2019 Reading Wrap Up

With 2019 officially behind us, I thought I should get around to doing a full year wrap up. Going through everything I read and my bookstagram account, I’m surprised by how similar by 2018 was to my 2019. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing, but I didn’t accomplish some of the goals I mentioned in my 2018 wrap up post.

Such as, I wanted to write more reviews! And that totally didn’t happen. Out of the 117 books (not as many as 2018) I read, only 4 of them turned into real reviews posted here and I had 4 reviews in 2018 as well. Didn’t exactly strive to increase my goal, did I? In 2019 I also started posting my monthly reading wrap ups here instead of only on my bookstagram but I didn’t stay consistent enough with it. It’s nice using the blog to say a bit more about each of the books, even if it’s only a couple of sentences, instead of being limited to Instagram and only using the stars I gave each book. First 2020 goal: Consistently blog post monthly reading wrap up, share a couple of sentences of what I liked/didn’t like about each book, and if I don’t have anything to say about it, that’s fine too.

Some of the other stats I was putting together of my yearly reading wrap up, I found I listened to 27 audiobooks in 2019 but that number was at 45 last year! I only listen to them at work and quite frankly I was busier in 2019 than I was in 2018. It doesn’t surprise me to see that number is so much lower than the previous year and helps explain why I didn’t reach my reading goal of 130. That number might not get better in 2020 and I’m ok with that. Audiobooks are more of a supplement to reading books and I listen to books that I know I won’t get around to the physical book of, so it’s almost like a bonus read.
The other stat that was off from 2018 versus 2019 were the number of books I gave 5 stars to. I have 16 books 5 stars in 2019 but in 2018 I gave 21 books 5 stars. Typically, I find that I give comics/graphic novels 5 stars more often than books, but I read 10 additional comics/graphic novels than I did in 2018. Maybe I was more cynical in 2019 than I have been in previous years.

Second 2020 goal: Grow my bookstagram account, post better pictures more consistently, engage in the community more, reach 500 followers. The last couple of months of 2019 I started to engage in the bookstagram community more and I hope to continue to grow that this year.

Jamie from Perpetual Page-Turner posted a 2019 Reading Stats questionnaire on her blog and I filled it out to get a sense of what I thought about what I read. I used the same books for a lot of the questions, which I’m not sure is the point, but hey, if I liked the book, I liked the book. So here we go!

2019 Reading Stats

Number of Books You Read: 117
Number of Re-Reads: 0
Genre You Read the Most From: Fantasy (and ARC’s even though that isn’t technically a genre)

Best in Books
Best Book You Read in 2019?
The Emperor’s Soul (Fantasy)
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse (Graphic Novel)
Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love More but Didn’t?
Growing Things and Other Stories
Most Surprising (in a good or bad way) Book You Read?
The Haunted (good)
Choke Box (bad)
Book You “Pushed” the Most People to Read (And They Did)?
Middlegame
Best Series You Started in 2019?
The Gilded Wolves
Best Sequel of 2019?
Tunnel of Bones
Best Series Ender of 2019?
Descender Vol 6 (comic series)
Favorite New Author You Discovered in 2019?
Kate Racculia
Best Book from a Genre You Don’t Typically Read/Was Out of Your Comfort Zone?
Historical – The Gilded Wolves
(not that it was out of my comfort zone, but I don’t read a ton of historical fiction)
Most Action-Packed/Thrilling/Unputdownable Book of the Year?
The Beautiful
Punk Rock Jesus (graphic novel)
Book You Read in 2019 That You Would Be MOST Likely to Re-Read Next Year?
Paper Girls (comic series)
Favorite Cover of a Book You Read in 2019?
Watersnakes (graphic novel)
Most Memorable Character of 2019?
Jenneke from White Stag
Most Beautifully Written Book Read in 2019?
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse (graphic novel)
Most Thought-Provoking/Life-Changing Book of 2019?
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse (graphic novel)
Book You Can’t Believe You Waited UNTIL 2019 to Finally Read?
The Emperor’s Soul
The Sculptor (graphic novel)
Favorite Passage/Quote from a Book You Read in 2019?
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse (graphic novel) (the entire graphic novel is one long favorite quote)
Shortest & Longest Book You Read in 2019?
The Emperor’s Soul – 175 pages
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle – 607 pages
Book That Shocked You the Most?
Walking Dead Book 14 (comic series)
Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship of the Year?
Ash and Solomon from Destroy All Monsters
Favorite Book You Read in 2019 from an Author You’ve Read Previously?
The Emperor’s Soul
Best Book You Read in 2019 That You Read Based SOLELY on a Recommendation from Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, etc?
Punk Rock Jesus (graphic novel)
Newest Fictional Crush from a Book You Read in 2019?
Bastien from The Beautiful
Best 2019 Debut You Read?
White Stag
Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
Binti
Book That Put a Smile on Your Face/Was the Most FUN to Read?
Scott Pilgrim (graphic novel)
Book That Made You Cry or Nearly Cry in 2019?
Dead Edward
Hidden Gem of the Year?
Destroy All Monsters
Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Destroy All Monsters
Most Unique Book You Read in 2019?
The Survival of Molly Southbourne (which turned out to be the second book and now I need to find the first book)
Book That Made You the Most Mad (Doesn’t Necessarily Mean You Didn’t Like It)?
House of Salt and Sorrows

