this elegy would love to save everything

January: 6

Take a Look at the Five and Ten by Connie Willis

This is a short story, and one I wanted to start my year with, because it's set in the Christmas season and I wanted to read it before Christmas ended. It was cute and sweet, very Willis rom-com, and I reread it later in the year as a palate cleanser. Not her best, but still cute.

(Also, interestingly, after reading Passage, this story gets more interesting--both hospital stories about brains, yet so wildly different)

Jenna Starborn by Sharon Shinn

A sci-fi Jane Eyre retelling that, while it made a few weird choices, was still very interesting.

I Met a Traveller in an Antique Land by Connie Willis

This is one of Willis' "What If There Was A Weird Little Guy Who Kinda Sucked?" stories, and while I can respect that, they don't often turn out to be my favorites (Ned Henry, you're the exception. we love you, Ned Henry). Interesting short story, but Willis does notttt understand weeding in libraries and I can tell.

Moan by Junji Ito

Collection of Junji Ito short stories that. tbh I do not really remember but that I read at work (I believe).

Terra Incognita by Connie Willis

My bookshelf book (a gift from my Memum!) for the month, and a collection of short stories. This one took me a while to get through, because the middle story kind of slogged for me, but the last one (also the shortest?) was cute. I <33 a story about a girl making problems.

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

This was supposed to be my bookshelf book for February, but I read it all in a day while I was working at the small library. A classic for a reason, and my first Butler.

February: 4

Passage by Connie Willis

My bookshelf book for the month. Honestly what can I say about Passage that doesn't spoil it and/or end in me crying all over my keyboard? Anyway. One of my favorite books of the year so far, and one of Willis' best, I believe.

The Machine Stops by E. M. Forster

A short story I read (one of a collection) that I read because I wanted to see what it was about, and naively imagined it might be a palate cleanser after Passage. HAH. However, a dystopian classic, and shockingly prescient.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

A recommendation from my mom, and a proper palate cleanser. A humorous dystopian literary future where there's literature fanatics, literary cops, werewolves, and Jane Eyre (the character herself) is at stake.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

My first time reading it, and a classic for a reason. I was reading this book (and the sequels) almost constantly, and I read them like candy, and fell in love.

March: 8

Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery

I devoured this right after the first one, and loved it too. Anne I love you forever.

Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery

Devoured again, and had the BEST time. I was super tickled by the character at the end with the Cajun accent written out phonetically. Like, I know that accent!!! Hey, buddy!!

Anne of Windy Poplars by L. M. Montgomery

Yet another Anne book. As we can see, I was on a roll.

Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery

Read this one, had a lovely time, yet couldn't seem to make it through the one after it. I might try again at another time, I'm not sure.

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

A fantasy novella about 100 pages long that I found rather interesting, and it made for a fun read.

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

My bookshelf book of the month. I had tried several times to read it but never got more than a few chapters in. Willis' eerily prescient pandemic novel written in the 90s, and one of her darker works. While it didn't resonate with me like Passage, I still really enjoyed it.

Through the Woods by E. M. Carroll

Graphic novel for class; collection of horror stories inspired by fairy tales and the like. Probably one of my favorites for class, and certainly spooky.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

Another graphic novel for class, and I have a much less kind view of this one. It just... it was a collection of motivational and inspirational phrases, stuff I'd see on mugs or on tumblr (sorry tumblr I love you), or in therapy speak. It just all felt rather vapid to me. And then I couldn't say a word about it in class, because some classmates absolutely adored it and I didn't care enough about the book or the class to throw my hat in the ring.

April: 21

Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

You guessed it, graphic novel for class. I enjoyed the story enough to try the second one, but not enough to stick with it. I had at least one friend who loved it, but it wasn't for me.

The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman

Class graphic novel. Certainly an interesting read knowing what we do now, but I will admit I it got me towards the end, with the old man.

Saga, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan

Not actually for class this time! I wanted to give it a shot, but between the book itself and reading the wikipedia, I decided I was good.

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki

Class graphic novel. It was... fine. Not my favorite. I liked all the blue, though.

Noise by Kathleen Raymundo

Class graphic novel that was so tiny and plot-thin I had to fight for my life writing the mandated summary paragraph. It's just There.

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

Bookshelf book of the month. To Say Nothing of the Dog I love you so. Second in the Oxford Time Travel series by Willis, and her first comedic entry. I had to try so hard not to laugh out loud at work reading this. Definitely another Willis favorite for me, I had such a blast.

(SO excited for the Oxford series book next year that's apparently another comedic entry in the same vein of To Say Nothing. Huge treat for me!!)

Ink Girls by Marieke Nijkamp

Class graphic novel. Cute and colorful, and I liked the variety of characters.

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Class graphic novel. If you're sick of it already, I'm with you. This one was also interesting, and I do enjoy anything with a ghost.

