2012 Books 38-58
I meant to post my final tally on 2012 books closer to the New Year, but moving does funny things to time. My final tally on 2012 was 58 books. Far fewer than 2011, but well, I bought a house and spent much of the last 2 months of the year doing stuff related to buying and moving into a house. I still did well, since my goal had been 50 books.
The books below are listed in order in which I finished them. Last year I started tracking all my books in Goodreads, which has helped me a lot.
38. The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum. I picked this for my book club. It was a re-read, and still very interesting. (I wasn't able to host book club last summer because of a shoulder injury, and then well, moving and such, so I plan to host within the next few months.) A nonfiction account of the professionalization of the NYC coroner's office in the early 20th century. Includes interesting discussion of the creation of a lot of chemistry to detect poisons (a popular method for disposing of someone back in the day).
39. New York: The Novel by Edward Rutherford. Similar to Michener, a novel centering around a location over a very long span of time (in this case, several hundred years, following two families and how they intersect over time). I've enjoyed the books of Rutherford's I've read, this was no exception.
40. Up Jumps the Devil by Michael Poore. A terrific first novel about the adventures of John Scratch, AKA the Devil in 20th c. America. He's really a misunderstood guy who's looking for love. (Much in the vein of the writings of Christopher Moore.)
41. Among Others by Jo Walton. Winner of the Hugo and Nebulas, and nominated for a World Fantasy. The story of a young girl escaping from a troubled childhood into SF/F.
42. The Time in Between by Maria Duenas. A young seamstress leaves WWII-era Madrid to follow her (con man) lover to Morocco. After he cons her and leaves her penniless, she finds herself in a position to act as a spy on Nazi wives, while whipping up the latest couture for them. This was a terrific historical fiction.
43. Straying from the Path by Carrie Vaughn. I've long been a fan of Carrie Vaughn, I'll read anything she writes. A short story collection.
44. Eon by Alison Goodman. YA fantasy novel about a young girl who has to pose as a boy in order to be able to work with dragons. If her identity is discovered, she risks death. Only, it turns out that her real identity is what is needed in order to bring all the dragons together, esp since her masters have overthrown the emperor and want to rule in his place. I have the followup book which I'll probably bust out soon. Excellent book.
45. The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie. The story of a mysterious beauty thought to possess great magic trying to find her own way in a world ruled by men. Setting is Renaissance Florence and the Mughal capital at the height of its power. I enjoyed this book quite a bit.
46. City of Light by Lauren Belfer. A first novel, murder mystery set in Buffalo at the beginning of the 20th c. when Niagara Falls is being tamed, and how it all centers around the headmistress at a private school. I started out liking this book, but it got a little tedious for me. I also guessed fairly early on some things I'm not sure I was meant to guess. There was good research in this novel, but the novel could have been tightened up to be a better book.
47. The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa. A YA book, 2nd in a series, about a young human girl who discovers she's half fairy, and worse, the daughter of Oberon. She has to deal with all the intrigue at the same time helping fight an encroachment of the Iron Kingdom into the lands of Fairy (which will destroy it). I've liked both books in this series so far.
48. The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn. A new urban fantasy about a shape shifter and the human woman who is in love with him.
49. Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest. Priest's first novel, in the Southern Gothic tradition. A young woman, orphaned at birth, is visited by spirits of her ancestors who help her to solve a family mystery, while also trying to avoid being killed by a maniacal cousin.
50. The Maker of Universers by Philip Jose Farmer. I got this as part of a gift exchange. Old school worlds of wonder SF. But it's a good thing it was relatively short, it didn't do much for me.
51. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. A debut novel, very good, about a circus that mysteriously appears only at night, and about the deadly game that fuels its founding and very existence. This book wasn't marketed as fantasy, although it could and should have been.
52. Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. Part of my desire to read classics. Didn't do much for me, mostly because I found Faustus to be an arrogant asshole who deserved what he got.
53. Gordath Wood by Patrice Sarath.
54. Unwind, by Neal Shusterman. YA novel in a world where every child is born, but can be unwound before they turn 18 if the parents so chose. Only, what if the child in question doesn't want to be unwound? Excellent book. I need to get the next in the series.
55. Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear. Continuing adventures of Maisie Dobbs, PI (in post-WWI London). I enjoy this series very much.
56. The Drowning City by Amanda Downum.
57. Dead Iron by Devon Monk. Steampunk fantasy, with werewolves, all kinds of bad supernaturals, and a god who plans to destroy our world so he can return to his own. The first of a series, very enjoyable.
58. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I did not like this book at all. The heroine is the Mary Suest Mary Sue that ever Mary Sued. A lot of crap wrapped around the kernel of a good story. Needed some serious editing, a lot fewer infodumps, and honestly, I'm so sick and tired of writers trying to write strong female characters who always need to be (literally) saved by a man. It's a sad state of affairs that a piece of pablum like this becomes a NY Times bestseller.
