A Retrospective Look at My Reading in 2024
Wednesday, January 8th, 2025 01:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
florianschildI got this amazing year in books prompt from hamsterwoman. Thanks for letting me snag it!
2024 Book List:
1. Dark Heir by C.S. Pacat
2. How Not to Age by Michael Greger
3. A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale
4. The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
5. Witch King by Martha Wells
6. Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
7. The Antidote by Oliver Burkeman
8. Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie
9. The Wager by David Grann
10. The Organized Mind by Daniel Levitin
11. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
12. Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
13. The Enneagram Made Easy by Renee Baron and Elizabeth Wagele
14. The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland
15. Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin
16. The Enneagram by Helen Palmer
17. Meet the Frugalwoods by Elizabeth Willard Thames
18. Quit Like a Millionaire by Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung
19. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
20. Know My Name by Chanel Miller
21. Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb
22. Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
23. Golden Fool by Robin Hobb
24. Dragon Bones by Patricia Briggs
25. Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb
26. Empire of Illusion by Chris Hedges
The first book you read in 2024:
Dark Heir by C.S. Pacat
The last book you finished in 2024:
Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle by Chris Hedges
The first book you will finish (or did finish!) in 2025:
The Rifter Volume 1 by Ginn Hale
How many books read in 2024
26
Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
11 fiction : 15 non-fiction
Male/Female authors?
9 male : 15 female
Most books read by one author this year?
3 by Robin Hobb
Favorite books read?
My favorite fiction book was Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb
Favorite Non-fiction was Catherine the Great by Robert Massie
Best books you read in 2024?
What makes a book the best, other than being my favorite? The highest rated book on Goodreads was Know my Name by Chanel Miller - it was good and important but it wasn’t the best, in my opinion.
Least favorite?
Probably Meet the Frugalwoods by Elizabeth Willard Thames
Most disappointing book/Book you wished you loved more than you did?
Easy: Witch King by Martha Wells
Best series you discovered in 2024?
I didn’t actually start and completely new series. Technically I started (and finished) the Tawny Man trilogy by Robin Hobb, but that is part of the Realm of the Elderlings series. But I guess we’ll go with that by default!
Favorite new author you discovered this year?
I guess Chris Hedges because I didn’t read any new fiction authors that I plan to read again.
Oldest book read?
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1967) - this was a reread for me
Newest?
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport (March 2024)
Longest book title?
Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle
Shortest title?
Dark Heir
How many re-reads?
2 - The Outsiders and Dragon Bones
Any in translation?
I don’t think so?
How many of this year's books were from the library?
22, if you count Hoopla. Which I do because the library pays for it.
Book that most changed my perspective:
The Enneagram by Helen Palmer set me on a course of discovering some fears that I have and recognizing why I act in counterproductive ways. Being able to realize which of my behaviors are fear-driven has really helped me confront those fears and be a lot more proactive and a lot healthier in my relationships.
Favorite character:
Fitz, my sad little wolf pup
Most memorable character:
Probably The Fool
Favorite scene:
Spoiler Warning for the Realm of the Elderlings:
Either when Fitz calls the Fool by his own name after he dies,
or
When Fitz falls asleep with the Fool in his tent with their hands reaching for each other
Favorite quote:
“Yet the more I studied and the more I entrusted my thoughts to paper, the more truth eluded me. What life showed me, in my years apart from the world, was that no man ever gets to know the whole of a truth.”
Most inspirational in terms of own writing?
Apparently nothing, because I didn’t do any writing last year!
How many you'd actually read again?
I’ll reread Dark Heir before book 3 comes out. And I’ll probably reread The Tawny Man trilogy someday.
A book that you never want to read again:
Know My Name - It was a powerful memoir but extremely sad and hard to read, emotionally.
Book you recommended most to others in 2024?
Catherine the Great - it’s such a wonderful biography!
