Friday, December 30, 2016

December Wrap-Up


Here we are, the final wrap-up for 2016. I seriously cannot believe that I will soon be starting my third year with this blog!

This month has been very eventful for me. First, this is the month of my eye exam. Well, my eye doctor retired earlier this year, so I had to find myself a new one. Even if I was a little nervous about going to a new doctor, I really like the one I chose, so that's good.

About the same time, my computer broke. I mean totally collapsed and I decided, because I've never been happy with it, to buy a new one. (I did, and I love it!) But that's why I was a little MIA around the middle of the month.

Then, finally starting to get caught up replying to comments and visiting others blogs, I was hit by a horrible bug the day after Christmas. For this past week I have been getting too little sleep and doing little besides reading.

And I've been reading like crazy this month. I kind of wanted to get through all my books that I bought before December - so I wouldn't have as many books starting the new year with as I did starting 2016. I didn't quite make it, but I've read more this month than I have any month since May! (So, yay me!)


What I've been reading...



Summer of the Dragon by Elizabeth Peters - ****
Rebel Magisters by Shanna Swendson - *****
The Fire's Stone by Tanya Huff - ***** - Reasons to Read to Come!



A-Force: Hypertime  by Wilson, Thompson & Molina - ***** - Review to Come!
The Galahad Legacy by Dom Testa - **
Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli - ****



Royal by Anthea Sharp - ****
Warrior Mage by Lindsay Buroker - ***
Spinning Starlight by R.C. Lewis - ****



Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan - ***
Mercenary Courage by Ruby Lionsdrake - ****
Valor's Trial by Tanya Huff - *****



Power Play by Avon Gale - *****
Overtime by Avon Gale - ****
Empty Net by Avon Gale - *****



The Christmas Throwaway by R.J. Scott - ***
If Only In My Dreams by Keira Andrews - ***
Where the Lovelight Gleams by Keira Andrews - ****



Breakaway by Avon Gale - *****
Screwing the System by Josephine Myles - ****
Screw the Fags by Josephine Myles - ****



Changing on the Fly - Anthology - ****

So, basically, what happened was I got disgusted that the books I was trying to read were unpleasant and/or offensive and decided, instead, to read romance - mostly gay romance (because, seriously, I just don't have the energy to sort through the jerkass guys in the straight pairings). (Not to say that they don't exist in the gay ones, but they're a lot easier to spot.) Mostly because I was ticked off by three DNF books in a role. Ugh.


What I've been watching...

I know I've got this whole stack of DVD's that I've finished sitting behind my TV at home, but for the life of me, all I can remember watching this month is season one of The Librarians - that they finally released in my country and I totally adore it. Probably like it even more than the movies. I know there's gotta be more stuff I've watched, but, considering how many nights I skipped TV in favor of a book, probably not a lot more.


How was your December? Read anything crazy spectacular? A little befuddled - like me - that 2016 is over?

Thursday, December 29, 2016

2016: End of Year Book Survey

This was partially inspired by Jamie's awesome yearly survey over at The Perpetual Page Turner. But I definitely customized with some of my own stuff. (And I'm also not going to duplicate books. If I've already answered them for something, that book can't be my answer again.)


The Stats
Number of Books Read: 146 (being a few days early as I know that number will go up yet)
Total Pages Read: 42,771 (whohoo!)
Number of Audiobooks Listened: 0 - I don't usually do audiobooks.
Number of Rereads: 1 - I'm going to try to do more next year!
Average Rating: 3.99 (which, really, isn't bad)
Shortest Book: Overtime by Avon Gale (12)
Longest Book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (759)
Average Book Length: 240 (I was actually hoping that the average would be a little higher than that...)

By The Number Books
Fantasy Books Read: 66 (20 more than 2015)
Sci-Fi Books Read: 42 (16 more than 2015)
Historical (inc. AU) Books Read: 18 (4 less than 2015)
Romance Books Read: 29 (15 more than 2015)
Contemporary Books Read: 23 (2 more than 2015)

Best in Books
Favorite Fantasy of  the Year: The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
Favorite Science Fiction of the Year: Earth Flight by Janet Edwards
Favorite Historical of the Year: Rebel Magisters by Shanna Swendson
Favorite Contemporary of the Year: Empty Net by Avon Gale
Favorite Romance of the Year: Beauty & the Beast by K.M Shea


Beginnings & Ends
Favorite Series Starter: The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells
Favorite Mid-Series Book: Valor's Trial by Tanya Huff
Favorite Series Finale: The Paladin Caper by Patrick Weekes & The Ace of Skulls by Chris Wooding


Assorted Favorites
Favorite Debut of the Year: Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis
Favorite New-To-Me Author of the Year: Betsy Cornwell (Mechanica)
Favorite 'Surprise' Book of the Year: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Favorite Book I Read Because of Recommendation(s): The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Favorite Book By An Author I Read Previously: Imprudence by Gail Carriger
Favorite 'Overlooked' Book: Villains by Necessity by Eve Forward
Favorite Cover: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine




Favorite Friendship: Hadrian & Royce (Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan)
Book I Recommend To Everyone: I don't think I've been really pushing any books this year... Maybe Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell
Book I Can't Believe I Waited So Long To Read: Thorn by Intisar Khanani


Looking Ahead
Book/Series I Didn't Read This Year That I WILL Next Year: Champion of the Rose by Andrea K. Host
Non Debut Book I'm Most Anticipating: Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas
Debut Book I'm Most Anticipating: Heartstone by Elle Katherine White
Series Finale I'm Most Anticipating: Uhm... I don't think I've got any...
One Thing I Want To Accomplish Next Year: Socialize more. I want to develop a habit of really talking to people on the internet. (Which, currently, I kinda suck at doing...)

Not my divider;
but I forgot where
I got it from!

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Top Ten Books I've Read in 2016

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

It's the final TTT of the year and that means it's finally time to talk about all the wonderful books we've read this year. Or, at least ten of them. The first thing I had to do was get a list of my 5 star books. Which, as of when I first started this post on the 21st, numbered 48. Honestly, that number staggers me. You probably don't want to know about the rest of the painful process of narrowing that number down to ten - and having to leave room for a last minute addition or two if necessary. Though I do need to note that I did not duplicate authors. If I did, this list would be comprised of three or four authors and that's it. Instead, I just went with my favorite book of theirs that I read this year. (Roughly in the order that I decided they HAD to be on this list.)


Monday, December 26, 2016

December Book Haul

Well, I bought books. And I have more that should get here before the first of the year.



Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling
Strange Fortune by Josh Lanyon



Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey
Cardfight!! Vanguard #1 by Akira Itou
The Irregular at Magic High School #1 by Tsutomu Sato



Warcraft: Shaman by Paul Benjamin
Warcraft: Mage by Richard A. Knaak
Pandora Hearts #8 by Jun Mochizuki



Pandora Hearts #9 by Jun Mochizuki
Pandora Hearts #10 by Jun Mochizuki
Pandora Hearts #11 by Jun Mochizuki



Karneval Omnibus #4 by Touya Mikanagi
Karneval Omnibus #5 by Touya Mikanagi
Power Play by Avon Gale



Overtime by Avon Gale
Empty Net by Avon Gale
The Christmas Throwaway by R.J. Scott



If Only In My Dreams by Keira Andrews
Breakaway by Avon Gale
Save of the Game by Avon Gale



Changing on the Fly - Anthology
Beyond the Sea by Keira Andrews
Where the Lovelight Gleams by Keira Andrews


The Pirate Captain's Daughter by Ruby Lionsdrake
Overload Flux by Carol Van Natta


Well, that happened...