Reading list
A list of what I’m reading and my opinions and all that.
2025– 63
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
| Bearing Gifts by Sean Fenian | Sean Fenian | |
| Juice by Tim Winton | Tim Winton | This book falls into the “Wes Anderson” problem for me—when a style is so distinctive that it’s removed from the corpus of styles that one can have; here, that’s Cormac McCarthy, though I believe it must be quite intentional |
| Slow Gods by Claire North | Claire North | Loved this |
| Halcyon Years by Alastair Reynolds | Alastair Reynolds | Satisfying if quick; also, time for more books that don’t involve AI |
| Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin | Laurie Colwin | |
| All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu | Ken Liu | Appreciated a new perspective on AI |
| What We Can Know by Ian McEwan | Ian McEwan | Quite dense but very interesting approach |
| The Shattering Peace by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | Refreshing return, though shockingly distinct in hindsight from Old Man’s War |
| The Burning God by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Overall enjoyed the series but didn’t enjoy the characters, nor the sense that there was no real growth |
| The Dragon Republic by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Ehh |
| Life after Life by False Knees | False Knees | Adorable |
| Cannon by Lee Lai | Lee Lai | What are we going to do about the metaphorical lion? |
| A Frog In The Fall (And Later On) by Linnea Sterte | Linnea Sterte | Absolutely adored this |
| Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix | Grady Hendrix | Emotionally tough read actually |
| The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Went from Harry Potter to something else but I enjoyed it |
| The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson | Antonia Hodgson | This sucked me in, some clever literary techniques |
| Katabasis by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Quite enjoyed this |
| The Two Lies of Faven Sythe by Megan E. O’Keefe | Megan E. O’Keefe | Harder to get into than her previous series |
| One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford | Leigh Radford | I loved this—heavily metaphoric, a tiny bit goofy but not too much, and zombies in a new light |
| The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro | Robert A. Caro | |
| The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown | Gareth Brown | Honestly found this hard to get into because of the prose for some reason, but liked where the story itself went |
| Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz | Annalee Newitz | Cute, also this book is really about biang biang noodles |
| The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut | Kurt Vonnegut | He said, he said, he said—loved some of the prose |
| Persuader by Lee Child | Lee Child | It was a story; absolutely nothing to retain or change me as a person |
| Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Mirror Image by actually Jeff Rovin | actually Jeff Rovin | Popcorn lake read and I’m crediting the real author about it |
| Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins | Suzanne Collins | Formulaic but works nicely |
| The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence | Mark Lawrence | I dunno, this one just unravelled for me |
| The Secret Market of the Dead by Giovanni De Feo | Giovanni De Feo | Enjoyable; felt like it ended abruptly |
| The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve | Dete Meserve | Good premise, but left wanting somehow |
| The Long Walk by Stephen King | Stephen King | Looking forward to seeing how Winnipeg backgrounds the upcoming movie |
| Grave Empire by Richard Swan | Richard Swan | Enjoyed the individual characters, but found it almost too much a grab bag of fantasy |
| Exercises in Style by Raymond Queneau – Barbara Wright | Raymond Queneau – Barbara Wright | |
| The Democracy of Species by Robin Wall Kimmerer | Robin Wall Kimmerer | |
| Sh*tscapes: 100 Mistakes in Landscape Architecture by Vladimir Guculak & Paul Bourel | Vladimir Guculak & Paul Bourel | |
| Sociopath by Patric Gagne | Patric Gagne | I’m a bit apathetic about it honestly |
| Ghostdrift by Suzanne Palmer | Suzanne Palmer | Not quite as good as the rest of the series, but fun |
| The Devils by Joe Abercrombie | Joe Abercrombie | Enjoyed the hell out of it |
| Never Flinch by Stephen King | Stephen King | Good, but as quoted in acknowledgements, “You can do better” |
| The Dream Hotel by Laila Lamali | Laila Lamali | Remarkable, and infuriating end to end |
| Cold Eternity by S. A. Barnes | S. A. Barnes | The sci-fi equivalent of a trashy beach book |
| Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain | Anthony Bourdain | Great writing, would never ever want to work with anyone like him |
| The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo | Yangsze Choo | Enjoyed this a lot, entirely new different mythology |
| The Reckoning by John Grisham | John Grisham | Trashy beach book II |
| Past Tense by Lee Child | Lee Child | Trashy beach book I |
| The Defector by Chris Hadfield | Chris Hadfield | Clancy-esque |