The book series you read the most volumes of in 2024:
Tawny Man
The genre you read the most in 2024:
7 fantasy
3 literary fiction
2 memoir
6 self-help/productivity
3 personal finance
1 nutrition
1 YA classic
1 poli-sci
2 history/biography
So it looks like fantasy wins it by a nose!
Your favorite "classic" you read in 2024:
It’s going to be The Outsiders by default here
Most surprising (in a good way) book of the year?
I'd say it was Retire Like a Millionare because while I expected to appreciate the financial advice, I was suprised by how much I enjoyed the memoir aspects of the author's life and family history. It was very interesting hearing about her family growing up in China during the "Great Leap Forward".
The hardest book you read in 2024 (topic or writing style):
Know my Name
The funniest book you read in 2024:
Nothing?
The saddest book you read in 2024:
Both memoirs were very sad: Know My Name by Chanel Miller and Britney’s Spears The Woman in Me
The shortest book you read in 2024:
Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
The longest book that you read in 2024:
Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb - According to Goodreads it's 805 pages!
Best book that was outside your comfort zone/a new genre for you?
Probably The Wager by David Grann, which is a historical non-fiction about a shipwreck from the 18th century.
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2024?
Well I couldn’t stop reading Golden Fool or Fool’s Fate so those two for sure. Also Dark Heir.
Most beautifully written book in 2024?
The God of Endings was pretty evocative, which is one way I think a book can be beautiful.
Book you most anticipated in 2024?
Probably Dark Heir or How not to Age - I had both of those on pre-order/pre-hold and the library.
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2024?
There were quite a few good ones, but I really loved the cover of Witch King by Martha Wells.
Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?
I’d say Your Money or Your Life and Quit Like a Millionaire both had a hugely significant impact on me this year. I already knew about the concept of FI/RE but I had gotten away from the practices and mindset and it was very good to reestablish frugality as a goal for myself.
Book you can't believe you waited till 2024 to finally read?
Well, Catherine the Great had been on my TBR probably the longest. I knew I would love it and I did, so I probably could have read it sooner!
Book that had a scene that left you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
Pretty much the entirety of Dark Heir, but no one I know had read it!
Looking Ahead:
One book you didn't read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2025?
One of my goals last year was to listen to more audiobooks that I already owned, so I’m going to continue with that. I want to finish Happy City by Charles Montgomery and maybe Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli. I also really really want to finish reading Rebecca, which I started like a year ago and keep getting distracted from.
New book you are most anticipating for 2025?
Hopefully the 3rd book in the Dark Rise trilogy! I can’t really think of anything else that has a realistic possibility of a 2025 release.
hamsterwoman. Thanks for letting me snag it!2024 Book List:
1. Dark Heir by C.S. Pacat
2. How Not to Age by Michael Greger
3. A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale
4. The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
5. Witch King by Martha Wells
6. Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
7. The Antidote by Oliver Burkeman
8. Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie
9. The Wager by David Grann
10. The Organized Mind by Daniel Levitin
11. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
12. Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
13. The Enneagram Made Easy by Renee Baron and Elizabeth Wagele
14. The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland
15. Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin
16. The Enneagram by Helen Palmer
17. Meet the Frugalwoods by Elizabeth Willard Thames
18. Quit Like a Millionaire by Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung
19. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
20. Know My Name by Chanel Miller
21. Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb
22. Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
23. Golden Fool by Robin Hobb
24. Dragon Bones by Patricia Briggs
25. Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb
26. Empire of Illusion by Chris Hedges
The first book you read in 2024:
Dark Heir by C.S. Pacat
The last book you finished in 2024:
Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle by Chris Hedges
The first book you will finish (or did finish!) in 2025:
The Rifter Volume 1 by Ginn Hale
How many books read in 2024
26
Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
11 fiction : 15 non-fiction
Male/Female authors?
9 male : 15 female
Most books read by one author this year?
3 by Robin Hobb
Favorite books read?
