lavaturtle reads things in 2018

In 2018, I'm planning to read things in these categories:

* From the physical bookshelf (acquired before 1 Jan 2018)
* Nonfiction books
* Comics
* Short Stories
* Books published in 2018
* 2018 Hugo nominees
* Sequels to books I loved
* Books by my favorite authors
* Books by new-to-me authors

and participate in these group challenges:

* RandomCAT
* BingoDOG
* ScaredyKIT
* SFF/SFFF KIT

I'll count things that I finished in 2018. Each thing will only be counted towards one category, but can be counted in any number of group challenges.

From the Physical Bookshelf
Goal: 5 books
These are books that are sitting on a shelf in my house, but that I have not yet read. Only counting things that I already owned at the beginning of 2018.

Books read:
1. Saga, Vol. 8 by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
2. Robot Uprisings ed. by Daniel H. Wilson
3. An Accident of Stars by Foz Meadows
4. A Tyranny of Queens by Foz Meadows

Final count: 4/5

Nonfiction
Goal: 6 books
I'm hoping to read some more nonfiction books about history, as well as essay collections on interesting topics.

Books read:
1. The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale
2. There Are No Dead Here: A Story of Murder and Denial in Colombia by Maria McFarland Sánchez-Moreno
3. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein

Final count: 3/6

Comics
Goal: 50 issues
I have a pull list now! And I want to get back to reading older stuff via Marvel Unlimited. So I'm going to shoot for one issue a week, almost.

Issues read:
1. Runaways #8: Teenage Wasteland, Chapter 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
2. Runaways #9: Teenage Wasteland, Chapter 3 by Brian K. Vaughan
3. America #9: The World is Yours by Gabby Rivera
4. America #10: Bulletproof by Gabby Rivera
5. America #11: Ultralight Beam by Gabby Rivera
6. America #12: So Long and Goodnight by Gabby Rivera
7. Runaways #10: Teenage Wasteland, Conclusion by Brian K. Vaughan
8. Runaways #11: Lost and Found, Part 1 of 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
9. Runaways #12: Lost and Found, Part 2 of 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
10. Runaways #13: The Good Die Young, Chapter 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
11. Batwoman #9: Fear and Loathing, Part 3 (Stay High) by Marguerite Bennett
12. Batwoman #10: Kiss From a Rose by Marguerite Bennett
13. Exiles #1 by Saladin Ahmed
14. Exiles #2 by Saladin Ahmed
15. Exiles #3 by Saladin Ahmed
16. CALEXIT #1 by Matteo Pizzolo
17-21. Bitch Planet, Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine by Kelly Sue DeConnick
22-26. Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K Vaughan
27-31. Paper Girls, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
32-37. Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
38. Black Bolt #1 by Saladin Ahmed
39. Black Bolt #2 by Saladin Ahmed
40. Black Bolt #3 by Saladin Ahmed
41. Black Bolt #4 by Saladin Ahmed
42. Black Bolt #5 by Saladin Ahmed
43. Black Bolt #6 by Saladin Ahmed
44. Batwoman #11: Pygsty by K. Perkins
45. Batwoman #12: Paradise is Burning Down by Marguerite Bennett
46. Innsmouth #4 by Megan James
47. Innsmouth #5 by Megan James
48. New X-Men #125: Losers by Grant Morrison
49. New X-Men #126: All Hell by Grant Morrison
50. New X-Men #127: of living and dying by Grant Morrison
51. New X-Men #128: New Worlds by Grant Morrison
52. Irregular, Chapter One: We Know What You Are by Cait May and Trevor Beam
53. New X-Men #129: Fantomex by Grant Morrison
54. New X-Men #130: Weapon Twelve by Grant Morrison
55-59. Wynonna Earp: Season Zero by Beau Smith
60. Irregular, Chapter Two: You Can Run But You Can't Hide by Cait May and Trevor Beam
61. Irregular, Chapter Three: The Beast With Blue Eyes by Cait May and Trevor Beam
62. Exiles #4 by Saladin Ahmed
63. West Coast Avengers #1 by Kelly Thompson
64. West Coast Avengers #2 by Kelly Thompson

COMPLETE! Final count: 64/50

Short Stories
Goal: 12 stories
This is likely to be a mix of recommendations, things I happen across, and things I get through Patreon

Stories read:
1. Worth Her Weight in Gold by Sarah Gailey
2. Bookburners Season 2, Episode 3: Mistakes Were Made by Brian Francis Slattery
3. Bookburners Season 2, Episode 4: Ghosts by Margaret Dunlap
4. Ready, Fire, Aim by gyzym
5. Bread and Milk and Salt by Sarah Gailey
6. Automated Customer Service by John Scalzi
7. Compulsory by Martha Wells

Final count: 7/12

Published in 2018
Goal: 12 books
There's so much awesome stuff being published! New books go here.

Books read:
1. Deep Roots by Ruthanna Emrys
2. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Final count: 2/12

2018 Hugo Nominees
Goal: 15 things from the Novel, Novella, Novelette, Short Story, Related Work, Graphic Story, and Series categories
Nominee list: http://www.thehugoawards.org/2018/03/2018-1943-hugo-award-finalists-announced/
I'm a Supporting Member of WorldCon, so I'll be voting on the Hugo Awards.

