tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77930932005119506172024-03-05T05:37:22.060-05:00Excavating the RelicUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger708125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-34192976958445954072019-01-01T00:05:00.000-05:002019-01-05T14:49:59.099-05:00Series Challenge: 2018 Wrap-Up and 2019 PlansThis is year two of my "read the next book in the series" challenge, and I'm pretty happy with how it's gotten me to focus a big chunk of my reading energy toward books and authors I'm already invested in, as well as making me more judicious about committing to a new series.<br />
<br />
Anyhoo, here are the books I set out to read back on Jan. 1, 2018 (<span style="color: blue;">books I read</span>; <span style="color: lime;">books I didn't get to</span>; <span style="color: red;">series I decided to give up on after all</span>; <span style="color: magenta;">other</span>):<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">1)</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><i>Octavian Nothing: Kingdom on the Waves</i><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">by M.T. Anderson, 2nd and last book in the Octavian Nothing duology.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="color: lime;">2) <i>The Wise Man's Fear</i> by Patrick Rothfuss, 2nd book of 3 in the Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">3) <i>Fire</i> by Kristin Cashore, 2nd book of 3 in the Graceling Realm trilogy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">4) <i>All Clear</i> by Connie Willis, 4th book of the Oxford Time Travel series.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">5) <i>Ethan of Athos</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold, part of the Vorkosigan Saga. I started it, wasn't feeling it, agonized a bit, and then decided that as long as I read another Vorkosigan book this year, it was fine. I read 3 more, in fact! But not Ethan yet.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">6) <i>The Eternal Rose</i> by Gail Dayton, book 3 of the One Rose trilogy.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">7) <i>The Rat-Catcher's Olympics</i> by Colin Cotterill, book 12 in the Siri Paiboun Investigations series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">8) <i>Maddaddam</i> by Margaret Atwood, book 3 in the Maddaddam trilogy.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">9) <i>Abaddon's Gate</i> by James S.A, Corey, book 3 of 6 in the Expanse series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">10) <i>The Dire King</i> by William Ritter, book 4 of 4 in the Jackaby series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">11) <i>Ms. Marvel: Damage Per Second</i> by G. Willow Wilson, Vol. 7 of the Ms. Marvel series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">12) <i>A Gathering of Shadows</i> by V. E. Schwab, book 2 of the Shades of Magic trilogy.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">13) <i>The Creature in the Case</i> by Garth Nix, book 4? 5? of the Old Kingdom series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">14) <i>A Closed and Common Orbit</i>, by Becky Chambers, book 2 of the Wayfarers series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">15) <i>Rose Point</i> by M.C.A. Hogarth, book 2 of 4 in the Her Instruments series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">16) <i>Windwitch</i> by Susan Dennard, book 2 in the Witchlands trilogy.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">17) <i>The Swan Riders</i> by Erin Bow, book 2 in the Prisoners of Peace series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">18) <i>One Dark Throne</i> by Kendare Blake, book 2 in the Three Dark Crowns trilogy.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">19) <i>The King of Attolia</i> by Megan Whelan Turner, book 3 of 5+ in the Queen's Thief series.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">20) <i>Paper Girls</i> Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">21)<i> Lumberjanes: A Bird's-Eye View </i>by Shannon Watters, Vol. 7 of the Lumberjanes series</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">22) <i>Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Ship of the Dead</i> by Rick Riordan, book 3 in the Magnus Chase trilogy</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">23) <i>The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl</i> <i>Vol. 6: Who Run the World? Squirrels</i> by Ryan North and Erica Henderson</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
Woot!<br />
<br />
This is the second year I haven't gotten to <i>The Wise Man's Fear</i>, though. It's just so looooong. I'll have to carry it over to next year's list. These are series I am currently reading in which the next book is out and available as of today, January 1, 2019.:<br />
<br />
1) <i>The Wise Man's Fear</i> by Patrick Rothfuss, book 2 of 3.5(?) in the Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy.<br />
<br />
2) <i>Migration</i> by Julie E. Czerneda, book 2 of 3 in the Species Imperative trilogy.<br />
<br />
3) <i>It Wasn't Me</i> by Dana Alison Levy, book 4 of ? in the Shipton, Massachusetts series (name coined by me. I'm not sure this is even an official series. It's the two Family Fletcher books plus two follow-up books starring kids from the same town, with the odd Fletcher as a side character).<br />
<br />
4) <i>Goldenhand</i> by Garth Nix, book 5 of ? in the Old Kingdom series.<br />
<br />
5) <i>The Tombs of Atuan</i> by Ursula K. LeGuin, book 2 of 6 in the Earthsea Cycle series.<br />
<br />
6) <i>Paper Girls</i> Vol. 5 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang.<br />
<br />
7) <i>Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise</i> by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Gene Luen Yang.<br />
<br />
8) <i>Laisrathera</i> by M.C.A. Hogarth, book 3 of 4 in the Her Instruments series.<br />
<br />
9) <i>A Conspiracy of Kings</i> by Megan Whelan Turner, book 4 of 6 in the Queen's Thief series.<br />
<br />
10) <i>A Conjuring of Light</i> by V.E. Schwab, book 3 of the Shades of Magic trilogy.<br />
<br />
11) <i>Trouble Never Sleeps</i> by Stephanie Tromly, book 3 of I think 4 in the Trouble series.<br />
<br />
12) <i>The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol. 7: I've Been Waiting For a Squirrel Like You</i> by Ryan North and Erica Henderson.<br />
<br />
13) <i>Ms. Marvel Vol. 9: Teenage Wasteland</i> by G. Willow Wilson and Nico Leon.<br />
<br />
14) <i>Cibola Burn</i> by James S.A. Corey, book 4 of at least 8 in the Expanse series.<br />
<br />
15) <i>Monstress</i> Vol. 3 by Marjorie Liu.<br />
<br />
16) <i>Don't Eat Me</i> by Colin Cotterill, book 13 in the Siri Paiboun Mystery series.<br />
<br />
17) <i>My Brother's Husband</i> by Gengoroh Tagame, Vol. 2, book 2 of 2 in the duology.<br />
<br />
18) <i>Slam! The Next Jam</i> by Pamela Ribon and Veronica Fish, book 2 of ?.<br />
<br />
19) <i>The Consuming Fire</i> by John Scalzi, book 2 of ? in the Interdependency series.<br />
<br />
20) <i>The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy</i> by Mackenzi Lee, book 2 of I think 2 in the Guide series.<br />
<br />
21) <i>Muse of Nightmares</i> by Laini Taylor, book 2 of 2 in the Strange the Dreamer duology.<br />
<br />
22) <i>Runaways: Best Friends Forever</i> by Rainbow Rowell, vol. who-knows-what of God-knows-how-many.<br />
<br />
23) <i>Lumberjanes Vol. 10: Parents' Day</i> by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh.<br />
<br />
24) <i>Two Dark Reigns</i> by Kendare Blake, book 3 in what I think will be 4 plus novellas.<br />
<br />
25) <i>Ethan of Athos</i> OR <i>Falling Free</i> OR <i>Cryoburn</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold, Vorkosigan Saga series. <i>Cryoburn</i> is chronologically the next story after the last I read (<i>Captain Vorpatril's Alliance</i>, got it for Christmas, read it already), but I own <i>Ethan of Athos</i>, and since it follows a side character it can be read at pretty much any point in the series. And <i>Falling Free</i> is a prequel, so ditto. We'll see.<br />
<br />
I counted and recounted and caught up with some series in December to make sure this 2019 list was 24 items long, since I like the symmetry of reading two a month. But now it is somehow 25. Ah, well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-85631119593741191562018-12-31T15:57:00.002-05:002019-01-05T14:53:58.156-05:00Books Read in 2018It's been a crappy year for both writing and blogging, but holy hell did I do a lot of reading.<br />
<br />
I'm going to mix things up this year and give you the month-by-month breakdown.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">January: 17</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rose Point by M.C.A. Hogarth</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dark Matter by Blake Crouch</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Meet Cute by various authors</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Butterfly Project by Emma Scott</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Three Sides of a Heart edited by Natalie C. Parker</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Avatar The Last Airbender: The Search by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Gene Luen Yang</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Creature in the Case by Garth Nix</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Camp Half-Blood Confidential by Rick Riordan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Eternal Rose by Gail Dayton</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saga Vol. 8 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Provenence by Ann Leckie</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Locke & Key: Heaven and Earth by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Windwitch by Susan Dennard</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">February: 16</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Magnus Chase and The Gods of Asgard: The Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Men, Ships, and the Sea by Captain Alan Villiers</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">My Brother’s Husband Vol. 1 by Gengorah Tagame</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Swan Riders by Erin Bow</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Twelve Days of Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">General Winston’s Daughter by Sharon Shinn</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The Lady Astronaut of Mars” by Mary Robinette Kowal</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Gravity of Us by Brittainy C. Cherry</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Robot Dreams by Isaac Asimov</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">The King of Attolia by Megan Whelan Turner</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">March: 16</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Night Film by Marisha Pessl</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Black Holes and Baby Universes by Stephen Hawking</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">The Beginning Place by Ursula K. LeGuin</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Smile by Raina Telgemeier</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil by Stephen Collins</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Paper Girls Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Paper Girls Vol. 3 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Autoboyography by Christina Lauren</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Opal” by Maggie Stiefvater</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Diviners by Libba Bray</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">14 by Peter Clines</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">The Positive Trait Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">April: 15</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Giant Days Vol. 7 by John Allison and Max Sarin</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Negative Trait Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Possession by A.S. Byatt</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The View From the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Royce Rolls by Margaret Stohl</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bombshell by Rowan Maness</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maresi by Maria Turtschaninoff</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Survival by Julie E. Czerneda</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">May: 9</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Refugee by Alan Gratz</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Roomies by Christina Lauren</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All Clear by Connie Willis</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Artificial Condition by Martha Wells</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Lumberjanes Vol. 7: A Bird’s Eye View by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Paper Girls Vol. 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo” by Rick Riordan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">June: 14</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Runaways Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An Unsuitable Job For a Woman by P.D. James</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Dire King by William Ritter</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Alice Network by Kate Quinn</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Runaways Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Various Artists</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ms. Marvel Vol. 7: Damage Per Second by G. Willow Wilson and Takeshi Miyazawa</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Witch Boy by Mallory Knox Ostertag</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Runaways: Find Your Way Home by Rainbow Rowell and Kris Anka</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lumberjanes Vol. 8: Stone Cold by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">July: 22</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vo. 6: by Ryan North and Erica Henderson</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Hating Game by Sally Thorne </span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ms. Marvel Vol. 8: Mecca by G. Willow Wilson and Takeshi Miyazawa</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Jenn St.