A year of catching up
This year blew last year out of the water. Not difficult, I'll admit. 2011 did a lot of making up for 2010 while I struggled to get my head on straight, reclaim my life, and deal with things. I talk about Dad because he was so formative of my life, and his death doesn't mean I should avoid those anecdotes.
Things get awkward when I mention his death because other people then feel the need to apologize and give their condolences, even if they already have. But I'm not mentioning it for pity or sympathy, but because that single even has become a defining pivot around which the rest of my life now swings. I don't want to resort to euphemisms (they feel cheap and fake to me) or avoid the subject altogether (avoidance is unhealthy, and Dad would be the first to say it's impossible to make me shut up).
So spread the word: death is a necessary part of life and it will occasionally come up in my conversation. Don't try to walk on eggshells or feel sorry for me because my dad died; I'm hardly unique that way. There are plenty of people out there who need that sympathy and empathy. Please, give it to them.
Months back, I started keeping one of those lists of 101 goals I hope to complete in 1001 days. The list is incomplete and I've never quite figured out when the 1001st day falls, but I've managed to cross quite a few items off it over the past couple months. It's an excellent feeling. And no, I won't post the list here.
But I did manage to read 100 books this year. Over 100, in fact.
98. Grimspace, Ann Aguire
The most tech-light SF I've ever read, also not heavy on the world details (which feels more on account of the first-person narration, because some things it wouldn't occur to her to explain). These may sound like negative aspects, but they work very well. The story is all about the characters, and I love the narrator's voice. I want to get my hands on the sequel.
99. Legacy, Jeanne C. Stein
Paranormal romance, though the vampire main character doesn't exactly have a romance going on. She has books before and books after, though, so I'll cut some slack on the details. It was fun, and decent fluff.
100. Servant: The Awakening, L.L. Foster
One of the amazing ones. Urban fantasy that escapes the paranormal romance genre by the skin of its teeth. Actually, I think it might be classified as PR, but the main character never sleeps with the love interest. Then again, it fits because she's a paladin. Have I mentioned how awesomely kick-ass it is? The premise is unique and fantastic, and I think I hope the sequels are just as good.
101. Flesh and Stone, Vickie Taylor
Paranormal romance, picked up because one of the main characters is a gargoyle and I wanted to know how the author wrote that and handled that. There were a few times in the course of the story I wanted to call deus ex machina, but it was fun all the same. I'm reassured that my gargoyle story is safe from any considerations of copycat. Or will be, whenever I write it.
102. The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick
Mid-grade YA and AMAZING. I believe this book is the one the movie Hugo is based on. It's a very, very fat book, made so by the pictures. I can't call them illustrations, because they aren't there to illustrate the text. They tell as much of the story (if not more) than the text does. It's a fast read, which is good when coming up for air feels like being jolted from a dream.
103. Night Lost, Lynn Viehl
Paranormal romance with an end twist that I actually didn't see coming, even though it was set up very clearly. I didn't like the jumping between characters beyond the main couple. The plot required it, but I think the books set in this universe would be much better and more appealing with the focus taken off of the romance and made into a solid urban fantasy series.
104. Jewel of Atlantis, Gena Showalter
Paranormal romance; fun with an interesting premise, involving Atlantis and gods and modern day.
105. The Smoke Thief, Shana Abé
A Regency paranormal romance. With DRAGONS. Probably the best true romance novel I've read in a while, if not ever.
106. No Laughter Here, Rita Williams-Garcia
Mid-grade YA that's probably banned in some schools. Fantastic, and mind-blowing, and heartbreaking, and hopeful, all at once. The narrator is a 10 year old girl living in New York, and it's about her best friend and female genital mutilation. Read it.
107. Deadline, Chris Crutcher
Another must-read. Upper-grade YA. The main character has just turned 18, entering his senior year of high school, and finds out he has an aggressive blood disease that is almost certainly terminal, even with treatment that would make him at least as sick as the disease. He decides to opt for quality of life and refuses treatment, while at the same time refusing even to tell his family that he has a year, at most. It is beautiful and heartbreaking, and I'm so glad this book exists.