Things read:
1. Carnival Nine by Caroline M. Yoachim
2. Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand by Fran Wilde
3. Fandom for Robots by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
4. The Martian Obelisk by Linda Nagata
5. Sun, Moon, Dust by Ursula Vernon
6. Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™ by Rebecca Roanhorse
7. The Black Tides of Heaven by JY Yang
8. And Then There Were (N-One) by Sarah Pinsker
9. Children of Thorns, Children of Water by Aliette de Bodard
10. Extracurricular Activities by Yoon Ha Lee
11. Wind Will Rove by Sarah Pinsker
12. Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time by K.M. Szpara
13. River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey
14. Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
15. Provenance by Ann Leckie
16. The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi
17. A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
18. The Secret Life of Bots by Suzanne Palmer
19. Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty
20. Bitch Planet Volume 2: President Bitch by Kelly Sue DeConnick
21 Paper Girls, Vol. 3 by Brian K. Vaughan
22. Monstress, Volume 2: The Blood by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

COMPLETE! Final count: 22/15

Sequels to Books I Loved
Goal: 5 books

Books read:
1. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
2. The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars, Part Two by Michael Dante DiMartino
3. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
4. The Trespasser by Tana French
5. Stone Mad by Elizabeth Bear

COMPLETE! Final count: 5/5

By My Favorite Authors
Goal: 5 books

Books read:
1. The Shadowed Sun by N. K. Jemisin
2. The Fuller Memorandum by Charles Stross
3. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
4. Kindred by Octavia Butler
5. Party Discipline by Cory Doctorow
6. Lock In by John Scalzi
7. Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire
8. Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire

COMPLETE! Final count: 8/5

By New-To-Me Authors
Goal: 5 books

Books read:
1. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
2. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
3. Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw
4. Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson
5. The Six-Gun Tarot by R.S. Belcher

COMPLETE! Final count: 5/5

RandomCAT
General Thread | Wiki

January (Ack! I’ve Been Hit - The Ever Dangerous Book Bullets): The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (BB from mamzel)
February (Laissez les bons temps rouler): The Shadowed Sun by N. K. Jemisin
March (Ripped From the Headlines): The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale
April (April Loves Books!): Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
May (Spring is all around): The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars, Part Two by Michael Dante DiMartino
June (Unusual Narrators): Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
July (Getting to Know You): --
August (Let's Go to the Mountains): --
September (Happy Birthday): --
October: (Playing Cards): The Six-Gun Tarot by R.S. Belcher
November (It's all about money...): The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein
December (Secret Santa): --

BingoDOG
General Thread with Card | Wiki



Books read:
1. Fits at least 2 CATs/KITs: Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
5. Unread 2017 Purchase: Saga, Vol. 8 by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
6. New To You Author: Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw
8. Published in 2018: Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
9. Longtime TBR: Robot Uprisings ed. by Daniel H. Wilson
10. Beautiful Cover: Runaways #8: Teenage Wasteland, Chapter 2 by Brian K Vaughan
12. LGBTQ Central Character: The Black Tides of Heaven by JY Yang
13. Read a CAT: The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale (for RandomCAT)
14. Rank in the Title: Bitch Planet Volume 2: President Bitch by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine De Landro
15. Published > 100 years: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
17. More than 500 pages: The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein
18. X in the Title: Exiles #1 by Saladin Ahmed
19. Relative Name in Title: Kindred by Octavia Butler
20. Pacific Ocean Related: West Coast Avengers #2 by Kelly Thompson
21. Set During a Holiday: Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K Vaughan (set in the waning hours of Halloween night)
22. Something in the Sky in the Title: The Shadowed Sun by N.K. Jemisin
24. Number in the Title: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
25. Story Involves Travel: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

ScaredyKIT
Planning Thread | Wiki

January (Gothic): The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
February (Survival/Disaster): Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
March (Weird Fiction): The Fuller Memorandum by Charles Stross
April (The Supernatural): Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw
May (Close to Home): Exiles (2018-) #3 by Saladin Ahmed
June (Adapted to Screen): --
July (Science/Techno Thrillers): Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty
August (Series): --
September (Stephen King and Family): --
October (Ghost Stories): Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire
November (Serial Killers): --
December (Psychological Suspense / Catch All): --

SFF/SFFF KIT
General Thread | Wiki

January (There's Always Tomorrow): Robot Uprisings ed. by Daniel H. Wilson
February (Urban Fantasy): --
March (Off World): The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
April (Time Travel): Kindred by Octavia Butler
May (Rise Up): The Black Tides of Heaven by JY Yang & CALEXIT #1 by Matteo Pizzolo
June (Series): The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi & Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
July (Cyberpunk or Techno SFF): --
August (Makes You Laugh): Innsmouth #5 by Megan James
September (Myths, Legends, & Fairy Tales): --
October (Historical and Alt-historical): Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson
November (Creatures): Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire
December (This is how it ends): --

All set up! This thread is now open for comments :)

Welcome back and have a great reading year!

May 2018 be filled with good reads!

I will enjoy following your reading adventures. Have a great year!

Thank you for all the good wishes!

Saga, Vol. 8 by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Category: From the Physical Bookshelf
BingoDOG: Unread 2017 Purchase

I liked this volume a lot! Petrichor is a more central character and gets some character development. The difficult situation Alana faces, which drives most of the plot, is handled with courage and compassion. The themes of family, love, loss, and acceptance run strong through the whole arc.

I can tell I'm going to take a lot of SFF book bullets here! Also, I hope you do read Bellwether, as it's one of my favorites by Connie Willis!

Your set-up is great and I am very interested in following all your categories!

Love the setup!

Thank you both for the kind words!

Runaways #8: Teenage Wasteland, Chapter 2 by Brian K Vaughan
Category: Comics
BingoDOG: Beautiful Cover

I'd started reading Runaways in late 2016, but never got back to it until now. I'm really enjoying the series that's on Hulu now (I believe the last episode of the season appears at midnight tonight), so I figured I'd pick this back up.

In this issue: I liked the team's connection with the new character they met at the end of the previous issue. The middle felt a bit recap-y, but that's just as well since it's been a while since I read this series. The ending was super creepy, and seems weirdly out of character for that character... must read on to find out what's going on!

