Book Meme 2019
Book Meme 2019:
The first book you read in 2019:
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. I read most of it in 2018 but it was the first book I finished in 2019.
The last book you finished in 2019:
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo
The first book you will finish (or did finish!) in 2020:
Dear Girls by Ali Wong
How many books read in 2019?
56 - which is a record for me. For some reason from January to May I just read a lot.
Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
40 Fiction/16 non-fiction
Male/Female authors?
24 male authors/29 female authors - some books had more than one author and I also read several books by one author.
Most books read by one author this year?
3 by Martha Wells
3 by Lois McMaster Bujold
Favorite books read?
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Provenance by Ann Leckie
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
Becoming by Michelle Obama
This has been a good year in books for me.
Best books you read in 2019?
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadnine Evaristo was pretty amazing. So of course was The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. Now that I read both, I do think Evaristo was stronger but I really enjoyed them both.
Least favorite?
12 Rules for Life: an Antidote for Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson - my Dad gave it to me as a present so I felt obligated to read it. For most of it, it was not as bad as I feared, some things are pretty practical. But his chapter on gender roles made me want to throw this book against the wall. I really didn't like the author after that. Most of the other advice is actually not terrible.
Most disappointing book/Book you wished you loved more than you did?
Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. The book itself was fine; I did like reading it. But I didn't love it like a lot of people do. It was just ok to me. And I was dissapointed that it beat Spinning Silver for the Hugo.
I also gave up on "The Lies of Locke Lamora" after 50 pages because I was just not really in the mood for it/not feeling it. It was fine but I just got distracted and never wanted to get back to it.
I was also disappointing in The Water Dancer by Ta-Nahisi Coates. Again a good solid book but I had much higher expectations of it since Oprah called it "best book she ever read". It really wasn't for me. I think most disappointments this year were due to high expectations.
Best series you discovered in 2019?
The only series I started was "The Witcher". I read the first book and it was ok/good. Now that I have seen and loved the TV show I'm going to read the second book but in Russian this time since I heard that was a much better translation and reads better.
I also gave Rivers of London another shot and read the second book. I will continue with the series this year.
Other new series for me this year
See above.
Favorite new author you discovered this year?
Bernardine Evaristo and Narine Abgaryan
Other new authors
Peter S. Beagle, Trevor Noah, Barry B. Longyear, Neil Patrick Harris, Joanna Faber, Julie King, Michelle Obama, Joe Haldeman, Andrej Sapkowski, Emily St. John Mandel, Jordan B. Peterson, Cory Doctorow, Jhumpa Lahiri, Guzel Yakhina, Mary Robinette Kowal, Andrew Rannells, Vonda N. McIntyre, Octavia E. Butler, Oleg Radzinsky, Madeline Miller, Elissa Brent Weissman, Caroline Criado Perez, Ta-Nahisi Coates, Alec Neval-Lee, Scarlett Curtis, Angela Kelly, Tamora Pierce and Nicola Yoon.
Oldest book read?
The Iliad by Homer. It is harder to read something older than that!
Newest?
Girl, Woman, Other was published in US in November.
Longest book title?
Feminists Don't Wear Pink and other lies: amazing women on what the f-word means to them
Shortest title?
Circe
How many re-reads?
4 - 2 Byluchev books, Good Omens and The Iliad
Any in translation?
Little Prince - from French into Russian
The Iliad - from Ancient Greek into English
Last Wish - from Polish to English
I also read 6 books in Russian this year (including Little Prince which was originally French).
How many of this year's books were from the library?
31 books. All borrowed on Kindle. Possibly two more as I don't remember if I borrowed them or already had them on my Kindle.
Book that most changed my perspective:
Invisible Women: Dada Bias in the world designed for men - We don't even think about how much the world is influenced by the fact that women are not considered enough. Even the little things like the "standard" height of the shelves.
Also "How to Talk so Little Kids would listen" helped me a lot with strategies to deal with tantrums.
Favorite character:
It's between Mark Vorkosigan and Ingray Aughskold from Provenance
Most memorable character:
Murderbot, for the second year in a row.
Favorite scene:
The end of "Three Apples Fell From the Sky" was very emotional. Where Miles sees Mark negotiate at the end of Mirror Dance. Gene and Jack hanging out in "Cyborg and his Forester".
Favorite quote:
I never remember specific quotes
Most inspirational in terms of own writing?
I don't know.
How many you'd actually read again?
Provenance since it felt like a cozy blanket, Spinning Silver because I loved it, Mirror Dance, Good Omens (again)
A book that you never want to read again:
12 rules for life.
Book you recommended most to others in 2019?
Spinning Silver - I got a number of people to read it.
The book series you read the most volumes of in 2019:
Murderbot novellas with 3.
Vorkosigan Saga with 3.