Your Blogging/Bookish Life
New Favorite Book Blog/Bookstagram/YouTube Channel You Discovered in 2019?
Fabled Phantoms
Favorite Post You Wrote in 2019?
From NYCC about getting a commissioned art print by Pia Guerra – Oct 5th
Favorite Bookish Related Photo You Took in 2019?
The Gilded Wolves – Jan 15th
Best Bookish Event That You Participated In (Author Signings, Festivals, Virtual Events, etc)?
NYCC – Y: The Last Man panel
Best Moment of Bookish/Blogging Life in 2019?
Finding new small businesses to support
Most Challenging Thing About Blogging or Your Reading Life This Year?
Actually writing reviews
Most Popular Post This year on Your Bookstagram (Whether It Be By Comments or Views)?
Boomerang of The Sculptor – 63 views on Feb 5th
Post You Wished Got a Little More Love?
Shelfie post – Dec 1st with 33 likes
Best Bookish Discover (Book Related Sites, Book Stores, etc)?
Folklore Candle Co and Madame Alchemie
Did You Complete Any Reading Challenges or Goals That You Had Set For Yourself at the Beginning of This Year?
Write more reviews, which I didn’t

Looking Ahead
One Book You Didn’t Get to in 2019 But Will be Your Number 1 Priority in 2020?
Gideon The Ninth
Book You Are Most Anticipating for 2020 (non-debut)?
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
2020 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
Saint X
Series Ending/Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2020?
The Silvered Serpents
One Thing You Hope to Accomplish or Do in Your Reading/Blogging Life in 2020?
Post and blog more consistently
A 2020 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend to Everyone?
Dear Edward

August Reading Wrap Up

Baby Teeth – 4 stars
This book is disturbing. Alternating chapters show Hanna, 7 years old, and Suzette, mommy, points of view. Suzette was an interior designer working alongside her husband, an acclaimed architect. They both decide Suzette will be a stay at home mom until Hanna starts school but motherhood doesn’t go as Suzette planned. Suzette has self-image issues and it’s clear still has PTSD since the birth of Hanna but some of the things she says to Hanna made me cringe. While on the flip side of that, Hanna wants to get rid of mommy so she can be with daddy forever. And this isn’t a cute fantasy where daughter wants to marry daddy. Hanna deliberately messes with Suzette’s meds (she has Crohn’s disease) and later things turn violent. Give this one a read, it’s excellent.

