2017 Year-End Wrap-Up

My top Instagram pics for 2017, featuring Sofie, an old Brownie camera, and lots of sunsets.

Oh 2017. You were exhausting. I've already shared my feelings on the year in general (apparently I'm so looking forward to a new year I labeled that post Christmas 2018 instead of '17), but I didn't have a chance to round up my year in reading. Until now!

The number of books I read in 2017 was honestly pathetic, by my standards anyway. I've only read 80 books so far. I may be able to bump that up to 81 before the year is out, but either way I've read less books this year than I've ever read since I started tracking my reading on Goodreads.

On the positive side, I did pretty well on my Around the World In Books challenge. I managed to read books by authors from 14 non-US countries, including Taiwan, Malay, and South Korea. In terms of numbers, the US made up the vast majority of my reading–no surprise there–with the UK and Japan (thanks, manga!) coming in a distant second and third.

Here are some memorable reading highlights and lowlights from the year:

Favorite romance: Act Like It by Lucy Parker

My review from Book Riot's January Round-Up:

There is literally nothing not to love about this romance. You’ve got London’s West End theater scene, a sweet-but-tough heroine, tons of trouble generated by larger-than-life characters in the supporting cast, and a hilariously grumpy-ass hero who makes “Mr. Darcy look like the poster child for low self-esteem.” The story is perfectly paced and even when they’re fighting–which they do for most of the first half of the book, and very entertainingly too–Richard and Lainie have incredible chemistry. I think what I adored most about this novel, though, was the peek into the world of the theater (“The theater, the theater, whatever happened to the theater” <–what plays in my head whenever someone says the word theater), with all its glamor and politics and fancy dresses and gossip and sexism. Very dramatic, and so much fun! A must-read for anyone who enjoys contemporary romance, imo.

Biggest disappointment: Pretty Face by Lucy Parker

Well, they can't all be winners. Here is the review I wrote for Pretty Face here and then decided not to publish (although I did post a nicer version on Book Riot. Yes, that's me being nice):

Lily Lamprey is a television soap star, but what she really wants to do is work in the theater. Luc Savage's new play in London's West End is her big break, but should Lily risk her career and reputation on their mutual attraction?

I do not get the love for this book AT ALL. It basically exemplifies why I stopped buying romance novels last year: 1. it's not romantic; and 2. it's boring AF. I feel like it sucked five weeks out of my life and I only spent a week and a half reading it.

Here's the thing: Luc and Lily spend very little time together during the course of the book, and whenever they do manage to find themselves alone in a room together, they're immediately interrupted by someone's who's like, "I SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE, HANKY PANKY!" So over the course of 150 pages, they do little more than hug, stare at each other, and get to first base. If they were *really* that attracted to one another, don't you think they would make more of an effort to actually, I don't know, be together?

All that wouldn't make me too grouchy if there was another plot to follow, but there's not. Luc and Lily are it. So instead of a romance novel, we get an endless series of scenes that do nothing to drive the narrative forward. Most of these scenes consist of people standing around and talking about Luc and Lily's relationship. What relationship? People assuming you're sleeping together is not a relationship!

Add to that some truly lazy descriptions and the fact that the potential for drama is wasted at every opportunity, and by the 60 percent mark I was getting pretty damn impatient and cranky with this pile of nothing. I can't believe I wasted so much time reading this book when I could have been reading literally anything else. If you do read this novel, please only read the scenes where Luc and Lily are together and then tell me how long it took to finish; I'd be interested to know.

Favorite series: The Poor Relation by Marion Chesney

I read all six of these books in 2017, quite an accomplishment for someone who struggles to make it through series like myself. This charming series focuses on group of older poor relations in Regency England who decide to take matters into their own tentacles and open a hotel that caters to their wealthy families. Along the way there's romance, drama, and misadventure. These books aren't going to win any literary awards, but I loved the poor relation characters and how Chesney tied their stories together.