The genre you read the most in 2019:
Sci-fi: 19
Fantasy: 6
Classic: 1
general non-fiction: 9
Non-fiction memoir/biography: 7
YA: 3
Fantasy YA: 3
historical fiction: 1
contemporary: 4
contemporary with sci/fi and fantasy elements: 3
Your favorite "classic" you read in 2019:
Does "Good Omens" count yet? The Iliad. Also "Gods Themselves" by Asimov.
Most surprising (in a good way) book of the year?
Girl, Woman, Other since I was not expecting it to fall in love with it.
The hardest book you read in 2019 (topic or writing style):
Either "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells mostly because of the writing style and it was just a little tedious to get through. Also "Zuleikha Opens her Eyes" was hard to read because of the topic - the main character has a very tough life. It is a very good book overall just hard to be in that situation.
The funniest book you read in 2019:
Cyborg and His Forester by Olga Gromyko
The saddest book you read in 2019:
Zuleikha but even that has some positives and hope in it.
The shortest book you read in 2019:
It's a tie: "Enemy Mine" and "The Little Prince" both at 77 pages.
The longest book that you read in 2019
Cyborg and His Forester by Olga Gromyko at 681 pages.
Best book that was outside your comfort zone/a new genre for you?
No new genre. Nothing really outside my comfort zone
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2019?
"Girl, Woman, Other"
Most beautifully written book in 2019?
"Three Apples Fell from the Sky" by Narine Abgaryan
Book you most anticipated in 2019?
I don't anticipate much - more Bujold perhaps
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2019?
I don't really look at covers much since I mostly read Kindle books.
Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?
All books have an impact. I can't pick just one.
Book you can't believe you waited till 2019 to finally read?
Bujold books. Several Hugo winning books. And I finally read "THe Little Prince".
Book that had a scene that left you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
I don't think it terms of scenes - but books rarely make me reel.
Looking Ahead:
One book you didn't read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2020?
I have a big list of books I do want to read this year. I will read The Saga of Gosta Berling by Selma Lagerlof soon.
New book you are most anticipating for 2020?
I have a list of books I want to get to - new to me. They are below in Book List 2020. I can't wait for "Peace Talks' by Jim Butcher - it has been a long time since the last novel.
Here is my list of books I want to try to read this year. My book list for the year ends up half of books on my list and half books that come up during the year when someone recommends them. I want to read 5 books that won a Hugo as one of my goals. This year I also want to read 3 history books. I don't count small kid books that I read to the girls. Anyway, here it is: Book List 2020 .
The first book you read in 2019:
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. I read most of it in 2018 but it was the first book I finished in 2019.
The last book you finished in 2019:
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo
The first book you will finish (or did finish!) in 2020:
Dear Girls by Ali Wong
How many books read in 2019?
56 - which is a record for me. For some reason from January to May I just read a lot.
Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
40 Fiction/16 non-fiction
Male/Female authors?
24 male authors/29 female authors - some books had more than one author and I also read several books by one author.
Most books read by one author this year?
3 by Martha Wells
3 by Lois McMaster Bujold
Favorite books read?
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Provenance by Ann Leckie
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
Becoming by Michelle Obama
This has been a good year in books for me.
Best books you read in 2019?
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadnine Evaristo was pretty amazing. So of course was The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. Now that I read both, I do think Evaristo was stronger but I really enjoyed them both.
Least favorite?
12 Rules for Life: an Antidote for Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson - my Dad gave it to me as a present so I felt obligated to read it. For most of it, it was not as bad as I feared, some things are pretty practical. But his chapter on gender roles made me want to throw this book against the wall. I really didn't like the author after that. Most of the other advice is actually not terrible.
Most disappointing book/Book you wished you loved more than you did?
Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. The book itself was fine; I did like reading it. But I didn't love it like a lot of people do. It was just ok to me. And I was dissapointed that it beat Spinning Silver for the Hugo.
I also gave up on "The Lies of Locke Lamora" after 50 pages because I was just not really in the mood for it/not feeling it. It was fine but I just got distracted and never wanted to get back to it.
I was also disappointing in The Water Dancer by Ta-Nahisi Coates. Again a good solid book but I had much higher expectations of it since Oprah called it "best book she ever read". It really wasn't for me. I think most disappointments this year were due to high expectations.
Best series you discovered in 2019?
The only series I started was "The Witcher". I read the first book and it was ok/good. Now that I have seen and loved the TV show I'm going to read the second book but in Russian this time since I heard that was a much better translation and reads better.
I also gave Rivers of London another shot and read the second book. I will continue with the series this year.
Other new series for me this year
See above.
Favorite new author you discovered this year?
