So that was 2019 let’s just say a garbage fire politically and I tread into the twenties suspecting the next few years will not be much better. Eventually I must hope rock bottom gets reached – cannot be much longer please! Personally, a better year having the joy of moving to a new house and although work on managing my heath is ongoing, I feel that I’ve managed a better balance between a life in the office and having this thing humans call a life. I’ve had some lovely holidays in Rome, Budapest and would like to travel a bit more next year.

On the blog front the blog in what is now it’s third year has picked up and although I would like to better manage ARC dates things are going in a good direction. The blog is four more times as popular as last year. Its been great to have feedback and know people are enjoying and steadily embracing the joy of book tempting. The blogger and vlogger community is wonderful and its also been great to have spoken to so many lovely authors and publicists. It’s a fascinating ever-changing genre and I loved seeing where it goes next. Subjective Chaos also went into a second year and we will return next year for more ahem chaos. On top of that I managed my first worldcon in Dublin and another Fantasycon both good experiences, but sleep was needed afterwards!

Holding myself to the mark how did my reading go?

I got through 160 books in 2019 which is safely far far more than I ever expected. I tend not to read chunky epics and I do include novellas and graphic novel collections in that list but still a good run through. Reading stats look like

42.5% male

47.5% female

3% non-binary

7% mixed anthologies

And 14% of the books were by BAME authors

I was once again recently reminded in a chat on twitter as to why it is so important that people read books by people who are not like themselves. On a selfish reason I have discovered far more good stories ever since but also it is good for publishing to be reminded that there is a market for non-CIS white male authors. I think if you are someone that wants to review you must make the effort. Its not that hard and personally I’ve never regretted having a wider look at what I’m reading.

Now how did I do on reading aims for 2019?

a) Read a bit more outside one genre – Not too bad this year I rediscovered a love of horror and that’s also a welcoming subgenre. I also read thrillers and even some romance. One genre though needs revisiting still

b) Endings – Still a bit to go but the Happy Endings? Section of the blog now exists and a nice shelf of stuff to get back to is readied…

c) Gaps – Still a failure but I’m hoping my read-along will do a little and I again have few on a shelf to finally try.

d) Short Stories – I did pretty well on short story collections which I have really enjoyed talking about but need to still try actual magazines more regularly

e) Other Media – I’m still way behind on TV and podcast dramas!

So that leaves….my faves of 2019!! Still many 2019 books to read but these are the ones I loved and as I read a fair bit there will be some ties – it’s my blog and I can do a Booker award if I so wish

The Why by Great Uncle Bulgaria Have I Not Read This Earlier?

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

So not the book I was expecting but this still works and has a lot still to say about how we see science and the abuse of power by the privileged

The Tomsk – Scream if you want to go faster?

The Remaking by Clay Mcleod Chapman

This is one of those books I keep thinking about afterwards. A horror tale in four parts that re-interprets one tale and has something to say about horror and how we treat those in the industry.

The Wellington - Novellas Have I told you Lately How Much I Love You?

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

A beautifully sorrowfully intelligent look at dealing with and accepting a painful history this was a fantastic read that is hard for me to let go of

The Aldernay – The Anthologies Come Together

My first three-way tie as these are stories that everyone should try but all do different things

Growing Things and Other Stories by Paul Tremblay

An exquisite collection of horror tales from an author I now just to want to read everything they have done

This Dreaming Isle edited by Dan Coxon

A fascinating look at British folk horror based around the coast, towns and countryside. Its rather brilliant and varied

Wonderland edited by Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane

I hate the Lewis Carroll tales but this made me appreciate the characters and set up in ways those books never did! From western to cyberpunk they all await you here

The Orinoco - Hold Me Kill Me Thriller Me

The Swallows by Lisa Lutz

A stunning intelligent thriller set in a horrible private school that really chimes with the age of #MeToo 

The Madame Cholet - It’s the End of the Tastiest Series as We Know It

A tie between two very different series

The Empires of Dust by Anna Smith Spark

The kind of finale you feel afraid to see how it ends grand opera grimdark of the highest order and a lot to say about how fantasy and violence need a hard look at each other.

The Winnowing Flame by Jen Williams

And with a very different type of reading experience my other favourite series to end with giant creatures; aliens and a heroic band of heroes putting it all on the line plus my heart being pulled out this made this an immersive experience by one of our best authors. Americans you need this in your lives

The Wellington - Let Me Be Your Fantasy Award!

The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie

A fantasy series that doesn’t go for the obvious. Hamlet as narrated by a god who is a rock with a trans male lead and an interesting puzzle. This was another book that has been in my mind for months afterwards. This feels like fantasy going in a new and very welcome direction.

The Tobermory – The Together in Electric SF Dreams!

And another tie with two very different stories

The Migration by Helen Marshall

A novel that appears to be a horror tale that becomes something beautifully weirder and even a shade hopeful. I really recommend this tale of the world at a turning point

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Oh, this is a wonderful tale examining colonisation; empire; culture and art. The fate of empires rests in a young diplomat’s hands add in wonderful ideas on AI and this is a stunning debut

The Cribbens - You make me wombling free

A special award for two books that just make me touch my heart whenever I am thinking about them

This is How You Lose The Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar

This novel tells of inter-multiverse war but is actually a love story told through letters. The language and emotional depth is amazing

To Be Taught If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

This is the book that should remind you that will remind you that despite humanity’s failings we do often strive to get better and work best when together. A crowd funded space mission; the sights of other worlds; a battle with despair and the desire to just see what’s out there. The best parts of humanity are on display here

The Runalong – One I just loved

Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri

I am happily tempting this book to anyone I meet. An amazing lead character; a fascinating look at empires; colonisation and intricate court politics plus a very tender romance. A book that makes me cry with joy is rare indeed and this is again a book you need in your life.

In a year without any suitable Doctor Who quotes I leave you on the last day of the year with the words of Gareth L Powell in Fleet of Knives

“Sometimes it’s better to be useful than heroic, better to bathe in gratitude than glory, and better to serve than demand service”

plus

“If you’re going to punch a hole in the universe…you might as well do it looking fabulous”

May there always be cake and get punching this universe into a better shape