I'm sure there were plenty of good things that happened in 2020, but I'm afraid they will always be overshadowed by the bad, with Covid-19 at the top of the list. Coming in a close second for me is my mom's health, which is largely why I've posted nothing recently. She is now home recovering from surgery but not out of the woods and needing lots of help. Hence my absence.
But. I always share my books with you all at the end of the year and I did do some serious reading in 2020. In total, I read 44 books. I've marked my faves with an asterix but honestly, there are no bad books on this list.
1. The First Salute by Barbara Tuchman – straight up history
2. A Memory called Empire by Arkady Martin* - scifi winner
of the 2020 Hugo award for best novel
3. The Ten Thousand Doors to January Alix E. Harrow -
fantasy
4. City of Bones by Martha Wells scifi/fantasy
5.Artificial Condition by Martha Wells* scifi
6. Fool Moon by Jim Butcher - fantasy
7. Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone – scifi/fantasy
8. The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
9. The Wonderling by Mira Bartok* – MG fantasy
10. Circe by Madeline Miller* - fantasy
11. The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith* - fantasy
12. The Girl Beneath the Sea by Andrew Mayne - thriller
13. The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne - thriller
14. The Girl Who Drank Down the Moon by Kelley Barnhill* -
MG fantasy
15. A Trail Through Time by Jodi Taylor Chronicles of St.
Mary* - fantasy
16. The Ship Beyond Time by Heidi Heldig - fantasy
17. Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd* - fantasy
18. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire* - fantasy
19. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James – thriller (with
ghosts)
20. The Haunting of Maddie Clare by Simone St. James –
mystery (with ghosts)
21. Shards of Honor (The Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster
Bujold - scifi
22. Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah - ? mysterious child shows up
23. The Missing Sister by Elle Marr - Thriller
24. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold - Scifi
25. The Warrior’s Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold - Scifi
26. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – Psychological Mystery
27. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon -fantasy
28. Ghost by Jason Reynolds - MG
29. The Unadoptables by Hannah Took - MG fantasy
30. Who’s That Earl by Susanna Craig* - Regency Romance
31. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Sand - Spculative
32. The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare* - Regency Romance
33. The Boy in the Photo by Nicole Trope - Contemporary/missing child
34. The Wizards Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher*
- MG Fantasy
35. Find Layla by Meg Elison - YA
36. The Lost Girls of Devon by Barbara O’Neal - Family Drama
37. Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergei Dyachenko - Speculative
38. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire* – Fantasy
39. Jack by Marilynne Robinson - literary
40. Things in Jars by Jess Kidd* - fantasy
41. A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay - Horror
42. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson - ? kids catch fire but aren't harmed
42. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw - YA
43. Far Away by Lisa Graff - MG
44. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells- scifi*
The only bad thing about having read so many books is that I'll feel like a total loser if I don't read at least the same number again in 2021. On the other hand, 44 is less than a book a week and considering I can read a book in a day I shouldn't have any trouble. Right? Right.
I'll leave you with a bunch of pics my son sent me, mostly birds. Any mis-identifications are my fault!
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Black Crowned Night-Heron
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Loon |
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Sandhill Crane
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Red-Headed Woodpecker
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Downy Woodpecker
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Great Blue Heron
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Hawk |
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Turkey |
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Ruby-throated hummingbird
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Mallards |
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Loon |
Happy New Year and let's hope 2021 is a better year for all of us!