Most questionable cover: Trust Me by Laura Florand

From another grouchy review I wrote here but never published:

Let's start with the whitewashed cover, shall we? Trust Me's fearless heroine, Lina, is of Algerian/Syrian descent and is described as having golden skin dark enough to hide a blush and black, curly hair. Meanwhile, the woman on the cover doesn't even look vaguely Mediterranean. Out of curiosity, I Googled "Algerian women French" and got a bunch of pictures of women who were brown- to olive-skinned and absolutely gorgeous, including this photo of French-Algerian actress Sabrina Ouazani, who looks pretty close to how I was picturing Lina in my head:



I just wonder why Florand decided to whitewash her own damn cover. It's bad enough when publishers do it, but Trust Me is self-published. Did Florand think the book wouldn't sell if there was a brown person on the cover? Maybe don't write about one either, then.

Favorite non-fiction book: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Memoirs and I usually don't get along, but when Trevor Noah said on The Daily Show that he was "born a crime" in South Africa, I wanted to know more about his story. I'm so happy I stepped out of my comfort zone and read this book because it is ALL THE THINGS. Gut-busting hilarious, sad, poignant, thoughtful, and entertaining. Noah sure as fuck knows how to tell story, and I learned a lot about a country and culture about which I was more or less completely ignorant. Not just that, but what it means to be hungry, grow up in the hood, and be mixed race. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Biggest pleasant surprise: Malice by Keigo Higashino

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but it sucked me in from the word go and led me down a crazy-twisty rabbit hole. Maybe a little *too* twisty for belief right there at the end, but I sure as hell enjoyed the ride.

Favorite mystery: The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett

This book has everything: religion, faith, libraries, humor, romance, the legend of the Holy Grail, billionaires with questionable motives. Everything just works, even the stuff that usually annoys me.

Best overall (audiobook, historical, romance, adventure): The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

This book, you guys. THIS BOOK. Again, this is a book with everything: pirates, Versailles, Venice, alchemy, highway robbery, evil dukes, bluestockings, absolutely swoon-worthy romance. I wish I lived in this novel so that I could hang with Monty, Percy, and Felicity all the time. It's a romp, a romp I tells ye!

Favorite cookbook: Simple Green Suppers by Susie Middleton

2017 was the year I got serious about eating more plants (TM), and this was the perfect book to help. The suppers are filling and satisfying, flexible, and delicious. I actually crave several of the recipes in here now, and I've never found myself saying that about vegetables before.

2017 by the numbers:

• 80 books total
• 45 of those books were by women (men are catching up! usually the percentage is usually closer to 60/40)
• A little more than 1/4th of the books I read were romance (or at least had a romantic subplot)
• Only 16 books were mysteries
• As for classics, those took a nosedive: I only read 1 classic this year
• According to Goodreads, the most popular book I read this year was Graceling by Kristin Cashore, a book I don't even remember reading. Go home Goodreads, you're drunk.

How was your year in reading? Any favorites?




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2016 Year-End Wrap-Up

My most liked Instagram pics of 2016. From top left: A used bookstore in Jimbocho, Tokyo; a new keyboard; crackers and cheese for the Readathon; The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillan; a Sherlock word poster; southwest sunset; moi at the Hollywood Roosevelt; Calypso wants a cookie; and geisha in Kyoto.

The end is nigh... The end of the year, anyway. I know a lot of my internet peeps are happy to see 2016 out, but personally I had a pretty good year. I got to go to Japan (!!!), which was amazing; I published my first cocktail book, The Introvert's Guide to Drinking Alone; and my friends and family are all healthy and happy (insofar as the existential horrors and toil of daily life allows, of course). All told, 2016's probably been one of the better years I've had in awhile.

My personal favorite photograph that I took in 2016.

But enough of that, let's talk about something we really care about: books! I did not read many books this year at all (according to Goodreads the count is currently up to 85), but on the plus side there were more high points than there were last year. Some books of note:

Favorite Romance Novel: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

This is by far the best romance I read this year, maybe even in several years. I'm a sucker for books where the hero and heroine fight all the time, but Thorne takes it to another level by making Lucy and Joshua's "games" hilarious and ridiculously entertaining. These two had crazy-ass chemistry and their romance was so intense I never wanted to put the book down. Plus the entire world of Lucy and Joshua and their office is wonderfully realized and fleshed out. If you're wondering if the hype about this book is true, it is. Read it!!

