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diff --git a/content/pages/reading.md b/content/pages/reading.md index 4e1bf2b..4b73ed3 100644 --- a/content/pages/reading.md +++ b/content/pages/reading.md @@ -1,55 +1,71 @@ Title: reading Status: published -# Here Are Some Books I've Read +# Books I've Read -This isn't a complete list. I don't want to brag, but I've been reading since I was like 7. I only recently came up with the idea to jot down some thoughts about books I've completed. Actually, I say I came up with the idea, but really I stole it from [elly.town](https://elly.town/). +This isn't a complete list. Not to brag, but I've been reading since I was like 7 years old. I only recently came up with the idea to keep track of books I've read and to jot down my feelings (50 words or fewer) about them. I say I came up with the idea, but really I stole it from [elly.town](https://elly.town/). -These may contain mild spoilers, but I won't go heavy into the plot without further warning. +These may contain extemely mild spoilers, but I won't go heavy into the plot. + +### Stars + +Putting a star rating on each "review" just felt right. I'm not going to go crazy with it, though. Below is the explanation of my 3-star system. I will make no effort to balance or normalize my ratings. + + - ★★★ = I implore you to try this book. + - ★★ = I consider this book decent way to spend time on Earth. + - ★ = I managed to get through this book. ## 2024 -This is the first year I started writing these, so from here on out the reactions are close to live. +This is the first year I started writing down my thoughts, so from here on out the opinions are at their freshest. + +1. __*Fugitive Telemetry* by Martha Wells__ - *Murderbot Diaries* #5. Murderbot *and* a murder mystery? Be still my beating heart! This is a great entry in the series. I love our main character being out of its element and how it handles relationships with new humans. This might be my favorite *Murderbot* book. ★★★ -1. __*Fugitive Telemetry* by Martha Wells__ - +1. __*Animorphs: The Invasion* by K. A. Applegate__ - I never read *The Animorphs* when I was young, though I always wanted to. As an adult, the first book definitely kept me reading, though it definitely is for younger audiences. Still, it hits on some heavy themes and has some real shining moments. ★★★ + +1. __*Animorphs: he Vistor* by K. A. Applegate__ - I immediately wanted to continue the series. They're short, digestible page-turners, and this second book does not disappoint. I like that we get a new protagonist and I enjoyed more time with animals and with the aliens. Also, this installment definitley cranks up the tension. ★★★ + +1. __*Johnny Mnemonic* by William Gibson__ - Just the short story, but I'm counting it. I found the story very engaging, especially compared to the movie (which I do like). Gibson is great at descriptions, and all the old-future tech is just wonderful. ★★★ ## 2023 -I decided to go back over my 2023 reading to kind of get the ball rolling on these. +I decided to go back over my 2023 reading so that I would have a solid foundation to work from. These are based on my memory. + +1. __*Pests* by Bethany Brookshire__ - This was a very interesting book. I learned a lot from it. While it wasn't always nice to hear about what happens to animals we deem pests, I think it's something important for us to learn about if we're going to share this world with them. ★★★ -1. __*Pests* by Bethany Brookshire__ - +1. __*Exit Strategy* by Martha Wells__ - *Murderbot* #4. I am definitively not advising anyone to pass on a Murderbot installment, but this is the one I remember the least. Still, it has wonderful moments, important relationship developments, and catches up with some old characters. ★★★ -1. __*Artemis* by Andy Weir__ - +1. __*Artemis* by Andy Weir__ - I love love loved *The Martian*. This is a pretty good follow-up. Cool setting and realistic science-fiction. Some of the events felt more contrived in this setting than in the dire position of its predecessor. That's a small criticism on an overall good plot, though. ★★ -1. __*We Are Legion (We Are Bob)* by Dennis E. Taylor__ - +1. __*We Are Legion (We Are Bob)* by Dennis E. Taylor__ - A friend gifted me this book. The concepts of conciousness and space exploration really carried the whole read for me. The very beginning needed another editing pass, and some of the story felt lacking. But I enjoyed it. I hear there are more in the series now. ★★ -1. __*Harrow the Ninth* by Tamsyn Muir__ - +1. __*Harrow the Ninth* by Tamsyn Muir__ - The second book in the series, this one cranks up the weird and queer from *Gideon*. I was happy to learn more about the emperor and of how immortal beings can still be human. Great twists, still funny. I learned so many words for bones. ★★★ -1. __*The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow* by Cory