Humming Rain

And here’s the final entry! These are the last ten of the fifty books I read in 2016, including a book I just finished a mere two days ago. As with the past entries in the series, an * denotes an audiobook. Catch up on the previous parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh

Allie Brosh is amazing. I’d seen a lot of these comics on her website already, but they’re super fun and well worth a retread. The book format it’s also much friendlier to keeping track of the way the stories are told, and make it easier to keep track of the throughline of the story. Ms. Brosh illustrates with a ton of energy, and the pictures bring a great comedic point to the stories, even those that are already funny. Well worth a read, especially if you haven’t read the comics before.

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe

From the author of xkcd comes a collection of the “What If” questions from his site. I really, really love these, especially since a surprising number of them end in the annihilation of the planet. (Don’t mess with light speed baseballs.) I wish more of them weren’t repeats from the site (there are a few new ones), but they’re still super fun even as a re-read. I eagerly await a second book of these.

Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think by Brian Wansink*

Read this book on the recommendation of my therapist when I was talking about dieting. Pretty dry, but it recounts some very interesting experiments they’ve done on how people eat without thinking and what can be done to adjust for it (also without thinking). Well worth a read if you’re into food science/nutrition science stuff, or just want some insight into how (American) humans deal with food.

It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens by danah boyd

No surprise, I read this book for school. But I might have read it anyway. Does a good job discussing how teenagers *actually* use social networks, and doesn’t have the fear monger in tone so common with books about the topic. I’m all for books that talk about teenagers and young adults like they’re actual people instead of walking train accidents. I imagine this could also be useful for anyone who’s writing YA and needs and up to date idea of what “the youth” is doing on social media these days.

Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America’s Gutsiest Troublemakers by Nick Offerman*

Nick Offerman is a fantastic narrator, and I would listen to him read a phone book, even if he’s a little flat on some of the humorous passages he tries to inject here.  A tour of twenty (or twenty-five?)  of Offerman’s favorite Americans, it’s a surprisingly nuanced “manly” look at famous people in our history. Sure, you’ve got your George Washingtons and your Teddy Roosevelts, but you also have the likes of Yoko Ono, who is spoken about only with praise. A great read for a wide-ranging look at Americans you will then want to go and consume the entire oeuvre of.

Promises, Promises: a romp with plenty of dykes, an ogre, a unicorn, an oracle, a quest, a princess, and true love with a happily ever after by L-J Baker

This book is probably my favorite book of this year, and was definitely the most surprisingly good. It’s a simple romp through a snarky fantasy world that’s very aware of the history of the genre and its own cliches, and pulls every silly joke and reference it can along the way. And at the center is a surprisingly sweet love story. So yeah, go read this and give yourself the gift of a book that is just a plain old good time, no qualifications needed.

Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks

The first book in the Culture series, which had been sitting on my bookshelf for a long time. I hear this is very different in tone from the later books, but I still really enjoyed it, though it did take me a while to get into it. It tells about the culture from the outside perspective of a Changeling operator working for the other wise in a war agasint them. It gives us a fascinating, if hostile, peek into the Culture and how they operate. I’m really looking forward to reading even more in the future, though the book has one hell of a downer ending and is not exactly a quick read, so I’m going to let it digest a bit before I move into the sequel.

The Human Division by John Scalzi

It should come as not surprise to me by now that I loved a John Scalzi book. The Human Division takes a diplomatic look at the Old Man’s War universe, as things shake out from the major events at the end of The Last Colony. This was originally constructed as a series of short parts, released over the course of a year or so, and while for some books that would mess with the pacing I think this book is just as strong if not stronger for it. I really liked this angle on Scalzi’s sci-fi universe and really hope there’s another entry in the series soon.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

I picked this book up because a) it was on sale, and b) Saladin Ahmed retweed some creepily prescient stuff from it onto his Twitter feed, which piqued my interest post-election. I didn’t realize how absolutely *depressing* it would be, but I’m still glad I read it. It’s a beautiful work, with. amazing worldbuilding and writing to die for. Definitely worth a re-read in the future, as I’m sure there’s a lot of interesting details I missed.