-Onge, and Joy San</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Rat Catchers’ Olympics by Colin Cotterill</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Reason for Dragons by Chris Northrup and Jeff Stokely</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Giant Days: Extra Credit by John Allison and Various Artists</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Runaways: Parental Guidance by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Runaways: Live Fast by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Runaways: Dead End Kids by Joss Whedon and Michael Ryan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Runaways: Dead Wrong by Terry Moore and Humberto Ramos</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Runaways: Rock Zombies by Terry Moore and Takeshi Miyazawa</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Runaways: Homeschooling by Kathryn Immonen and Sara Pichelli</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Act Like It by Lucy Parker</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Backstagers: Rebels Without Applause by James Tynion IV and Rian Sygh</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pretty Face by Lucy Parker</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Backstagers: The Show Must Go On by James Tynion IV and Rian Sygh</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">August: 18</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jedi Academy: The Principal Strikes Back by Jarrett J. Krosoczka</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Abaddon’s Gate by James S.A. Corey</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goldie Vance Vol. 1 by and Hope Larson and Brittney Williams</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goldie Vance Vol. 2 by and Hope Larson and Brittney Williams</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goldie Vance Vol. 3 by and Hope Larson and Jackie Ball</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goldie Vance Vol. 4 by and Hope Larson and Jackie Ball</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Changeling by Victor LaValle</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Making Up by Lucy Parker</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Positively Izzy by Terri Libenson</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns” by Elizabeth Bear</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Flowers of Vashnoi by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Giant Days Vol. 8 by John Allison and Max Sarin</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lucy and Andy Neanderthal: Bad to the Bones by Jeffrey Brown</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">September: 10</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Slam! Vol. 1 by Pamela Ribon and Veronica Fish</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nice Try, Jane Sinner by Lianne Oelke</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Evidence of the Affair” by Taylor Jenkins Reid</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">October: 11</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Young Queens by Kendare Blake</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amulet 8: Supernova by Kazu Kibuishi</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Exit Strategy by Martha Wells</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Writing Through the Tween Years by Bruce Morgan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maddaddam by Margaret Atwood</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s An Owl in the Shower by Jean Craighead George</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saga Vol. 9 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Hidden Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">November: 10</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Snow White, Blood Red edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ex Games by Stella Rhys</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Remedial Rocket Science by Susannah Nix</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I and Love and You by Susannah Nix</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lumberjanes Vol. 9: On a Roll by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Intermediate Thermodynamics by Susannah Nix</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hey Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Advanced Physical Chemistry by Susannah Nix</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Oracle Queen by Kendare Blake</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I Met a Traveler in an Antique Land” by Connie Willis</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">December: 10</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Van Gogh Café by Cynthia Rylant</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maus by Art Spiegelman</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maus II by Art Spiegelman</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">9 From the Nine Worlds by Rick Riordan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yearlong (Web Comics): 5</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stand Still. Stay Silent. by Minna Sundberg</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gunnerkrigg Court by Tom Siddell</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vattu by Evan Dahm</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dicebox by Jenn Manley Lee</span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Total: 173 things. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">(I know I say this every year, but I will never, ever read this much again. No, really. I started working full-time in October, and you can see the numbers dip.)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Category breakdown:</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">53% Adult</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">36% Young Adult</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">11% Middle Grade</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Format breakdown:</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">54% Novels and Short Story Collections</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">28% Graphic Novels</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">6% Novellas</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">5% Nonfiction</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">3% Short Stories</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">3% Other</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Genre Breakdown:</span><br />
38% Fantasy<br />
18% Science Fiction<br />
18% Romance/Women's Fiction<br />
14% Contemporary/Literary<br />
5% Mystery/Thriller<br />
5% Historical<br />
<br />
I'm dividing my best-of into two lists, the first of which is a top 10 of series I was already reading prior 2018. These are the books that really blew my socks off this year and made me twitchily eager to continue with their respective series (or to look back at the series with satisfaction, if I finished it):</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1) Wayfayers series: <i>A Closed and Common Orbit</i> and <i>Record of a Spaceborn Few</i> by Becky Chambers</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2) <i>Saga</i>: Vol. 8-9 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3) The Queen's Thief series:<i> The King of Attolia</i> by Megan Whelan Turner</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4) <i>Paper Girls</i>: Vol. 2-4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5)<i> Giant Days</i>: Vol. 7-9, plus 2 supplemental volumes by John Allison and Max Sarin</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">6) The Vorkosigan Saga series: <i>Diplomatic Immunity</i>, The Flowers of Vashnoi, and Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">7) Murderbot Diaries series: Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, and Exit Strategy by Martha Wells</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8) Flavia de Luce series: The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">9) Charlotte Holmes series: The Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">10) Maddaddam series: Maddaddam by Margaret Atwood</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These are all amazing series that you should totally be reading if you aren't already.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
</div>
<div>
The second list is a top 15 of new-to-me books that I feel most deserve a word of recommendation:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1) <i>Provenence</i> by Ann Leckie for continuing to develop the universe of Leckie's Imperial Radch novels, a place that seems at once thoroughly alien and completely human.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2) <i>Maybe In Another Life</i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid for breaking the most essential rule of the Romance novel-- there is only one REAL true love-- to make something that feels no less romantic for being honest.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3) <i>Night Film</i> by Marisha Pessl for gripping me like no other book in 2018.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4) <i>Roomies</i> and </span></span><i>Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"> by Christina Lauren for being the perfect rom-coms when the perfect rom-com was exactly what I needed.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5) <i>Runaways</i> by various authors and artists for exploring the moral complexity of adolescence against the backdrop of supervillain parents and superhero enemies.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">6) <i>The Witch Boy</i> and <i>The Hidden Witch</i> by Mallory Knox Ostertag for deftly and compassionately using different kinds of magic as a way to talk to kids about gender identity and trauma.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">7) <i>The Hating Game</i> by Sally Thorne for being the greatest hate-to-love office Romance ever.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8) <i>Strange the Dreamer</i> by Laini Taylor for sweeping me up into a lovely, lyrical Fantasy about lost cities, orphaned godlings, and heroic librarians.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">9) <i>The Kiss Quotient</i> by Helen Hoang for turning tropes inside out to craft one of the most original Romances I've ever read.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">10) <i>Positively Izzy</i> by Terri Libenson for a simple Middle Grade story cleverly told.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
11) <i>The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo</i> <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">by Taylor Jenkins Reid for reminding me that the private truth behind a public life can be quite different from the story I'm being sold.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">12) <i>Nice Try, Jane Sinner</i> by Lianne Oelke for putting the most grimly sarcastic character since Daria Morgendorffer into both a Fundamentalist family AND a D-level Real World-style reality show.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">13) <i>La Belle Sauvage</i> by Philip Pullman for continuing to develop the world of the His Dark Materials book, but through the lens of a very different character.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">14) <i>The Hate U Give</i> by Angie Thomas for living up to the hype.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">15) <i>Hey Kiddo</i> by Jarrett J. Krosoczka for being the most simple, touching, and honest-feeling memoir I've read in a long time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Just for balance here's a top 5 of books that disappointed me for various reasons (listed from least to most serious disappointment):</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1) <i>The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves</i> by M.T. Anderson. Let me start by saying this is a gorgeously written book, and I'm glad I read it. However, I loved the first book so much that perhaps it was inevitable I'd feel let down by this sequel. The first book startled me with its tale of a young slave being raised by scholars as a experiment, and followed Octavian through his childhood and education. The second book is nearly twice as long and takes place over much less time, and is about Octavian fighting on the Royalist side of the Revolutionary War. And 500+ pages of marching and battles was a lot of War for me.</span></span></span><br />
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</span>
