Week 52 - 2021 Recap

[Joanna]

As we get ready to close out 2021, it's always fun to look back on the books we've read this year. What stand outs did you read? Find any new favorites? Tell us about them!

I had a really good reading year even if I didn't make my actual reading goal. But I enjoyed almost all the books I read which makes me happy. Some of my highlights include:

- A Clash of Steel by C.B. Lee. This is a Treasure Island retelling set in the South China Sea and features the real historical figure Zheng Yi Sao. I loved the mixing of the classic with historical fiction. Plus the author's notes in the back were amazing.

- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. I read a lot of romance books this year which is highly unusual for me. And while I enjoyed them all for the most part, this one was probably my favorite. It's grumpy meets sunshine in an academic setting plus it grew out of Star Wars fan fiction (I love fan fiction and I enjoy AUs so right up my alley).

- The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. Was this my favorite thing I read this year? Probably. Artificial construct (aka Murderbot) develops feelings and has to figure out how to deal with them? Oh, yes. Murderbot is the absolute best and they are extremely precious. The humans they interact with were also great. I flew through this series and am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

- Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. I love a good retelling. And this, this is an amazing retelling. King Arthur and his knights but make it modern, with a girl trying to figure out who killed her mother, a secret society, and navigating the prejudices of the South. The book ended on a massive cliffhanger with book 2 due out November of next year.

- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. This book returns to what I loved most in The Martian: a scrappy human in the midst of impossible odds, figuring out ways to survive. Also features a new favorite precious character who I can’t talk about without spoiling the plot. You’ll just have to read it to meet them!

These were just a few of the stand out books I read this year. I’m excited to see what great reads 2022 will bring. See you all next year!

[Ann]

I had a good reading year. I found some good books, and some really good books. Here are some of the books that stuck out:

-State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny- I checked it out yesterday, finished it this morning. Stayed up waaay too late reading. It was quite literally unputdownable (if that's not a word- it should be). Now all I need is book 2. Please.

- The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. Set at Bletchley Park during World War 2, set in a time when everyone pitched in to keep the Germans from invading England. The three main characters spent the war years working at Bletchley breaking codes, solving puzzles... and unable to tell anyone anything about what they did.

-The Personal Librarian, by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, is based on a real person, Belle de Costa Green, who spent most of her life working for J. P. Morgan. Working with him, assisting with purchases and negotiating with collectors and merchants, to create a world class collection. All while playing a role, a role that would ruin everything should it fail, should NY society become aware that she was passing as white. Indeed, her whole family was.

-Circe by Madeline Miller. This book made me rethink my opinions of the “villains” of the Iliad and the Odyssey, definitely made me more sympathetic to Circe. Even the women who were not heroes or villains in Greek myth were shown as more than two-dimensional women.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett- the story of twin sisters, who run away from home to find their destinies. Years later, one sister has returned to her hometown with her black daughter, while the other has lived her life passing as white.

And then there were the guides:
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (as well as the Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy)
The Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins (I haven’t read the 2nd yet)
A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman (and the next 3 in the series).
The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite.

Then last but definitely not least…

Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village.

You’re welcome.

[Lyn]

my five top reads of 2021 were
1. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguichi
2. Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey
3.The Vineyard At Painted Moon by Susan Mallery
4. Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson
5.I Am These Truths by Sunny Hostin

[Arlice]

I really enjoyed the reading challenge this year.
I can't believe I reached my goal of 200 books.
Here is a list of my favorite reads of 2020.

Just As I Am- Cicely Tyson, The Kindest Lie Nancy Johnson, Legendborn Tracy Deonn, The Jigsaw Man Nadine Matheson, The Black Church Henry Louis Gates, The Midnight Library Matt Haig, The Year of the Witching Alexis Henderson and The Invisible Life of Addie Laure V E Schwab

Happy New Year!!!!

[Heidi]

Most of my reading was completed during evening story time with my daughter, but I had a couple of favorite books of my own this year:

Project Hail Mary - a few laughs out loud and some insight into my own actions to protect our planet. This one was just as engaging as The Martian!

The Eighth Sister - this was a new author to me and a thrilling read, though I had my doubts as someone who doesn't care much for spy novels.

A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future - My favorite non-fiction of the year and the only autobiography I delved into. I LOVE this man and wholeheartedly support his work.

Hello, Cruel Heart - I'm finding that as I get older and more cynical, the more I like to read YA fiction. This was a fun escape from mom life, work life, real life. I read several Maureen Johnson books this year including the Truly Devious series. This was the best of the lot.

And since I can't overlook the sheer number of picture books, this year's favorite was Mama Always Comes Home - my little one asked for this one SO many times and was reciting it within days. It's a gentle pull on my heart and will forever be a favorite for me.