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

This ended up being my final book of the year by dint of being on my phone, making it easier to read at work than Star Wars: Life Debt, which is sitting at something like 25% read on my e-reader. Dumplin’ was a fun, quick read, with a lot of heart and magical drag queens. (Magical drag queens = don’t worry kids, the queers show up to help the hetereo cis main character believe in herself! And then sit off camera pretty much the entire rest of the novel.) Despite my light parenthetical beef with the book, it was very cute and full of good messages about not being ashamed of one’s body and how just knowing you shouldn’t be ashamed on its own doesn’t necessarily help in real life.

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And that’s all for my books of 2016! It was a great year of reading, and I look forward to trying for another 50 books (or maybe more) next year. I’m hoping to read more diverse authors, get around to some big hits that I’ve been meaning to read (like Leviathan Wakes and the 2nd Game of Thrones book), and read more YA to support my goal of becoming a YA librarian.

I should be back soon with a 2016 wrap up post. Maybe even tonight! I expect you all to be waiting with bated breath, refreshing like crazy. 🙂

All covers sourced from Goodreads.

Rounding the corner into the home stretch, here’s part 4 of the 5-part series on what I read this year! Catch up on the previous entries here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

An * denotes an audiobook, though there actually aren’t any in this particular part.

The Ultra Thin Man by Patrick Swenson

I ended up reading this because I was planning for going to a reading featuring Mr. Swenson and Django Wexler as they released their new books, and I realized I’d seen Swenson read from the start of this book and found it quite interesting. The whole book is pretty good, but had some pacing issues, and I found parts of the plot a tiny bit hard to follow. That said, works great as a sci-fi noir mystery and I’m looking forward to the sequel.

Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn

Heroine Complex is just a ton of fun. Following the adventures of the not-so-super sidekick of the only superhero of New York, and how she deals with her own issues and desire to grow into something more than her friend’s personal assistant, makes for a compelling read. What really sold me on this was the characters, all of whom were kind of tropey, fitting the tone of the book, while still feeling like fully fleshed out people I want to hang out with someday.

Fireside Magazine (Issues 4-7)

Fireside! Someday I will catch up with its run, but its back catalog is solid as hell. I don’t recall a single stinker story out of the bunch, and I liked quite a few of them. Special mention goes to Delilah S. Dawson’s Love Song of the Lizard Boy, which I’d actually read before and enjoyed just as much if not more the second time ’round. Fireside is also great for paying living wages to their writers. You should pick up a subscription or at least a few issues.

A Fine Romance by T. Neilson

Yay, a book by Tam! I’ve enjoyed literally everything I’ve ever read by her, so I wasn’t surprised to be digging on this one. There’s cute gay romance and interpersonal issues that get resolved in ways that actually make sense! I do wish the book had been a little longer, as it felt like some of the interactions weren’t given enough room to breathe, and I would have liked to learn more about some of the supporting characters. But still, A+, great quick romantic beach read.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Yet another “sure this sounds vaguely interesting” pick from the Seattle Public Library’s currently available (no holds for me when I’m desperate!) e-book selection. Bumped starts a tale of a pair of separated-at-birth identical twins in a world where everyone goes infertile at 18. One of them is from a bible community that vaguely resembles the Amish, and the other is being coached and raised her parents to try and be a star surrogate. The book paints a picture of quite the dystopia, showing the sort of bizarre cultural shifts that something like this would necessitate. A better piece of sci-fi than I initially gave it credit for, although I don’t think it quite examines the moral implications enough.

Thumped by Megan McCafferty

I liked Bumped enough to finish up the duology. Pretty much more of the same, though it has some nice moments and emotional breakthroughs for the main characters by the end of it.

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

Fun fact: I am a sucker for artists in any field talking about their lives, especially when it’s funny. Mindy Kaling is very, very funny, so reading this book was a real treat. A mostly-light read about how Ms. Kaling got her start in show business, combined with funny anecdotes and her talking about advice she was given along the way.

All covers sourced from Goodreads.

Part 3 in a series where I talk briefly about all the books I read this year. Check out Part 1 and Part 2, if you like! *’s denote audiobooks.

And now, without further ado…

Out of Position by Kyell Gold*

So I’m a wee bit embarrassed to admit to having read this, but I’m listing everything I read this year, so here it is. A good romance that feels a little dated in places in regards to gay culture. Out of Position does manage to have drama between characters that doesn’t rely on cheap miscommunications and other cliches to cause it, which I really appreciate. If you can get past it being a furry novel, I’d give it a go. Also has an absurd amount of football, if you’re into that.