The books below are listed in order in which I finished them. Last year I started tracking all my books in Goodreads, which has helped me a lot.
38. The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum. I picked this for my book club. It was a re-read, and still very interesting. (I wasn't able to host book club last summer because of a shoulder injury, and then well, moving and such, so I plan to host within the next few months.) A nonfiction account of the professionalization of the NYC coroner's office in the early 20th century. Includes interesting discussion of the creation of a lot of chemistry to detect poisons (a popular method for disposing of someone back in the day).
39. New York: The Novel by Edward Rutherford. Similar to Michener, a novel centering around a location over a very long span of time (in this case, several hundred years, following two families and how they intersect over time). I've enjoyed the books of Rutherford's I've read, this was no exception.
40. Up Jumps the Devil by Michael Poore. A terrific first novel about the adventures of John Scratch, AKA the Devil in 20th c. America. He's really a misunderstood guy who's looking for love. (Much in the vein of the writings of Christopher Moore.)
41. Among Others by Jo Walton. Winner of the Hugo and Nebulas, and nominated for a World Fantasy. The story of a young girl escaping from a troubled childhood into SF/F.
42. The Time in Between by Maria Duenas. A young seamstress leaves WWII-era Madrid to follow her (con man) lover to Morocco. After he cons her and leaves her penniless, she finds herself in a position to act as a spy on Nazi wives, while whipping up the latest couture for them. This was a terrific historical fiction.
43. Straying from the Path by Carrie Vaughn. I've long been a fan of Carrie Vaughn, I'll read anything she writes. A short story collection.
44. Eon by Alison Goodman. YA fantasy novel about a young girl who has to pose as a boy in order to be able to work with dragons. If her identity is discovered, she risks death. Only, it turns out that her real identity is what is needed in order to bring all the dragons together, esp since her masters have overthrown the emperor and want to rule in his place. I have the followup book which I'll probably bust out soon. Excellent book.
45. The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie. The story of a mysterious beauty thought to possess great magic trying to find her own way in a world ruled by men. Setting is Renaissance Florence and the Mughal capital at the height of its power. I enjoyed this book quite a bit.
46. City of Light by Lauren Belfer. A first novel, murder mystery set in Buffalo at the beginning of the 20th c. when Niagara Falls is being tamed, and how it all centers around the headmistress at a private school. I started out liking this book, but it got a little tedious for me. I also guessed fairly early on some things I'm not sure I was meant to guess. There was good research in this novel, but the novel could have been tightened up to be a better book.
47. The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa. A YA book, 2nd in a series, about a young human girl who discovers she's half fairy, and worse, the daughter of Oberon. She has to deal with all the intrigue at the same time helping fight an encroachment of the Iron Kingdom into the lands of Fairy (which will destroy it). I've liked both books in this series so far.
48. The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn. A new urban fantasy about a shape shifter and the human woman who is in love with him.
49. Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest. Priest's first novel, in the Southern Gothic tradition. A young woman, orphaned at birth, is visited by spirits of her ancestors who help her to solve a family mystery, while also trying to avoid being killed by a maniacal cousin.
50. The Maker of Universers by Philip Jose Farmer. I got this as part of a gift exchange. Old school worlds of wonder SF. But it's a good thing it was relatively short, it didn't do much for me.
51. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. A debut novel, very good, about a circus that mysteriously appears only at night, and about the deadly game that fuels its founding and very existence. This book wasn't marketed as fantasy, although it could and should have been.
52. Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. Part of my desire to read classics. Didn't do much for me, mostly because I found Faustus to be an arrogant asshole who deserved what he got.
53. Gordath Wood by Patrice Sarath.
54. Unwind, by Neal Shusterman. YA novel in a world where every child is born, but can be unwound before they turn 18 if the parents so chose. Only, what if the child in question doesn't want to be unwound? Excellent book. I need to get the next in the series.
55. Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear. Continuing adventures of Maisie Dobbs, PI (in post-WWI London). I enjoy this series very much.
56. The Drowning City by Amanda Downum.
57. Dead Iron by Devon Monk. Steampunk fantasy, with werewolves, all kinds of bad supernaturals, and a god who plans to destroy our world so he can return to his own. The first of a series, very enjoyable.
58. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I did not like this book at all. The heroine is the Mary Suest Mary Sue that ever Mary Sued. A lot of crap wrapped around the kernel of a good story. Needed some serious editing, a lot fewer infodumps, and honestly, I'm so sick and tired of writers trying to write strong female characters who always need to be (literally) saved by a man. It's a sad state of affairs that a piece of pablum like this becomes a NY Times bestseller.