Runaways #9: Teenage Wasteland, Chapter 3 by Brian Vaughan
Category: Comics

This issue focuses on the Runaways' personal relationships as everyone's getting cranky and the reality of their situation is beginning to sink in. The characters' different personalities seemed well written. The surprise twist at the end was very surprising!

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Category: By New-To-Me Authors
RandomCAT: Ack! I’ve Been Hit - The Ever Dangerous Book Bullets
BingoDOG: Story Involves Travel

This was a BB from mamzel (and I've also seen it mentioned by at least one blogger I follow).

I really enjoyed this book about three young people's mis/adventures around Europe in the 18th century. It was a good mix of fun adventure, character relationships, and thoughtful reflections on how race, gender, sexuality, disability, and abuse affected the protagonists. The narrator takes a while to acquire a clue, but it's totally in character given his background. Would definitely recommend this to fans of historical fiction with diverse characters!

>27 lavaturtle: So glad you liked it!

>27 lavaturtle: I was hit with the same book bullet so I am very happy to see you also had a positive reaction to the book.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
ScaredyKIT: Gothic Fiction
BingoDOG: Published more than 100 years ago

I finished this in January, just barely! Updating this thread now that I'm back from vacation.

I was familiar with the basic premise of this novel before reading it, but not with the actual plot or any of the non-titular characters. The plot starts out very slowly; almost nothing happens until about halfway through! It felt like Wilde was more interested in stuffing the book with witty one-liners than with telling the story. There's also an odd chapter that is almost entirely dense lists of aesthetically pleasing objects in history.

The plot is *there*, under all the ornate embellishments, and the basic concept is compelling. I'm glad later artists adopted the premise and retold/adapted it, because there's something wonderfully haunting about it at the core.

Among the witticisms are a variety of unfortunate statements about women, although nothing really surprising for a book from the 19th century. Far more jarring were the occasional intrusions of ugly vintage racism towards Jews and Black people. That really detracted from the story, and didn't need to be there at all.

Bottom line, if you really want to have read this story in the original, or if you want to see where a hundred of Oscar Wilde's most quoted quotes come from, go ahead and read it! It's not very long. But otherwise, it's kind of a slog through old-school prejudices and preening monologues.

I picked up that book in high school because it was categorized as Gothic. At that time, I equated Gothic with the romantic suspense genre. Needless to say, I didn't really enjoy the book. A couple of years ago, I decided to give it another try since my reading tastes were more mature and diverse. It still failed miserably for me. I will probably never pick it up again.

Robot Uprisings ed. by Daniel H. Wilson
Category: From the Physical Bookshelf
BingoDOG: Longtime TBR
SFF/SFFF KIT: There's Always Tomorrow

I picked this up at Steampunk World's Fair a few years back, but hadn't gotten around to reading it until now. I'm glad I finally did! Like any short story collection, it has a mix of gems and duds. Here are some stories that stood out to me:

* "Eighty Miles an Hour All the Way to Paradise" (Genevieve Valentine) is a haunting post-apocalyptic tale about survival, and who we pick up along the way, and being left behind.
* "Epoch" (Cory Doctorow) has an interesting take on a rogue A.I. from a sysadmin's point of view.
* "The Golden Hour" (Juliana Baggott) features an unlikely rebel and a ray of hope in a capricious and regimented world.
* "Sleepover" (Alastair Reynolds) has a downright unsympathetic protagonist, but it's got an evocative setting, and a really interesting take on an old philosophical idea.
* "Of Dying Heroes and Deathless Deeds" (Robin Wasserman) is a tragic exploration of trauma, ambiguous moral choices, and poetry.
* "The Robot and the Baby" (John McCarthy) is a short, fun piece that I like because its wacky robot behavior is grounded in realistic computer programming. (Not surprising, perhaps, since the author invented the original Lisp programming language.) Note however that it does feature a rather unfortunate stereotype of a "crack mother".
* "We Are All Misfit Toys in the Aftermath of the Velveteen War" (Seanan McGuire) is a sorrowful tale about fading hope, callousness, and unintended consequences. It also features a clever use of a technology that isn't usually depicted in fiction.
* "Small Things" (Daniel H. Wilson) unfurls a horrifying apocalyptic wonderland at the same time it gradually reveals more about the protagonist's tragic backstory. It's a well-crafted gem of glittering terror.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Category: Books by new-to-me authors
BingoDOG: Number in the title
ScaredyKIT: Survival/Disaster

I really liked this book. The post-apocalyptic world was compelling and well thought out. The lack of information about things not in the characters' immediate proximity gave the story a particular feel that was well-suited to the setting. I liked the character development and slowly building connections.

I guessed who the Prophet was pretty early on, but fortunately the plot didn't hinge on that being a surprising reveal.

The ending wasn't super definitive -- this is definitely a book that jumps around in time to sketch in details rather than one with a super linear plot. Mostly this worked really well. I want to know what happened to the people on the cargo ships tho!

Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
Category: Sequels to books I loved
BingoDOG: Published in 2018

This is a good story, as well as a quick read. I like the diverse cast of characters, each with a distinctive voice and personality. I like the relationships between the characters, and their growth over the course of the story. I love the cobbled-together family that is Eleanor's school.

I think it's neat that each of the books in this series has a different story structure, despite being a series that's all sort of about portal fantasies. (In this case, it's sort of a group quest.)

>34 lavaturtle:
I've had this one recommended to me, so it's nice to see that the characters are a big part of the story - I like character-driven plots.

The Shadowed Sun by N.K. Jemisin
Category: By My Favorite Authors
RandomCAT: Laissez les bons temps rouler
BingoDOG: Something in the sky in the title

It took me a while to get into this book, but eventually the characters and their connected struggles drew me in. The magic system in this series is interesting.