<br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2) <i>Abaddon’s Gate</i> by James S.A. Corey. Again, not a bad book, and I intend to continue with the series. But again, I loved book 2 so much and was so excited to read this one, only to spend a big portion of the middle of it feeling pretty meh about it. I think part of the problem was the lack of Avasarala, who is hands-down the best character in the series yet isn't even on-page in this book. I just felt disconnected from the POV characters and annoyed by the plot, which despite a lot of explosions and whatnot felt glacially slow. The first half was fine, and it all came together and picked up in the last 40 pages or so, but I am still bummed out that I skimmed about 100 pages of the late-middle.</span></span></span></div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3) <i>Ex Games</i> by Stella Rhys. This wasn't great, but it was certainly no worse than your average fake-relationship-for-revenge Romance novel. However, I'd heard glowing reviews from more than source who likes other Romance books I've liked, so I went into this expecting something a cut above. The writing wasn't horrible, but I couldn't get over the immaturity of all the characters. The set up is that our heroine has been dumped by her longtime bf, and like a month later the bf is suddenly marrying his brother's recent ex, a bitchy (natch) model. The heroine and the brother decide to attend the wedding together as a faux-couple, and you can fill in the rest, expect maybe how really awful their behavior is throughout the wedding weekend. I think it's meant to be justified on the grounds that the wedding couple are obviously trash for marrying each other this quickly after their respective breakups, but still. Two trashies don't make a classy, y'know?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4) <i>The Changeling</i> by Victor LaValle. I read this for book club, and I'm still not sure what the hell it was supposed to be, since the genre kept changing. For the first 1/4 of the book, it's a wordy LitFic following the unremarkable life story of the MC up until he becomes a father. Then it darkens into atmospheric horror, the kind where you're not sure whether something supernatural is <i>really</i> going on or if the characters are just under a lot of psychological stress due to new parenthood and sleep deprivation. Then it takes a hard left at the midpoint, and becomes a Fantasy with magical islands and trolls and stuff, but all the while seems to be implying that all this is somehow a metaphor for parenting in the digital age. I think it was supposed to be a daring subversion of genre or something, but to me it just seemed like muddled mish-mash with no clear narrative message.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5) <i>Three Sides of a Heart</i> edited by Natalie C. Parker. This is a YA short story collection in which all the stories feature some version of a love triangle. Since love triangles seem to be an almost universally despised YA plot device, I was really intrigued to see how the authors would interpret, and hopefully subvert, this trope. But it all went horribly wrong, because with one notable exception ("A Hundred Thousand Threads" by Alaya Dawn Johnson, a fascinating tale of deception and passion in futuristic revolutionary Mexico), the stories are <i>terrible</i>. There are some big-name YA authors in this thing, which just made me even more shocked to see how BAD the stories are. Clunky, cringe-y, unrealistic, and boring. Sometimes all in one story. Ironically, this collection, which was probably intended to demonstrate how awesome a love triangle can be if handled well, feels like the final nail in the coffin of this trope.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-10113999964363417082018-08-04T22:34:00.002-04:002018-08-04T22:34:59.740-04:00Series Thoughts, 2018: Series I Plan to FinishThis post will be about the series I have in progress that I am invested in and committed to finishing. New series to this list will again be in <span style="color: blue;">blue</span>. I will only write descriptions for the series I began since last July; if you want to read more about the series I had in progress before last July, check out last year's post <a href="https://liannawilliamson.blogspot.com/2017/07/series-thoughts-2017-series-i-plan-to.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Series I Plan to Finish:</b><br />
<br />
Middle Grade:<br />
<br />
1) Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan. I've read 3 books and now a book of short stories is due out the.<br />
<br />
2) Trials of Apollo series by Rick Riordan. I've read 3 books; looks like it'll be a 5-book series.<br />
<br />
3) The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series by Maryrose Wood. I've read 5 books so far, and one more is forthcoming.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
Young Adult:<br />
<br />
4) Octavian Nothing duology by M.T. Anderson. I've read book 1 and intend to read book 2.<br />
<br />
5) Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. I've read 4 books and a novella; there's a new novel waiting for me.<br />
<br />
6) The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner. I've read 3 books, and there are 2 more so far.<br />
<br />
7) The Witchlands series by Susan Dennard. I've read 2 books so far; there's a novella out plus a new novel coming out at the end of the year.<br />
<br />
8) Trouble series by Stephanie Tromly. I've read 2 books and am looking forward to the third.<br />
<br />
9) Three Dark Crowns series by Kendare Blake. I've read 2 novels; there's a 3rd novel and a 2 novellas still to read.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">10) Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro. That rarest of birds: a YA Investigative. The teenage descendants of Watson and Holmes meet at a boarding school in Connecticut, develop a somewhat twisted friendship, and pick up where their ancestors left off. I've read 3 books so far; I hear there's one more coming out next year.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">11) Guide duology by Mackenzi Lee. Tongue-in-Cheek Historical about 18th century siblings on a Grand Tour. I've read the first book, and the second is coming out in October.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">12) Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire. Fantasy novellas about a boarding school for children who have returned to our world from portal fantasies and are having trouble with the transition. I've read 3 novellas; next one is due out in January.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Adult:<br />
<br />
13) Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley. I've read 9 books and a short story so far. Book 10 is out in early 2019.<br />
<br />
14) Siri Paiboun Investigations by Colin Cotterill. I've read 12 books and am waiting for book 13 next month.<br />
<br />
15) Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. There are 21 books in this series so far; I have read 16.<br />
<br />
16) World of the Five Gods series by Lois McMaster Bujold. I've read 3 books and 5 novellas and am waiting to see if there will be more.<br />
<br />
17) Elemental Blessings series by Sharon Shinn. I've read 4 books so far and am waiting for the 5th and (I presume) final book.<br />
<br />
18) MaddAddam trilogy by Margaret Atwood. I've read 2 book and have 1 to go.<br />
<br />
19) The Rook Files by Daniel O'Malley. I've read 2 books and am waiting to see if there will be more.<br />
<br />
20) The Expanse series by James A.A. Corey. I'm reading book 3 right now; there are 7 books out so far.<br />
<br />
21) Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy by Patrick Rothfuss. I've read book 1 and have book 2 on my series challenge list. There's a novella, too.<br />
<br />
22) Wayfayers series by Becky Chambers. I've read 2 books; book 3 came out this past month.<br />
<br />
23) Her Instruments series M.C.A. Hogarth. I've read 2 books; there's one more book and I think a novella.<br />
<br />
24) Shades of Magic trilogy by V.E. Schwab. I've read 2 books and have 1 more to go.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">25) The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells. Sci-Fi novellas about a cyborg security unit on a quest for redemption and self-determination. I've read 2 novellas and there's a third coming out this month.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">26) The Interdependency series by John Scalzi. Sci-Fi epic about an interstellar society in jeopardy because the natural phenomenon that allows for space travel is changing. I've read the one book that's out.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">27) Earthsea Cycle series by Ursula K. LeGuin. Classic second-world Fantasy series set in a world that is mostly ocean with some scattered islands. I reread book 1 this year, and I've also read a book of short stories set in this world. I believe there are 4 more books to the series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">28) Species Imperative trilogy by Julie E. Czerneda. Sci-Fi about a female biologist who gets swept up in an interstellar search to stop a life-annihilating plague. I've read 1 book so far.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">29) London Celebrities series by Lucy Parker. Contemporary Romances set in the London theater scene. I've read 2 books and there's 1 more out.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Comics:<br />
<br />
30) Saga. I've read the first 7 volumes and am waiting for the 8th to be released.<br />
<br />
31) Ms. Marvel. I've read 6 volumes and am waiting for the 7th to be released<br />
<br />
32) Giant Days. I've read 5 volumes and am waiting for the 6th to be released.<br />
<br />
33) Jedi Academy. I've read 6 books. I'm not sure it's continuing, but I kind of assume it'll go 9 books like the movies.<br />
<br />
34) Amulet. I've read 7 volumes and am waiting for the final volume to be released.<br />
<br />
35) The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. I've read 8 volumes so far.<br />
<br />
36) Lumberjanes. Also read 8 volumes so far.<br />
<br />
37) Monstress. I've read 2 volumes, and a third is coming out this month.<br />
<br />
38) Paper Girls. I've read 4 volumes so far.<br />
<br />
39) Lucy and Andy Neanderthal. I've read 2 books and the third is coming out this month.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">40) Avatar: The Last Airbender. The Son and I watched the series last year, and now I want to read the comics, which follow the characters on adventures beyond the timeline of the show. The volumes are huge and beautiful and expensive, so I'll probably go through them at a rate of one Christmas present for The Son per year. I've read one so far.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">41) Runaways. I somehow missed this comic series before this year, which is weird because it was created by Brian K. Vaughan, author of <i>Saga</i> and <i>Paper Girls</i>. The first I heard of it was when the latest volume, written by Rainbow Rowell, hit the shelves. I wanted to read it because duh, Rainbow Rowell, and wound up reading all the back issues to catch up. It's about a group of teens (plus one pre-teen) living in the MCU who discover their parents are super-villains. I've read 2 big omnibus bind-ups and 7 comics volumes so far. The next volume comes out in Oct.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">42) The Backstagers. Cute comic about 5 boys in stage crew at their all-boy high school and their adventures uncovering the secrets of the alternate dimension back stage. Queer-positive and a little manic. Basically, it's a male version of Lumberjanes. I've read 2 volumes and am waiting for the 3rd to be released next spring.</span><br />
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Web Comics:</div>
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43) Check, Please! </div>
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44) Gunnerkrigg Court. </div>
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45) Stand Still, Stay Silent.<br />
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46) Dicebox.<br />
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47) Vattu.<br />
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Hey, I cut down by 2 since last year's list!<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-32206289355582718862018-07-31T23:02:00.003-04:002018-07-31T23:02:19.552-04:00Series Thoughts, 2018: Series I've FinishedI promise I'll give a writing/publishing update soon, but first it's time for my annual series round-up posts.<br />
<br />
As with previous years, this is just a list of series with no descriptions. Occasionally I am guessing that a series is finished; if more books turn up later, I'll transfer the series to the "Series In Progress list.<br />
<br />
New completed series are in blue.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Series I've Finished:</b><br />
<br />
Middle Grade:<br />
<br />
Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder<br />
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling<br />
Percy Jackson and the New Olympians series by Rick Riordan<br />
Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan<br />
Kane Chronicles trilogy by Rick Riordan<br />
Origami Yoda series by Tom Angleberger<br />
Ramona Quimby series by Beverly Cleary<br />
Henry Huggins series by Beverly Cleary<br />
Smek duology by Adam Rex<br />
Spiderwick Chronicles series by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi<br />
WondLa trilogy by Tony DiTerlizzi<br />
Nate Foster duology by Tim Federle<br />
His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Family Fletcher duology by Dana Alison Levy</span><br />
<br />
Young Adult:<br />
<br />
Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins<br />
Matched trilogy by Ally Condie<br />
Ruby Red trilogy by Kerstin Gier<br />
Safe-Keepers trilogy by Sharon Shinn<br />
Anna and the French Kiss companion trilogy by Stephanie Perkins<br />
Annals of the Western Shore trilogy by Ursula K. LeGuin<br />
Frontier Magic trilogy by Patricia Wrede<br />
The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater<br />
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo<br />
Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Monsters of Verity duology by Victoria Schwab</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Dash & Lily duology by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Prisoner of Peace duology by Erin Bow</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Jackaby series by William Ritter</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Illuminae series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Adult:<br />
<br />
Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson<br />
Chronicles of Chaos trilogy by John C. Wright<br />
Golden Age trilogy by John C. Wright<br />
Confluence trilogy by Paul J. McAuley<br />
Samaria series by Sharon Shinn<br />
Twelve Houses series by Sharon Shinn<br />
Sharing Knife quartet by Lois McMaster Bujold<br />
Paradox trilogy by Rachel Bach<br />
My Family and Other Animals trilogy by Gerald Durrell<br />
Hyperion quartet by Dan Simmons<br />
Kushiel Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey (nine books, y'all!)<br />
The Hainish Cycle series by Ursula K. LeGuin<br />
The Secret Texts trilogy by Holly Lisle<br />
Imperial Radch trilogy by Ann Leckie<br />
The Connaghers series by Joely Sue Burkhart<br />
Billionaires in Bondage trilogy by Joely Sue Burkhart<br />
The Inheritance trilogy by N.K. Jemison<br />
Temeraire series by Naomi Novik<br />
The Shifting Circle series by Sharon Shinn<br />
Ilium duology by Dan Simmons<br />
Old Man's War series by John Scalzi<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Wild Seasons series by Christina Lauren</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Golden City series by J. Kathleen Cheney</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">One Rose trilogy by Gail Dayton</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Binti trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Oxford Time Travel series by Connie Willis</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">The Themis Files trilogy by Sylvain Neuvel</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Comics:<br />