You by Austin Grossman

Pal Django Wexler reminded me this book existed, after I’d seen it at Powell’s years ago, went “ooh, that looks cool,” and then promptly forgot all about it. A really fun, well-paced book that takes an interesting look at the development side of videogames while still spinning an engrossing mystery involving the narrator’s recently-passed friend. Also deals with the awkwardness of going back to the friends you had in high school and realizing how much you’ve all changed, while still having common anchor points buried underneath. Plus, lots of nerdy, nerdy references, which were super fun. Arguably a better Ready Player One than Ready Player One.

The Internet of Us: Knowing More and Understanding Less in the Age of Big Data by Michael P. Lynch*

It probably doesn’t say anything great about this book that I don’t remember much of it, though that’s semi-common for me and audiobooks. If I remember correctly, The Internet of Us does have some interesting points about how having easy access to the internet has affected how we think. And, uh, that’s all, folks?

We Can Fix It: A Time Travel Memoir by Jess Fink

A very cute, well put together graphic novel by Jess Fink. Our past, including all the mistakes, is a part of us, and Fink plays around with what would happen if you went to your past self and tried to correct them. Spoiler: it doesn’t go super well.

Deer Hunting With Jesus: Dispatches from America’s Class War by Joe Bageant*

Easily one of the most important books I read all year. The narrator is a perfect match for the book, too. An in-depth look at how GOP politics can be twisted so that individuals in economically disadvantaged White America feel like voting for the Republicans is their best choice, despite these same R’s then turning around and destroying institutions these individuals rely on. Well worth a read, even though it’s been a little bit since it came out and so some of the discussion feels a teeny bit dated.

Information Doesn’t Want to Be Free: Laws for the Internet Age by Cory Doctorow*

There’s was less actionable information in this book than I wanted, but it was still an interesting read. One of my favorite parts, though, was actually the introduction, which talks about creativity in the internet age and how spreading a thousand small pieces of art is better than just working forever one a few large ones.

Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It by David M. Ewalt

I’ve seen this book for sale next to the RPG books at non-game bookstores for years, and it’s always peaked my interest. I finally picked it up out of the clearance section at Elliot Bay Book Company, and it’s quite the pleasant surprise. A well-told tale of the history of D&D, including anecdotes taken from interviews with several people involved in the development of the original D&D. Some of what I found most interesting are the notes on how playtesting and ideas evolved for D&D, as well as some insight into what made the creators go different directions.

The Subprimes: A Novel by Karl Tao Greenfeld

I’d originally tried listening to an audiobook of this back when The Billfold was doing a book club for it, but I couldn’t handle the narrator’s horrible voice for women. (They all sounded like ditzy housewives from a weird version of the sixties.) The book itself is good, especially in written form, although I found it less funny than was initially promised. Still, if you want a dystopian America that’s pushed to the point of parody, it’s a good read. And unfortunately seems a bit too plausible with Trump heading into the presidency. I also agree with the review on The Billfold, which calls it a book about what happens when a severe economic recession affects middle-class White people, without giving a lot of creedence to the others it likely affected first.

Saga, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

I found this volume an improvement over the first one. Benefited from being less conceptually busy, with the character designs/worldbuilding being slightly less all over the place. This volume sold me on making sure I read the rest of it someday soon.

Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware The Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, and Brook A. Allen

Lumberjanes is adorable. The story of a half-dozen girls going to a summer camp that’s adjacent to a whole bunch of mythical creatures. The girls all feel very real, and I love the diversity of character designs. The art style is incredibly, and a great match for the story. I look forward to reading the next volume.

And that’s it for Part 3! The final two parts should go up before the new year. 😀

All covers sourced from Goodreads.

Part 2 of the approximately 5 part series! You can see Part 1 here.

Again, books are in chronological order of when I read them and an * indicates an audiobook.