Favorite Sherlock Adaptation: A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

I read quite a few Sherlock adaptations this year (shocking, I know), but my favorite of all was A Study in Charlotte, a YA novel narrated by the modern-day descendant of John Watson, Jamie Watson, and featuring the misadventures of Sherlock Holmes' great-great-great granddaughter, Charlotte Holmes. There was some pretty dark stuff going on in this book, but it never turned dour, thanks to Jamie's self-deprecating humor. There were also a ton of fun easter eggs for fans of the original Conan Doyle stories. Can't wait for the next volume!

Best Binge-Worthy Series: Drops of God by Tadashi Agi

I spent most of July mainlining this manga series, which follows the adventures of Shizuku, son of a famous wine critic, and Miyabi, his friend and a sommelier-in-training. The plot revolves around Shizuku trying to figure out what the "12 Apostles" of wine are before his rival, Issei Tomine, does. It sounds like a nutty basis for a manga, but it totally works. I love the multi-dimensional characters, the storyline feels like it moves organically, and the art is absolutely gorgeous. Even if I didn't enjoy learning about wine, I'd still be all about this series.

Tasting DRC Richebourg, Drops of God, art by Shu Okimoto

Favorite Classic/Audiobook: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

I'm not a huge fan of Agatha Christie, but after watching And Then There Were None on PBS, I was curious enough to give the audiobook a try. First of all, Dan freaking Stevens. It's so nice to hear his voice. I missed him so much! Second of all, even if you're completely familiar with the plot, the story is still a compulsive read. It's not about ten strangers stranded on an island so much as it is about moral ambiguity and facing personal demons. All of the characters deserve what they get, yet there's a sense of horror in their comeuppance nonetheless. While I would have preferred it if Christie had left the question of whodunnit unanswered, this is one of those deceptively simple novels that nearly anyone can get into.

Biggest Disappointment: Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas

This was probably my most anticipated book of 2016. I loved Cold-Hearted Rake, Kleypas' previous novel in this series. But what I loved MOST about that book was the romance between Lady Helen and the department store magnate, Rhys Winterborne, which ended in a cliffhanger to TBC in this book. I was all set to be swept up in their romance, but it's hard to be swept into a story when NOTHING FREAKING HAPPENS. I swear to god I felt like I was watching paint dry. For the first half of the book, every other paragraph was exposition and backstory. DO. NOT. CARE. I nearly DNF'd it and I have never said that about a Kleypas book, not even the ones I thought were stupid. Total waste of time.

Runner-Up: The Black Widow by Daniel Silva

I'm not even sure I should count this one, since I kind of abandoned it 50 pages in. Not in a firm DNF way, more of in a I-don't-really-want-to-read-this-right-now-and-oh-look-it's-due-at-library-shrug-oh-well kind of way. Usually Silva can pull me right into a story, but that didn't happen with this book, and I think part of the reason was the politics. Of course all of Silva's novels are political, but in this one it felt like the political aspect overshadowed everything else, including the plot and character development. I just wasn't in the mood to deal with it. This might be the book where Silva and I part ways.

Favorite Mystery/Debut Author: A Lady in the Smoke by Karen Odden

Finally, I have to mention A Lady in the Smoke, a book that has pretty much everything I could ask for from a Victorian mystery: trains, romance, aristocratic ladies hiding their true identity, family secrets, crusading journalists, a scrappy pickpocket that could give Artful Dodger a run for his money. There were a few boring sections, but by the end I was an extremely satisfied reader. The romance subplot was really well-done, too. I hope Odden publishes more books in the future!

2016 By The Numbers:

• 85 books total (a lot less than I wanted to read, tbh)
• 17 of those books were romance (probably the first time since I started keeping track on Goodreads that romance hasn't accounted for at least half of my reading)
• 19 books were mysteries
• Only 3 were classics. Compare that to 2015, where I read 19 classics
• 23 books were by male authors, 56 were by female authors, and 6 were either a male/female team or idk–pretty much the same percentages as last year
• Of those 23 books by male authors, nearly half were nonfiction reads: 10
• 22 books were published in 2016, less than last year

Tell me about your reading highlights this year!




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2015 Year-End Wrap-Up

2015 is exiting quickly, stage left. The first half of the year felt like it passed in a fever. I seemed to have no time to do anything, even though I really wasn't doing that much. Things kept happening, like my grandfather (who has dementia) wandering off, or thieves driving a Chevy Tahoe through the back of the store where I work. And then there was the fun and frivolity of moving my grandfather into a nursing home and going through/selling all of my grandparents' stuff. We kept a lot of it, but it's still sad to sell off the things they spent their lives collecting, even if logically we know we can't and don't want to keep it all.