America #9: The World is Yours by Gabby Rivera
Category: Comics

This issue's plot happens over a very short period of time, compared to some previous issues, and it's very focused. The central conflict is compelling, although I'm not sure what I think of the main villain.

America #10: Bulletproof by Gabby Rivera
Category: Comics

This was an awesome conclusion to this plot arc! I love the teamup of all the characters, and America Chavez being a righteous badass.

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
SFF/SFFF KIT: Off World

I thought I'd like this book more than I did. It was highly recommended to me because "anarchists on the moon!". Which is very much my thing! But...

1) Ugh, Heinlein's gross sexism and Weird Sex Ideas. Every damn woman (or girl who's hit puberty) in the book is primarily viewed through the lens of how sexy she is to all the men in the vicinity. Women in general are routinely derided as foolish and emotional. Rape is considered a fun topic to joke about. Sure, Heinlein posits that women are treated well in their society... but only because they're considered a valuable commodity. Blah.

2) The whole political plot is not so much "we're building a cool anarchist society!" as "We, the few smart people, are carefully engineering a specific political outcome. Democracy is stupid! Anyway, look how very clever our clever plan is!"

There are some low-key racist undercurrents through the whole thing, too, just to top the whole thing off.

The one thing I did like about this story is that the villain is greedy prison operators who ignore the humanity of their prisoners, preferring to profit endlessly off their labor. That's something worth overthrowing! And sadly quite relevant to the real world.

America #11: Ultralight Beam by Gabby Rivera
Category: Comics

I loved the first part of this issue, where Sotomayor University students grapple with recent events on their campus. The supporting characters continue to be really strong here. It's also cool that in the rest of the issue, we pick up a loose end from earlier in the series, and it looks like that plot is really moving forward.
The change in art style was a surprise! But Dapper America is actually pretty great.

Yes! I agree about the Golden Age SF authors. I want to love them. I loved them when I was a kid. But sheesh, I read them now and there are lines in those books where my jaw just hits the floor. It's amazing both how much attitudes have changed, and also how convinced people were that their futures were reasonable ones to imagine -- yet our lives today are actually so very different.

Anyway -- sorry that the Heinlein wasn't on for you. :(

>40 lavaturtle: And you're also reading Gabby Rivera! Which series is that? The America comic one? I read Juliet Takes a Breath by her a while back, and I'm very interested in more by her, but I don't want to get hooked before enough have been published.

Yea, this is the America Chavez solo comic series that got started about a year ago. It's been pretty good! I'm a little behind and just catching up now, but I think 12 issues have been published. Unfortunately it seems like there might not be more after that :(

Well, that's too bad -- I've only heard good things. (But for me, it is a reason for me to stop postponing checking on whether it's at the library -- and that's a good thing!)

The Fuller Memorandum by Charles Stross
Category: By My Favorite Authors
ScaredyKIT: Weird Fiction

This is another solid entry in the Laundry Files series. I really like this series's blend of spooky horror, self-deprecating humor, and technology-based magic. Mo has really come into her own by this book, and is a significant player in its plot from the beginning. It was cool that we found out what Angleton's deal is.The reveal of the final villain was a complete surprise to me!

America #12: So Long and Goodnight by Gabby Rivera
Category: Comics

This was a heartwarming conclusion to the America series. I wish there was more! But if it had to end, this is a good ending.

I liked the variety of art styles in this issue.

The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale
Category: Nonfiction
RandomCAT: Ripped from the Headlines
BingoDOG: Read a CAT

This is a compelling and well-written book about the major problems in (primarily American) policing today, how they got that way, and what might be done to fix them. Some of what was covered was stuff I'd already heard about from following relevant news, but Vitale does a great job of tying it all together and providing a depth of historical background. The writing style is quite accessible -- I was able to finish it in just a few days.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who's concerned about police reform or racial and economic justice in America.

Runaways #10: Teenage Wasteland, Conclusion by Brian K. Vaughan
Category: Comics

Wow! This issue got intense, emotions running high as the team confronts a dangerous threat.

Runaways #11: Lost and Found, Part 1 of 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
Category:Comics

Guest appearance by Cloak and Dagger! These are characters I'm not too familiar with, so I'm intrigued to meet them. I liked this issue's various iterations of teens figuring out what they're going to do and who they're going to be in relation to what's expected of them.

Runaways #12: Lost and Found, Part 2 of 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
Category:Comics

I liked the second half of this story, too. The runaways continue to be well characterized, and I think I'm going to have to check out more Cloak and Dagger stories. I'm so worried about who the mole is in the runaways!

Runaways #13: The Good Die Young, Chapter 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
Category:Comics

This issue is almost all backstory about the history of the Pride. It clarified a whole lot of things! I was surprised how different it is from what the Pride is about in the TV show. Anyway, it was great to find out what's going on there, and it turned the Pride members from a dozen indistinguishable villains into more distinct characters.

(And again with the cliffhanger/twist ending!)

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
Category: Books by my favorite authors
RandomCAT: April Loves Books!

I love the worldbuilding and magic system in this book, and the main characters are compelling. It felt like it took a really long time for the main plot to get going, and I got impatient with the cycle of "protagonist doesn't know anything about magic, which isn't her fault, but everyone is laughing and/or yelling at her about it". But once we got past that half of the book, it was an exciting story! I'm looking forward to reading the sequel (Akata Warrior).

>52 lavaturtle: I keep hearing good things about this one. I may have to seek it out.

Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw
Category: Books by new-to-me authors
ScaredyKIT: The Supernatural
BingoDOG: New to you Author

This is exactly my kind of thing! I love when fantasy fiction thinks through what the day-to-day implications of magic and supernatural creatures would be in the modern world. And I think doctors are compelling heroes, but most stories relegate them to supporting characters and/or gloss over what they actually do all day. Dr. Greta Helsing is the protagonist I didn't know I've always wanted. And this book has a cheerfully twisty plot and a great bunch of characters. I can't wait til the sequel comes out in July!

Batwoman #9: Fear and Loathing, Part 3 (Stay High) by Marguerite Bennett
Category: Comics

I feel like there's some backstory I'm supposed to know about with Colony Prime and Jacob Kane and how the former sees the latter as a father figure? And Kate Kane's messed up relationship with her father? I'm really not sure if I've missed something, or if it's just meant to be revealed in this way.
In any case, this issue has a powerful monologue about how Kate's past has formed who she is today.

Kindred by Octavia Butler
Category: By My Favorite Authors
SFF/SFFF KIT: Time Travel
BingoDOG: Relative Name in Title

This is an interesting novel that illuminates the brutality of slavery from the perspective of a Black woman from the 1970s. I liked the well-developed characterization of the main and supporting characters. The strange phenomenon that frames the book's events is never really explained, but it doesn't really need to be. The growing strain between Dana and Kevin is well done as well.

Batwoman #10: Kiss From a Rose by Marguerite Bennett
Category: Comics

This issue mostly feels like a connection between the end of the previous story arc and whatever comes next, giving the characters a little breathing room to talk to each other. Unfortunately, the people available to talk to are obnoxious Colony leaders. (And ugh, Kate's dad is awful.) Not sure where the twist at the end is going!

Carnival Nine by Caroline M. Yoachim
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

This is an interesting piece, set in a fairy-tale world where all the people are wind-up toys living in various parts of a house with a train running between them. It's sad, but sweet. Despite being a world of toys, the characters make very grown-up decisions and mistakes.
(Also, I appreciated the casual inclusion of gay dads.)

Worth Her Weight in Gold by Sarah Gailey
Category: Short Stories

This is a cute little story about a rogue and his hippo. I love it!

Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand by Fran Wilde
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

This is an odd little vignette, a creepy trip through an increasingly grotesque museum that seems to be a metaphor for ableism? Anyway, it's interesting, and lyrical, almost more of a prose poem than a story.

Fandom for Robots by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

This story is excellent and I like it so much! The robot protagonist is funny and sympathetic, the fandom depictions are spot on, and the fictional anime sounds amazing. I would definitely watch this show (which btw has a trans protagonist? awesome!) if it existed. The story reminds me a bit of Murderbot, and a bit of some of the stories in Robot Uprisings about lonely semi-obsolete robots.

The Martian Obelisk by Linda Nagata
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

A powerful story about what it means to carry on when all hope seems lost.

Sun, Moon, Dust by Ursula Vernon
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

This is a cute story about a farmboy who doesn't go off to war or become a legendary warrior. I liked the distinctive characters.

Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™ by Rebecca Roanhorse
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

Wow! This is a compelling story with a twist ending that creeps up on you before you realize it.

The Black Tides of Heaven by JY Yang
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees
SFF/SFFF KIT: Rise Up
BingoDOG: LGBTQ Central Character

I love the worldbuilding in this book: the society's interesting approach to gender, the political tensions, the magic system. The main character was well-drawn and sympathetic. The ending wasn't quite as definitive as I would have liked, so I'm glad there's more in this series!

And Then There Were (N-One) by Sarah Pinsker
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

I really liked this fantastical mystery story. The central conceit, weird as it is, was handled thoughtfully and didn't feel gimmicky. The resolution made sense.

The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars, Part Two by Michael Dante DiMartino
Category: Sequels to Books I Loved
RandomCAT: Spring is all around

This series - the comics continuation of an excellent animated TV series - continues to be excellent. The art does a great job conveying the action, and the character voices are perfect. I enjoyed Bolin's exploits as a rookie cop and banter with Mako. The story is exciting and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Children of Thorns, Children of Water by Aliette de Bodard
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

Since I haven't read The House of Shattered Wings, I'm missing a lot of the context for this story, so it took me a bit to get into it. But it does come together as a story, with an exciting glimpse of several magic systems and a bunch of haunting memories. Still, it's very much an "interquel", with little time spent getting us up to speed and not much finality to its ending.

Exiles #1 by Saladin Ahmed
Category: Comics
BingoDOG: X in the Title

This is an intriguiging beginning to a new series! I like the characterization and art for Blink and Khan. Not sure yet on Iron Lad.

Extracurricular Activities by Yoon Ha Lee
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

This is a charming story about an interesting character on a government mission that goes a bit wrong. I liked the romance subplot, and the way the past tied into the story.

Exiles #2 by Saladin Ahmed
Category: Comics

As the second part of the beginning of the story, this issue does a great job introducing the rest of the team and getting ready to move on to the next phase. I love Valkyrie's characterization, and how Blink and Khan relate to each other. Also, X-Babies is really weird.

Exiles (2018-) #3 by Saladin Ahmed
Category: Comics
ScaredyCAT: Close to Home

Peggy Carter: Captain America! Age of Aquarius! Valkyrie's romance with Peggy's sidekick Becky! I love so many things about this issue. I just hope that cliffhanger ending doesn't mean the end for Peggy and her crew.

Wind Will Rove by Sarah Pinsker
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

I loved this story about folk music and history, and generation ships, and how we decide what's important to remember.

Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time by K.M. Szpara
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

This story does a great job depicting someone running up against a system that wasn't designed with people like them in mind, in an interesting urban fantasy setting.

River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

I loved this book! The alternate-history setting is a lot of fun. The author does an amazing job with the distinctive voices of our protagonists. The story is exciting and fast-paced. And it's stuffed full of awesome LGBTQ characters.

Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

It's been a couple years since I read Binti, so it took me a bit to find my footing as this book jumps right in with the protagonist's current situation and a bunch of non-English words. But once I remembered what's going on, this is an interesting story. I loved learning about the Desert People and their history with aliens and advanced technology. The end of the book is rather abrupt and doesn't really feel like an ending. Hopefully the next book in the series will pick up the loose threads this one left dangling.

Bookburners Season 2, Episode 3: Mistakes Were Made by Brian Francis Slattery
Category: Short Stories

This is a reasonably fun installment about a magical conference, but doesn't have a lot of substance. Asanti gets some interesting character development, at least.

CALEXIT #1 by Matteo Pizzolo
Category: Comics
SFF/SFFF KIT: Rise Up

This is a powerful beginning to a new series. I liked the assortment of characters introduced, with all their moral murkiness, and I liked the effective use of geography.

>72 lavaturtle:
Haha!

Provenance by Ann Leckie
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

I liked this book's worldbuilding, particularly the development of the Hwae culture. Took a while to get into the plot, but it picked up after a while. The Geck are interesting, and I also liked the brief glimpses of how the events of the Ancillary trilogy had affected the world.

The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees
SFF/SFFF KIT: Series

The premise of this book is really interesting. And the storytelling is fast-paced and entertaining. Being the first in a series, it leaves a fair bit unresolved at the end, although not so much as to be annoying. I look forward to picking up The Consuming Fire when it comes out this fall.

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
Category: Sequels to Books I Loved
RandomCAT: Unusual Narrators
SFF/SFFF KIT: Series
BingoDOG: Fits at least 2 CATs/KITs

This is another great story in the Murderbot Diaries series. I liked seeing how Murderbot relates to other constructs and AIs. The answers about Murderbot's past were a satisfying conclusion to that loose end from the previous book. The main plot is ultimately not very complicated -- it's a short book -- but it has room to develop a lot about the characters and the world they live in. The human relationships we get a glimpse of are compelling and interesting. But my favorite thing is our hero, who's been beaten down and told they're not even a person, fighting through their anxiety and trauma to live life on their own terms.

A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

A fun little story about a niche industry. I really like the protagonists and the slow reveal of Helen's past. The ending is satisfying and well-earned.

The Secret Life of Bots by Suzanne Palmer
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

I liked the clever POV on this story, and the intertwined micro and macro narratives.

Party Discipline by Cory Doctorow
Category: By My Favorite Authors

Found my way this story via a link on a blog post on social media... but it's actually set in the same world as Walkaway. This story feels like Walkaway's indictment of economic inequality, crossed with Little Brother's sense of what it's like to be a high school student in a terrifying surveillance state. I liked how it packed a lot of hints about what's going on in the world into a small space, filtered through the lens of what the protagonist is worried about.

It's halfway through the year! Let's see where I am on my goals.

* From the Physical Bookshelf: 2/5
* Nonfiction: 1/6
* Comics: 16/50
* Short Stories: 2/12
* Published in 2018: 0/12
* 2018 Hugo Nominees: COMPLETE! (18/15)
* Sequels to Books I Loved: 3/5
* By My Favorite Authors: COMPLETE! (5/5)
* By New-To-Me Authors: 3/5

I need to pick up the pace on Nonfiction and things published in 2018! Sounds like a good place to focus my efforts once Hugo season is done.

Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees
ScaredyKIT: Science/Techno Thrillers

I loved this book! I especially liked the gradual reveal of the characters' backstories and how those fit into the main mystery. The exploration of the cultural role and implications of cloning was also super neat. I would love to read more about these characters, past the point where this story leaves off.

Bookburners Season 2, Episode 4: Ghosts by Margaret Dunlap
Category: Short Stories

I'm not sure what I think of the main plot of this episode, which seems to rely heavily on a silly pun. But the advancement of Grace's story is interesting, and I'm curious where the techno-cultist stuff is eventually going.

Bitch Planet, Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine by Kelly Sue DeConnick
Category: Comics

This series has an interesting premise, and it's not subtle. It's loud, and in your face, and angry. And it's actually perfect for covering the number of fucked-up things about society that this comic tackles.

I like the main characters, and the bonds they form in the face of oppression. The art does a good job of making them larger than life, while still letting them have nuance and personality.

Bitch Planet Volume 2: President Bitch by Kelly Sue DeConnick
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees
BingoDOG: Rank in Title

Wow. This volume is even stronger than the previous one. Several storylines are handled deftly, and saying a lot in relatively few panels: Meiko's backstory, the introduction of the trans women on the prison planet, and the choices Meiko's father ends up making. I'm intrigued by the titular character and her supporters that make an appearance towards the end of the volume.

Also, the end notes, where the creators discuss some of their artistic choices, are totally worth reading.

Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K Vaughan
Category: Comics
BingoDOG: Set during a holiday

This is an interesting story about a group of girls in the late 1980s, figuring out who they want to be while also dealing with some spooky mysteries. It's an intriguing story. It also does a good job of portraying some of the uglier parts of 1980s social attitudes without condoning them. The art is lovely and evocative.

Paper Girls, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
Category: Comics

I liked the character exploration of Erin, and the setting touches of the year 2016. Want to know more about the mysterious factions that have taken an interest in the protagonists. KJ still seems underused/underdeveloped as a character.

Paper Girls, Vol. 3 by Brian K. Vaughan
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

Hurray, KJ gets a lot more screen time in this volume! I liked the "weird prehistoric" setting. The art is great.

Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
Category: Comics

Re-read this to remind myself of the plot before reading Monstress Volume 2.

>94 lavaturtle:
Ooh, I almost picked that one up recently, but it was too heavy to bring on the plane in my carry-on... Putting it on my librarylist instead.