| Impro by Keith Johnstone | Keith Johnstone | |
| The Martian Contingency by Mary Robinette Kuwal | Mary Robinette Kuwal | Sneakily absorbing |
| When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | Love how straight this is written |
| A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | Mystery fantasy mashup aw yeah |
| Gentle Writing Advice by Chuck Wendig | Chuck Wendig | |
| Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver | Barbara Kingsolver | The most miserable, wonderful novel I’ve read in years |
| Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi | Marjane Satrapi | |
| The Bones Beneath my Skin by T. J. Klune | T. J. Klune | Went in expecting vibe A and got vibe B and I’m down for it |
| Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | I loved this—super sci fi |
| Toward Eternity by Anton Hur | Anton Hur | Enjoyable, disconcerting, maybe not the best book to read on a fever |
| The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera | Vajra Chandrasekera | Great prose and clever as hell |
| Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah | Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah | I really loved this—visceral and thought-provoking |
| Three Eight One by Aliya Whiteley | Aliya Whiteley | Clever, weird |
| James by Percival Everett | Percival Everett | Brilliant concept and telling |
| Blood of the Virgin by Sammy Harkham | Sammy Harkham | Beautiful, but meanders as it goes |
| Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath | Patrick Horvath | Super visceral oof |
| Heat by Bill Buford | Bill Buford | I’m all fired up to cook better now |
| Woe: A Housecat’s Story of Despair by Lucy Knisley | Lucy Knisley | SO GOOD |
2024– 61
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
| This Accident of Being Lost by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson | Leanne Betasamosake Simpson | Absorbing and different |
| Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | Almost too long, and I never say that |
| Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson | Robert Louis Stevenson | Watched “Black Sails” and needed to keep the vibe going |
| The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley | Kaliane Bradley | Loved this |
| Revenant-X by David Wellington | David Wellington | This series strikes me as a serialization |
| Macarons by Pierre Hermé | Pierre Hermé | 72 macarons per batch, here we gooo |
| Paradise-1 by David Wellington | David Wellington | Real fast popcorny |
| The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong | Julie Leong | Lovely! |
| Absolution by Jeff Vandermeer | Jeff Vandermeer | First two parts kicked butt, third part dragged |
| Lake of Souls by Ann Leckie | Ann Leckie | Hits and misses for me (like any short story collection) |
| Making Design Theory by Johan Redström | Johan Redström | |
| Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune | TJ Klune | A good conclusion, but as much as I appreciate the story and the ideas, I started to find the “positivity” tedious |
| An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson | Alexis Henderson | Found myself wanting |
| The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman | Lev Grossman | Pleasantly concluded |
| The Magician King by Lev Grossman | Lev Grossman | Surprisingly different from book one, and just as enjoyable |
| These Deathless Shores by P. H. Low | P. H. Low | Takes a warm friendly story and makes it very much not so—characters grated on me but the underlying was super compelling |
| The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman | Lev Grossman | I really enjoyed this but it felt like it petered out somehow |
| A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher | T. Kingfisher | Wonderful storytelling with a fairy-tale-esque slant |
| Eruption by Michael Crichton & James Patterson | Michael Crichton & James Patterson | Books I don’t like are usually just “not for me” but this book is trash |
| The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey | James S. A. Corey | Absolutely loved this |
| Winter, or a Town Near Palgrave by André Alexis | André Alexis | Great short, surreal kick |
| Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by MJ Wassmer | MJ Wassmer | Felt popcorny, good quick read |
| Duma Key by Stephen King | Stephen King | One of his legitimately creepy stories |
| The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei | Yume Kitasei | Different! |
| Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | I loved this—the characters were brilliant |
| The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks | Sarah Brooks | Somehow brilliantly original and terrifically derivative and I enjoyed it a lot |
| How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive by Craig DiLouie | Craig DiLouie | I wanted to like this but ehh—quite liked the feeling of immersion in filmmaking though |
| The Bound Worlds by Megan O’Keefe | Megan O’Keefe | Great conclusion to the series |
| Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | |
| You Like it Darker by Stephen King | Stephen King | Adored it |
| The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch | Lidia Yuknavitch | Honestly found this really hard to read even if well written |
| Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood | Margaret Atwood | Fascinating, with some tough blunt subject matter |
| The Magicians by Lev Grossman | Lev Grossman | Unexpected self-aware adult Hogwartsy |
| The Book that Broke the World by Mark Lawrence | Mark Lawrence | Was disappointed by this honestly, surprised |
| The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | Coming into itself |
| Ghost Station by S. A. Barnes | S. A. Barnes | Enjoyed |
| A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher | T. Kingfisher | Easy fun read |
| Alchemy by Rory Sutherland | Rory Sutherland | This book brought back some of the energy and excitement I had around brand and design |
| Lost In a Good Book by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | Love the use of footnotes as an actual meta storytelling aspect |
| The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | Silly, in the right way right now |
| Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | Literally read this and “Red Side Story” in the wrong order |
| Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig | Chuck Wendig | So many ways to describe eating apples |
| Defiant by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | This world is turning into a popcorn read basically which isn’t a bad thing |
| Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | Unexpectedly loved this—the voice works perfectly |
| Abandon by Blake Crouch | Blake Crouch | Basically good, liked the setting |
| On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt | Harry G. Frankfurt | |
| Saevus Corax Gets Away With Murder by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Satisfyingly bloviating |
| The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly | John Connolly | Not whatsoever a lighthearted read |
| The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune | T.J. Klune | Lovely |
| The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk | C. L. Polk | Enjoyable, not subtle |
| Among the Living by Tim Lebbon | Tim Lebbon | Feels vaguely like it was written with the goal of being turned into a show |
| The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | Love the narrow lens in a broader snippet of a fantastical world |
| Exordia by Seth Dickinson | Seth Dickinson | Kind of a wild ride that keeps going, but wouldn’t necessarily read again |
| Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin | George R. R. Martin | a) Yes I too was startled this exists and b) it’s great |
| The Miracles of the Namiya General Store by Keigo Higashino | Keigo Higashino | I’m super curious how the voice is in the original language |
| Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed | Deena Mohamed | Absolutely adored this graphic novel |
| The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson | Shirley Jackson | |
| Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare | Cassandra Clare | Enjoyed the characters in this one |
| Legion by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | Meh |
| Operation Angus by Terry Fallis | Terry Fallis | Really like seeing Canadian politics here |
| Saevus Corax Captures the Castle by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Rambly in all the right ways |
2023– 85
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
| Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham | Daniel Abraham | |
| Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher | T. Kingfisher | Really enjoyed, perfectly fairy-tale-esque |
| Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Hilarious, but ending fell flat |
| Sign Here by Claudia Lux | Claudia Lux | Takes a great premise and sees it through with a great character-driven plot |
| This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal el-Mohtar & Max Gladstone | Amal el-Mohtar & Max Gladstone | |
| System Collapse by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | I love the depth of universe behind the very solid first-person characterization |
| The Storyteller’s Death by Ann Dávila Cardinal | Ann Dávila Cardinal | Explores Puerto Rico in a way I haven’t experienced before |
| The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw & Richard Kadrey | Cassandra Khaw & Richard Kadrey | |
| The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
| Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | Sanderson’s really had some fun with this collection |
| The Fractured Dark by Megan O’Keefe | Megan O’Keefe | |
| The Blighted Stars by Megan O’Keefe | Megan O’Keefe | Really enjoyed this blend of epic sci-fi and characterization |
| The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
| Prophet by Sin Blaché & Helen MacDonald | Sin Blaché & Helen MacDonald | Almost feels like this was written to be a movie |
| The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez | Simon Jimenez | |
| Starter Villain by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | I can just picture Scalzi chortling to himself while writing this |
| Never by Ken Follett | Ken Follett | Probably going to abandon this |
| Holly by Stephen King | Stephen King | Less “crunchy,” whatever that means |
| Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | Took a while to get into, but compelling |
| Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward | Catriona Ward | They went for it with the exploratory storytelling mechanisms |
| Ascension by Nicholas Binge | Nicholas Binge | One-day romp of a read—enjoyed the techniques |
| The Invention of Sound by Chuck Palahniuk | Chuck Palahniuk | Thought this was Wendig not Palahniuk until halfway through |
| Dust by Hugh Howey | Hugh Howey | |
| Shift by Hugh Howey | Hugh Howey | |
| Wool by Hugh Howey | Hugh Howey | I loved this |
| Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov | Georgi Gospodinov | |
| The Road by Cormac McCarthy | Cormac McCarthy | Bit of a tough read on a few axes |
| Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones | Diana Wynne Jones | Children’s book recommended by Gaiman I believe |
| The End of All Things by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | |
| The Human Division by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | It took me so long to figure out it’s “Human Divide” not “Human Department” |
| Yellowface by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Brutal compelling—unlike “Babel,” made and kept its promises |
| Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | |
| The Last Colony by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | |
| The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | Apparently “Old Man’s War” is my summer re-read series |
| The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland | Jacqueline Holland | Beyond the story, I loved this book’s style and pacing |
| The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal | Mary Robinette Kowal | I love how much this series challenges a range of topics |
| Old Man’s War by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | Re-read, such fun |
| The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal | Mary Robinette Kowal | |
| The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal | Mary Robinette Kowal | |
| The Lives of Puppets by TJ Clune | TJ Clune | I think the author was going for something that got cut short—the acknowledgement section is rather startling |
| Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin | Ursula K. Le Guin | Just lovely |
| The Book that Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence | Mark Lawrence | Enjoyed the first bit so much, but then it turned into an overflowing soufflé |
| Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin | Elisa Shua Dusapin | Great voice, but not quite for me |
| Putting the Fact in Fantasy by Dan Koboldt | Dan Koboldt | |
| City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
| Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody | Jessica Brody | |
| Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
| The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty | Shannon Chakraborty | One of my favourites of the last couple years—and real clever storytelling techniques |
| The Coral Bones by E. J. Swift | E. J. Swift | |
| Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
| Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
| The Art of Description by Mark Doty | Mark Doty | |
| Mort by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | I love how Pratchett plays with typography as part of the novel, like poetry |
| Sourcery by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
| Nation by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
| Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer | Jeff VanderMeer | Super interesting format, great content on writing |
| The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman | Neil Gaiman | Such a range, widely felt |
| A Slip of the Keyboard by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
| The Immortality Thief by Taran Hunt | Taran Hunt | |
| A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White | Alex White | |
| Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers | Becky Chambers | |
| Family Lexicon by Natalia Ginzburg | Natalia Ginzburg | Very powerful writing, particularly one scene around creativity post-WW2 |
| A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers | Becky Chambers | |
| The Trial by Franz Kafka | Franz Kafka | I’ve decided I can’t stand Kafka |
| Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo | Leigh Bardugo | |
| Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | Really enjoyed the indication that Murderbot’s way of being is just them, not a SecUnit thing |
| Network Effect by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | Comfortable popcorn reading at this point |
| The Sound on the Page by Ben Yagoda | Ben Yagoda | Starting to include the nonfiction reads in this list too |
| Exit Strategy by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | |
| Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | |
| City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | |
| Artificial Condition by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | |
| All Systems Red by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | |
| The Measure by Nikki Erlick | Nikki Erlick | |
| Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | Adored this book, adored the deaf character and their parallel-to-me adaptations |
| Chaos Vector by Megan E. O’Keefe | Megan E. O’Keefe | |
| The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick | Philip K. Dick | Good plot, great alt history, horrible characterization and ending |
| The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury | Ray Bradbury | |
| City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | Really enjoyed having a different PoV character from the first book |
| Echopraxia by Peter Watts | Peter Watts | Didn’t finish |
| Blindsight by Peter Watts | Peter Watts | Not for me—I found it very “down” |
| City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | Occasionally I discover an author I didn’t know and oh look so many books to read! |
| Beyond the Burn Line by Paul McAuley | Paul McAuley | |
| Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | This is a different book than others in the series, but I enjoyed it |
| Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett |
2022– 54
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
| Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | Hit all the notes I wanted in the moment |
| The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler | Ray Nayler | |
| Leech by Hiron Ennes | Hiron Ennes | This clicked in all kinds of ways |
| Wayward by Chuck Wendig | Chuck Wendig | |
| The Expert System’s Brother by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
| Defending Elysium by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
| The Fisherman by John Langan | John Langan | I enjoyed the fractal nature of it |
| The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake | Olivie Blake | |
| The Creeper by A. M. Shine | A. M. Shine | |
| The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal | Mary Robinette Kowal | My cocktail ingredients shopping list |
| Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott | GennaRose Nethercott | |
| From the Wreck by Jane Rawson | Jane Rawson | |
| The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik | Naomi Novik | Nice job tying the trilogy together |
| Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo | Filipe Melo | Gorgeous graphic novel with exceptional story |
| End of the World House by Adrienne Celt | Adrienne Celt | |
| Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes | S. A. Barnes | Actually dang spooky |
| How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu | Sequoia Nagamatsu | Great book, horribly sad |
| A Half-Built Garden by Ruthanna Emrys | Ruthanna Emrys | Wasn’t really for me |
| Fairy Tale by Stephen King | Stephen King | Has an Ending |
| Babel by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Made promises and then didn’t hold to them |
| A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers | Becky Chambers | |
| A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers | Becky Chambers | Loved it |
| Eversion by Alastair Reynolds | Alastair Reynolds | Fascinating read, well-knit together |
| Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro | Kazuo Ishiguro | Fascinating read |
| On Writing by Stephen King | Stephen King | |
| Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune | TJ Klune | |
| A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness | Deborah Harkness | Abandoned; I feel this book comes dangerously close to glorifying abusive behaviours |
| Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings | Ren Hutchings | Neat concept well executed |
| The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern | Erin Morgenstern | Really enjoyed the prose |
| Jack Four by Neal Asher | Neal Asher | I didn’t actually like this, felt like reading a video game |
| Ordinary Monsters by J. M. Miro | J. M. Miro | |
| Mordew by Alex Pheby | Alex Pheby | Feels wildly all over the place, wouldn’t read again |
| Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff Vandermeer | Jeff Vandermeer | Didn’t finish for some reason |
| Drunk on All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson | Eddie Robson | |
| Inhibitor Phase by Alastair Reynolds | Alastair Reynolds | |
| The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller | Sara A. Mueller | I went into this with no idea what to expect and I was surprised by how unique it feels |
| Stringers by Chris Panatier | Chris Panatier | Very popcorny, but would’t read again |
| Eyes of the Void by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
| Until the Last of Me by Sylvain Neuvel | Sylvain Neuvel | |
| Gallant by V. E. Schwab | V. E. Schwab | |
| Last Exit by Max Gladstone | Max Gladstone | |
| Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
| The Shadow People by Graham Masterton | Graham Masterton | Went too far into gruesome for me, abandoned |
| Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel | Emily St. John Mandel | |
| The Watchers by A. M. Shine | A. M. Shine | I enjoyed this a lot |
| The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake | Olivie Blake | |
| The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd | Peng Shepherd | |
| The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | |
