Darth Heather Reads in 2021

I have started going to school online, so am scaling back on my reading plans a bit so that I can prioritize better. I may not achieve the goal of 10 books per month, but hopefully the books I do find time for will be worth it!

January Reads:
Carved From Stone and Dream by T. Frohock
368 pages
New Friend, January 'France', Passport 'France', ATW#8

The Dreaming Volume 1 Pathways and Emanations (Sandman Universe)
195 pages
January 'mythology', ATW#10

The Dreaming Vol 2 Empty Shells by Simon Spurrier (Sandman Universe)
203 pages
Passport 'animal', ATW#2

The Dreaming Volume 3 One Magical Moment by Simon Spurrier (Sandman Universe)
187 pages
ATW #1

Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan
406 pages
ATW #5

The Other Side of Silence by Andre Brink
286 pages
Jan "african', ATW#9

Menopocalypse by Amanda Thebe
269 pages
Passport 'female author', ATW#4

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
288 pages
ATW#6

Semiosis by Sue Burke
328 pages
Passport 'black cover', ATW#7

I'm suitably impressed that you are able to both go to school online and find time to read 8 whole books! Congratulations!

>3 threadnsong: thanks, although three of these were graphic novels... :)

I have drastically cut down on watching tv tho.

January Totals:
8 books
2530 pages

Semiosis was terrific and i hope to get to the second book soon.

February Reads:
Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith
353 pages
New Friend, Feb 'odd numbered', ATW#6

The Hearth and Eagle by Anya Seton
400 pages
Feb 'at sea', Passport 'US state', ATW#7

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
149 pages
ATW#9

A Song With Teeth by T. Frohock
411 pages
Passport 'musical', ATW#2

House of Whispers: The Power Divided by Nalo Hopkinson
200 pages
ATW #1

House of Whispers Vol 2 by Nalo Hopkinson
152 pages
ATW#8

Angelina's Bachelors by Brian O'Reilly
352 pages
Passport 'meal', ATW#5

Half Magic by Edward Eager
215 pages
ATW#3

Interference by Sue Burke
316 pages
ATW#10

The Storyteller's Secret by Sejal Badani
370 pages
Passport 'royalty', ATW#4

Feb totals:
10 books
2918 pages

Top Rated Read: Artificial Condition is the second installment in the Murderbot Chronicles and is a terrific advancement to the storyline. can't wait to get to the third one!

March reads:
Queen of Bedlam by Robert McCammon
642 pages
New Friend, March 'murder', Passport 'crime', ATW#3

The Place We Call Home by Faith Hogan
425 pages
March 'irish', Passport 'european', ATW#4

Inca Gold by Clive Cussler
531 pages
Passport 'archaeologist', ATW#10

Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins
337 pages
ATW#7

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
261 pages
March 'female author', ATW#1

Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran
256 pages
ATW#6

Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman
521 pages
Atw#5

Sweetland by Michael Crummey
308 pages
ATW#8

Kill The Dead by Richard Kadrey
304 pages
ATW#2

Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler
319 pages
ATW#9

March totals:
10 books
3904 pages

Best of the month: Queen of Bedlam - McCammon continues to impress. This is the second in the Matthew Corbett series and I'm torn between wanting to blaze through the rest and wanting to savor them slowly.

April Reads:

The Pendragon Protocol by Philip Purser Hallard
112 pages (DNF)
New Friend, ATW#3

Ramen Obsession by Naomi Imatome-Yun
336 pages
ATW #9

The Mandalorian Armor by K.W. Jeter
389 pages
ATW #10

Slave Ship by K.W. Jeter
319 pages
April 'space', Passport '2nd book', ATW#8

Hard Merchandise by K.W. Jeter
335 pages
ATW# 4

At The Water's Edge by Sarah Gruen
416 pages
April 'Scotland', Passport 'water', ATW#6

Black Narcissus by Rumer Godden
259 pages
April 'religious leader', Passport 'trip', ATW#7

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
200 pages (remainder next month)
ATW#5

April totals:
8 books (one DNF, one carryover to next month)
2366 pages

I gave the Pendragon Protocol a full 100+ pages because I really liked the premise, but the writing style was really bothering me. For some reason, the author uses contractions instead of verbs. I guess it is supposed to make it seem like you are hearing the character's voice, but I found it awkward to read. Here is an excerpt:

In this company of Knights, Malory's confident and assured, without ever failing to be deferential. Whenever the Seneschal looks as if he might interrupt, being a man who sees listening to others as an evil of limited necessity, she gives him the opportunity with a respectful pause.
So far he's mostly changed his mind and held his tongue, which may be the effect Malory's aiming for.