Grass Kings Vol 1 – 4 stars
Matt Kindt can do no wrong. Grass Kings is the ultimate “from the wrong side of the tracks” story. The trailer park town of Grass Kings is filled with undesirables who live by their own laws and look out for one another. The neighboring towns sheriff wants control of Grass Kings and pledges war when one of his own crosses their boarder. The artwork alone makes this one worth reading.

House of Salt and Sorrow – 3 stars
Marketing for this book kept harping on these elaborate and magical dances the sister of Highmoor manor attend in the middle of the might. Yes, there are dances but it didn’t fill up the book like I was led to believe. The story is essentially a murder mystery that turns demonic towards the end, which was a fun surprise I wasn’t expecting.

The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday – 3 stars
If you’re not a fan of blended genres, steer clear of this little book. This is a blend of science-fiction and fantasy with myth and satire throughout. The characters are truly great, but the Lord of Tuesday will stick with me for a while. He is Robert Baratheon-esk with a better humor and the powers of a God.

Scalped Vol 1 – 3 stars
I love Jason Aaron. Scalped was published so long ago that the description in Goodreads calls Aaron “up-and-coming.” I would say he’s done just that in the years that have passed. This is a crime drama with gritty writing to match R.M. Guerra’s gritty artwork.

Red Skies Falling – 4 stars
This is the second book in the Skybound series and continued to set up a solid premise. It gave us a couple of surprises which should make book 3 pretty fun.

The Monster of Elendhaven – 4 stars
The city of Elendhaven is deliciously dark and twisted. The monster who stalks the alleys and ports was born of the sea and learns the quickest way of survival is murder. When he meets Felix, he learns partnership and dare I say love. It’s a power-hungry sort of love and not wholly needed for the story but I didn’t hate it. The setting of Elendhaven felt like a conscious character and sometimes a strong enough setting can overcome any faults in the plots. (And don’t forget to search Spodify for the playlist Tor.com put together for this novel. It’s so eerie and beautiful!)

Scalped Vol 2 – 3 stars
Volume 2 expands on the rez’s residents and their troubled pasts while leaving us with a murder to solve as the cliff hanger.

Black Rabbit Hall – 4 stars
Novels that are about family secrets always keep me enraptured. A childhood friend of mine confessed the same love of novels revolving around family secrets and attributed it to growing up in a small town. Gossip is impossible to escape from in a small town and even years of living far removed from my hometown, phone calls home are always sprinkled with gossip. Black Rabbit Hall is the best sort of family secrets story, following two generations of family and the sort of secrets that flow from one generation into the next. Secrets that are devastating but also have the ability to heal.

Aurora Rising – 4 stars
Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman can write a damn good book. This time they take on space with a group of misfits who need to learn each other idiosyncrasies so they don’t die. But it’s a Kristoff/Kaufman book and if you’re not expecting death, you’re fooling yourself. Not to go off on a tangent (but I’m going to) I appreciate how hard hitting these authors are with their stories. It’s the worst when an author kills a characters just to bring them back to life. The death doesn’t hold any weight and feels like a cheap trick to get an emotional rise out of the reader. (This was my biggest complaint with House of Salt and Sorrows. The ending was good until it wasn’t.) You know it’s going to be a real death when Kristoff/Kaufman write it and that’s always a good death in my opinion.

The Golden Yarn – 3 stars
Jacob and Will Reckless are still traversing through Mirrorworld but the board is starting to blur with our own world.

What’s Coming Next?

Makiia Lucier might be following the Tamora Pierce method and I’m so excited. Lucier has the bones of a compelling world and if she chooses, could grow that into something great. Isle of Blood and Stone and Song of the Abyss reside in the same kingdom but remain standalones. The main characters of Blood and Stone become secondary characters in Abyss, and a secondary character in Blood and Stone became the main character in Abyss. And it was absolutely the character I wanted to follow.