| The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides | Alex Michaelides | |
| Devil House by John Darnielle | John Darnielle | |
| The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter | Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter | |
| Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson | Neal Stephenson | |
| The Two of Swords: Part Three by K.J. Parker | K.J. Parker | |
| The Two of Swords: Part Two by K.J. Parker | K.J. Parker |
2021– 58
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
| Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang | Ted Chiang | Very tasty bits of short sci fi |
| Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch | Gretchen McCulloch | This book is incredible and helps me level up how I communicate remotely |
| Leviathan Falls by James S. A. Corey | James S. A. Corey | I didn’t finish this and I’m not sure why |
| The Two of Swords: Part One by K.J. Parker | K.J. Parker | The setting is GoT-ish but the tone is more like subtly like Hitchhiker's Guide |
| Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | Did not realize it was a short story, majorly bummed out to accidentally run into the end |
| Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | I love the process of an AI learning emotions |
| The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield | Chris Hadfield | Not fair to be both an astronaut AND an author |
| The Lost Pianos of Siberia by Sophy Roberts | Sophy Roberts | |
| The Unfinished Land by Greg Bear | Greg Bear | |
| Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell | David Mitchell | Kinda fell off of it |
| Tears of the Truffle-Pig by Fernando A. Flores | Fernando A. Flores | |
| The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik | Naomi Novik | Should not be as sticky as it is and yet |
| The Scavenger Door by Suzanne Palmer | Suzanne Palmer | Aw yeah |
| The Exiled Fleet by J. S. Dewes | J. S. Dewes | |
| The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy | Tom Clancy | Keeps moving forward, all men only men |
| The Art of Logic by Eugenia Cheng | Eugenia Cheng | Actively made me better at thinking |
| Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy | Tom Clancy | |
| Billy Summers by Stephen King | Stephen King | I would do naughty things to be able to write characters like King |
| The Great Mistake by Jonathan Lee | Jonathan Lee | |
| A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel | Sylvain Neuvel | |
| The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu | T. L. Huchu | Not really about the library of the dead |
| The Big Short by Michael Lewis | Michael Lewis | History repeats |
| Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse | Rebecca Roanhorse | New level of squeamish in some scenes |
| Later by Stephen King | Stephen King | |
| Turn the Ship Around! by L. David Marquet | L. David Marquet | Love that he digs into his method failing as well as thriving |
| The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes | J.S. Dewes | Compelling idea, good characterization in points of views |
| The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker | Helene Wecker | Fascinating followup to The Golem and the Djinni |
| A Master of Djinn by P. Daeli Clark | P. Daeli Clark | Fell off, never got back to it |
| The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha Pulley | Natasha Pulley | Like a totally different book from the first, not satisfying |
| Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir | Andy Weir | COMMUNICATION |
| The Lost Apothecary by Sara Penner | Sara Penner | |
| The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V. E. Schwab | V. E. Schwab | The best cover |
| The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick | M. A. Carrick | Fell off, didn't finish |
| A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine | Arkady Martine | |
| The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley | Natasha Pulley | Compelling |
| The Forever War by Joe Haldeman | Joe Haldeman | |
| The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenster | Erin Morgenster | Beautiful writing |
| To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini | Christopher Paolini | |
| The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers | Becky Chambers | Pleasant read, optimistic |
| Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O'Keefe | Megan E. O'Keefe | |
| Seveneves by Neal Stephenson | Neal Stephenson | |
| Beowulf by Maria Dahvana Headley | Maria Dahvana Headley | Bro! |
| Bone Silence by Alastair Reynolds | Alastair Reynolds | |
| Revenger by ALastair Reynolds | ALastair Reynolds | |
| Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
| Org Design for Design Orgs by Merholz & Skinner | Merholz & Skinner | |
| Radical Candor by Kim Scott | Kim Scott | Good ideas, often used as an excuse to be a jerk |
| Mismatch by Kat Holmes | Kat Holmes | Wonderful read around inclusive design |
| Post-Truth by Matthew D'Ancona | Matthew D'Ancona | |
| The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist by Adrian Tomine | Adrian Tomine | Lovely graphic novel |
| How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | |
| Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Fun and quick |