Doctorow__ - +1. __*The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow* by Cory Doctorow__ - I think this might be considered a short story. It's kind of a weird vision of the future that hits some high concepts. The story is not really happy, and is honestly uncomfortable in some ways. ★★ -1. __*The Man in the High Castle* by Philip K Dick__ - +1. __*The Man in the High Castle* by Philip K Dick__ - I picked this up from the library stacks because I knew the title. The bit I read while standing there captivated me. It's a strange, post-WWII alternate history. Some parts have definitely aged, and I distinctly remember realizing one of the perspectives is not a good person. ★★★ -1. __*Persephone Station* by Stina Leicht__ - +1. __*Persephone Station* by Stina Leicht__ - Found on the "staff picks" shelf at my library. It has *so many* characters. The story is fun and fanciful, and I really liked the sci-fi elements. I also cared about what happened to those characters. In the end, I was left wanting but happy. ★★★ -1. __*Murder in Mesopotamia* by Agatha Christie__ - +1. __*Murder in Mesopotamia* by Agatha Christie__ - I adore Poirot. My grandma watched the PBS series when I was young, so that how I picture him when I read. The books are certainly of their time, so be ready for outdated terminology and ideas. This one is a good mystery with satisfyng moments. ★★ -1. __*Network Effect* by Martha Wells__ - +1. __*Network Effect* by Martha Wells__ - The *Murderbot Diaries* novel. Big surprise, I loved it. Page-turning action, characteristically-good humor, and interpersonal drama the likes of which I never thought would keep my interest. I empathize so much with Murderbot (don't read into that statement unless you've read the books). And there was a good space twist. ★★★ -1. __*Kaiju Preservation Society* by John Scalzi__ - +1. __*Kaiju Preservation Society* by John Scalzi__ - Another random library find. I picked it up because I've always liked Godzilla and other giant monsters. It's a fun book, definitely rooted in a certain recent historical era, and there sure is some drama. But I mostly enjoyed just escaping into the world it created. ★★★ ## 2022 -While looking at my 2023 books, I realized that I started two kind of major book series for me in 2022. So here they are. +While going through my 2023 list, I realized that I started two kind of major-to-me book series in 2022. So I feel like I should do that year, too. -1. __*Sourcery* by Sir Terry Pratchett__ - My third read in the Discworld series. Pratchett's writing is just so fun. No other author makes me stop and re-read something just because it's so funny. Even though I don't usually like "powerful child" storylines, I got into this one. I want start the Death storyline next. I love him as a character. +1. __*Sourcery* by Sir Terry Pratchett__ - My third read in the Discworld series. Pratchett's writing is just so fun. No other author makes me stop and re-read something just because it's so funny. Even though I don't usually like "powerful child" storylines, I got into this one. I want start the Death storyline next. ★★ -1. __*How To* by Randall Munroe__ - +1. __*How To* by Randall Munroe__ - I'd enjoyed XKCD and the associated "What If?" blog for probably a decade before I read this book. Still, the first "What If?" book was transformative for me. This book had a similar effect, if just a slight step down. Still really fun and educational. ★★ -1. __*All Systems Red* by Martha Wells__ - +1. __*All Systems Red* by Martha Wells__ - *Murderbot Diaries* #1. A killing machine goes rogue but doesn't kill everyone. It just wants to watch its soaps and be left alone. I read this on a recommendation from a friend, and it was spot-on. I adore this book. The humor, action, and novella-length are perfect for me. ★★★ -1. __*Gideon the Ninth* by Tamsyn Muir__ - +1. __*Gideon the Ninth* by Tamsyn Muir__ - A heavier undertaking recommended by the same friend. Described to me as, "Lesbian, sword-fighting necromancers in space." It took work to get into, but I'm glad I put in the effort. Dark, weird, funny, and queer, in all the best ways. It blew my mind and expanded my anatomical knowledge. ★★★ -1. __*Artificial Condition* by Martha Wells__ - +1. __*Artificial Condition* by Martha Wells__ - The second book of the *Murderbot* series. I almost wrote that parts of this book were forgettable, then I remembered what actually happens. This entry is a great expansion on what was becoming my favorite literary character and introduces some key concepts of the universe around it. And it's funny. ★★★ -1. __*Rogue Protocol* by Martha Wells__ - +1. __*Rogue Protocol* by Martha Wells__ - *Murderbot* #3. I was speeding through this at this point. Relatively, at least. I'm a slow reader. I feel like this book did more universe-building, but there are also crucial moments for our protagonist. ★★★ |