But on the plus side I went to Ireland, which was super cool and amazing!

On the reading front, this year was a giant MEH. I read a lot of books that I liked, and some I thought were pretty boring, but none I loved or hated.

I did read more books than last year, so that's good, and I followed through on my New Year's resolution to read more graphic novels. But highlights were few and far between.

That said, here are few standout books and bookish stuff from 2015:

Favorite documentary: 20 Feet from Stardom
I've always wanted to be a backup singer, and this documentary is a fascinating glimpse into their world. It questions the meaning of talent and success, and what it takes to be famous.

Runner-Up: Exit Through the Gift Shop
I love Banksy. Someday I'm going to write a romance novel where the hero is basically Banksy, except he won't have tiny little rat hands because that's creepy.

Favorite comeback novel: Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas
Not a perfect book, but certainly classic Kleypas. I couldn't be happier she's writing historical romances again.

Most disappointing read: Oblivion by Kelly Creagh
I adored the first book in this trilogy, Nevermore, so much I bought the hardcover. But Oblivion was such an awful mess that it completely ruined the entire series for me. I can't even look at the spine of Nevermore on my shelf anymore without feeling resentment. Enough with the unnecessary trilogies already! If your book should just be one book, admit it and move on. Or write different variations of the same book over and over again, like Glenna Finley. Whatever floats your boat.

Favorite romance novel: All For You by Laura Florand
It should come as no surprise that Florand is on this list. All For You is sweet and warm fuzzy-making, I just want to hug it.

Favorite graphic novel: The Sculptor by Scott McCloud
It reminded me of Scott Pilgrim, which I loved.

Runner-up: What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga
This made me soooo hunnnnngryyyy.

Favorite mystery: Queenpin by Megan Abbott
It's not precisely a mystery, more of a crime noir. But still very good stuff!

Favorite new-to-me author: KJ Charles
Charles' books are simply fantastic, fun reads.

Hype that I just don't get: Nimona
I mean, it was okay. The beginning was really fun. But by the end I was ready for it to be over.

Hype I *do* get: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
I'm still making my way through the "miscellaneous" category, but I'm really glad I decided to buy this book and give it a try. My come to jesus moment was clearing out all the papers I had–they were EVERYWHERE. I was drowning in unnecessary paper and never even realized it! Plus, this book has already helped me realize my dream of setting up a reading nook in my bedroom.

Literary obsession of the year: Sherlock Holmes
Of course, I normally think Sherlock Holmes is pretty awesome, but this year in particular seemed to be all about Holmes. I hosted a Sherlock month at Book Bloggers International, wrote posts on Sherlockian tourist destinations and Irene Adler for Book Riot, went to The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes, saw the new movie Mr. Holmes, joined a Sherlockian society, and read several books all about the great detective.

Non-literary obsession of the year: Subscription box services
2015 was definitely the year of the subscription boxes. I wrote an article about them for The PULP, and subscribed to more than a few. My favorites are Ipsy–it's affordable and they really do send quality items–and Le Tote. I'm planning to cancel all my boxes besides those two in 2016 to save money, but Rocks Box and Wantable are also good deals I would recommend checking out.

FOODIE SECTION

Most delish foodie TV series: Kitchen Confidential
I really got into streaming foodie shows this year–Mind of a Chef, etc.–but Kitchen Confidential is my favorite. Hard to beat an awesome cast channeling Anthony Bourdain.

Favorite Foodie Romance: A Taste of Heaven by Penny Watson
A charming story about trust and family. The cooking competition is like The Great British Baking Show meets Top Chef–my two favorites!

Runner-up: The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain
Not strictly a foodie romance, but so many descriptions of delicious French food, plus a very cute and sweet romance.

Most memorable meal: Packie's, Kenmare, Ireland
This was my birthday dinner and it was AWWWWESOME. The spaghetti was to die for and the service genuine and friendly. Actually, nearly all the restaurants we ate at in Ireland were very, very good. If you're looking for a foodie destination Ireland's your jam.