Tamora Pierce has been a lifelong favorite author of mine but I haven’t encountered another author who’s created a world of grandeur and been able to write stores throughout all aspects of that world while keeping the characters so connected that we never felt lost. (If you know of any others like this, please share in the comments!) Lucier is tapping into that potential with the Tower of Winds duology. She has confirmed on Goodreads that both books are standalones in the same world, and I find that inspiring. I love a good series, but where is my next Tamora Pierce? Who next will give me a world I can sink into while showing me everything that world has to offer through different characters eyes? I hope Lucier will do just that.

If she ends her world building here, I also wouldn’t be mad. She’s done enough that I’ve been satisfied with what she’s shared. Both books wrap up nicely enough that you aren’t particularly left wanting more. Just selfishly wanting more of the characters.

Becoming Gods

This is my admission, I’ve never read Seanan McGuire until Middle Game. I know her name from her Tor publications, but this is the first time I’ve opened any of her books. This fact saddens me and I plan to put more effort into opening more of her books. With this one book, she’s proved herself a worthy adversary to all worldbuilding geniuses out there. We’re not always lucky to get immersive world building with developed and compelling characters, or vise versa, but my expectations of McGuire from this one standalone novel has consumed my reality.

First things first, this novel will not be for everyone. Science fiction isn’t for everyone and I respect that. Abstract storytelling and I don’t usually get along, no matter the caliber of author, so when people talk of being frustrated or confused by novels that push our personal reality just too far over the edge I sympathize with. There is a certain amount of confusion with Middle Game because the main characters, Roger and Dodger, are kept in the dark about so much of what is happening around them and to them that as the reader, we are left out as well. And readers don’t like being left out. We want to be in the know even when the MC’s aren’t, and I hear the most backlash about a book when the writer won’t give that to us. There is a fine line of a writer not filling us in but keeping us satisfied. Most writers cross that line and lose us as readers. The best compliment I can give those writers is not being able to describe the story but still raving the book to anyone who will listen (and thrusting the book at my half-asleep husband at 2am, exclaiming he needs to read it NOW after I had just finished).

This isn’t much of a book review, I know. I didn’t actually tell you anything about it. That’s because I can’t. The scenes and images are in my head but I’m having a hard time putting them into coherent sentences without give anything away. You’ll just have to trust me that I loved everything about it and highly encourage you to give it a try.

Getting More Than You Signed Up For

It’s sad how little horror novels make it into my reading rotation, but I hope to change that with a subscription to Night Worms. They are a book box that focuses on the horror genre and elevating those indie publishers and authors. Their mission statement as a subscription box is what drew me to them in the first place. They aren’t as concerned with bookish merch as they are about sharing books with other book lovers.

“The very most important thing we want people to know is that we are not a subscription box in the same way people think about a subscription box.”

Not only are they using their platform to showcase worthy authors and publishers, but they expect each of their subscribers to review and share the books they receive each month. And that’s just what I’ll do.

Tribesmen was published by Deadite Press in 2014 and recently re-homed at Black T-Shirt Books in 2019. Set in the reign of 80s Italian cannibal craze in cinema, Tribesmen revolves around Tito Bronze and a small group of actors and crew when they spend 3 days at a remote Caribbean island making use of the setting local natives at no extra cost to the production. When being left on the island, the cast and crew don’t find locals but rather an empty village. Ever the improviser, Tito Bronze makes do with what resources they have and keeps the camera rolling through the mayhem that ensues.

The book shifts points of view through each of the characters as their minds are broken and madness descends. This gives us a 360˚ view and an insight into each character as they lose their sense of self, all in the name of cinema art, and defend themselves against the others. Adam Cesare’s writing gives us a glimpse into grindhouse filmmaking in literature style. Cesare doesn’t fluff out the dialogue or action with unnecessary scenes. It’s happening to us as it is happening to the characters and every page is filled with heart pounding action. I couldn’t put it down until the end.

April Reading Wrap Up

Other Words for Smoke – 3 stars
A neat premise but Sarah Maria Griffin could have pushed the creepiness a bit more, regardless it being young adult.

Scott Pilgrim Vol 4 – 4 stars
Scott gets a job!