<br />
Sandman<br />
Castle Waiting<br />
Locke & Key<br />
Zita the Spacegirl<br />
Three Thieves<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Mighty Jack</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-29850805903167319182018-06-24T17:11:00.002-04:002018-06-24T17:11:25.663-04:00Short-Term GoalsFor a while there I was writing BIOH at NaNo pace, but the next two weeks are going to be crazy and there's no way I can do that much. So I am setting my absolute rock-bottom goal of 250 words a day. It's not much, but it's doable, and enough to keep the story from going cold, and will net me ~2,000 words of gain in the end. All-around win.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-73619820149120411752018-06-23T14:13:00.001-04:002018-06-23T14:14:32.550-04:00Yeah, So It's Been Awhile...Jeez, I'm not even sure this counts as a blog any more.<br />
<br />
Okay, this comeback post is a three-parter: Where the Hell I've Been, What the Hell I'm Doing Now, and Why the Hell I'm Back Here.<br />
<br />
<br />
1) Where the Hell I've Been<br />
<br />
Last I was posting consistently, I'd finished <i>Mender</i> and sent it out to agents, then immediately wrote 55,000 words on a contemporary romance novel. Then I burned out and took the summer off, fully intending to get back to work in the fall-- either back to the romance or doing a collab with Sharon (who I subsequently totally flaked out on). But then in September, The Husband's health started to slide downhill.<br />
<br />
First he had a series of worrisome test results culminating in a liver biopsy. Then he had skin cancer, and since the surgery was on his head, they couldn't stitch it, so I was treating and dressing an open wound twice a day for six weeks. Then in early December, he landed in the hospital with a partial bowel obstruction.<br />
<br />
Very long story short, he was out of work for the next six months. They tried to treat him medically with steroids, then had to wean him off the steroids for surgery. He had a PICC line all that time and was being fed intravenously at home by my. Had a bowel resection (his 5th, ugh) at the end of March and was in the hospital for three weeks afterward. He just started back to work full-time two weeks ago.<br />
<br />
In the middle of all this, my father died, which was sad and complicated and shitty.<br />
<br />
<br />
2) What the Hell I'm Doing Now<br />
<br />
In the last year, I've made several attempts (most documented here) to get back to writing the romance, but I could never stick with it for more than a few days. I knew the sequence of events wasn't working, and I wasn't sure how much time and energy I wanted to devote to figuring it out, since it's a project I was pretty much just working on for shits and giggles.<br />
<br />
While The Husband was in the hospital I decided to bag the romance and start something new-- something LitSpec, more serious and meaty. I bought a few writing e-books and started planning a new novel.<br />
<br />
And then, because I am a perverse little chicken, I started seeing how the exercises I was doing for the new novel would help me untangle the problems in the romance. In early May, I gave myself a few weeks to do just that, figuring it would help me choose which project to focus on for now. May 17, I started the romance novel over again from the beginning. I've been able to use a lot of the 55,000 words I wrote in 2017, but I've made a lot of changes, including the POV, tense, conflict, and title (it's now called <i>Bring It On Home</i>).<br />
<br />
As of today, I'm at 45,000 words (out of a projected 80,000). My medium-term goal is to have the book ready to submit to Pitch Wars at the end of August.<br />
<br />
<br />
3) Why the Hell I'm Back Here<br />
<br />
I don't know if I'll have any readers, but this blog as worked for me in the past as an aid to setting and keeping goals. I'll think about what kind of posting schedule is going to work for me.<br />
<br />
Also, I miss having a place to ramble about books.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-40302807705026348552018-01-01T13:33:00.000-05:002018-02-03T12:28:31.536-05:00Series Challenge: 2017 Wrap-Up and 2018 PlansI did pretty well with my 2017 Series Reading Challenge. Here are the books I set out to read back on Jan. 1 2017 (<span style="color: blue;">books I read</span>; <span style="color: lime;">books I didn't get to</span>; <span style="color: red;">series I decided to give up on after all</span>)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">1) <i>League of Dragons</i> by Naomi Novik, 9th and last book of the Temeraire series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">2) <i>Blackout</i> by Connie Willis, 3rd book of 4.5 in the Oxford Time Travel series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">3) <i>Olympos</i> by Dan Simmons, 2nd and last book of the Ilium duology.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">4) <i>The Turning Season</i> by Sharon Shinn, 3rd and last book of the Shifting Circle trilogy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">5) <i>The Spirit War</i> by Rachel Aaron, 2nd book of 5 in the Eli Monpress series.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">6) <i>Memory</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold, 11th (? hard to say) book of 21 in the Vorkosigan Saga series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">7) <i>The Barbed Rose</i> by Gail Dayton, 2nd book of 3 in the One Rose trilogy.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">8) <i>Zoe's Tale</i> by John Scalzi, 4th book of 6 in the Old Man's War series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">9) <i>The Shores of Spain</i> by J. Kathleen Cheney, 3rd book of 4+ in the Golden City series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">10) <i>Jeweled Fire</i> by Sharon Shinn, 3rd book of 4+ in the Elemental Blessings series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">11) <i>I Shot the Buddha</i> by Colin Cotterill, 11th book of 11 in the Dr. Siri Investigations series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">12) <i>The Amok Runners</i> by Colin Cotterill, 4th book of 4+? in the Jimm Juree Mysteries series.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">13) <i>Oryx and Crake</i> by Margaret Atwood, 1st book (technically) in the MaddAddam series (I read book 2 first).</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">14) <i>Caliban's War</i> by James S.A. Corey, 2nd book of 6+ in The Expanse series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">15) <i>Stiletto</i> by Daniel O'Malley, 2nd book of 2+? in the Rook Files series.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: lime;">16) <i>Octavian Nothing: Kingdom on the Waves</i> by M.T. Anderson, 2nd and last book in the Octavian Nothing duology</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">17) <i>As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust</i> by Alan Bradley, 7th of 8+? in the Flavia de Luce series</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">18) <i>The Wise Man's Fear</i> by Patrick Rothfuss, 2nd book of 3 in the Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">19) <i>The Queen of Attolia</i> by Megan Whalen Turner, 2nd book of 5+ in the Queen's Thief series.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">20) <i>Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox</i> by Eoin Colfer, 5th book of 7 in the Artemis Fowl series.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">21) <i>Ghostly Echoes</i> by William Ritter, 3rd book of 3+ in the Jackaby series.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">22) <i>Fire</i> by Kristin Cashore, 2nd book of 3 in the Graceling Realm trilogy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">23) <i>Ms. Marvel: Super Famous</i> by G. Willow Wilson, 5th book of 5+ in the Ms. Marvel series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">24) <i>The Iron Hand</i> by Scott Chantler, 7th and last book in the Three Thieves series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
Not too shabby! I also read a bunch more "next books" in various series, but as they weren't released by Jan. 1 2017, I didn't include them on this list.<br />
<br />
I'm going to carry the three I didn't get to over onto the <b>2018 list</b>. Again, these are series I'm currently reading, in which the next book in the series is out and available as of today, Jan. 1, 2018:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">1)</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><i>Octavian Nothing: Kingdom on the Waves</i><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">by M.T. Anderson, 2nd and last book in the Octavian Nothing duology.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
2) <i>The Wise Man's Fear</i> by Patrick Rothfuss, 2nd book of 3 in the Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy.<br />
<br />
3) <i>Fire</i> by Kristin Cashore, 2nd book of 3 in the Graceling Realm trilogy.<br />
<br />
4) <i>All Clear</i> by Connie Willis, 4th book of the Oxford Time Travel series.<br />
<br />
5) <i>Ethan of Athos</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold, part of the Vorkosigan Saga. I'm not sure what book # to call it, since it's more of a companion novel, but I own it and haven't read it yet, so it's next for me.<br />
<br />
6) <i>The Eternal Rose</i> by Gail Dayton, book 3 of the One Rose trilogy.<br />
<br />
7) <i>The Rat-Catcher's Olympics</i> by Colin Cotterill, book 12 in the Siri Paiboun Investigations series.<br />
<br />
8) <i>Maddaddam</i> by Margaret Atwood, book 3 in the Maddaddam trilogy.<br />
<br />
9) <i>Abaddon's Gate</i> by James S.A, Corey, book 3 of 6 in the Expanse series.<br />
<br />
10) <i>The Dire King</i> by William Ritter, book 4 of 4 in the Jackaby series.<br />
<br />
11) <i>Ms. Marvel: Damage Per Second</i> by G. Willow Wilson, Vol. 7 of the Ms. Marvel series.<br />
<br />
12) <i>A Gathering of Shadows</i> by V. E. Schwab, book 2 of the Shades of Magic trilogy.<br />
<br />
13) <i>The Creature in the Case</i> by Garth Nix, book 4? 5? of the Old Kingdom series.<br />
<br />
14) <i>A Closed and Common Orbit</i>, by Becky Chambers, book 2 of the Wayfarers series.<br />
<br />
15) <i>Rose Point</i> by M.C.A. Hogarth, book 2 of 4 in the Her Instruments series.<br />
<br />
16) <i>Windwitch</i> by Susan Dennard, book 2 in the Witchlands trilogy.<br />
<br />
17) <i>The Swan Riders</i> by Erin Bow, book 2 in the Prisoners of Peace series.<br />
<br />
18) <i>One Dark Throne</i> by Kendare Blake, book 2 in the Three Dark Crowns trilogy.<br />
<br />
19) <i>The King of Attolia</i> by Megan Whelan Turner, book 3 of 5+ in the Queen's Thief series.<br />
<br />
20) <i>Paper Girls</i> Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang<br />
<br />
21)<i> Lumberjanes: A Bird's-Eye View </i>by Shannon Watters, Vol. 7 of the Lumberjanes series<br />
<br />
22) <i>Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Ship of the Dead</i> by Rick Riordan, book 3 in the Magnus Chase trilogy<br />
<br />
23) <i>The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl</i> <i>Vol. 6: Who Run the World? Squirrels</i> by Ryan North and Erica Henderson<br />
<br />
Whew! In addition to all that, there are some "next books" being released this year that I'll probably end up reading as well, including:<br />
<br />
<i>Saga</i> Vol. 8 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples<br />
<i>The Grave's a Fine and Private Place</i> by Alan Bradley, book 9 in the Flavia de Luce series.<br />
<i>Binti: The Night Masquerade</i> by Nnedi Okorafor, book 3 in the Binti series<br />
<i>Giant Days</i> Vol. 7 by John Allison and various artists<br />
<i>Obsidio</i> by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, book 3 in the Illuminae Files trilogy<br />
<i>Trouble Never Sleeps</i> by Stephanie Tromly, book 3 in the Trouble series<br />
<i>Artificial Condition</i> by Martha Wells, book 2 in the Murderbot Diaries series<br />
<i>The Case for Jamie </i>by Brittany Cavallaro, book 3 in the Charlotte Holmes trilogy<br />
<i>Only Human</i> by Sylvain Neuvel, bok 3 in the Themis Files trilogy<br />
<i>The Long-Lost Home</i> by Maryrose Wood, 6th and final book in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series<br />
<i>Record of a Spaceborn Few</i> by Becky Chambers, book 3 in the Wayfayers series<br />
<i>The Trials of Apollo: The Burning Maze</i> by Rick Riordan<br />
<br />