That is just one paragraph, and it bugs me that he chose to contract rather than using "Malory is confident", or "So far he has", or "the effect Malory was".

After 100 pages I gave up - there were just too many apostrophes and I found it disruptive.

May Reads:
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
803 pages
ATW#8

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
1107 pages
May 'riot', Passport 'green cover', ATW#6

Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras
38 pages (DNF)
Passport 'island', ATW#9

Catholics by Brian Moore
84 pages
May 'cross on cover', Passport 'boat', ATW#2, Horizons '100pgs'

Timberhill by Samantha Harte
309 pages
ATW#4

Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal
314 pages
Passport 'author initials', ATW#7

Harbinger of the Storm by Aliette de Bodard
322 pages
May 'mexico', ATW#10

Deception Point by Dan Brown
546 pages
ATW#1

The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes
ATW #3
500 pages

Animal Stories: Alaska by Bill Sherwonit
ATW#5
270 pages

May totals:
10 books
4293 pages

June Reads:
Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb
702 pages
New Friend, June 'captive', Passport 'graduate', ATW#10

Forest Mage by Robin Hobb
660 pages
Passport 'green cover', ATW#8

Renegade's Magic by Robin Hobb
691 pages
June 'rubenesque', ATW#6

Bethany's Sin by Robert McCammon
295 pages
ATW#9

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
160 pages
ATW#3

Lights All Night Long by Lydia Fitzpatrick
368 pages
June 'athlete', Passport 'sport', ATW#2

Lucifer Vol 1 by Mike Carey
263 pages
ATW#5

The Chaperone
309 pages
ATW#4

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
579 pages
ATW#5

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
592 pages
ATW #1

June totals:
10 books
4619 pages

July reads:
The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness
576 pages
ATW #10

Vicious Circle by Mike Carey
592 pages
New Friend, ATW#6

The Guest Book by Sarah Blake
512 pages
Passport 'initials', July 'suffragette', ATW#1

Shadow Patriots by Lucia St. Clair Robson
363 pages
July 'USA symbol', ATW#4

In The Shadow of the Moon by Karen White
343 pages
ATW# 2

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
352 pages
ATW#8

Dragonwyck by Anya Seton
412 pages
ATW#9

July roundup:
7 books
3144 pages

August reads:
The Wizard Hunters by Martha Wells
474 pages
New Friend, Alberta 'natural beauty', ATW #9

Coromandel Sea Change by Rumer Godden
288 pages
Passport 'hospitality', ATW#5

Ships of the Air by Martha Wells
496 pages
Alberta 'rivalry', ATW#7

Climb The Wind by Pamela Sargent
250 pages (DNF)
Alberta 'First Nations', Passport 'horse', ATW#10

Gates of the Gods by Martha Wells
429 pages
ATW#4

August totals:
5 books
1937 pages

this month proved difficult to find much time for reading, but I got an A in chemistry class and went on vacation to South Dakota, so I guess it was a worthwhile trade :)

>19 Darth-Heather: Anyone that gets an A in chemistry has my undying admiration:)

>20 Carol420: thank you kindly, dear lady! Although, I took Fundamental Chemistry years ago so I didn't expect this class to be so hard, but I've forgotten quite a lot of it, also this turned out to be a tough topic to learn in an online class. It's basically teaching ourselves with a textbook. I ended up subscribing to a Youtube professor so that I could see someone demonstrate the equations, but I was still spending 10-20 hours a week on it. I'm so glad it's over!