The Binding – 4 stars
As a reader, I love a book about books being more than what they appear to be. Reading stories turn into our memories and our memories can turn into stories.

Scott Pilgrim Vol 5 – 4 stars
Scott moves in with Ramona!

Tunnel of Bones – 5 stars
Cassidy Blake and her adventures with Jacob only get more interesting.

To Hold the Bridge – 3 stars
Not only does Garth Nix take us back to the Old Kingdom, he gives us a plethora of stories spanning several genres.

Ragged Alice – 3 stars
Seeing evil in people’s souls makes it difficult to build relationships with people but it sure makes you a good detective.

Scott Pilgrim Vol 6 – 4 stars
And finally, the finale!

The Emperor’s Soul – 5 stars
Brandon Sanderson creates the best magic systems.

Song of the Abyss – 4 stars
Makiia Lucier brings us back to St. John del Mar to give us an adventure from Reyna’s point of view.

February Reading Wrap Up

Punk Rock Jesus – 5 stars
This is a hard core, action packed commentary on religious zealots and reality tv.

Two Dark Reigns – 4 stars

This series keeps the twists and turns coming!

A Book of Delights – 4 stars
A collection of flash fiction reminding us that everyday life is worth marveling at.

The Sculptor – 5 stars
An honest look at the trails of creating art and the extremes many will take for those creations to come to life.

We Set the Dark on Fire – 3 stars
When the lower class continues to be oppressed, can you sit idly by in your life of luxury and do nothing?

Alice Payne Rides – 3 stars
Alice and her motley group continue to trek through time, mucking up a few things along the way.

Binti – 3 stars
Traveling outside your pre-destined path can be challenging, especially without your family’s support. But the pursuit of knowledge is often worth it.

Nimona – 4 stars
This is a fun young adult graphic novel that proves not everything is what it seems on the outside.

January 2019 Reading Wrap Up

The Gilded Wolves – 4 stars
A decadent historical fantasy dripping in mystery and danger with a diverse cast of characters.

White Stag – 4 stars

Living with goblins is never a pleasant experience and Jenneke has been condemned to a century in their service. She battles her inner demons to remain human and resist the urge to turn into a monster.

Rosalynd – 4 stars
Rosalynd Van Helsing picks up the mantel of her family history and battles vampires in a snowy wasteland.

North Echo – 3 stars

A retelling of a Norwegian fairytale with elements from the Scottish ballad Tam Lin, Echo North is a whimsical adventure story steeped in love.

Paper Girls Vol 5 – 5 stars
Always full of adventure.

Outcast Vol 5 – 4 stars
This volume showcases new characters with exciting twists and new adventures.

Plumdog – 3 stars
Seeing daily life through the eyes of Plum the dog leads to a heartwarming journey with this love-filled family.

Watersnakes – 4 stars
Gorgeously illustrated story with mysterious ghosts and warriors and a battle to save the king.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles – 4 stars
To win his wife back, Toru will end up in the bottom of a well in the dream-like folds of reality.

A Land More Kind Than Home – 3 stars
The religious south often feels like a medieval fantasy world and Wiley Cash doesn’t shy away from making us uncomfortable.

Soundless – 3 stars
These villagers have lived decades in silence until one villager suddenly finds she can hear. Now she must find out what’s happened to her village to save them from continued misfortune.

The Heist That Won’t End

This is TECHNICALLY the first book I’ve read by Roshani Chokshi. I’ve listened to A Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes but it’s a different experience reading a physical book and listening to an audiobook while at work. Now I want to go back and actually read ASTQ and ACoW just to fully immerse myself in Chokshi’s writing.

The Gilded Wolves is a historical fantasy story with a group of misfits who were drawn together and use their unique talents to accomplish complicated heists. They each have their own agenda but work together to help each other reach their own goals. Chokshi bounces between each character so we see the world and different situations through them. Each character was easy to like: Severin, with his cool and collected demeanor; Enrique, with his dedication; Laila, for being able to see through people’s armor, Zofia, who’s mind never stops working to figure out the puzzles; Tristan, with his big heart; and even Hypnos, who just needed friends.