Monstress, Volume 2: The Blood by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
Category: 2018 Hugo Nominees

I liked that we learned a bit more about the history of the world, and the supernatural threats it's facing. But most of all, the artwork in this series is just breathtaking. Every panel of every page is filled with an incredible amount of intricate detail. It's beautiful.

Black Bolt #1 by Saladin Ahmed
Category: Comics

I'd never heard of this character before, but the first volume of this series is nominated for a Hugo, so I'm checking it out. The first issue is intriguing, with its poetic, cyclic narrative structure. I like the art.

Black Bolt #2 by Saladin Ahmed
Category: Comics

This issue tackled some important themes about justice and who gets labelled a "criminal". I'm liking the character interactions before. The non-speaking aspect of the character seems like it could get gimmicky (seriously dude, just get a chalkboard. or learn a signed language.), but hopefully it won't soon...

Black Bolt #3 by Saladin Ahmed
Category: Comics

I like how the protagonists are starting to come together as a team.

Black Bolt #4 by Saladin Ahmed
Category: Comics

Wow. This was a powerful issue, making good use of very little "front-story" to fill in a lot of character and backstory.

Black Bolt #5 by Saladin Ahmed
Category: Comics

The plot's going in an interesting direction here. I hope Lockjaw is okay!

Black Bolt #6 by Saladin Ahmed
Category: Comics

This was a satisfying conclusion to the story arc.

The Trespasser by Tana French
Category: Sequels to books I loved

I love the Dublin Murder Squad series, and this book delivers exactly the kind of can't-put-it-down mystery I've come to expect. The protagonist and supporting cast are great here. I was surprised by the solution to the mystery, and the ending was satisfying.

Lock In by John Scalzi
Category: By my favorite authors

When this book first came out, I apparently only paid a little attention to the pitch, because I thought "it's about a plague of total paralysis? sounds like Oh-No-Disability-Is-Terrible stuff, I'll pass". But it turns out I was completely wrong about that! This book picks up a couple decades later and is largely about disability culture, rights, and politics. It's really good! I like the worldbuilding and the characters.

Batwoman #11: Pygsty by K. Perkins
Category: Comics

The villain here is forgettable, typical DC "lol cRaZy people" fare, but the real point of this issue is Kate's inner monologue and memories of her childhood. Maybe soon we'll find out what actually happened!

Batwoman #12: Paradise is Burning Down by Marguerite Bennett
Category: Comics

This is a satisfying conclusion to the Coryana flashback arc. Now I just want to know what the deal is with Kate's family...

Ready, Fire, Aim by gyzym
Category: Short Stories

This is an excellent piece of fanfic that does a great job capturing the essence of Tony Stark's character and voice.

Innsmouth #4 by Megan James
Category: Comics

I just can't say enough good things about this series. It has a memorable and diverse set of characters, a fun premise that turns a corner of Lovecraftian mythos on its head, great writing, and an art style that's cute and expressive at the same time. I'm so excited there's more!

There Are No Dead Here: A Story of Murder and Denial in Colombia by Maria McFarland Sánchez-Moreno
Category: Nonfiction books

The violence in Colombia towards the end of the 20th century is something I knew very little about, so this book was very educational. I think it did a good job connecting the dots and building a narrative out of a lot of different events. The tendency to jump around in time (e.g. "Velásquez went to his office on a day in 1998. He was working with Peréz. They met in 1995 and here's a 3-page story about that. In the middle of talking about what happened in 1995, though, we're going to also relate some important facts from 1980. So anyway about that thing in 1998...") made it a little hard for me to follow, but I feel like I got the gist of the story.

Innsmouth #5 by Megan James
Category: Comics

This is another amazing installment, and a fitting conclusion for "Season 1" of the series. I love everything about this, and I'm psyched to see where it goes next!

New X-Men #125: Losers by Grant Morrison
Category: Comics

I, uh, don't recommend waiting almost 3 years between reading sequential issues of a comic. I read #124 at the end of 2015, and I had NO IDEA what was going on at the beginning of this issue. (But I think I just about remembered the basics by the end.)

New X-Men #126: All Hell by Grant Morrison
Category: Comics

This was a satisfying conclusion to the Cassandra storyline, and had some good characterization.

New X-Men #127: of living and dying by Grant Morrison
Category: Comics

A powerful meditation on intolerance and fear and violence.

An Accident of Stars by Foz Meadows
Category: From the Physical Bookshelf

I loved this book! Saffron, Gwen, and Zech are amazing characters. The worldbuilding is fleshed out and really interesting. There's an expansive cast of supporting characters with complex motivations. The Shavaktiin are a fascinating concept.

New X-Men #128: New Worlds by Grant Morrison
Category: Comics

Not sure what I think of this one. We get a whole bunch of new characters I'm pretty sure we've never seen before, and it's unclear whether we're supposed to know what's going on. The part with Jean/Phoenix is intriguing (and has some awesome art!), but... I'm apprehensive about the whole "oh NOES, she's POWERFUL" trope that seems to consume everything to do with her.

Last quarter of the year. Current status:

* From the Physical Bookshelf: 3/5
* Nonfiction: 2/6
* Comics: COMPLETE! (51/50)
* Short Stories: 4/12
* Published in 2018: 0/12
* 2018 Hugo Nominees: COMPLETE! (22/15)
* Sequels to Books I Loved: 4/5
* By My Favorite Authors: COMPLETE! (6/5)
* By New-To-Me Authors: 3/5

A Tyranny of Queens by Foz Meadows
Category: From the Physical Bookshelf

This was a great sequel to An Accident of Stars, satisfyingly resolving a lot of the plot from the first book. I loved Yena's storyline and greater role in this book. It was exciting that an important new character is a trans autistic boy, when so often autistic characters don't get to have any other traits. The big changes and reveal about the world were super cool.

