Exhalation: Stories (Ted Chiang) – A collection of science fiction short stories by the author who wrote the story that the movie Arrival is based on. I really liked the author’s writing style and the stories were interesting and thoughtful.
Legends and Lattes (Travis Baldree) – If you’ve heard anything about cozy fantasy in the past few years, you’ve heard about this book in which an orc, tired of the adventuring life, settles down to open the first coffee shop her city has seen. I did enjoy the lower stakes plot and the characters were likeable.
Kill the Farm Boy (Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne) – This was the only book that I disliked as a whole when I finished it. It’s supposed to be a sort of parody of The Princess Bride that critiques fantasy genre tropes, but it tries too hard, so it doesn’t end up being funny and falls into the stereotypes it’s supposed to be subverting.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Taylor Jenkins Reid) – At 79, Evelyn Hugo’s been married seven times and she’s ready to tell her story. The whole story. I picked up the book because it got positive reviews in internet book circles a few years ago and ended up liking it more than I thought I would.
Ask Again, Yes (Mary Beth Keane) – Another book that made the rounds on the internet. The plot follows two families whose fathers are both officers in the NYPD and how their lives become connected through the years. This was definitely a more serious read than some of the other books on the list, but I thought it was a worthwhile read.
The Invisible Library (Genevieve Cogman) – I discovered this book at my local library going up and down shelves looking for sci-fi/fantasy stickers on book spines. The premise is that librarians at a library that exists outside of time are tasked with protecting/collecting rare works of literature in alternate universes. On one such mission, a librarian and her new apprentice run into events that hint at a darker side of the library. Though some of the worldbuilding was a bit clunky, it was solid enough that I would read more in the series.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette? (Maria Semple) – An epistolatory novel about Bee, a middle schooler investigating where her mother Bernadette has gone after she disappears before a family trip to Antarctica. In general, I’ll give the book a positive review, because the parts satirizing the Seattle charter school parents and tech industry were funny. However, I found the “money will fix everything” attitude and breaking laws with few/no consequences annoying at times.
Lessons in Chemistry (Bonnie Garmus) – No self-respecting scientist I’ve ever met would unironically ask someone to pass the sodium chloride at the dinner table. That said, the struggles of a woman in STEM in the 60s still ring true today. Overall, I did like the book, I just think the main character in particular talks and acts like how someone who’s not a scientist thinks scientists should talk and act, which is not how scientists actually talk and act.
The Fifth Elephant and Night Watch (Terry Pratchett) – Still making my way through the Night Watch books. This time on the Discworld, Sam Vimes must travel to Uberwald, home to various dwarfs, werewolves, and vampires, as an official ambassador of Ankh-Morpock, to negotiate fat imports. Then, in Night Watch, the members of the City Watch remember a day years ago, when the Watch wasn’t what it is now, and Vimes does some time travelling. Pratchett’s as good as ever at blending elements of fantasy and science fiction with police procedurals and social commentary.
Making It So (Patrick Stewart) – I ended up with a copy of Patrick Stewart’s memoir, so I read it to see how Captain Picard came to the Enterprise. It was (surprisingly?) readable, and another book that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. I appreciate that he at least comes across as honest about the not-perfect parts of his life and doesn’t endlessly make excuses.
It Ends With Us (Colleen Hoover) – A romance book that went big thanks to TikTok. I don’t normally read romance, but on occasion I’ll pick up books that everyone was talking about a couple years ago to see if they live up to the hype (usually not, but some aren’t too bad). A mixed review from me for this one – some parts were handled well, others . . . were not.
Pumpkinheads (Rainbow Rowell) – A cute graphic novel about two high school seniors working their last day of their last fall at the pumpkin patch, getting ready for things to change, and not having regrets.
A Feast for Crows (George R. R. Martin) – He had a two-and-a-half-decade head start, but I’m catching up. This is where Martin had the brilliant idea to just . . . not talk about half his characters for an entire book. I’m not as bothered by this choice as some people, but you can’t deny it’s a bit of an odd decision. This is where you also start wondering how everything’s going to come to a nice, tidy conclusion in only 2,000 or so more pages.
Evvie Drake Starts Over (Linda Holmes) – My last book of the year and my last “the internet made me read it” book. It’s a Hallmark movie in written form. Not bad, but nothing I’m going to rave about.
Despite how it may sound, I did enjoy most of what I read in 2024; I just happened to pick up a number of books that were/are widely popular but normally aren’t the first books I’d reach for. Having said that, I borrowed another book from the library that the internet seemed to like. I believe it can be classified as a romance book, so we’ll see how it goes.
No comments:
Post a Comment