Finally, I've imposed a physical book buying ban until I get my shelf-sitters to 20 or less. Not counting the books I have in progress right now, there are 31 shelf-sitters. I can still take books out of the library, buy books for the kindle, and even buy physical copies of book club books if there's no other way to get them. But I can't buy the next <i>Giant Days</i> or go to the huge used book sale in April unless I've read 11 books from my shelf first.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-27242224015920829582017-12-31T21:26:00.000-05:002017-12-31T22:00:01.312-05:00Books Read in 2017<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">141 things this year, including 91 novels! Crazy.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Middle Grade: 3</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Hammer of Thor</i> by Rick Riordan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>This Would Make a Good Story Someday</i> by Dana Alison Levy</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Trials of Apollo: The Dark Prophecy</i> by Rick Riordan</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span>Young Adult: 19</b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Unexpected Everything</i> by Morgan Matson</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Truthwitch</i> by Susan Dennard</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children</i> by Ransom Riggs</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Trouble is a Friend of Mine</i> by Stephanie Tromly</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender</i> by Leslye Walton</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Ready Player One</i> by Ernest Cline</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Leviathan</i> by Scott Westerfeld</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Queen of Attolia</i> by Megan Whalen Turner</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Behemoth</i> by Scott Westerfeld</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Three Dark Crowns</i> by Kendare Blake</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>When Dimple Met Rishi </i>by Sandhya Menon</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Goliath</i> by Scott Westerfeld</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies</i> by Lindsay Ribar</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Temping Fate</i> by Esther Friesner</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>A Study in Charlotte</i> by Brittany Cavallaro</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Last of August</i> by Brittany Cavallaro</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Ghostly Echoes </i>by William Ritter</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Geekerella</i> by Ashley Poston</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Trouble Makes a Comeback</i> by Stephanie Tromly</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span>Adult: 69</b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>S.</i> by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>League of Dragons</i> by Naomi Novik</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Uprooted</i> by Naomi Novik</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Memory</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Jeweled Fire</i> by Sharon Shinn</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Unquiet Land</i> by Sharon Shinn</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Nightingale</i> by Kristin Hannah</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Zoe’s Tale</i> by John Scalzi</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Turning Season</i> by Sharon Shinn</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Queen in Winter </i>by Claire Delacroix, Lynn Kurland, Sarah Monette, and Sharon Shinn</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Komarr</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Blackout </i>by Connie Willis</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Shores of Spain</i> by J. Kathleen Cheney</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Human Division</i> by John Scalzi</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Earthrise</i> by M.C.A. Hogarth</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Binti</i> by Nnedi Okorafor</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Olympos</i> by Dan Simmons</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Seer’s Choice</i> by J. Kathleen Cheney</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Caliban’s War</i> by James S.A. Corey</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Binti: Home</i> by Nnedi Okorafor</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Don’t Stop Believing</i> by Gwen Hayes</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Talk Me Down</i> by Victoria Dahl</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Glass Tidings</i> by Amy Jo Cousins</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Forever Mine</i> by Erin Nichols</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Sweet Filthy Boy</i> by Christina Lauren</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Knit Tight</i> by Annabeth Albert</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Trouble With Mistletoe</i> by Jill Shalvis</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Lighting the Flames</i> by Sarah Wendell</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>How Not To Fall</i> by Emily Foster</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The End of All Things</i> by John Scalzi</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Crazy for You</i> by Jennifer Crusie</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>A Civil Campaign</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Winterfair Gifts</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust</i> by Alan Bradley</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Redshirts</i> by John Scalzi</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I Shot the Buddha</i> by Colin Cotterill</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Station Eleven</i> by Emily St. John Mandel</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Fuzzy Nation</i> by John Scalzi</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Sleeping Giants</i> by Sylvain Neuvel</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>All Systems Red</i> by Martha Wells</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Penric’s Fox</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Blue Castle</i> by L.M. Montgomery</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d</i> by Alan Bradley</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Light Between Oceans</i> by M.L. Stedman</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>War and Peace</i> by Leo Tolstoy</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Wolf in White Van</i> by John Darnielle</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Dirty Rowdy Thing</i> by Christina Lauren</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Amok Runners</i> by Colin Cotterill</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Stiletto</i> by Daniel O’Malley</span></span></div>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August </i>by Claire North</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Universal Harvester </i>by John Darnielle</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Mine to Break</i> by Joely Sue Burkhart</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Oryx and Crake</i> by Margaret Atwood</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Prisoner of Limnos</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Afterparty</i> by Daryl Gregory</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Wicked Sexy Liar</i> by Christina Lauren</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Midwinterblood</i> by Marcus Sedgwick</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Artemis</i> by Andy Weir</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Terminal World</i> by Alastair Reynolds</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Beta Reads: 3</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Rise and Fall of the Blackbird</i> by S. Eli</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>A Matter of Scythe and Death</i> by J.J. Litke</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Lady and the Pack</i> by Akaria Gale</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span>Short Stories: 3</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Stormfront” by M.C.A. Hogarth</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The Scharz-Metterklume Method” by Saki</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“A Not-Joe Not-So-Short Short” by Christina Lauren</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span>Non-Fiction: 11</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Perfect Health Diet</i> by Paul Jaminet and Shou-Ching Jaminet</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Plot Whisperer Workbook</i> by Martha Alderson</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Lost Boy</i> by Brent W. Jeffs</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Beyond: Our Future in Space</i> by Chris Impey</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Cleopatra: A Life</i> by Stacy Schiff</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels</i> by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Mother Tongue</i> by Bill Bryson</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Knot the One</i> by Stacey Becker</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Wired for Story</i> by Lisa Cron</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Eat Fat, Get Thin</i> by Mark Hyman, M.D.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Let’s Pretend This Never Happened</i> by Jenny Lawson</span></span></div>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span>Graphic Novels: 28</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Iron Hand</i> by Scott Chantler</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Ms. Marvel: Super Famous</i> by G. Willow Wilson and Takeshi Miyazawa</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Lumberjanes Vol. 3: A Terrible Plan</i> by Noelle Stevenson and various artists</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Lumberjanes Vol. 4: Out of Time</i> by Noelle Stevenson and various artists</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Lumberjanes Vol. 5: Band Together</i> by Noelle Stevenson and various artists</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Giant Days Vol. 4</i> by John Allison and Max Sarin</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>One Hundred Night of Hero</i> by Isabel Greenberg</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Saga Vol. 7</i> by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Shattered Warrior</i> by Sharon Shinn and Mallory Knox Ostertag</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: I Kissed a Squirrel and I Liked It</i> by Ryan North and Erica Henderson</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Sisters</i> by Raina Telgemeier</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Real Friends</i> by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Paper Girls</i> by Brian K. Vaughn and Cliff Chiang</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up the Marvel Universe</i> by Ryan North and Erica Henderson</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Drama </i>by Raina Telgemeier</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>This One Summer</i> by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Giant Days Vol. 5</i> by John Allison and Max Sarin</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Lumberjanes Vol. 6: Sink or Swim</i> by Shannon Watters and various artists</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Jedi Academy: The Force Oversleeps</i> by Jarrett J. Krosoczka</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Ghosts</i> by Raina Telgemeier</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Monstress Vol. 2 </i>by Marjorie Liu</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Mighty Jack and the Goblin King</i> by Ben Hatke</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Giant Days Vol. 6</i> by John Allison and Max Sarin</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Rat Queens Vol. 4</i> by Kurtis J. Wiebe and various artists</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Tag and Bink are Dead</i> by Kevin Rubio and Lucas Marangon</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Lucy and Andy Neaderthal: Stone Cold Age</i> by Jeffrey Brown</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Web Comics: 5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Stand Still. Stay Silent. by Minna Sundberg</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gunnerkrigg Court by Tom Siddell</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dicebox by Jenn Manley Lee</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vattu by Evan Dahm</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I read 1/5 the amount of Middle Grade I usually do. This makes me a little sad, since it's a by-product of The Son growing up. We mostly listen to Young Adult books now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For my wrap-up, I'm going to do a series of top 5's.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Top 5 Greatest Stand-Alone Books I Read This Year:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) <i>S.</i> A truly unique reading experience. The story didn't come together perfectly in the end-- a little too much of Abrams's beloved "mystery box"-- but I 100% don't care. This book made me more excited about books than anything else I read this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) <i>Ready Player One</i>. The Son's new favorite book, and my favorite book to have shared with him this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) <i>Mother Tongue</i>. I thought I knew a lot about the English language, but I learned a ton from reading this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4) <i>Station Eleven</i>. Best book I read for book club this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5) <i>War and Peace</i>. Duh. A classic. A major accomplishment to finally finish it. Also a damn good book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Top 5 Ongoing Series I Was Most Satisfied By:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) Elemental Blessings series by Sharon Shinn. I read books 3 and 4 in this series this year, and they were perfection. I hear Sharon Shinn is having publisher problems, and now I'm super worried the fifth book in this series will never be published.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey. I read book 2 this year and I LOVED it way more than book 1. Avasarala is the actual best and I want her to be the terrifying grandma I never had.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) The Vorkosigan Saga series by Lois McMaster Bujold. I read 4 books this year, and they were all so incredibly good. <i>A Civil Campaign</i> is a desert island book for sure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4) Penric and Desdemona series </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">by Lois McMaster Bujold</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">. I read 4 novellas this year, and am continually blown away by how good they are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5) Family Fletcher series by Dana Alison Levy. I'm not sure <i>This Would Make a Good Story Someday</i> counts as part of the series since it doesn't feature the Fletchers directly, but it takes place within the same "world". This book is amazing and I loved it so much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Top 5 New Series I'm Most Excited to Have Discovered:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) Trouble series by Stephanie Tromly. YA Investigative goodness. I did that thing where you read a book and love it, and after a while you still remember you loved it but don't remember why exactly, and then you read book 2 and are like, "Ohhhhhhh, <i>right</i>."