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Thank every deity in all genre fiction, 2020 is over!

What are you reading to celebrate?

Instead of merely linking to a book/review, please tell us a little bit about the book(s) to give us something to grab onto for further discussion.

Also check out Group Book Discussions if you're reading a book that's on the group shelf. Even if it's a book the group read several years ago, you're very welcome to add to the discussion!

The New Moon's Arms! Well I'm about to start it later today :)

I have a tendency to drop off posting in this thread much, but it’s a new year so I’ll try again. :) Right now I’m reading through the Kushiel’s Universe books by Jacqueline Carey. This is the series that starts with Kushiel's Dart from our group shelf.

It has a lot more sex and relationship stuff than I normally enjoy in my books, but I’m enjoying it anyway. There’s also a lot of political intrigue, great characters, and interesting storylines. I’m on the last book in the second of three trilogies, book 6 of 9. So far, I think I like this trilogy the best of the two I've read. I really like the main character in it.

My current book will take me a while since I just started it yesterday and it’s a little under 700 pages, but I plan to join in on the group read for The Best of All Possible Worlds after I finish this one.

Happy new year everyone.

I am currently reading The Dragon Republic and The Forever War.

still working on Great North Road = 70%
and
Birds of Prey = (47%)
The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Two = 25%

after Birds of Prey, I'll dive into the first of my challenge books Eight Cousins for #8. And another is in the anthology of short stories and is written by Xia Jia for my X

I'm *finally* doing Fifth Season (as a Buddy Read)! I used ILL to get a paper copy of the book, which should make it much easier for me to face.

In another group we're trying to do Don Quixote as a BR. Wish us luck!

Happy 2021! =)

I started off the year with Comeback. It was a fitting choice for a variety of reasons. The Parker series had ended with the Butcher's Moon. Comeback is the book of the revival to the series.

Most of the Parker series is on Audible Plus. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the books. Richard Stark/Donald Westlake has a deft hand with vignettes. He can make a scene or character come alive in a handful of paragraphs or pages. If you're in the mood for a crime/heist stories, this will fit the bill.

Currently Reading:
The Black Hawks #1 by David Wragg
The Emperor's Wolves #1 by Michelle Sagara
The Wandering Inn: Volume 3 by Pirateaba (Website)

Happy New Year everyone!

My first book of the year wasThe Other Side of the Sky by Amie Kaufman. Definitely YA but still a good read. Some interesting conflicts between magic and science and there's a brilliant cat called Bindle.

My review: /review/show...

you can now! discussion threads are up!

“The Man Who Bridged the Mist�� by Kij Johnson. Winner of the 2012 Hugo and Nebula for best novella. Can you build a bridge across the mist which is like a living organism dividing the country? This book was like a science fiction portrayal of “Pillars of the Earth�� by Ken Follett.

Bones of the Past by Drew Hayes Still plugging along (It is, after all, 840 pages.)

I'm starting the New Year, continuing the The Wise Man's Fear and now I am worried I should have waited til we for sure get the third book! Also I started When Fox is a Thousand for the Amazin' Eights Challenge which has a promising great start!

Tianna wrote: "Just finished Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and absolutely loved it! Finally found a gothic novel I really enjoyed - the characters and atmosphere were everything! Five sta..."

I loved Mexican Gothic too! I got the hardcover for the holidays, the cover is beautiful. I think I will re read it in October of this year.

it's in my TBR pile

@CBR retriever I hope you like GREAT MORTH ROAD. I know it’s a door stopper but I love Hamilton for combining space opera/alien “bug hunt�� with police procedural here.

it is good and I've made it to 74% now. I've also started Eight Cousins (not SF&F) for the Alphabet challenge

Already have too much going on : working on the doorstop Oathbringer, When fox is 1000, plus a Peter grant book on audio, and my hold of Addie Larue just came in from the library eek!

So for the start of the year, I am working on:
A Closed and Common Orbit


A fun book and a great squeal.

Seven Days In January: With the 6th SS Mountain Division in Operation Nordwind


This is perhaps the best first-person battle book I have ever read. I am just about halfway through.

