulders. Her eyes grey as the sea were hard and fell, and yet tears gleamed in them. A sword was in her hand, and she raised her shield against the horror of her enemy's eyes.”- The Return of the King
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” - The Fellowship of the Ring
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say” - The Fellowship of the Ring
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.
Then world behind and home ahead,
We'll wander back and home to bed.
Mist and twilight, cloud and shade,
Away shall fade! Away shall fade!” - The Fellowship of the Ring
into a tiny unicorn but the unicorn remembers a time
when it was a star and an earlier time when it was part of
a book and sometimes the unicorn dreams of the time before
it was a book when it was a tree and the time even longer
before that when it was a different sort of star” - The Starless Sea
Right now.” - Strange the Dreamer
The queen’s face fell. For a moment, she looked as old as the years she’d spent lying in a suspended state. “That is not a small mistake to fix. If you do this, Time will take something equally valuable from you.”
The Fate gave the queen a look more vicious than any curse. “There is nothing of equal value to me.” - The Ballad of Never After
“I know, love. I’m going to take you somewhere safe.” - The Ballad of Never After
making mistakes so much more than we love them for doing good that the
easiest way to live is to do nothing, say nothing, and love no one.” - Beautiful World, Where Are You?
Dim as it was, the forest glowed. The golden leaves flashing by blazed like sparks caught in the updraft of a fire. A scarlet carpet unrolled before us, rich and flawless as velvet. Rising from the forest floor, the black, tangled roots breathed a bluish mist that reduced the farthest trees' trunks to ghostly silhouettes, yet left their foliage's luminous hues untouched. Vivid moss speckled the branches like tarnished copper. The crisp spice of pine sap infused the cool air over a musty perfume of dry leaves. A knot swelled in my throat. I couldn't look away. There was too much of it, too fast. I'd never be able to drink it all in...” - An Enchantment of Ravens
He stared at me in disbelief. "Did you just sit on it?"
"Yes," I said mutinously.” - An Enchantment of Ravens
Go into your next life. Live it, and bear its suffering. Do it again with the life after that, and the next, and with each one find it easier. Until one day, in a thousand years, the force of the universe will bring you and Esen-Temur back together to start afresh.” - He Who Drowned the World
He said it as if it were obvious. I snorted again, assuming he was teasing me. "Over the company of a tavern filled with a rapt and grateful audience? I'm sure you do."
"Over anyone else's company." Again, he said it with some amusement, as if wondering what I was doing speculating about something so evident.
"You are drunk," I said.
"Shall I prove it to you?"
"No, you shan't," I said, alarmed, but he was already sweeping to the floor, bending his knee and taking my hand between his.
"What in God's name are you doing?" I said between my teeth. "And why are you doing it now?"
"Shall I make an appointment?" he said, then laughed. "Yes, I believe you would like that. Well, name the time when it would be convenient for you to receive a declaration of love."
"Oh, get up," I said, furious now. "What sort of jest is this, Wendell?"
"You don't believe me?" He smiled, all mischief, a look I'd seen from other Folk, enough to know not to trust him one inch. "Ask for my true name, and I'll give it to you."
"Why on earth would you do that?" I demanded, yanking my hand back.
"Oh, Em," he said forlornly. "You are the cleverest dolt I have ever met."
I stared at him, my heart thundering. Of course, I am not a dolt in any sense; I had supposed he felt something for me and had only hoped he would keep it to himself. Forever. Not that a part of me didn't wish for the opposite. But that was when I assumed his feelings in that respect were equivalent to what he felt for any of the nameless women who passed in and out of his bed. And why would I lower myself to that, when he and I already had something that was vastly more valuable?” - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
"That's---that's beside the point." A nonsensical reply, but it came the closest to expressing how I felt. I had never even considered marrying Wendell---why on earth would I? Wendell Bambleby! Certainly I'd imagined being with him in other ways, particularly since I'd grown used to having him around---traveling with him across the continent, no doubt arguing half the time; conducting research; scouring woodland and heath for lost doors to the faerie realms. And yes, I liked the prospect of being with him often, or even all the time, and felt a sort of hollowness fill me when I thought about us parting ways. But I couldn't marry one of the Folk, particularly not a faerie king, even if he was Wendell.” - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Until all that's left is us” - These Broken Stars
I was kind to the old man. I did not tell him they had.” - Assassin's Quest
That's so awesome that you read so much this year!! Love the Tolkien quotes, and the one "To love a book. When the words on the pages become so precious that they feel like part of your own history because they are.” - this is like LotR to me. I also appreciate you recommending Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries! Here's to more great reads in 2024 :D
ReplyDeleteThank you! :) Agreed, Tolkien has some of the best quotes <3 I also like that one! You're welcome, I am so glad you are enjoying Emily Wilde! For sure, here's to more! :)
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