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld. I wasn't sure about this, since I loved Westerfeld's book <i>Uglies</i> but then DNF'd the rest of that series. But this was amazing steampunk awesomeness: robots vs. monsters in WWI, complete with friendship, romance, and talking lizards. I listened to the whole trilogy with The Son, but would totally read more books set in this world if Westerfeld would write them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) Shades of Magic trilogy by V.E. Schwab. Intriguing, dark, and fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4) The Themis Files trilogy by Sylvain Neuvel. This fast-paced "found footage" Sci-Fi series hooked me in on page 1 of book 1 and hasn't let go yet. I'm counting the days until the final book comes out this May.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5) The Interdependency by John Scalzi. I finished Scalzi's Old Man's War series this year and am delighted to start another space opera series by him. Long may it prosper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Top 5 Books That Happy-Surprised Me:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) <i>The Blue Castle</i> by L.M. Montgomery. I'm not a giant fan of the Anne of Green Gables books, so although I'd heard raves about this book, I was worried that Montgomery's particular brand of whimsy would just be too much for me. But no. I loved this. The perfect slow burn romance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) <i>Wolf in White Van</i> by John Darnielle. This is Lit Fic written by a music artist, so I was highly skeptical and very ready to dismiss it as pretentious poser garbage. But I was enraptured by it while reading it, and haunted by it long after.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) <i>Glass Tidings</i> by Amy Jo Cousins. I read a bunch of Romance this year, but this M/M standalone blew my socks off. So, so well-written.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4) Wild Seasons series by Christina Lauren. Most of the Romance I read this year was book 1 of a series, but this is the only series where I felt compelled to read book 2. It's New Adult, smutty, and occasionally ridiculous, but I developed a genuine affection for the characters and enough curiosity about all their happy endings to read 4 books and a companion short story all this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5) <i>Three Dark Crowns</i> by Kendare Blake. I DNF'd a whoooooole bunch of YA Fantasy this year. I'm just over a lot of the tropes. And on the face of it, this sounds trope-y as hell. But for whatever reason, it grabbed my eyeballs in its tropey little fists and wouldn't let go until I'd finished the book, practically in one sitting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Top 5 Books That Disappointed-Surprised Me:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) <i>Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</i> by Ransom Riggs. I really thought The Son and I were going to puffy-heart LOVE this, and I did love the beginning. But then I didn't love how it progressed, and was pretty meh by the end. I was expecting something really dark and creepy and quirky, but instead it was more like a muddled X-men story with time travel. It wasn't bad at all, but not what I expected. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) <i>Knot the One</i> by Stacey Becker. This was presented as a woman's memoir of being left at the altar, and how she put her life back together afterwards. I admit I bought this to gawk at another's misfortune, so shame on me. But a lot about this annoyed me. For starters, her fiancé broke up with her EIGHT MONTHS before the wedding. That is not "left at the altar", dammit! And Becker strikes me as a pretty annoying person, and her family is a boundary-less nightmare, and by the time the fiancé dumps her I was feeling kind of sorry for him and not blaming him at all for his second thoughts. And finally, a big portion of the book is about her starting to date the guy she did eventually wind up marrying, and she does a lot of "look how much better my husband is than the jerk I was engaged to", but... they are exactly the same, down to the commitment waffling. In fact, I think the guy she married is actually more of an asshole than the one who dumped her. He was less willing to jerk her around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) <i>Rat Queens</i> Vol. 4. This one hurts. I fucking loved Rat Queens. But Vol. 3 left off on a cliffhanger, which Vol. 4 completely ignored, picking up the story apparently months later with no explanation of how the previous situation resolved itself. Nope. Not okay. And I'm sorry to say it, but the art has gone downhill since they canned Upchurch. Doesn't mean they were wrong to fire him, but still.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4) <i>The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender</i> by Leslye Walton. I'd heard amazing things about this, and picked it for book club on the basis of those reviews. And it wasn't <i>bad</i>... but eesh, the writing got on my nerves. I always think I like Magical Realism, but I think I just like Garcia Marquez and Allende. This was like Magical Realism bingo. Family saga? Check. Tragic love stories? Check. Obsession with birds? Check. Pointless, shocking violence that comes out of nowhere and clashes tonally with the rest of the book? CHECK.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5) <i>The Amok Runners</i> by Colin Cotterill. Another one that hurts. Y'all know I love Cotterill; I've read the entire Siri Paiboun series so far and have every intention of sticking with it to the end. This book was a prequel to the Jimm Juree series, which I also love. Cotterill self-pubbed it, but that alone wasn't cause for concern: probably his publishers weren't interested in continuing the Juree series, but he had an idea for another story. Why not self-pub when you have the readership? And Lois McMaster Bujold has been self-pubbing novellas in her World of the Five Gods series, and they are magical. But, sadly, this book wasn't up to his usual standards. I don't know if he didn't want to pay an editor or what, but something was definitely off. It was riddled with typos and copywriting errors, too.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-65632285491874563582017-12-01T14:01:00.002-05:002017-12-01T14:01:54.809-05:00Cautiously OptimisticI'll admit it: I've been starting to get scared I would never write again. I have just been so completely out of creative juice for over six months now. I've been wanting to work on the romance, and figure out what the next SFF project is going to be, and be able to brainstorm on a project with Sharon, and the well has been dry as bleached cow skull in the Arizona desert.<br />
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A few weeks ago I tried to get something going and reread the 53,000 words of the romance I wrote last May. There's a lot to love there, but the pace is off. I got a burst of inspiration and made a new outline, but then my annual insanely busy period at work happened, so I had to lay it aside.<br />
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Now, history has shown that I never accomplish great writing things in December. That said, I'm setting a goal to work for 30 hours on the romance this month.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-13041535467263866772017-08-31T11:58:00.000-04:002017-08-31T11:58:01.622-04:00End of SummerIt's been a long summer of No Writing for me. I realize now it was a little insane to jump into a NaNo month days after completing <i>Mender</i>. I wrote 50K in May and then just petered out in June, and I haven't written since. I haven't even had a solid <i>idea</i> since, which is beginning to alarm me.<br />
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I've been reading a TON, though, so I've decided to be charitable and think of these past three months as Filling the Well.<br />
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Now that school has started and it's time for goal-setting, I'm at a bit of a loss. I'd like to get started on my next "real" book-- but like I said, I don't really have an idea. I'd also like to finish the first draft of <i>Master of the Off-Chance</i>, the Romance novel I was working on for MayNoWriMo. I estimate that I've got 25,000 left in the draft, so I think that's going to be my goal for September: finish the Romance. Then I get take stock and see what makes the most sense to do next, whether that's charge ahead with whatever speculative premise grabs me, or dive into revising MotO-C.<br />
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Step one is to read what I have so far in MotO-C, because it's super cold right now. That'll be my short-term goal for the first few days of the month.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-76609573768998726212017-08-01T20:51:00.001-04:002017-08-01T20:51:10.995-04:00Series Thoughts, 2017: Series I Won't Be FinishingTime to throw some shade!<br />
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Not really. As with last year's list, this is not necessarily a list of books I hated. Many I really enjoyed-- yet for whatever reason, I was not left with a desire to read more.<br />
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Again, I'll only be providing descriptions/rationalizations for new entries, in <span style="color: blue;">blue</span>. If you want to hear more of my thoughts on the series that appeared on the 2016, check out last year's <a href="https://liannawilliamson.blogspot.com/2016/07/series-thoughts-part-3-series-i-wont-be.html">post</a>.<br />
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And now, on with the countdown.<br />
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<b>Series I Won't Be Finishing:</b><br />
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Middle Grade:<br />
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The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart.<br />
The Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce.<br />
Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery.<br />
Sherlock Files series by Tracy Barrett.<br />
The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell.<br />
Ember series by Jeanne DuPrau.<br />
Roman Mysteries series by Caroline Lawrence.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Timmy Failure series by Stephan Pastis. This was on my "Series I'm Undecided About" list in 2016. is a very strange series about a very strange child. I've listened to 3 of the books on audio with The Son, but now he's reading them on his own and I don't see me continuing with the series.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Forbidden Library series by Django Wexler. </span><span style="color: blue;">This was also on my "Series I'm Undecided About" list in 2016.</span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span style="color: blue;">I listened to the first book of this on audiobook. It had a lot of cool elements-- 1930's setting, creepy magic, books as portals to other worlds-- but I just didn't connect with the characters. I've decided not to continue.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley. two orphaned sisters move to a town inhabited by fairy-tale creatures, and learn about their family's role in managing the relationships between these creatures and the mundane world. The Son and I listened to the first book together. It was cute, but a little young for him, and he wasn't interested in going on with it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Samurai Detective series by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler. Historical Mystery series that takes place in feudal Japan. Again, we read book 1, and it was pretty good, but it now seems too young for where he's at, and I don't have enough interest to continue on my own.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">100 Cupboards Series by N.D. Wilson. I really recommend this one. It's about a boy who goes to live with his aunt and uncle in Kansas, where he discovers a bunch of cupboard doors behind the wallpaper in his room. Each door leads to an alternate universe... but since they're small doors, he can't quite go through them. It's an intriguing tale, but I kept wait for the library to get book 2 on audiobook-- which they never did-- and after a while enough time had passed that if I wanted to get it from ILL or something we'd need to go back and listen to book 1 again, and I wasn't willing to go to that much effort.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. I have very mixed feelings about this one. Another series that was </span><span style="color: blue;">on my "Series I'm Undecided About" list in 2016, and then in January I put book 6 on my Series Challenge list for this year. I read the first few chapters of it, and... I just didn't care. I felt super guilty and weighed down by this big obligation to finish it, but was dreading having to read it, and then had an epiphany and realized it was ridiculous to expend energy on a series I don't care about when I am in the midst of reading FORTY-NINE other series.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
Young Adult:<br />
<br />
Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld.<br />
If I Stay duology by Gayle Forman.<br />
Cecelia and Kate series by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevener.<br />
Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth.<br />
City of Beasts trilogy by Isabel Allende.<br />
Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison.<br />