My favorite fiction book was Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb
Favorite Non-fiction was Catherine the Great by Robert Massie
Best books you read in 2024?
What makes a book the best, other than being my favorite? The highest rated book on Goodreads was Know my Name by Chanel Miller - it was good and important but it wasn’t the best, in my opinion.
Least favorite?
Probably Meet the Frugalwoods by Elizabeth Willard Thames
Most disappointing book/Book you wished you loved more than you did?
Easy: Witch King by Martha Wells
Best series you discovered in 2024?
I didn’t actually start and completely new series. Technically I started (and finished) the Tawny Man trilogy by Robin Hobb, but that is part of the Realm of the Elderlings series. But I guess we’ll go with that by default!
Favorite new author you discovered this year?
I guess Chris Hedges because I didn’t read any new fiction authors that I plan to read again.
Oldest book read?
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1967) - this was a reread for me
Newest?
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport (March 2024)
Longest book title?
Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle
Shortest title?
Dark Heir
How many re-reads?
2 - The Outsiders and Dragon Bones
Any in translation?
I don’t think so?
How many of this year's books were from the library?
22, if you count Hoopla. Which I do because the library pays for it.
Book that most changed my perspective:
The Enneagram by Helen Palmer set me on a course of discovering some fears that I have and recognizing why I act in counterproductive ways. Being able to realize which of my behaviors are fear-driven has really helped me confront those fears and be a lot more proactive and a lot healthier in my relationships.
Favorite character:
Fitz, my sad little wolf pup
Most memorable character:
Probably The Fool
Favorite scene:
Spoiler Warning for the Realm of the Elderlings:
Either when Fitz calls the Fool by his own name after he dies,
or
When Fitz falls asleep with the Fool in his tent with their hands reaching for each other
Favorite quote:
“Yet the more I studied and the more I entrusted my thoughts to paper, the more truth eluded me. What life showed me, in my years apart from the world, was that no man ever gets to know the whole of a truth.”
Most inspirational in terms of own writing?
Apparently nothing, because I didn’t do any writing last year!
How many you'd actually read again?
I’ll reread Dark Heir before book 3 comes out. And I’ll probably reread The Tawny Man trilogy someday.
A book that you never want to read again:
Know My Name - It was a powerful memoir but extremely sad and hard to read, emotionally.
Book you recommended most to others in 2024?
Catherine the Great - it’s such a wonderful biography!
The book series you read the most volumes of in 2024:
Tawny Man
The genre you read the most in 2024:
7 fantasy
3 literary fiction
2 memoir
6 self-help/productivity
3 personal finance
1 nutrition
1 YA classic
1 poli-sci
2 history/biography
So it looks like fantasy wins it by a nose!
Your favorite "classic" you read in 2024:
It’s going to be The Outsiders by default here
Most surprising (in a good way) book of the year?
I'd say it was Retire Like a Millionare because while I expected to appreciate the financial advice, I was suprised by how much I enjoyed the memoir aspects of the author's life and family history. It was very interesting hearing about her family growing up in China during the "Great Leap Forward".
The hardest book you read in 2024 (topic or writing style):
Know my Name
The funniest book you read in 2024:
Nothing?
The saddest book you read in 2024:
Both memoirs were very sad: Know My Name by Chanel Miller and Britney’s Spears The Woman in Me
The shortest book you read in 2024:
Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
The longest book that you read in 2024:
Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb - According to Goodreads it's 805 pages!
Best book that was outside your comfort zone/a new genre for you?
Probably The Wager by David Grann, which is a historical non-fiction about a shipwreck from the 18th century.
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2024?
Well I couldn’t stop reading Golden Fool or Fool’s Fate so those two for sure. Also Dark Heir.
Most beautifully written book in 2024?
The God of Endings was pretty evocative, which is one way I think a book can be beautiful.
Book you most anticipated in 2024?