Bernardine Evaristo and Narine Abgaryan
Other new authors
Peter S. Beagle, Trevor Noah, Barry B. Longyear, Neil Patrick Harris, Joanna Faber, Julie King, Michelle Obama, Joe Haldeman, Andrej Sapkowski, Emily St. John Mandel, Jordan B. Peterson, Cory Doctorow, Jhumpa Lahiri, Guzel Yakhina, Mary Robinette Kowal, Andrew Rannells, Vonda N. McIntyre, Octavia E. Butler, Oleg Radzinsky, Madeline Miller, Elissa Brent Weissman, Caroline Criado Perez, Ta-Nahisi Coates, Alec Neval-Lee, Scarlett Curtis, Angela Kelly, Tamora Pierce and Nicola Yoon.
Oldest book read?
The Iliad by Homer. It is harder to read something older than that!
Newest?
Girl, Woman, Other was published in US in November.
Longest book title?
Feminists Don't Wear Pink and other lies: amazing women on what the f-word means to them
Shortest title?
Circe
How many re-reads?
4 - 2 Byluchev books, Good Omens and The Iliad
Any in translation?
Little Prince - from French into Russian
The Iliad - from Ancient Greek into English
Last Wish - from Polish to English
I also read 6 books in Russian this year (including Little Prince which was originally French).
How many of this year's books were from the library?
31 books. All borrowed on Kindle. Possibly two more as I don't remember if I borrowed them or already had them on my Kindle.
Book that most changed my perspective:
Invisible Women: Dada Bias in the world designed for men - We don't even think about how much the world is influenced by the fact that women are not considered enough. Even the little things like the "standard" height of the shelves.
Also "How to Talk so Little Kids would listen" helped me a lot with strategies to deal with tantrums.
Favorite character:
It's between Mark Vorkosigan and Ingray Aughskold from Provenance
Most memorable character:
Murderbot, for the second year in a row.
Favorite scene:
The end of "Three Apples Fell From the Sky" was very emotional. Where Miles sees Mark negotiate at the end of Mirror Dance. Gene and Jack hanging out in "Cyborg and his Forester".
Favorite quote:
I never remember specific quotes
Most inspirational in terms of own writing?
I don't know.
How many you'd actually read again?
Provenance since it felt like a cozy blanket, Spinning Silver because I loved it, Mirror Dance, Good Omens (again)
A book that you never want to read again:
12 rules for life.
Book you recommended most to others in 2019?
Spinning Silver - I got a number of people to read it.
The book series you read the most volumes of in 2019:
Murderbot novellas with 3.
Vorkosigan Saga with 3.
The genre you read the most in 2019:
Sci-fi: 19
Fantasy: 6
Classic: 1
general non-fiction: 9
Non-fiction memoir/biography: 7
YA: 3
Fantasy YA: 3
historical fiction: 1
contemporary: 4
contemporary with sci/fi and fantasy elements: 3
Your favorite "classic" you read in 2019:
Does "Good Omens" count yet? The Iliad. Also "Gods Themselves" by Asimov.
Most surprising (in a good way) book of the year?
Girl, Woman, Other since I was not expecting it to fall in love with it.
The hardest book you read in 2019 (topic or writing style):
Either "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells mostly because of the writing style and it was just a little tedious to get through. Also "Zuleikha Opens her Eyes" was hard to read because of the topic - the main character has a very tough life. It is a very good book overall just hard to be in that situation.
The funniest book you read in 2019:
Cyborg and His Forester by Olga Gromyko
The saddest book you read in 2019:
Zuleikha but even that has some positives and hope in it.
The shortest book you read in 2019:
It's a tie: "Enemy Mine" and "The Little Prince" both at 77 pages.
The longest book that you read in 2019
Cyborg and His Forester by Olga Gromyko at 681 pages.
Best book that was outside your comfort zone/a new genre for you?
No new genre. Nothing really outside my comfort zone
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2019?
"Girl, Woman, Other"
Most beautifully written book in 2019?
"Three Apples Fell from the Sky" by Narine Abgaryan
Book you most anticipated in 2019?
I don't anticipate much - more Bujold perhaps
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2019?
I don't really look at covers much since I mostly read Kindle books.
Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?
All books have an impact. I can't pick just one.
Book you can't believe you waited till 2019 to finally read?
Bujold books. Several Hugo winning books. And I finally read "THe Little Prince".
Book that had a scene that left you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
I don't think it terms of scenes - but books rarely make me reel.
Looking Ahead:
One book you didn't read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2020?
I have a big list of books I do want to read this year. I will read The Saga of Gosta Berling by Selma Lagerlof soon.
New book you are most anticipating for 2020?
I have a list of books I want to get to - new to me. They are below in Book List 2020. I can't wait for "Peace Talks' by Jim Butcher - it has been a long time since the last novel.
Here is my list of books I want to try to read this year. My book list for the year ends up half of books on my list and half books that come up during the year when someone recommends them. I want to read 5 books that won a Hugo as one of my goals. This year I also want to read 3 history books. I don't count small kid books that I read to the girls. Anyway, here it is: Book List 2020 .