12-20-2019, 11:42 AM | #1 |
Wizard
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Your Favorite Books, 2019 Edition
As we plan our reading goals for 2020, it is a good time to review our 2019 and make our MR New Year's resolutions.
So, review your 2019 Challenge List, your GoodReads Year in Books, or your book diary then make some suggestions for everyone here as we make our 2020 reading lists, figure out what threads to lurk in at the Deals forum, and fill out our watch lists. First, what books did you enjoy the most in 2019?
If you want to see what some of the past favorites are check these out: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
12-20-2019, 12:08 PM | #2 |
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I'm a cozy mystery fan, and this year has been fruitful in the genre. I gave mostly 5 stars to most books in the Papa Pacelli series. The author's decision making is crucial. There's no room for error, these books being less than 150 pages. The advantage is that there's no room for padding.
But if you're looking for a book I've actually remembered then I would like to mention a book called 'And then there were Crumbs'. It's a recommendation. |
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12-20-2019, 06:49 PM | #3 |
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Reviewing my books this year, I am wondering if my book selection is part of why I've been in a reading slump. I didn't have any books that really jump out at me this year. A few old favorites and a couple where I will certainly continue the series for but nothing really exceptional.
I did discover the Penric and Desdemona series of novellas by Lois McMaster Bujod and really enjoyed them. I need to read the last one still (it isn't available from my library yet) but I devoured the others. At the very least I need to read the first book in her main series set in this world too, The Curse of Chalion. I read one of her Vorkosigan books in 2018 and enjoyed it but not as much as these. I didn't read many books from this year and nothing really stands out from what I did read. For book club reads, I enjoyed The Graveyard Book and The Left Hand of Darkness the most out of the ones I was able to get. I was not able to get 2 in time and abandoned 3 part way through. (The movie version of The Natural is so much better than the book!) |
12-21-2019, 03:03 AM | #4 |
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12-21-2019, 03:25 AM | #5 |
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Three standouts for me this year:
Semicolon: The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark Jeeves, the King of Clubs and The Commonwealth Saga (1&2) |
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12-21-2019, 03:55 AM | #6 | |||
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The biggest standout for me, which also happens to be a 2019 release, was The Buried Dagger by James Swallow. It marked the end of the 54-book-long Horus Heresy. I cried when it was over. (Even though it's book 54 of a series, the synopsis isn't a spoiler, due to the way the universe is set up - this series is ten thousand years prior to "current" Warhammer 40K lore.)
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12-22-2019, 04:59 AM | #7 |
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There were three book (or rather two books and a series) I liked very much this year.
All Systems Red and all other books of the Murderbot Diaries:I read them all twice this year and they are still on my "to be reread" list. The Girl With All the Gifts: I liked the unconventional setting, the mastery to explain a world by still keeping a very narrow view and I was blown away by the ending; not expecting it, but agreeing that it was the best that could happen. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet: In this one the way IS all that counts. I love that this is character driven science fiction story. Just got the next book in the same univers |
12-22-2019, 09:01 AM | #8 |
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My top reads for the year were:
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton The Lost Man by Jane Harper The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale The best of the 2019 published books that I read were: The Binding by Bridget Collins (also belongs in the above group) [Fantastic Fiction lists this as 2018, but my ebook says 2019.] Made Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky (good but not really in the top 10) And I match Dazrin for my favourite book club reads. (I missed reading two of the selections.) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (a favourite ever since it came out) The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin Honourable mentions must go to: The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky The Alice Network by Kate Quinn Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield I feel as if it has been a good year. I have discovered some very interesting authors and read a wide variety of books. For that I owe significant thanks to the good folk of the New Leaf Book Club - a lot of what I've read this year I have come across either as recommendations from there, or as a result of researching books to match themes. |
12-22-2019, 11:25 AM | #9 |
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The Secret of Santa Vittoria by Robert Crichton
Thus Was Adonis Murdered, A Legal Murder Mystery by Sarah Caudwell They Came from Outer Space: 12 Classic Science Fiction Tales That Became Major Motion Pictures by Jim Wynorski Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson (the chapter called "Charlie" is often anthologized) John the Balladeer by Manly Wade Wellman (the complete "Silver" John stories) Norstrilia by Cordwainer Smith, a reread Rather a Common Sort of Crime by Joyce Porter, a humorous mystery featuring the Hon Con as she is known, the Honorable Constance Ethel Morrison-Burke. |
12-22-2019, 11:40 AM | #10 |
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12-22-2019, 12:01 PM | #11 |
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I thought it held up well.
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12-22-2019, 01:15 PM | #12 | |
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Edit, nevermind, I looked it up myself. And now I'm intrigued. 😊 Last edited by Number9; 12-22-2019 at 01:22 PM. |
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12-22-2019, 01:27 PM | #13 |
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12-22-2019, 04:54 PM | #14 | |
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12-23-2019, 03:22 AM | #15 |
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