Princess Academy series by Shannon Hale.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes. Buckle up, because I have some opinions. Last year, I went on a big booktube spree, and wound up discovering a bunch of wonderful YA books through watching the reviews. I saw so many glowing reviews for this epic Fantasy YA series, and became very eager to read it. I remember checking my library shelves every time I went, but it was always checked out. When I finally got my hands on it, I was appalled. The writing was terrible, the characters were paper-thin, the world was unconvincing, and there were giant logic fails all over the place. It's just <i>bad</i>-- like, "I'm shocked this got published" bad. I do not understand why so many reviewers whose taste I otherwise generally respect are so taken with it. Maybe it's just me?</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. Bardugo's Six of Crows duology, set in the same world as this trilogy, was among the best and most dazzlingly original things I read in 2016. But this one failed to grab me. There's nothing wrong with it-- the writing is solid, the world is interesting, characters are well drawn-- but the plot was entirely predictable. Nothing surprised me, which meant I wasn't left with a desire to read on to see what more happens.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">The Remnant Chronicles by Mary J. Pearson. YA Fantasy set in far-future North America. This is another series I heard a lot of raving reviews for, and while I didn't think it was bad (unlike <i>Falling Kingdoms</i>), I wasn't into it enough to want to continue past book 1.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness. </span><span style="color: blue;">Dark Science Fiction about a society on a colony planet in which all the men can hear each others' thoughts. </span><span style="color: blue;">Yet a</span><span style="color: blue;">nother series that was </span><span style="color: blue;">on my "Series I'm Undecided About" list in 2016. I've now decided to bite the bullet and admit I'm not finishing it.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">To All the Boys I Loved Before trilogy by Jenny Han. </span><span style="color: blue;">And a</span><span style="color: blue;">nother series that was </span><span style="color: blue;">on my "Series I'm Undecided About" list in 2016. I just don't care enough to go on with it.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children trilogy by Ransom Riggs. Interesting YA Fantasy with a historical twist, about a troubled boy discovering the very strange nature of his beloved grandfather's troubled past. I liked book 1, but not as much as I'd expected I would. I'm glad I read it, but I'm not interested enough in the story to continue.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<br />
Adult:<br />
<br />
Ender series by Orson Scott Card.<br />
Fifty Shades of Grey series by E.L. James.<br />
Tairen Soul series by C.L. Wilson. <br />
Foundation series by Isaac Asimov.<br />
Dune series by Frank Hebert.<br />
Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde.<br />
Hitchhiker's Guide series by Douglas Adams.<br />
Ringworld series by Larry Niven.<br />
Uplift series by David Brin.<br />
Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Glamourist Histories by Mary Kowal Robinette. Regency with magic. It sounded like an adult version of <i>Sorcery and Cecelia</i>, which I adored. But... I didn't like book 1. I found it boring. The romance was underdeveloped, and I had a hard time swallowing that the magic wasn't used for anything practical.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">The Rosie Project series by Graeme Simison. Contemporary "GuyLit" Romance about a fortyish professor with Asperger's, and his hilariously systematic search for love. I really loved the first book, but I was completely satisfied with the ending.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Goddess Summoning series by P.C. Cast. Fantasy Romance series that are retellings of myths and fairy tales. Fun for a book or two, but painfully formulaic for six. This </span><span style="color: blue;">was </span><span style="color: blue;">on my "Series I'm Undecided About" list in 2016, and I've decided to bag it.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Liaden Universe series by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Sci-Fi Romance series. It never grabbed me like I expected. I was on the fence about this in 2016, but I'm accepting reality and giving it a pass after 2 books.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Me Before You duology by JoJo Moyes. Woman's Fiction/Romance about a rich paraplegic and the young woman who works as his caregiver. I read book 1 for book club and found the ending satisfying. I don't feel compelled to read more.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. Mystery series set in Botswana. I thought book 1 was charming and fully intended to go with the series, but book 2 didn't hold my interest.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Eli Monpress series by Rachel Aaron. I feel bad about this one. I loved Aaron's Paradox trilogy (writing as Rachel Bach), and I also really liked book 1 of this Fantasy series about a charming thief in a world of magicians and spirits. Book 2 was on my Series Reading Challenge list for this year. But I was slogging through it, and it was frankly making me kind of dread having to read 3 more books in the series, so I've decided, with regret, to set it aside.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Finally, I read a ton of Contemporary Romance in May while I was working on my own romance-y thing. Most were the first books of series, and all but one I'm not continuing with. Most I thought were pretty decent examples of what they're trying to be; they're just not enough my thing to convince me to stick with them:</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Portland Heat series by Annabeth Albert</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Heartbreaker Bay series by Jill Shalvis</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Silver Pines series by Gwen Hayes</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Tumble Creek trilogy by Victoria Dahl</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Belhaven series by Emily Foster</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Opposites Attract series by Erin Nichols</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Comics:<br />
<br />
Sin City.<br />
<br />
Swamp Thing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-27237851271634674122017-07-25T12:33:00.002-04:002017-07-25T12:42:51.228-04:00Series Thoughts, 2017: Series I Plan to FinishThis post will be about the series I have in progress that I am invested in and committed to finishing. New series to this list will again be in <span style="color: blue;">blue</span>. I will only write descriptions for the series I began since last July; if you want to read more about the series I had in progress before last July, check out last year's post <a href="https://liannawilliamson.blogspot.com/2016/07/series-thoughts-part-2-series-i-plan-to.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Series I Plan to Finish:</b><br />
<br />
Middle Grade:<br />
<br />
1) Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy by Rick Riordan. I've read 2 books and am waiting for the third.<br />
<br />
2) Trials of Apollo series by Rick Riordan. I've read 2 books and am waiting for the third.<br />
<br />
3) The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series by Maryrose Wood. I've read 5 books so far, and one more is forthcoming.<br />
<br />
4) Family Fletcher series by Dana Alison Levy. I've read all 3 books and am waiting for more.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">5) His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman. I had this on my "Series I've Finished" list in 2016, but now a new book is coming out in the fall! This is a beautiful series about religion and fate, with souls manifesting as animal companions, alternate universes, and sentient polar bears. I've read 3 books and am looking forward to book 4.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<br />
Young Adult:<br />
<br />
6) Illuminae Files series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. I've read 2 books and am waiting for book 3.<br />
<br />
7) Octavian Nothing duology by M.T. Anderson. I've read book 1 and intend to read book 2.<br />
<br />
8) Jackaby series by William Ritter. I've read 2 books and a short story, and have 2 more books to read.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">9) Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. I had this on my "Series I've Finished" list in 2016, but now more books are being released! These are richly rendered Fantasy stories that follow a lineage of necromancers. I've read 4 books so far; there's a novella and a new novel waiting for me.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">10) The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner. Adventure/Fantasy tales in an Ancient Greek-like setting. I was undecided about this is 2016, but I read book 2 this year and now plan to continue. I've read 2 books; there are 3 more books to go.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">11) Graceling Realm trilogy by Kristin Cashore. Feminist second-world Fantasy. Another series I was undecided about in 2016 but have decided to go ahead with. I've read 1 book and have 2 more to go.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">12) Prisoners of Peace series by Erin Bow. That rarest of birds: a trope-subverting YA dystopian. I'm super interested to see where this one goes. I read book 1 and now book 2 is out.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">13) The Witchlands trilogy by Susan Dennard. Second-world Fantasy with strong female friendships, an interesting magic system, and writing that's a cut above the usual YA Fantasy fare. </span><span style="color: blue;">I read book 1 and now book 2 is out.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">14) Trouble series by Stephanie Tromly. YA Investigative about a girl who moved from Brooklyn to a podunk town in upstate NY, where she falls in with a socially tone-deaf teen Sherlock-type and starts solving crimes. The first book was absolutely delightful, and now there's book 2 waiting for me,</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">15) Three Dark Crowns trilogy by Kendare Blake. The premise for this sounds almost like a parody of YA Fantasy/dystopian tropes (three teenage magic-wielding Queens must fight to the death to see which of them will rule the land-- complete with love triangle) but the first book sucked me in from page one and never let go to the end. Book 2 comes out next month.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<br />
Adult:<br />
<br />
16) Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley. I've read 7 books and a short story so far. Book 8 is out and book 9 is coming out in early 2018.<br />
<br />
17) Siri Paiboun Investigations by Colin Cotterill. I've read 11 books and am waiting for book 12 next month.<br />
<br />
18) Jimm Juree Mysteries by Colin Cotterill. I've read 3 books and there's a 4th out.<br />
<br />
19) Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. There are 21 books in this series so far; I have read 15.<br />
<br />
20) Chalion series by Lois McMaster Bujold. I've read 3 books and 3 novellas, with 1 novella out for me to read.<br />
<br />
21) Elemental Blessings series by Sharon Shinn. I've read 4 books so far and am waiting for the 5th and (I presume) final book.<br />
<br />
22) Oxford Time Travel series by Connie Willis. I've read 3 books, and have 1 more to go.<br />
<br />
23) MaddAddam trilogy by Margaret Atwood. I've read 1 book and have 2 to go.<br />
<br />
24) The Rook Files by Daniel O'Malley. I've read book 1 and have book 2 on my series-challenge list.<br />
<br />
25) The Expanse series by James A.A. Corey. I've only read 2 books so far; there are 6 out.<br />
<br />
23) Golden City series by J. Kathleen Cheney. I've read 3 books and a novella, and have 1 novella left to go.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">24) One Rose trilogy by Gail Dayton. I'm reading book 2 right now and intend to continue with the final book of the trilogy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">25) Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy bu Patrick Rothfuss. Epic Fantasy recounting the life story of an epically awesome sorcerer. I've read book 1 and have book 2 on my series-challenge list.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">26) Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers. Found family aboard a blue-collar spaceship. I've read book 1; book 2 is out and waiting for me.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">27) Her Instruments series by M.C.A. Hogarth. Another found family Science Fiction tale. I've read book 1; there are 2 more books in the series.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">28) Wild Seasons trilogy by Christina Lauren. New Adult Romance about three female friends and the fallout from their impulsive post-graduation Vegas trip, during which they married a trio of male friends. I've read book 1 and intend to continue with book 2.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">29) Binti series by Nnedi Okorafor. Afrocentric Science Fiction novella. I've read 2 books and am waiting for the 3rd to be released.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">30) Shades of Magic trilogy by V.E. Schwab. Dark Fantasy about a quartet of alternate Londons all threatened by the same wild magic. I've read book 1 and have 2 more to go.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">31) The Themis Files by Sylvain Neuvel. Science Fiction about scientists discovering giant alien robots on earth, told entirely through interviews and military reports. I think this is a duology? I've read book 1 and put book 2 on hold at the library.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<br />
Comics:<br />
<br />
32) Saga. I've read the first 7 volumes and am waiting for the 8th to be released.<br />
<br />
33) Ms. Marvel. I've read 6 volumes and am waiting for the 7th to be released<br />
<br />
34) Giant Days. I've read 5 volumes and am waiting for the 6th to be released.<br />
<br />
35) Rat Queens. I've read 3 volumes and am waiting for the 4th.<br />
<br />
36) Jedi Academy. I've read 4 volumes and am getting the 5th in the mail today!<br />
<br />