Probably Dark Heir or How not to Age - I had both of those on pre-order/pre-hold and the library.
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2024?
There were quite a few good ones, but I really loved the cover of Witch King by Martha Wells.
Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?
I’d say Your Money or Your Life and Quit Like a Millionaire both had a hugely significant impact on me this year. I already knew about the concept of FI/RE but I had gotten away from the practices and mindset and it was very good to reestablish frugality as a goal for myself.
Book you can't believe you waited till 2024 to finally read?
Well, Catherine the Great had been on my TBR probably the longest. I knew I would love it and I did, so I probably could have read it sooner!
Book that had a scene that left you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
Pretty much the entirety of Dark Heir, but no one I know had read it!
Looking Ahead:
One book you didn't read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2025?
One of my goals last year was to listen to more audiobooks that I already owned, so I’m going to continue with that. I want to finish Happy City by Charles Montgomery and maybe Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli. I also really really want to finish reading Rebecca, which I started like a year ago and keep getting distracted from.
New book you are most anticipating for 2025?
Hopefully the 3rd book in the Dark Rise trilogy! I can’t really think of anything else that has a realistic possibility of a 2025 release.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-09 03:32 pm (UTC)Hahaha, I was definitely thinking of Six of Crows before I got to your parenthetical :P
if C.S. Lewis had wanted to write a gay BDSM mystery romance.
LOL! But yeah, my friend quoted the BDSM pining bits, which possibly gives me a skewed perception of the book. (This is the same friend who lured me into reading Captive Prince some years ago, which I did enjoy, but also I do have some prior evidence that said friend clicks better with Pacat's writing than I do, so I haven't tried out Dark Rise etc. so far.)
I apparently committed a grave sin among Robin Hobb fans and skipped the Liveship Trilogy lol. So now I'm working up the courage to go back and read that before moving on to Rain Wilds
Haha, is that frowned upon? It certainly seemed quite separate from the Fitz books, in the part of it I got to... Though I am aware that the Fool appears in there (or at least I think so).
In any case, it's not that I didn't like Liveships -- to our other conversation, I actually found that subseries a good option to scratch the ASOIAF itch while waiting for more ASOIAF -- it feels quite ASOIAF-esque with the large and far-flung cast, and there's even a character who reminds me a whole lot of Sansa (who I know is a polarizing character in ASOIAF fandom, but I came to like her over the course of the books, so having a character who reminded me of her was a plus). Actually I think I fist read the two books of Livetraders that were out at the time and then went back and read the Fitz books (but this was before I started keeping track of reading on LJ, so I could be making that up). But by the time I got to the third book, I think I kind of ran out of steam... and when I tried something else by Robin Hobb later, I discovered that I seemed to have lost the knack for getting into secondary world fantasy doorstoppers.
The Tawny Man trilogy is seriously amazing and as a sinner myself I say just go ahead and skip right to Fool's Errand if you didn't like Liveship. But don't tell them I told you to! :D
Haha! I have definitely heard good things about it! (and the Fool was a very interesting character even in the Royal Assassin books)
no subject
Date: 2025-01-10 08:30 pm (UTC)So yeah, I think it's pretty clean that Pacat likes the BDSM tropes in her fiction. But since this is YA there isn't anything explicit. I prefer reading fade to black anyway so it works for me. But regardless, what I really like about the book is primarily the tropes that she's using. There's a lot of destiny vs personal choice, power dynamics, persecution of certain characters for circumstances outside their control, "I'm hurting you for the greater good"... darker stuff that I gravitate towards lol.
That's interesting to compare GRRM and Hobb. I read them about 10 years apart so the comparison didn't really occur to me, but they definitely have similarities. I think Martin is a bit better of a world builder but that could also be because everything I've read from Hobb so far was in first person POV from a single character. We'll see how I feel after Liveships. :/ I love them both for character writing so it's hard to say who is better. They're both fantastic!