Smile by Reina Telgemeier

Class graphic novel. I'd read this one before, but I enjoyed reading it again. It's cute and really captures the feeling of teenage awkwardness.

El Deafo: Superpowered Edition by Cece Bell

Class graphic novel. Also cute, and a really interesting biography.

A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds by Rebecca E. Hirsch

Yes, this was also for class, but this was for a different class! My YA books class. An interesting nonfiction book, but then again, I'm always a sucker for this kinda stuff.

Fangirl, Vol. 2: The Manga by Rainbow Rowell, Sam Maggs

Class graphic novel. So turns out I read Fangirl years ago and forgot just about everything. An interesting read, and sort of a bookshelf book? I had to buy it because the library copy was checked out and due back in January. Schroedinger's bookshelf book.

March: Book Three by Andrew Aydin, John Lewis

Class graphic novel. A much harder read, but informative and important, and it treated its serious topic (the Freedom March) with respect and gravity.

Wonder Woman: The True Amazon by Jill Thompson

Class graphic novel. I'm not super up to date on the Wonder Woman mythos or lore, but I enjoyed this one.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

I've seen this one around a couple times on tumblr, and finally read it this year and fell in love (so hard in love I asked for a copy for my birthday, and I wanna read more of her books). Had a phenomenal time and I would love to reread it at some point.

Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega

Class graphic novel. One of my favorites for class, about a young girl learning to love and care for her hair.

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Class graphic novel. An interesting read, with layered plots I found really interested.

Nimona by N. D. Stevenson

Class graphic novel. A cute one, if not one of my favorites.

I Survived the California Wildfires, 2018: The Graphic Novel by Lauren Tarshis

Class graphic novel. I've never read an I Survived book and thought it was interesting. Not too much to say about the books at this point in the class.

Artemis: Wild Goddess of the Hunt by George O'Connor

Class graphic novel. I always enjoyed dipping my toe back in Greek mythology.

Tangles: A Story about Alzheimer's, My Mother, and Me by Sarah Leavitt

Class graphic novel. A hard read about a serious and super emotional topic.

May: 7

Blankets by Craig Thompson

Class graphic novel. Last class book! About the author's coming of age. I thought it was very lovely, but not one of my favorites.

Statues by Junji Ito

We are free of class! Another shift read. I enjoy a Junji Ito, but I don't think his newer stories are sticking with me (to be fair, I'm not rereading them)

Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver by Mary Oliver

Bookshelf book for the month. Boy was I glad I finished this one this month, because I wasn't sure I'd finish my other bookshelf book. A lovely collection of poems, with some of my favorites. I'd read one a morning, and sometimes get pierced through the heart and then have to go to work regardless (August, I'm looking at you.)

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

This was a sweet read, if not one of my favorites from her. It felt... a little rushed, and like we didn't get the full depths of characters that we could have gotten. I still enjoyed myself, though.

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Managed to read this in a day when I was trying to get through my stack of library books. I thought it was a really interesting and thought-provoking read, and the script format made it a super fast read.

Excellent Women by Barbara Pym

I might've read this one in a day or two as well, this time on a road trip instead of at work. Parts of this were so funny and yet there was something almost existential about it. I could definitely see the styles of comedy Connie Willis uses in her Oxford time travel books.

Lincoln's Dreams by Connie Willis

Bookshelf book for the month. Boy this one took me a minute. Took me a month to read a 200-ish page book. I struggled with this one, but it was good to read, as her debut, to see where she started and where she would evolve. Also, some of her recurring themes were still so present. Despite struggling with most of the book, I felt the ending was the best; it still managed to knock my feet out from under me.

June: 4

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

I flew through this one. I had such a fun time, it made me want to go out and immediately read more fantasy. Now, I am eagerly awaiting the second book.

Snow White by Matt Phelan

A graphic novel I read on shift and liked a lot. A Great Depression/silent film styled (sort of) retelling of Snow White.

The Gate of Ivory by Doris Egan

Bookshelf book. This is the first in a trilogy, and I found the second of the trilogy first, at my local used bookstore. I read the first few pages, knew I'd love the writing style, and immediately decided I wanted the first one for my birthday (thank you, Atlas!!). I somehow managed to read the first book in a day, even with the homework I had to do.

Two-Bit Heroes by Doris Egan

Bookshelf book. The second in the trilogy, it took me longer than a single day to read it, but I still loved it. I love the worldbuilding, the characters, and their dynamics, especially the main character and her boss/boyfriend/quarter-husband. This book added on even more worldbuilding and memorable characters.

Honorable Mention: Guilt-Edged Ivory by Doris Egan, finished July 1 and rounding out the trilogy. This one took me the longest, but I still loved it. I felt it was a good end to the trilogy, and a good book on its own.

Currently Reading: Blackout by Connie Willis (for some reason it's taking me forever, but I'm hopeful I can lock in this month and make it my bookshelf book)

TBR:

All Clear by Connie Willis (when I finish Blackout)