37) Amulet. I've read 7 volumes and am waiting for the final volume to be released.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">38) The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. I was waffling about this one last year, but now I've decided to go on with it. A tongue-in-cheek romp through the Marvel Universe, with some good representation and an underlying message of tolerance and empathy. I've read 5 volumes plus a bonus edition, and am waiting for volume 6 to be released.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">39) Lumberjanes. </span><span style="color: blue;">I had this on my "Series I've Finished" list in 2016, not realizing the comic was ongoing. Delightful story of five best friends at a Girl Scout-esque summer camp. I'm reading volume 6 right now and am waiting for volume 7 to be released.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">40) Monstress. Set in an alternative, matriarchal China with wracked by human-monster wars. Disturbing and violent, with jaw-droppingly gorgeous artwork. I've read the first volume and am waiting for the library to get the second.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">41) Mighty Jack. Cute modern-day retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk myth, in which Jack is a latch-key kid looking after a younger sister with autism. I've read book 1 and am waiting for book 2 to be released.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">42) Paper Girls. A freaky tale about four paper girls delivering papers in the pre-dawn hours after Hallowe'en 1988, with all kinds of demonic, time-traveling hell breaking loose. I've read volume 1 and am waiting for the library to get volume 2.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">43) Lucy and Andy Neanderthal. Cute comic about caveman kids. I read the first book and didn't realize it was a series, but now I see book 2 is being released next month.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Web Comics:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
44) Check, Please! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
45) Gunnerkrigg Court. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
46) Stand Still, Stay Silent.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">47) Dicebox. A married pair of female blue-collar workers roaming the galaxy, looking to outrun their pasts. Moved from the "Series I'm Undecided About" list.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">48) Vattu. On an alien planet, a young huntress is taken captive by a conquering empire. Also m</span><span style="color: blue;">oved from the "Series I'm Undecided About" list.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">49) Namesake. Explores the connection between readers, writers, and the worlds of beloved stories. Also m</span><span style="color: blue;">oved from the "Series I'm Undecided About" list.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
Whoa. Almost 50 series, dude. That's a lot.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-71685790800450786882017-07-20T19:36:00.003-04:002017-07-25T12:34:57.807-04:00Series Thoughts, 2017: Series I've FinishedTime for this year's update on the many series I've read, am reading, have quit reading, and am undecided about.<br />
<br />
This first list will be series I've read in entirety. As with last year's list, this will be just a list with no comments. Series I finished since last July will be in <span style="color: blue;">blue</span>.<br />
<br />
<b>Series I've Finished:</b><br />
<br />
Middle Grade:<br />
<br />
Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder<br />
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling<br />
Percy Jackson and the New Olympians series by Rick Riordan<br />
Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan<br />
Kane Chronicles trilogy by Rick Riordan<br />
Origami Yoda series by Tom Angleberger<br />
Ramona Quimby series by Beverly Cleary<br />
Henry Huggins series by Beverly Cleary<br />
Smek duology by Adam Rex<br />
Spiderwick Chronicles series by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi<br />
WondLa trilogy by Tony DiTerlizzi<br />
Nate Foster duology by Tim Federle<br />
<br />
Young Adult:<br />
<br />
Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins<br />
Matched trilogy by Ally Condie<br />
Ruby Red trilogy by Kerstin Gier<br />
Safe-Keepers trilogy by Sharon Shinn<br />
Anna and the French Kiss companion trilogy by Stephanie Perkins<br />
Annals of the Western Shore trilogy by Ursula K. LeGuin<br />
Frontier Magic trilogy by Patricia Wrede<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld</span><br />
<br />
Adult:<br />
<br />
Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson<br />
Chronicles of Chaos trilogy by John C. Wright<br />
Golden Age trilogy by John C. Wright<br />
Confluence trilogy by Paul J. McAuley<br />
Samaria series by Sharon Shinn<br />
Twelve Houses series by Sharon Shinn<br />
Sharing Knife quartet by Lois McMaster Bujold<br />
Paradox trilogy by Rachel Bach<br />
My Family and Other Animals trilogy by Gerald Durrell<br />
Hyperion quartet by Dan Simmons<br />
Kushiel Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey (nine books, y'all!)<br />
The Hainish Cycle series by Ursula K. LeGuin<br />
The Secret Texts trilogy by Holly Lisle<br />
Imperial Radch trilogy by Ann Leckie<br />
The Connaghers series by Joely Sue Burkhart<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Billionaires in Bondage trilogy by Joely Sue Burkhart</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">The Inheritance trilogy by N.K. Jemison</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Temeraire series by Naomi Novik</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">The Shifting Circle trilogy by Sharon Shinn</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Illium duology by Dan Simmons</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Old Man's War series by John Scalzi</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Comics:<br />
<br />
Sandman<br />
Castle Waiting<br />
Locke & Key<br />
Zita the Spacegirl<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Three Thieves</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-82388856491034793422017-06-30T21:53:00.000-04:002017-06-30T21:53:01.129-04:00End of June. *Sigh*Guys, this month has been a bust for writing. I don't even have a plausible-sounding excuse. I just lost momentum once the WriMo was over, and then I slammed hard into an intense reading phase. I have read a <i>shitload</i> this month, even for me.<br />
<br />
I'm on vacation now, so it'll be at least 10 days before I set any type of writing goals for July. Look for lots of reading-related posts this month, though!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-24266938247750098412017-06-03T13:20:00.000-04:002017-06-03T13:20:35.822-04:00On to JuneI ended May with 51,600 words under my belt (yay!) and having slid into a slump (boo!). I had a nagging feeling I was off track with the plot, and I couldn't seem to force myself forward through that feeling. I was also a bit distracted by participating in the Beta Project on Absolute Write, and <i>almost</i> making it into Query Kombat for <i>Mender</i>, which qualified me for a critique on my query and first page from one of the judges.<br />
<br />
After a few days of not working on MotO-C and feeling like crap about it, I decided two things:<br />
<br />
1) The goal of finishing the draft by June 12 (the date my laptop needs to go into the shop) was putting too much pressure on me and making me even more reluctant to work on it.<br />
<br />
2) I needed to sit down and list out everything I could think of that would need to be addressed in revisions, including changes I wanted to make to the external story arc.<br />
<br />
The good news is that these two things seem to have shaken me out of feeling slumpy. I've gone back to the two (short) chapters I completed toward the end of the month, where I started feeling like I was going off the rails, and have set about fixing them. I'm finding it's not a matter of changing what's there so much as it is adding substance to them. Today is the first day I've been back at work on it this week, and I've set a modest goal of 500 words. I've already written 400!<br />
<br />
My goals for June:<br />
<br />
1) Finish the first draft of MotO-C.<br />
<br />
2) Make 5-10 hours' worth of edits to <i>Mender</i> and send out 10 more queries.<br />
<br />
3) Finish the 3 books I had in progress when I dropped everything for MayNoWriMo.<br />
<br />
4) Read 2 additional books for my Series Challenge (I'm at 12 books so far-- the halfway mark).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-43579014364916681452017-05-28T20:58:00.001-04:002017-05-28T20:58:40.673-04:00MayNoWriMo Day 28I hit 50,000 words today!<br />
<br />
That was pretty much the only writing bright spot of the day. I have hit a slump, y'all. Every minute of writing was painful and everything I wrote sucked.<br />
<br />
Just keepin' it real. Writing this novel has been mostly rainbows and sunshine and sexytimes, but today it was a slog.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-82449858187753259232017-05-26T19:53:00.002-04:002017-05-26T19:55:31.357-04:00MayNoWriMo Day 26I had another 2k+ day and am up to 47,450 words. Still a lot of smut going on over here.<br />
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I may need another plot-planning day soon, since I'm rapidly approaching the end of the results of my last plot-planning day. I just spent 15 minutes making a list of everything I can think of that needs to happen between now and the end, and then cutting and pasting them together in scene-groups and shuffling the scenes into rough order. It is far, FAR from done, but I do know what the next chapter after the one I'm writing now is going to be about, which is more than I knew half an hour ago.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-54416452341614337242017-05-24T20:52:00.001-04:002017-05-24T20:52:22.424-04:00MayNoWriMo Day 24One week left to the month! I wrote the NaNo bare minimum of ~1,700 today, and am up to 43,500. I just wrote a condom-buying scene that I <i>love</i> because I know what's coming later. *evil cackle*Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-51799525600749055282017-05-23T21:56:00.002-04:002017-05-23T21:56:16.831-04:00MayNoWriMo Day 23I wrote 3,000 words today, and am at 41,750 words for the month.<br />
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Today I everything I wrote was smut.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-59853952163649896542017-05-22T21:52:00.002-04:002017-05-22T21:52:20.432-04:00MayNoWriMo Day 2238,750 words, and I'm on the cusp of the big midpoint moment. Sexytimes ahoy! ;)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-13597198212839743682017-05-20T21:20:00.001-04:002017-05-20T21:20:19.474-04:00MayNoWriMo Day 20I'm at 34,400 words! I just finished a scene I loved loved loved writing. My couple aren't a couple yet (this is a slower burn Romance with the hook-up not occurring until the midpoint), and this is the first super-romantic scene I've written for them. They are standing in an empty, unheated farmhouse where Maize lived as a child, and Colin tells her about a time they met as kids that she's forgotten about. It was <i>so</i> much fun to write. *happy sigh*Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-7957277752604420152017-05-18T21:42:00.000-04:002017-05-18T21:42:29.362-04:00MayNoWriMo Day 18Yesterday was a thinking day. I wasn't happy with how I'd ended a chapter the day before, so I backed up and had a think about it. I knew the next 7-10K worth of stuff I wanted to have happen, but the puzzle pieces weren't coming together into a picture I was happy with.<br />
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I think I got it shuffled in the right order, and as of tonight I'm at 31,000 words. It's a clear path 'til the midpoint now. After that I may have to take another day to plot and think.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-26770681353050907242017-05-17T12:27:00.001-04:002017-05-17T12:28:49.817-04:00HookHere's the 150-word hook I wrote for Master of the Off-Chance. It's not as long as a query blurb, and it was hard to to convey a sense of character, setting, and conflict in that amount of space. And I really do not dig the last line, but I was sick of fiddling with it, so it's standing for now.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Maize Gersham is a second-generation hippie who’s been drifting though life like a bit of dandelion fluff on the wind, searching for the perfect place to put down roots. Nowhere could be more perfect than Eden House, the now-disbanded commune where she grew up, in the rural Vermont town of Hartfield. Maize blows back into Hartfield like a cloud of patchouli incense, planning to recreate the groovy utopia of her childhood— minus the messy love affairs that tore the commune apart. </span></span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">When Maize meets local boy Colin Grzeskiewicz, she doesn’t think much of him— just another cute redneck guy hoping for some free love. But there’s way more to Colin than a baseball cap, a pickup truck, and a great smile. And he’s determined to be her new best friend. </span></span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Now Maize has to decide what “perfect” really means when you’re talking about home and love.</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-44682960776235525742017-05-16T21:53:00.000-04:002017-05-16T21:53:37.987-04:00MayNoWriMo, Mid-Month Check InI'm above 29,000 now! Far short of my grand dreams of being at 40,000 by now, but hey-- it's 29,000 more than I would have gotten in the past two weeks if I hadn't tried this insane challenge.<br />
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I feel like I'm floundering around a little, plot-wise. I'm really curious to re-read this whole thing once I'm done and see how well it holds up. I've been devouring tons of contemporary Romance novels and novellas (only bothering with those rated A- or higher on <a href="http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/">Smart Bitches, Trashy Books</a>) on my laptop Kindle so I have some benchmark to measure against.<br />
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Oh, and I have a title (for now): <i>Master of the Off-Chance</i>.<br />
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I'm submitting a 150-word hook and the first 750 words to the Beta Project on Absolute Write, so if I'm feeling brave I'll post the hook here so you all can get a better picture of just how Romance-y this thing really is.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7793093200511950617.post-33703553885379226582017-05-13T20:51:00.002-04:002017-05-13T20:52:42.326-04:00MayNoWriMo Day 13I hit 25,000 words today, and am nearly 1/3 through the book.<br />
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There's no way I'm going to finish the draft by the end of the month... but now I know I can write a clean first draft at NaNo pace.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2