Irregular, Chapter One: We Know What You Are by Cait May and Trevor Beam
Category: Comics

This is an intriguing, fun new series about a bunch of supernatural kids. I like the assortment of characters and the dynamics between them. Excited to see what's next!

New X-Men #129: Fantomex by Grant Morrison
Category: Comics

OK, this story arc at least seems to be going somewhere interesting for now. Fantomex is an... interesting character.

New X-Men #130: Weapon Twelve by Grant Morrison
Category: Comics

A surprising ending, a costly mistake, a painful choice.

Deep Roots by Ruthanna Emrys
Category: Published in 2018

I loved Winter Tide, and it's super exciting to return to the characters in the sequel. This book explores some of the fallout of the events of Winter Tide, so I recommend reading them in somewhat close succession. It's also a thoughtful meditation on trust, family, and consequences. And there are some great new characters!

Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson
Category: Books by new-to-me authors
SFF/SFFF KIT: Historical and Alt-Historical

This is an intriguing story about an alternate history where John Brown's raid was successful and the Southern United States became a Black socialist utopia. I love this premise!

Of the novel's three viewpoints, the narrative from the past was the most compelling, in that it actually told a story about a character I cared about. The letters mostly left the other guy sounding really annoying and self-absorbed, even if he did reform in some ways over time. And the narrative of the present... it was okay, but nothing really happened. Left me wanting to know more about how we got from John Brown's army raiding things in the South to a war for the South to be independent as a Black state.

Still, though, a cool premise.

Wynonna Earp: Season Zero by Beau Smith
Category: Comics

The Wynonna Earp TV series is one of my favorite shows on the air. This comic does a great job of capturing the voices of the characters, especially Doc and Wynonna. I love the new characters introduced here, too.

Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire
Category: By my favorite authors
ScaredyKIT: Ghost Stories

I love the protagonist in this book, and the fresh take on some urban legends. Excited to see that there's another book in the series!

The Six-Gun Tarot by R.S. Belcher
Category: By New-To-Me Authors
RandomCAT: Playing Cards

There is a LOT going on in this book. It takes a while to really come together, but by the end it's a compelling story. Maude Stapleton is my favorite character, and I wish there was more of her story here. The mishmash of a bunch of weird supernatural things mostly works, although the Lovecraftian cult is a bit gruesome for my taste. My biggest reservation about recommending this book is the bizzare treatment of the Chinese community. They're constantly mentioned (using archaic, now-racist terminology), but never quite treated as actual people, and have little interaction with any of the plot. I wish the writer had either included a Chinese viewpoint character, or skipped the orientalism entirely.

Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire
Category: By my favorite authors
SFF/SFFF KIT: Creatures

This book is a whole lot of fun. I love the cast of characters, and the worldbuilding. The exploration of the ethics of "monster hunting" is exactly my kind of thing. Excited to read more of this series!

Bread and Milk and Salt by Sarah Gailey
Category: Short stories

A wonderfully creepy horror story about what it is to be monstrous.

Automated Customer Service by John Scalzi
Category: Short stories

This is a hilarious quick read, a dark comedy that perfectly captures the feeling of calling technical support for a soulless megacorporation. If you enjoy Scalzi's sense of humour, you'll almost certainly also enjoy this.

The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein
Category: Nonfiction
RandomCAT: It's all about money...
BingoDOG: >500 pages

This is an incredibly important book that connects a number of seemingly disparate events from the late 20th and early 21st centuries via an economic ideology underpinning them. I learned a hell of a lot about a bunch of historical events, in addition to the unifying narrative that Klein was drawing. The prose is refreshingly readable for a nonfiction book. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone else looking to understand what happened geopolitically in the last few decades and why right-wing economic policies appear to have gotten so popular worldwide.

Irregular, Chapter Two: You Can Run But You Can't Hide by Cait May and Trevor Beam
Category: Comics

This issue does a good job balancing humor and drama as it continues the story. The characters continue to be great. And that cliffhanger ending! OMG!

Irregular, Chapter Three: The Beast With Blue Eyes by Cait May and Trevor Beam
Category: Comics

I liked this issue's focus on a single character's backstory (in this case, Omar's), expanding what we know about him. With last issue's cliffhanger ending, I did wonder what was going on with the "front-story" -- fortunately, the end of the issue does get back to it. I hope we get more of these character-focus stories!

Exiles #4 by Saladin Ahmed
Category: Comics

This was a really good issue! I loved the various cameos, and the big battle scene is a masterpiece. The plot is compelling, and the art does a great job, especially with Blink's powers

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
Category: Published in 2018

Murderbot is always great! This was a good quick read, with a story that was small in scope, but poignant, and did a lot for Murderbot's character growth. Excited to read the next one soon!

Compulsory by Martha Wells
Category: Short Stories

Another Murderbot story! Yay! This shows us a bit more about the dystopian world Murderbot operates in, as well as its early days of semi-autonomy.

West Coast Avengers #1 by Kelly Thompson
Category: Comics

I love the character dynamics and the humorous narration style. Definitely excited about this new series!

Stone Mad by Elizabeth Bear
Category: Sequels to books I loved

This is a fun, focused adventure story, with a great character voice and a compelling supporting cast of brave, independent women. I love this series!

West Coast Avengers #2 by Kelly Thompson
Category: Comics
BingoDOG: Pacific Ocean Related

Another fun entry in this story arc.

Final summary: I read a bunch of things, and met my goals in 5 out of my 9 categories. (It turns out that a lot of things published this year were also sequels, so my "no double counting" rule did me no favors there.)

Thanks!