| A Peculiar Peril by Jeff Vandermeer | Jeff Vandermeer | Honestly, I have trouble getting into Vandermeer after his original trilogy |
| A History of the World in Twelve Maps by Jerry Brotton | Jerry Brotton | |
| Finder by Suzanne Palmer | Suzanne Palmer | Aw yea |
| Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick | Philip K. Dick | Finally got to it |
| Sixteenth Watch by Myke Cole | Myke Cole | |
| The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky |
2020– 58
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
| Early Risers by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | |
| The Hollow Ones by Guillemo del Toro & Chuck Hogan | Guillemo del Toro & Chuck Hogan | |
| Upheaval by Jared Diamond | Jared Diamond | |
| Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton | Peter F. Hamilton | |
| Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott | Anne Lamott | I like this a lot |
| Kingdom of Copper by S. A. Chakraborty | S. A. Chakraborty | I love this cultural mythology |
| The Empire of Gold by S. A. Chakraborty | S. A. Chakraborty | I love this cultural mythology |
| Dead Astronauts by Jeff Vandermeer | Jeff Vandermeer | Fell off |
| Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | Dunno what I expected, wasn't that, loved it |
| Why I'm No Longer Talking About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge | Reni Eddo-Lodge | |
| Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing by Libbie Hawker | Libbie Hawker | Excellent read to procrastinate writing |
| The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow | Alix E. Harrow | Lovely, bought a copy for my mom after |
| A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik | Naomi Novik | Popcorn |
| The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley | Kameron Hurley | |
| The Migration by Helen Marshall | Helen Marshall | |
| Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | Meh, doesn't live up to the rest of the author's work |
| If It Bleeds by Stephen King | Stephen King | Don't usually like novellas, but these struck a chord |
| The Last Astronaut by David Wellington | David Wellington | |
| The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams | Douglas Adams | Must read every year |
| Cage of Souls by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
| The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin | N. K. Jemisin | Fell off |
| The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon | Samantha Shannon | |
| Driving the Deep by Suzanne Palmer | Suzanne Palmer | |
| The Escapement by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | |
| Evil for Evil by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Interesting how I can't decide who's the good characters |
| Devices and Desires by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Nice prose |
| The Library of the Unwritten by A. J. Hackwith | A. J. Hackwith | |
| The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks | Oliver Sacks | |
| The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben | Peter Wohlleben | |
| Through the Language Glass by Guy Deutscher | Guy Deutscher | |
| The Last Emperox by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | |
| Salvation by Peter F. Hamilton | Peter F. Hamilton | |
| Gravity by Tess Gerritsen | Tess Gerritsen | |
| Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behaviour by Leonard Mlodinow | Leonard Mlodinow | |
| The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch | Scott Lynch | |
| The Book Thief by Merkus Zusak | Merkus Zusak | |
| The Anatomy of a Story by John Truby | John Truby | |
| The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro | Kazuo Ishiguro | |
| Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo | Leigh Bardugo | Best cover |
| Wanderers by Chuck Wendig | Chuck Wendig | Aw yeah kickin off a pandemic |
| Hogfather by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
| Good Strategy Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt | Richard Rumelt | |
| Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
| Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
| The Terror by Dan Simmons | Dan Simmons | |
| Skyward by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
| Supernova Era by Cixin Liu | Cixin Liu | |
| The Quantum Magician by Derek Künsken | Derek Künsken | |
| Starsight by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
| The Testaments by Maraget Atwood | Maraget Atwood | |
| The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown | Dan Brown | |
| Angels and Demons by Dan Brown | Dan Brown | |
| The Institute by Stephen King | Stephen King | |
| The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides | Alex Michaelides | |
| The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa | Yōko Ogawa | |
| First Cosmic Velocity by Zach Powers | Zach Powers | |
| A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles | Amor Towles | Really enjoyed this |
| … by |
Struck through books are those I abandoned—which I’m trying to let myself do when a book isn’t right for me at that moment. Missing thoughts are just me not remembering exactly what I thought at the time.