Things get awkward when I mention his death because other people then feel the need to apologize and give their condolences, even if they already have. But I'm not mentioning it for pity or sympathy, but because that single even has become a defining pivot around which the rest of my life now swings. I don't want to resort to euphemisms (they feel cheap and fake to me) or avoid the subject altogether (avoidance is unhealthy, and Dad would be the first to say it's impossible to make me shut up).
So spread the word: death is a necessary part of life and it will occasionally come up in my conversation. Don't try to walk on eggshells or feel sorry for me because my dad died; I'm hardly unique that way. There are plenty of people out there who need that sympathy and empathy. Please, give it to them.
Months back, I started keeping one of those lists of 101 goals I hope to complete in 1001 days. The list is incomplete and I've never quite figured out when the 1001st day falls, but I've managed to cross quite a few items off it over the past couple months. It's an excellent feeling. And no, I won't post the list here.
But I did manage to read 100 books this year. Over 100, in fact.
98. Grimspace, Ann Aguire
The most tech-light SF I've ever read, also not heavy on the world details (which feels more on account of the first-person narration, because some things it wouldn't occur to her to explain). These may sound like negative aspects, but they work very well. The story is all about the characters, and I love the narrator's voice. I want to get my hands on the sequel.
99. Legacy, Jeanne C. Stein
Paranormal romance, though the vampire main character doesn't exactly have a romance going on. She has books before and books after, though, so I'll cut some slack on the details. It was fun, and decent fluff.
100. Servant: The Awakening, L.L. Foster
One of the amazing ones. Urban fantasy that escapes the paranormal romance genre by the skin of its teeth. Actually, I think it might be classified as PR, but the main character never sleeps with the love interest. Then again, it fits because she's a paladin. Have I mentioned how awesomely kick-ass it is? The premise is unique and fantastic, and I think I hope the sequels are just as good.
101. Flesh and Stone, Vickie Taylor
Paranormal romance, picked up because one of the main characters is a gargoyle and I wanted to know how the author wrote that and handled that. There were a few times in the course of the story I wanted to call deus ex machina, but it was fun all the same. I'm reassured that my gargoyle story is safe from any considerations of copycat. Or will be, whenever I write it.
102. The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick
Mid-grade YA and AMAZING. I believe this book is the one the movie Hugo is based on. It's a very, very fat book, made so by the pictures. I can't call them illustrations, because they aren't there to illustrate the text. They tell as much of the story (if not more) than the text does. It's a fast read, which is good when coming up for air feels like being jolted from a dream.
103. Night Lost, Lynn Viehl
Paranormal romance with an end twist that I actually didn't see coming, even though it was set up very clearly. I didn't like the jumping between characters beyond the main couple. The plot required it, but I think the books set in this universe would be much better and more appealing with the focus taken off of the romance and made into a solid urban fantasy series.
104. Jewel of Atlantis, Gena Showalter
Paranormal romance; fun with an interesting premise, involving Atlantis and gods and modern day.
105. The Smoke Thief, Shana Abé
A Regency paranormal romance. With DRAGONS. Probably the best true romance novel I've read in a while, if not ever.
106. No Laughter Here, Rita Williams-Garcia
Mid-grade YA that's probably banned in some schools. Fantastic, and mind-blowing, and heartbreaking, and hopeful, all at once. The narrator is a 10 year old girl living in New York, and it's about her best friend and female genital mutilation. Read it.
107. Deadline, Chris Crutcher
Another must-read. Upper-grade YA. The main character has just turned 18, entering his senior year of high school, and finds out he has an aggressive blood disease that is almost certainly terminal, even with treatment that would make him at least as sick as the disease. He decides to opt for quality of life and refuses treatment, while at the same time refusing even to tell his family that he has a year, at most. It is beautiful and heartbreaking, and I'm so glad this book exists.