Books 2020

[schneefink]

I just remembered that I forgot to do a post about my 2020 year in reading.

Books I read last year: 52, exactly my goal. The months where I read the most were September (13), May and February (8 each) and June (7).

Stats: 35 books by women, 13 by men. 1 in German (and that one a collection of letters, not a novel.) Roughly 32 fantasy (of which 9 take place in completely different worlds and 20 have some sort of connection with ours), 12 SF, 3 romance, 1 other, though that is only sorted by what I would put each book in first and there is significant overlap. (I'm aware that the numbers don't add up but I'm too lazy to go back and recount.)

Favorite books I read this year: "Deeplight," "A Memory Called Empire," "Network Effect," "Raybearer"
Runner-ups: "Race the Sands," "The Kingdom of Copper"
Favorite series: "The Daevabad Trilogy"
Runner-Ups: "October Daye"
(Honorary mention, i.e. the book I keep meaning to reread and write a post about because it made me think so much about what "romance" even means to me: "The Gentle Wolf")

Comments

[cahn]

Deeplight was SO GOOD! Also Memory Called Empire! :D (I haven't read any of the others in your post -- I started Kingdom of Copper but I was burned out on reading at the time and never got very far.)

[schneefink]

I expected A Memory Called Empire to be good, because many friends loved it, but Deeplight surprised me in the best way.

I just found out that the sequel to "Raybearer" comes out in August so now I'm very excited for that :) The first one had quite a few open plot threads and I really hope the sequel sticks the landing.

[cahn]

Yes! I felt that way too -- I'd read Hardinge before and thought it was good but hadn't been that taken with it, but Deeplight just completely knocked my socks off and I wasn't expecting it at all!

[dhampyresa]

Books I read last year: 52
TEACH ME YOUR SECRETS

the book I keep meaning to reread and write a post about because it made me think so much about what "romance" even means to me: "The Gentle Wolf"
*inquiring eyes emoji*

[schneefink]

I read fast ^^
I don't know how many I'll read this year though, if I keep playing so many games instead.

"The Gentle Wolf" is a m/m a/b/o werewolf romance novel, with a demisexual main character. It kinda made me realize how much many stories rely on "they are sexually attracted to each other!" as a driver of plot/reason why people begin a romantic relationship, and here you don't have that. Another most common relationship progression is friends to lovers, but that doesn't really apply here either. The entire time I felt like the pacing was weirdly off, but I think that's just because I have ideas of/I am used to seeing very specific relationship patterns. Aand everything further is still a bit of a jumbled mess of thoughts. I don't have experience with romantic relationships, I usually imagine it as being close to a mix of best friends + life partners (and often lovers too but not required) but that can't be exactly it because I see people say that there's a difference between a romantic relationship without sex and a queerplatonic relationship, which kinda makes sense to me on an instinctual level but I cannot say why or how or what, so there has to be some other element? Idk, relationships are complicated. I am overall interested in having a romantic relationship but I'm not exactly sure what that means. (I think I would be perfectly happy with best friends + life partners + lovers, but am slightly uncertain if there is something I might be missing.)

[dhampyresa]

Thank you for answering!

[nonesensed]

Wohoo, go you! That's a lot of books in one year! And I really need to get around to reading A Memory Called Empire, I've heard from several people that it's really good.

[schneefink]

I heard from so many people that A Memory Called Empire is really good that I was let down by the beginning, but then I was drawn in quickly. And the sequel comes out soon, I really hope it's as good :)

[nonesensed]

Good to know! I get how hype can make the expectations on a book too high. Will make sure to manage my expectations and give the book more than a few chapters before I make up my mind about it :)