The story in general has a fast pace. There aren’t many moments the characters have a chance to breath, and because of that Chokshi has limited space to fit in backstory amidst the action. The story doesn’t feel satisfying because it’s not complete. Where most authors ease us into the plot, let us get to know the characters and the world, Chokshi drops us off amid the action. I expect there to be additional backstory continued in the second book.

One quick mention of a side story I liked and hope to see more of, the love triangle. It’s not something I’ve ever wished to see more of but Chokshi does this one right. Enrique is bi while Hypnos is gay and Zofia is straight. The dynamics of this triangle were exciting to watch unfold. I think it’s because it’s one of the first triangles I didn’t feel had an obvious right answer. A choice was made at the end, but I don’t expect it to stick throughout book two and it makes me more excited to see it continue.

While the story clips along at a fast pace, it’s easy to get swept up in the action. The magic system isn’t so complicated that it needs too much explanation to pick it up. The Order and their goals and why they are in place in this society got a bit lost in the shuffle but Severin and the group had a clear goal and completed it, while Chokshi set up enough of a cliff hanger for us to anticipate the next book.

2018 Reading Wrap Up

 

With the close of 2018, I wanted to do a full year reading wrap up. Goodreads says I finished 137 books but I’m going to bump that down to 134 because I don’t want to count the three books I know I didn’t finish. Sometimes you have to put down a book when you’re not into it and come back to it later. I came up with a few stats from my reading list this past year that I wanted to share with you!

 

 

• I read 34 books before my first nonfiction book
• I read 35 books before my first (and only) poetry book

Nonfiction doesn’t make my rotation often, and clearly poetry doesn’t either so congrats to Shy Watson with Cheap Yellow for being my only poetry book of the year!

• I read 51 books before my first short story collection
• 52 ARC books
• 45 audiobooks
• 21 five-star books
• 8 library books (most of them were comics)
• 31 comics/graphic novels

But the most disturbing stat I uncovered, out of the 52 ARCs I read (and the main reason I read them is to review them) only FOUR of those ARCs turned into blog reviews. That’s horrifying! And embarrassing.
Here is a bread down of how I structure my reading. Comics and graphic novels are my “bedtime” reads. It’s a nice change of pace from what I’m staring at all day, and I take them as slow or fast as I want since I only read them in bed. All of my audiobooks come from the library (which I left out of the library group since those were physical books I picked up) and I listen to them on my desktop at work. I highly recommend this if you can get away with it! It has doubled my reading pace and I use it as a chance to enjoy books I might have at home and know I won’t get to anytime soon or those books I’ve heard good thing about but don’t own. Audiobooks have made my days at the office bearable.

 

 

Now about those ARCs. I collect them like my life depends on it, especially the ARCs that are true ARCs and won’t be on bookstore shelves for months. I organize them by pub date and read down the line, not even paying attention to what comes next. My goal is to read it and review it before it’s official put date. With a whole whopping four reviews last year, it’s obviously not working. I put so much pressure on myself to finish all these books that are being published in the same month so my reviews are relevant, I neglect to write the actual review. WHICH IS THE WHOLE POINT. It’s turned into the feeling of reading for school and I don’t get to read for myself anymore (where audiobooks have become a saving grace, at least).

Which brings me to my New Year resolution. I want to focus on the blog and getting actual reviews written and posted. I’m not ready to give up on it just yet. A goal of one posted review a month doesn’t sounds unreasonable. Selecting which ARC to review for that month will still allow me to read my other ARCs without the pressure of having to review all of them. Plus, if I know what I’m going to review that month it could help free me up from reading only ARCs and throw in a random book that has been sitting on my shelf for longer than I can remember. I can certainly manage my time on a weekend to get a review posted. With the internet as my witness, this is my goal for the new year.

Thank you for sticking with me and I plan to give you a review filled 2019. Happy reading!