Cocktail of the year: the Seelbach
At some point in 2015 I decided I cannot live without having one of these every day. It combines some of my favorite things: champagne (actually I use cava, I'm not moneyed enough to drink champagne every day), bourbon, and bitters. Add in some Cointreau and you have a pretty delish, posh cocktail that's the perfect conclusion to a long day of making words.



2015 BY THE NUMBERS

• 108 books read total (so far–I'm very close to finishing 2 more)
• Of those, about 30% were written by men and 70% by women.
• 19 of my books were nonfiction, 42% of which were written by men.
• I DNF'd 18 books, less than I thought.
• I read 19 classics, 47% of which were written by men.
• 30 books were published in 2015, a lot by my standards.
• As for diversity, that could use some major work on my part–only 8 authors I read this year were POC! (as far as I can tell, at least). I generally don't keep track of this but maybe I should start.

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Finally, thanks to all of you for reading, visiting, commenting, and discussing books with me this past year. You guys are the best! Here's to having an amazing 2016.




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2014 Year-End Round-Up

Au revoir, 2014! What a strange year. It was an improvement over 2013 (not that that was much of a challenge), but at the same time I never would have predicted it would end with me in the place I'm in right now.

Not that there have been any MAJOR life changes for me this year, mind. I didn't get married or have a baby or anything. But I did take on three jobs. None of which were/are full time, so I do have time to sleep, but unfortunately not so much time to read! (Actually, it seems like the only time I *do* read now is when I'm having an attack of the insomnias... and if that happens, I better be reading a good book, because otherwise I'm going to be G R U M P Y.)

As a result of this scheduling insufficiency, I discovered something about myself: I really do need to read on a daily basis. Like if I don't read for a stretch of a day or more (it actually happened... unthinkable) I may legit take someone's head off.

Anyway! Here's the best of what I did manage to read this year. What about you?

New Auto-Buy Author: Laura Florand
There aren't many authors who are on my auto-buy list these days, but Laura Florand definitely is one. Her novels are perfect tales of romantic escapism that revolve around three of my favorite F's: fairy tales, food, and France. Sexy French chefs FTW.

Favorite Mystery/Thriller: The Salinger Contract by Adam Langer
A smart, fast-paced, perfectly over-the-top book about books, with the feel of an old-timey movie. Loved it!

Favorite Forgotten Classic: I've Come to Stay by Mary Heaton Vorse
This short romantic comedy perfectly captures the avant-garde community of Greenwich Village in the 1910's. It's SO FUNNY and delightful and I loved all the quirky characters. The ending was absolutely perfect. Read it!

Favorite Non-Fiction Book: Craft Cocktails At Home by Kevin Liu
Two words: Science. Cocktails. Kevin Liu uses the scientific method to investigate all the burning questions of the home mixologist, such as: why is it so impossible to make clear ice cubes? How much exactly is dash? Why do we chill glasses before pouring cocktails in them? And so on. A super-must-read for cocktail geeks no matter if you're a newbie or a professional bartender.

Book That Pissed Me Off The Most: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins 

Uhg. Just uhg.

And speaking of Mockingjay...

Subgenre That I Can't Believe I Keep Reading Right Now: Dystopian Young Adult
Working with teenagers this summer must have affected my brain, because during the second half of the year I was ALL ABOUT dystopian YA novels, a genre I've assiduously avoided for the past several years. It all started with, "Oh, I've been meaning to read Catching Fire," and pretty soon I'm staying up until 7 in the morning reading the ridiculousness that was Allegiant! Oh well, might as well run with it.

Subgenre That Probably No One is Surprised I'm Reading Right Now: Quirky Romances
Since most of the quirky romances I've read–and loved!–this year were recommendations from book blogging buddies, it probably won't come as a shock to anyone that many of them count among my favorite reads of the year, like Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid, The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, and Still Life With Strings by LH Cosway.

Favorite Book Actually Published In 2014: Tie between The Chocolate Temptation by Laura Florand and Still Life with Strings by LH Cosway
I picked The Chocolate Temptation as my favorite on Book Riot, but actually it's more of a draw. I had a few issues with each book, which stopped me from completely adoring either one. Although I still really really like them!


As you can see, my list is pretty short this year. That's because I read a pathetically small number of books, for me anyway. I haven't even hit the 100 book mark yet; my goal was actually to read 200. Overly optimistic, I admit, but still. The other goals I had for this year–to catch up on the Walt Longmire and Gabriel Allon series–also didn't happen.

