November Redux: out of this world

A pair of burgundy boots rest on a bookshelf of fantasy novels

Well that was a MONTH, huh? Time is an illusion in 2020, but I’m pretty sure November has lasted longer than its allotted 30 days (election week alone must have lasted at least that long). But SciFiMonth has been a joy, as always: thank you to everyone who took part and made it such a success!

Reading Round-up

It’s been a rollercoaster this month as I alternated between books that were – frankly – slightly disappointing and reads that filled my soul with squee. I’m quite wrung out. I’ve also bounced off enough books to feel like a pinball, which (if nothing else) has helped me shape a plan for 2021 (probably).

  • Velocity Weapon – Megan O’Keefe  ★★★
  • Bite-size Books: Rogue Protocol – Martha Wells  ★★★★★
  • Nova – Samuel R Delany  ★★★
  • Golden Witchbreed – Mary Gentle  ★★★★☆

Additional Reviews

I had no backlog of SF reviews to publish this month, as I’ve read surprisingly little SF this year. I do now, as SciFiMonth kept me too busy to make space to review my reads! Next month… ahem, assuming I get writing.

Stacking the shelves

It’s been a good month! The Goldsboro SFF Fellowship delivered one of the books I’m most excited to read this winter (The Stone Knife by Anna Stephens). I have been eagerly awaiting the third book in the Anomaly quartet for years – imagine my delight when The Edge appeared on NetGalley this month. It was quickly joined on my shelf by Nophek Gloss, which has had so much buzz this SciFiMonth. I decided I’d give Shirley Jackson another shot after mixed feelings about The Haunting of Hill House; but the only feeling I have about my pre-order of Last Stand in Lychford arriving is sheer terror at what devastation Paul Cornell is about to wreak on my heart. I am not ready.

Reading statistics

My goal – always – is to read diversely and to love every book. In 2020, I’m most definitely not hitting my arbitrary reading goals, but I’m okay with that.

Books read: 58 / 70 | Game of Books: 485 / 600

  • 11 off the shelf (i.e. not bought in 2020)
  • 18 ARCs
  • 13 bite-size (excl. short stories)

Authors: 14 male (24%) / 39 female (67%) / 4 trans, non-binary or genderfluid (7%) + 1 collaboration (2%)

  • Authors of colour: 17 (30%)
  • LGBTQIA authors: 17 (30%)
  • Non-US / UK based authors: 9 (16%)

Litsy A to Z

Luckily my open Litsy letters were a good match for the unread scifi titles on my shelves! I didn’t set a particular goal for the month, but with 5 possibilities identified at the start of the month, I read 2 (Nova and Velocity Weapon).

I also had a bit of a realisation this month: that I don’t actually have the energy – here at the end of 2020 – to push myself to meet artificially imposed goals (such as reading challenges and ARC deadlines). With that, I’m calling this challenge at 20.

Final score | A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, Z

What’s coming up?

December is typically quiet around here as I recover from SciFiMonth. This year, I’m releasing myself from any obligations: I’ll be supporting the Subjective Chaos Kind of Awards from the sidelines next year, so I don’t have to rush at my 2020 backlog. I haven’t signed up for any blog tours. I’m tapping out of the LitsyAtoZ. Instead, I’ll be following my nose and reading on a whim, focusing purely on enjoying every read.

I aspire to catching up on some overdue reviews, and perhaps making a dent in my Goldsboro Fellowship TBR… but only if it suits my mood.

How was your November?
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