September Reads:

The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell
250 pages
New Friend, Passport 'school', ATW#1

Tevinter Nights by Patrick Weekes
465 pages
Sept 'mining', ATW#9

American Wildlife and Plants by Alexander Martin
334 pages
Sept 'flower' ATW#10

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
164 pages
ATW#8

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
224 pages
Sept 'great britain', Passport 'initials', ATW#7

Wolf Hall by HIlary Mantel
604 pages
ATW#6

Dead Men's Boots by Mike Carey
444 pages
ATW#4

September reads
7 books
2485 pages

October's Month of Spooky Reads!
The Green Man's Challenge by Juliet McKenna
374 pages
Oct 'green', Passport 'injured', ATW#9

Master of the House of Darts by Aliette de Bodard
328 pages
Passport 'Mexico', ATW#5

Dead Voices by Katherine Arden
272 pages
Oct 'winter sport', ATW#10

Mass Effect: Revelation by Drew Karpyshyn
336 pages
ATW#8

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie
256 pgs
Passport 'feast', ATW#3

They Thirst by Robert McCammon
557 pages
ATW#4

An Inquiry Into Love and Death by Simone St. James
368 pages
ATW#6

Hotel by Arthur Hailey
484 pages
Passport 'initials', ATW#1

Dark Waters by Katherine Arden
256 pages
ATW#2

Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon
440 pages
Oct 'British colony', ATW#7

The Providence Rider by Robert McCammon
416 pages

The Anthology of Scottish Folk Tales by Donald Smith
163 pages

I have been slowly working my way through the Matthew Corbett series by Robert McCammon; I enjoy them so much that I am reluctant to go through them too quickly so I space them out and savor them. The third book makes it's way to my list just in time for October Spooky reads; while these aren't really horror, they are creepy mysteries anyway, and this one starts off with an homage to October wind:

Listen! said the October wind, as it swirled an swooped through the streets of New York. I have a story to tell! About the change in the weather, and the whethers of men! Whether this one staggering past, the spindly gent, shall right himself against my onslaught before I take him to the wall, or whether that one there with his prodigious belly shall be fast enough to catch his tricorn as I throw it from his head! With a shove and a shriek I pass through the town, and what fast horse might ride me down?

Respect my comings and goings, and know that something unseen may prove a force no man may master.

october totals:
12 books
4250 pages

I know October isn't quite done, but I started a new class that has a lot of homework so I believe I will finish the last book I started but not get too much further before the weekend is out.

November Reads:
The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey
403 pages
New Friend, Nov 'refugee', Passport 'storm', ATW#1

The Gates of Sleep by Mercedes Lackey
263 pages
ATW#5

The Black Company by Glen Cook (vols 1-3)
705 pages
ATW#4

oh god no - Wilbur Smith passed away. I have read everything of his, and can't even imagine a world where he isn't putting out new books.

In mourning today, for the delightful Oliver who brought so much love to the world, and for the author Wibur Smith who opened up a whole new world to me.

November totals

5 books
1371 pages - a paltry total but this semester's course on Software Coding is very labor intensive and I haven't had time for much else. Only 3 weeks left...

Dec Reads:

Tainted Trail by Wen Spencer
225 pages
New Friend, Canada 'plane flight', ATW#5

The Winthrop Woman by Anya Seton
608 pages
Passport 'baby', ATW#7

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper
243 pages
Passport 'author initials', ATW#8

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
245 pages
Passport 'snow', ATW#2

Greenwitch by Susan Cooper
187 pages
ATW#1

The Grey King by Susan Cooper
229 pages
Canada 'color', ATW#3

Silver On The Tree by Susan Cooper
288 pages
ATW#4

Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
885 pages
ATW#10

Last Christmas In Paris by Hazel Gaynor
400 pages
Canada 'WWI', ATW#9

Dec totals:
9 books
3310 pages

Yearly wrap-up:
37,127 pages (a bit less than last year, but better than I expected to do)

My top reads this year all seem to be parts of series:

The Chronicles of the Black Company trilogy by Glen Cook
The A Discovery of Witches trilogy by Deborah Harkness
The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (sequel to The Name of the Wind
The Queen of Bedlam by Robert McCammon (Matthew Corbett series)
The Semiosis duology by Sue Burke
The Los Nefilim series by T.Frohock
All Systems Red and the rest of the Murderbot series by Martha Wells

some of these are ongoing series' that I will hopefully spend more time with this coming year.