Sigh. Book blogger problems.

Anyway, it could definitely be worse. I read some really awesome books this year, my personal life doesn't suck, and hopefully 2015 will be even better! Thanks for sticking it out with me and for sharing your reads and book recs. Happy New Year!


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2013 Round-Up

Favorite GIF of the year.

Guys, did you realize it's December already?? I kid, I knew it was coming all along. And since the year is ending, one feels the need, forced upon one by the Gregorian calendar and popular culture, to reflect on all happenings since January. This will probably come as a shocker, but I read a few books. Here are the stand-outs, with links in case you missed 'em:


Favorite New-to-Me-Author: Craig Johnson
Johnson writes the Walt Longmire series, which has been turned into a TV series on A&E (Longmire). The TV show is okay, but the books are so much better. Hell is Empty is one of the best books I read all year.


Best Spy/Thriller: The English Girl by Daniel Silva
A surprisingly emotional, thoughtful book for a spy novel. Daniel Silva is also an awesome writer. This is another author whose entire backlist I want to read IMMEDIATELY.


Best Forgotten Classic: Vera by Elizabeth von Arnim
This book is like a very dark, cynical Rebecca; yet it's also weirdly funny because von Arnim is so freaking clever. I would recommend it to anyone who thinks Edward Cullen is a stalker.


Favorite Not-Forgotten Classic: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Kind of the perfect novel, in my opinion.


Favorite Book Actually Published in 2013: The Bridge by Rebecca Rogers Maher
I pretty much love everything about this novella—the characters, the premise, the setting, how the romance developed, the tone, and the ending. A very hopeful, uplifting, romantic book.


Only Book That Kept Me Up Past My Bedtime: The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway
It's a real challenge for me to find a book that will keep me up wanting to read one more chapter, one more chapter, no matter how tired I am. The River of No Return did that, and I loved it. This one also has great characters and the chemistry between Julia and Nick was page-scorching.


Favorite Art-Related Non-Fiction Book: The Brinkley Girls by Nell Brinkley
I have a bias for beautiful, huge books that are heavily illustrated (it's the art historian in me), and The Brinkley Girls is definitely that. Nell Brinkley was an iconic illustrator of the late 1910s and -20s, whose drawings influenced the fashion of an entire generation of women. Her comics weren't just pretty to look at, though—they also had surprisingly feminist storylines. The Brinkley Girls contains all of Nell Brinkley's full-page color comics, and a little info on the artist herself.


Best Art-Related Novel: In the Frame by Dick Francis
I do love Francis' painter heroes, and Charles Todd is no exception.


Best Mystery: The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie is so tricksy, you guys. I honestly didn't know who Mr. Brown, the criminal mastermind, was until the end of this novel. Plus, it's hilarious and I LOVE Tommy and Tuppence. Can they be my best friends? Pleeeeease?


Book I Can't Believe I Waited This Long to Read: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
If this book had been long enough, I seriously would have kept reading it for the entire year. IT'S THAT AWESOME. Also, I have a serious lady crush on Lady de Winter. Such a badass.


Book Most Obviously Destined to Become a Cartoon: The Suicide Shop by Jean Teulé
Just read it. Then you'll know.


Book I Had the Most Fun Mocking: Tough one! I think this has to be a tie between Inferno by Dan Brown and Secrets and Lords by Justine Elyot.


Favorite Discussion: I'm so glad Bridget from Portable Pieces of Thought agreed to read and discuss The Sheik by EM Hull with me. In the running for best book discussion ever.


Favorite NON-Bookish Thing: I am obsessed with the TV show Scandal. Colette from A Buckeye Girl Reads has been trying to get me to watch it forever, and I was like, "Meh," cuz I don't really do the political drama thing. But one night I decided to just bite the bullet and watch, and was immediately hooked. I recently got the first season from the library and binge-watched the whole thing in two nights, then immediately wanted to rewatch it. It's THAT addicting. It's not just a political drama, it's about true love and gladiators and solving mysteries and loyalty vs trust. Anyway, if you haven't watched it, you should.