Libriomancer


An interesting take on how magic works, but a book I am sort of working my way through and enjoying less than I would have thought.

The Mythology and History of Witchcraft: 25 Books of Sorcery, Demonology & Supernatural: The Wonders of the Invisible World, Salem Witchcraft, Lives of the Necromancers, Modern Magic, Witch Stories��


Well to be honest I am not quite two percent done with this book. It is going to be my major effort of the year it would seem.

The Allies: Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin, and the Unlikely Alliance That Won World War II


An interesting parallel look at the lives of the Major leaders of the Allied Nations in WWII. An easy and enjoyable read.

I finished The Best of All Possible Worlds and it was a great start to the year for me. I also read Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce. I'm planning to read the rest of that quartet among some other new reads. Looking forward to getting started on my many challenges!

Anna wrote: "The New Moon's Arms! Well I'm about to start it later today :)"

I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of this. I need to figure out what my next Hopkinson read will be!

My first book of the year was Lock In by Scalzi, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It fulfills a couple of challenges (SFFBC bookshelf and Alphabet), which is also nice.

I read Letters from Father Christmas by Tolkien, which was fun. Cute stories and drawings done with such love and care. The actual letters are beautiful to look at.

Now I’m going to listen to Fate of the Fallen and read A Memory Called Empire (a buddy read with my cousin). Also reading Who Let the Gods Out, a middle grade for a challenge, which my son loved.

Diane, did you notice in Lock In that (view spoiler)[it is not clear what the MC's gender is? (hide spoiler)]

Continuing my journey through SF and fantasy books that I already have for years on my shelves, and never had time or will to read them. Now I have a streak of anthologies with short stories - last year I've finished some anthologies that included Polish authors and now I am reading The Mammoth Book Of Science Fiction which in Poland is split to 2 volumes. I am surprised, how much more I enjoy the older stories than the newer ones. Not a bad start of 2021 by far :)

Soo wrote: "Diane, did you notice in Lock In that [spoilers removed]"

I think that was discussed in very much detail when the group read it!

Lock In >> First impressions | Final thoughts & Series

Kaa wrote: "Anna wrote: "The New Moon's Arms! Well I'm about to start it later today :)"

I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of this."

I'm not finished yet, but I'm loving it. It's shaping up to be my second favorite after Midnight Robber. Much less distressing, but I love the protagonist and Nalo's way of making me feel like I can practically touch the setting. I don't know what it is about the Caribbean creole languages that completely draws me in, but on audiobook (the narrator is good) it's like I'm there, feeling and living every moment. I've never been anywhere near the Caribbean, and as far as I know never met anyone who speaks Caribbean creole, and yet I feel in my bones as if I am this woman. Nalo is just so good!

I’m reading “Mistborn�� by Brandon Sanderson and “A Lupita le gustaba planchar�� by Laura Esquivel.

I'm reading The Krytos Trap for my Star Wars X-Wing re-read and Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War: Authorized Edition by Che Guevara and a role-playing rulebook. I try to tell myself my taste in books is eclectic, but maybe I just can't decide what to read... ;)

Soo wrote: "Happy 2021! =)

I started off the year with Comeback. It was a fitting choice for a variety of reasons. The Parker series had ended with the Butcher's Moon. Comeback is ..."

Those Richard Stark Parker novels are among my favourites. I reread them last year. My last book of 2020 was Help, I Am Being Held Prisoner, a sort of comic caper story by the same author (under his real name). Quite enjoyable.

I am currently reading The Moonstone, which I read once years ago but have mainly forgotten. Also Free Live Free for a challenge.

I'm reading The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse

I love Hesse! I read several in German when I was younger but have t read the Glass Bead Game.

I'm planning on reading some NK Jemisin books this year

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix I could not resist this title!!! It's probably YA but definitely very readable for anyone who remembers the 1980's and therefore understands the many references.

My review /review/show...

I was hoping it was OK Phrynne. When it came out I was walking past it in Big W and just picked it up and bought it. Don’t know why. Impulse buy.

Still slogging through The Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow. Nearly halfway. As I said before...it’s good but it’s just not keeping my attention. Then again nothing is keeping my attention lately.

