Another year has come and gone, and I wanted to share the books I especially enjoyed this year. Like many other people, this was a difficult year for me, and some days I felt like I didn’t click with books like I usually do. That being said, there are some ones that I really enjoyed and stuck with me.
Fiction:
One by One (Ruth Ware)-An app company attends a getaway at a remote skiing resort. Tensions climb as the company’s shareholders; after an avalanche knocks out the power, guests begin to die. This was one of the creepiest books I’ve read in a long time; I was on the edge of my seat with all the twists and turns, and I loved how Ware managed to obfuscate one of the protagonists. If you love thrillers--especially ones with a locked room/remote location premise--this one’s for you.
Murderbot Diaries series (Martha Wells)--A security unit bot hacks its own government module and is free to do what it wants to do: namely watch its favorite media in peace and quiet. However, it keeps encountering humans in need of assistance. What is a Murderbot to do? This delightful sci-fi series was so much fun; I loved Murderbot and related to its anxiety and social awkwardness.
Goldilocks (Laura Lam): Women are rapidly losing power in the workplace, yet a group of women have been working toward launching a space exploration mission that could save a dying Earth. When they are kept from actually running the mission, they steal the ship. This was a compelling read with two solid female protagonists and good ethical exploration. If you want a good sci-fi tale with good female characters, check this out.
Green Bone Saga (Jade War & Jade City) (Fonda Lee): On the island of Kekkon, jade is the commodity because it grants the wearer powers. Two families vie for control, and when tensions hit an all-time high, the city explodes in war. In addition to amazing action and world building, the characterization is so amazing. I found myself feeling bad for a character and then realized I was feeling bad for a criminal! This is the martial arts-mafia book you don’t want to miss.
Nonfiction:
Reading nonfiction was very difficult for me this year. I always read less nonfiction than fiction, but this year, that number was even lower because I had a harder time concentrating on things. Here’s what I’ve got.
The Undocumented Americans (Karla Cornejo Villavicencio)-This powerful tells the stories of undocumented immigrants who are not Dreamers and explores how these groups of undocumented immigrants are treated in society here in the United States. I would consider this essential reading especially in light of the ongoing immigration discussions.
Real Queer: LGBT Stories from Red States (Samantha Allen): Transgender reporter Samantha Allen claims that there’s something special about LGBTQ communities in red states. She sets out to prove it by traveling to personally significant red states that had a significant and interviewing key members of those communities. As someone who has a complicated relationship with the South, it was really heartwarming to read about these places and individuals that make these communities. I also liked the fact that it gave some much needed nuance to red states. While I’m not convinced of her claims against coastal cities, I found myself engaged and reflective.
The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present (David Treuer): David Treuer pushes against the narrative of Native American extinction by tracing the history of Native Americans through the Wounded Knee massacre up to the present day. While there is plenty of pain, it was really interesting to learn about the things the communities are doing for themselves and the recent activism. If you want a Native perspective on their history, pick this up.
Comics:
I read a lot of good comics this year, and it was honestly easier to point to comics I loved than written texts. I did a top 10 list for No Flying, No Tights, but I wanted to list the ones that didn’t make the list for whatever reason. I’ll link to the NFNT list once it’s published.
-Séance Tea Party (Reimena Yee): Lora loves pretend and spooky stuff and doesn’t want to grow up, and, when she meets a ghost named Alexa, she thinks she’s found a way. Yet time won’t stand still for neither Alexa nor Lora. This magical story of growing up and trying to keep one’s sense of magic and imagination is heartfelt and touching; I really related to Lora’s uncertainty.
-Be Gay, Do Comics: This anthology covers a variety of queer experiences; from present day narratives to historical takes, this is a vibrant and fascinating anthology to read. I especially enjoyed the comic about the Lavender Scare (I actually requested a book about it) and the one about queerness in the ancient Middle East.
-Monstress: Warchild (Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda): I’ve enjoyed Monstress ever since the first volume; the art is absolutely gorgeous, and Maika is a bloody fantastic character. Warchild, which features Maika trying to protect a city, really hits all the right notes. Some key points about Maika and her monster were confirmed, and it gave me warm fuzzies to see Maika being vulnerable for once. I can’t wait for the next installment.
-Measuring Up (Lily LaMotte & Ann Xu): Cici loves cooking with her grandmother, but when her family moves to Seattle from Taiwan, she has a lot of adjustments to make and misses her grandmother terribly. Cici enters a cooking competition to raise money to bring her grandmother to the United States for her birthday. The catch? Cici only knows how to cook Taiwanese food. Can Cici find a way to win? This is a heartwarming middle grade story about food, family, culture and personal growth.![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