Reflection time! I read a lot of mysteries and classics this year. I still enjoy romance, but I'm getting to the point where I need more from a romance than just two people getting it on to keep my attention. I also feel like I didn't read much this year, and according to Goodreads that's true. I've read less books this year than I have since 2010: only 139 books (so far), compared to 193 in 2012 and 158 in 2011. So next year I'd definitely like to make an effort to read more.

On a more personal note (notice how I stuck that at the end? I hate talking about myself), 2013 was a really hard year for me. My grandma, with whom I was very close, died of Alzheimer's. It was really awful and I still don't want to talk about it. But there were good things that happened this year, too. Since I was unemployed and pissed off about it, I decided I was going to try to break into freelance writing. And even though I'm making nowhere near enough to live on yet, I do have several paying writing gigs. I love being my own boss and getting paid to do something I enjoy. And I went to Las Vegas for the first time in October and met up with some fellow bloggers, which was awesome and a blast. w00t! I've made so many great friends through this community of book bloggers, I don't know what I'd do without you all.

So there were some excellent things that happened in 2013, and I'm more than willing to take the good with the bad. That being said, I really really REALLY hope 2014 will be better than 2013.

Hope you all have a great Christmas, and if I don't post between now and the 31st, may you have a fabulous, champagne-filled New Year's.


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I Spy Books with Spies

So you've watched Casino Royale three hundred times and can recite whole portions of The Bourne Identity from memory (that's, like, your superpower). You even sat through all five hours of Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy. Okay, that was more for the man candy, and you might have spent most of it tweeting, but anyway. The point is, you can't get enough of sophisticated spies, but you're so desperate for something new you're considering watching Knight and Day; and yeah, you could read (or reread) the actual James Bond novels, but you're hoping for something slightly less misogynistic. Fortunately for you: sexy spies with a love story thrown in? We got that.

Note that this list isn't of spy novels as per literary fiction--if you love John Le Carré, more power to you, but I prefer my spy stories to be as divorced from reality as possible. The way God, or at least Ian Fleming, intended.

Black Ice by Anne Stuart--Chloe is scraping by as a translator in Paris (shades of Charade!) when she's offered a job in the French countryside. Only the job turns out to be for a group of arms dealers. Fortunately for Chloe, there's a spy among them--Bastien Toussaint, who's not sure what Chloe's game is, but is willing to protect her from the baddies until he finds out. This book is the first in a series about an organization of spies who travel the world. All of the novels are unputdownable with just the right mix of thriller and romance. NO ONE writes bad boy heroes like Anne Stuart.



Crazy Hot by Tara Janzen--Quinn used to be the black sheep of his small town, until he left to join the military. Now he's part of a special ops team that operates under the cover of a specialty car shop, and his first mission involves working with Regan, the poor little rich girl who broke his heart. Fast cars, kick ass men, and wrong-side-of-the-tracks romance? TOTALLY THERE. I also love this book because it takes place in my home state (Colorado); Regan is super-smart and doesn't take any crap from anyone; and it really is a hot book. Also: first in a series, again. All of the installments with high entertainment value.



The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers--Okay, so the guys are more hugable than hot in this one, and the romance is kind of incidental, but I do recommend Riddle of the Sands for anyone who loves spy stories. Curruthers is a suit at the Foreign Office who is desperate for a vacation, so he accepts an invitation from a random acquaintance, Davies, to go sailing on his yacht. In the Baltic Sea. In September. When he arrives, it's to find out that Davies only invited him because he thinks a German spy tried to kill him, and now he needs help figuring out what the spy was trying to hide. This is a great book. I absolutely love Carruthers, who is sarcastic and hilarious, and the story is surprisingly tense and 100% believable. Childers really knew what of he wrote. Winston Churchill even used Riddle of the Sands as a blueprint for British operations in the Baltic during WWII.



My Bother Michael by Mary Stewart--Camilla is sitting in a cafe in Athens, bemoaning how boring her life is and how nothing ever happens, when something happens! (Note I have attempted this tactic myself on several occasions and it NEVER WORKS.) A stranger presses a key into her hand and begs her to take a car to a man named Simon in Delphi. It's a matter of life and death! Well, what's a girl to do? Camilla hops in the car and drives that sucker down to Delphi, where she gets involved with the mysterious Simon and all the non-boring car chases, shoot-outs, and cloak-and-dagger craziness that is his life.


What are some of your favorite spy novels?


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