2017 Books

I read a lot, but this year I deliberately read less, because at some point in 2016, I felt like reading had become an obligation. When you're writer and an editor, I suppose it happens. Reading is actually part of your work, and I think I'd forgotten how to read for pleasure. So in 2017, I got back to that.

I made what I felt were modest goals, 52 books, and ended up reading 55. Not too shabby -- though it's super easy for me to say "Yeah but in year X you read 80 books! In year Y, you did 120!" We're just not going to do that, okay? Okay!

My other goal was to step up my not-American authors reading, and my authors of color reading. I improved on these fronts, but there is more work to be done!

I read things I've always wanted to read (Dawn, Octavia Butler) and things I'd been a little skittish to read (The Fifth Season, NK Jemisin). I read novellas and non-fiction and romance and short stories and memoir and well, a little bit of everything.

Did I have favorites? Of course I did.

It's weird when a friend's book is a favorite? Or maybe it's not -- but both Wendy N. Wagner and Alex Wells had knock out books from Angry Robot this year. And I felt very lucky to read an ARC of Wells' upcoming sequel, Blood Binds the Pack. That's coming in February, go get it. It stole my heart.

I also surprised myself by falling in love with Uprooted by Naomi Novik, and I had no idea how infatuated I would get with the Expanse series from James S.A. Corey.

Did I have books I hated? Oh yes. Hated bigly and badly, but we'll keep those a secret, right, because they might be someone else's jam. You might love them!

That's what I love about books -- there's literally something for everyone.

I'm starting 2018 midway through Anne of Green Gables, which I've never read before. It's one of those years where I hope to tuck a bunch of classics into my reading because I finally want to. Reading something because I want to is still the goal!