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Friday, January 1, 2021

Goodby 2020, you were only good for one thing: reading books

 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!

Black Crowned Night-Heron

Loon

Sandhill Crane

Red-Headed Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Great Blue Heron

Hawk

Turkey

Ruby-throated hummingbird

Mallards

Loon


Happy New Year and let's hope 2021 is a better year for all of us!

20 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Happy Reading - and thanks for the feathered enchantment.
    I hope your mother's recovery is smooth and complete. Look after yourself too please while you are looking after her.

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  2. That's a lot of books indeed! Happy New Year, so happy that our Luanne G. Smith has the third book in the series coming out this month!

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    1. I know! I read the first book and loved it! The second is on my list to buy :)

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  3. Happy New Year. I ended the year reading 53 books, which is in my average range (for the last 30 years I have read 40-60 books). I've not read any of yours, but have read three of the authors!

    https://fromarockyhillside.com

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    1. 44 was a good number. I feel like I should be able to read that many books in a year (at least!), especially as I read even more when I was younger and would stay up all night finishing books and regularly read 2 or 3 a week. Ah, the good old days, lol

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  4. I always enjoy your son's photos. Thanks for sharing.

    That's an impressive list of books. I especially love the title for #34.

    Happy New Year!

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    1. I adored #34. I love my son's photos, too :)

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    2. I hope 2021 is starting well for you.

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  5. The only book from your impressive list that I've read is "Circe" and yes, it was excellent! I read online that a mini-series is being made of it now for some streaming service or another. Have you read Madeline Miller's first book "The Song of Achilles"? It's even better!

    My 2020 book list will be posted on Wednesday. Nowhere near as long as yours, I'm afraid.

    Happy New Year and wishing a speedy recovery and better health to your Mom.

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    Replies
    1. I need to read Song of Achilles. And thank you.

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  6. Glad to hear your mother is on the mend. One shouldn't compare years to 2020. It was its own thing. However many books you read this year will belong to 2021.

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  7. No, I shouldn't compare, but...I should be able to read at least one book a week, unless it's some massive and complicated literary tale.

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  8. Whew! So 2020 is finally behind us. I hope somebody chained the cosmic door shut behind it, so it doesn't try to sneak back in. (Evidently, the truly evil can't concede that their time is done...)

    That's quite a list of books. Ordinarily, I
    average close to 100 books a year, but I barely read more than the newspaper this past year. Hopefully, I'll return to more reading and writing this year. Maybe. I dunno. I'm still figuring things out.

    Sorry to hear about your mom. I wish her a speedy recovery. But don't forget to take care of yourself, too.

    Your son's bird pics are fantastic. :)

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    1. 100!!! Wow. Now that's a lot of books! I'd like to see your list sometime, maybe next year after you've gotten back into it.

      I love my son's bird pic, too :)

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  9. I think I ended my year with 42 or 43 books read. Below the goal, but an improvement over the past few years.

    Glad to hear your mother's on the mend.

    The pictures are gorgeous!

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    1. My reading numbers were greatly improved over the previous year. Just have to keep it up!

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  10. Your son's pictures are lovely and your masthead picture is gorgeous! Forty-four books is a fine accomplishment!

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    1. I'm happy with 44 and yes indeed, my son takes some pretty awesome pics :)

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  11. Well, I'm shaking a virtual finger at you for ever thinking you might be a loser. :) Thanks for the well wishes toward my brother's health. I am sorry your mother has been unwell. Take care and thank you for sharing some amazing photos.

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  12. Seeing that loon makes me homesick for Maine! We definitely have to get there THIS summer! Great photos from your son!

    I'm just catching up, Marcy. So sorry to hear your Mom's been ill, and I hope she's feeling better. That's an impressive list of books you read. I read a few of the same books in 2020, including GHOST by Jason Reynolds!

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