Knight Watch by Tim Akers

I just finished Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith. After complaining (unfairly - because I hadn't read it yet - that it was too long), it's now one of my forever favorites. I loved it. I hope to find something as good - and as long - it's over 900 pages - but in the meantime I'm jonesing so re-reading it. :)

I'm trying to finish up a couple leftovers from last year:

Norwegian Wood. Part of why this is taking me so long is probably my expectations going into it. I love Murakami's other stuff which is much more magical realism than this.

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. I got this book on Audible and I love Jennifer Hale's narration, so I'm determined to slog through it, but wow is it bad. I see all these reviews about how much research Paolini put in and how it's such an epic sci-fi adventure, and I just feel like I'm not reading the same book. Paolini majorly needed an editor on this. I do not need 32 cryptic dream sequences in weirdly flowery language. I need well developed (or I'd even settle for just consistent) characters and an actual plot that makes sense and goes somewhere.

The Boneless Mercies. This one just keeps getting shoved aside in favor of books withe deadlines, but I'm actually enjoying it. :)

Finally finished Great North Road and it became more and more interesting towards the end. Now I'm on to the Elaki series starting with Alien Blues which is also a "romans policier"

Just finished reading Remnant Population and I loved it so much. I want to be just like Ofelia when I'm 80+

RemPop! 😍

HeyT wrote: "Just finished reading Remnant Population and I loved it so much. I want to be just like Ofelia when I'm 80+"

That sounds really good. My TBR is getting longer and longer!

Phrynne wrote: "HeyT wrote: "Just finished reading Remnant Population and I loved it so much. I want to be just like Ofelia when I'm 80+"

That sounds really good. My TBR is getting longer and longer!"

It's excellent!

I really loved it too.

Currently reading some indie authors and some YA to see if it's good for the kid (he's an advanced ten year old so some YA works and some doesn't for him).
So it's Webley and the World Machines (halfway through still hoping it gets better)
Mortal Engines
Starship Ass.

Remnant Population has totally just been added to my TBR too though...I'm sure I'll get through all 100+on that list this year lol

currently reading ACOTAR by Sarah J Maas and then I'm planning to read The Bone Ships by R.J Barker

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. Such a short book after the size of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. It is like a hybrid mystery/ fantasy which suited me absolutely!
My review: /review/show...

I’m reading Five Weeks in a Balloon, by Jules Verne.

Finally finished The Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow. I was thinking three and a half stars. Might round it up. It’s a good book. I just haven’t been that interested in reading. Today it’s raining and I came back to bed and ignored the world so I could get it finished.

In case you haven't signed up for the 2021 SFFBC challenges, here's your reminder to do so! First time participating? Here's how it works (on the desktop site):

- Make a new shelf for the challenge: My Books -> Edit -> type in name -> Add -> Click on any options you (don't) want -> I'm Done

- If you're participating in several challenges, make a separate shelf for each

- Copy the name of the shelf (spaces don't work, so copy/paste is the safest)

- Sign up for the challenge using the copied shelf name

- Add books to the shelf (in advance or as you start/finish reading), and make sure you've added a finished reading date that's in 2021, and your progress will be automatically counted

- Signing up later? No problem, as long as the book is on the challenge shelf with a 2021 Read date, it counts!

You can see your progress in all the SFFBC challenges on the challenge page. You can also keep track of these and any other challenges in a personal challenge thread.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have about the challenges in the challenge threads linked below. Questions about shelves, signing up for challenges in general, or something else? Ask here! :)

Here are the discussions for all active challenges:

Read All The Books Challenge
TBR Cleanup Challenge
Amazin' Eights Challenge
Alphabet Book Challenge
Short Fiction Challenge

You can find older challenges, all of which you can still do if you want to, in the "Challenges" section of Current Events.

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What are you reading? :)

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman was a different story than the others he has written. I liked it a lot!

Anna, I think you will enjoy this one. It was a creative & evocative take on mental/emotional states. Audiobook was great. If you choose to read it, there are illustrations. It would have been cool to see those.

I recently finished Kindred and liked it a lot better than I thought I would. I'm never too sure about books with historical settings.