The Speechwriter: A Brief Education in Politics by Barton Swain*

This is one in a long line of “oh gods I need a new audiobook, what’s available from the library right now?” reads. The Speechwriter was pleasantly surprising, though, as a funny and brief look into the writing room of a politician. (Turns out that the governor written about in the book is no less than Mark Sanford.) The degree to which the Governor is a dolt and makes random changes to his staff’s well-done work is hilarious and frustrating in equal measures. A fun look at the day-to-day grunt work inside a politician’s office.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr*

Another book picked mostly at random, this is a story about a teenage girl whose mom ends up fostering a teenage soon-to-be mother. The characters are all well-realized, and by the end of the book everyone is very sympathetic. Also has one of the best renditions of what it’s like working in a bookstore I’ve ever read. A perfectly OK book.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol 1: Squirrel Power by Ryan North

Ryan North + Squirrel Girl = insanely awesome. This comic is just madcap fun the entire way through, and there’s even alt-text! I enjoy how not-seriously the comic’s premise takes itself, too. Squirrel Girl is the best and I look forward to reading more of her adventures.

What Happens in Scotland by Jennifer McQuiston*

I wanted a romance audiobook, and hoo boy did I get it! McQuiston does a masterful job of making the setting feel real, but what I was most impressed by was how much agency the female MC had. It’s refreshing to not have a romance MC who likes the man to make decisions for her. And the male MC is refreshingly NOT a total dick, although he does get (understandably) grumpy from time to time. The whole plot also resembles The Hangover by way of period romance, which works out even better than you’d think.

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher*

Carrie Fisher! This is a fun book, well, as fun as talking about addiction and a pretty rough life can be. But there’s a ton of charming moments in here. The only flaw that I found was that the audiobook (as read by the author) is delivered in a bit of a stand-up comedy style. This makes sense, as this is a book version of one of Fisher’s shows. But not having the energy of the room or being able to see Fisher makes it come off a little more “Aunt Carrie tells you an uncomfortable story she thinks is funny” than I think was intended. That said, if you can roll with that it’s a good audiobook, and I’m pretty sure the paper version doesn’t suffer this (relatively minor) issue.

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

One of the best YA books I read all year. Set in an urban area that feels real and not like a TV version of such. The magic feels real, and I love its roots in non-Western belief systems. The whole book is a masterpiece, and a shining example of what urban fantasy could be if more people stretched beyond cloning Harry Dresden and Mercy Thompson. (Both of whom I love, but still.)

The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances by Matthew Inman

This was fun enough? I think I’d read the original comic on The Oatmeal already, so reading the book version didn’t add much. IIRC, came off as a little preachy, but not so horribly I didn’t want to read it. Comics about running! Yay?

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert*

“Oh, the Eat, Pray, Love lady? I don’t know if I’ll like this.” And then I liked it a whole damn lot, dear reader. To be fair, I’m a sucker for encouraging books about creativity. But Gilbert does a great job of being encouraging and giving advice while still accepting that everyone’s life is different and we can’t all travel around the world or having a magical writing gazebo. She’s also a fantastic narrator on the audio version.

Rat Queens, Vol. 3: Demons by Kurtis J. Wiebe

This Rat Queens volume features a new artist, which is good because it turns out the old artist was…not a good person, in some respects, to say the least. This volume of Rat Queens is perfectly solid, but I agree with the reviewer I read online who said that it didn’t feel as tightly written as the previous two. Still, I really like the sense of humor the series has, and definitely want to read more. (If that ever happens. I understand the comic series has been having troubles, so who knows when/if a forth book will come out. Which double sucks, as this one ends on a cliffhanger!)

The Shadow Throne by Django Wexler

Django is a good buddy of mine, which made me nervous when I started reading his books. What if I didn’t like them? And then it turned out they were awesome and everything was fine! The Shadow Throne is an interesting departure from The Thousand Names, leaving the desert behind for a city tale. I wasn’t too sure about this at first, but getting to see more of Winter’s past come to light, and an intrigue plot that was interesting and fun the whole way through. Plus there was military action still. I did miss a few characters from the first book (mostly Winter’s sergeants), but they’re primed to be around in book 3, so it’s all good. Highly recommend this series, especially if you’re in for a different kind of historical fantasy.

And that’s it for part 2! What do you all think? Leave a comment on the site and get a(n imaginary) cookie!

PS All covers in this series are sourced from Goodreads. No copyright infringement intended, etc.