#bookishfortnight2022

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 5:

Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2022?

There were a few that were fairly gripping, but I think The Fog Diver (Joel Ross) wins - intense by any standards, and especially so for a kids’ book. There were a lot of plot twists, revelations, and harrowing moments that kept me turning pages.

Book that was most outside your comfort zone/new genre exploration?

Chalk up another one to Dracula - gothic horror isn’t exactly my go-to genre believe it or not. But while there were one or two scenes which suggested that I might have made an error of judgement, it never reached unmanageable levels.

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 10:

The book I read but have already forgotten:

One of the Patricia Wentworth titles is ringing no bells - the rest I have a general idea of the plot and a few standout scenes at least, but Outrageous Fortune is just... gone. :P

Book with a scene that left you reeling:

I can’t pick between Tenthragon (the END), Dracula (Mina crying “unclean” was pretty gutting), and Things We Couldn’t Say (when Diet was working in the laundry at the camp...). I thought for sure Peace Like a River was going to deserve a mention but the writing was just so... gentle? The awful events weren’t easy or sugarcoated, but I always felt prepared - I suspect the author was deliberately avoiding the shock factor, and the narrator had such a calm and gentle “voice”.

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 9:

Favorite non-romance relationship:

There were a lot of really good options - the found family of children in The Fog Diver, Brendon caring for little Paddy in Tenthragon, Maia and his staff in The Goblin Emperor, and the “Crew of Light” from Dracula, who trusted and loved each other so well. Ultimately the true stories of Diet and her dedicated resistance friends in Things We Couldn’t Say caught my attention the most. Real people, welded together by suffering and a singleness of purpose more worthy than any encountered in fiction. Together they hid their Jewish friends or neighbors and engaged in small acts of defiance, taking a stand against the evil which had engulfed the rest of their world. Most of them spent time in prison or concentration camps, and many were killed - faithful unto death to each other and the cause.

Best non-fiction book:

I got through a total of nine last year! Three times as many as 2021, hah, and my goal was only to read five or six, so I’m thrilled. The best one was either Things We Couldn’t Say (Diet Eman) or Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis).

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 8:

Favorite couple:

Jonathan and Mina Harker from Dracula! Anyone who sees this post probably also saw all the meta, fanart, and general excitement I reblogged while the story was in motion. They both suffered so much, but they never doubted each other, they’re always building each other up and doing their best to help each other. Wow.

Worst character death:

Lucy Westenra. Her first one - alone, completely worn out, having thought of others first and realizing too late there was no one to help her. Technically the death of Vampire Lucy doesn’t count anyways - it wasn’t her, and real Lucy was given peace by it.

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 7:

Most memorable character:

There are even more good candidates than usual this year, I can narrow it down to a few though. Hugh, the extremely conflicted and disturbed initial antagonist of Tenthragon (Constance Savery) is introduced as a straightforward villain, but as his background unfolded the reader begins to pity him and long for his reconciliation. His brother and the rest of the household are all excellent characters in their own rights, but Hugh is the most dramatic, and the one who changes the most. Mr. Land, the miracle-working father of the narrator in Peace Like a River (Leif Enger - again, a book full of finely-drawn people) also deserves notice. He is, ostensibly, the main character, and as one of the most deeply loving fictional characters I’ve ever encountered he gives the tale its heart and impetus. Jonathan Harker (Dracula) gets a mention too, I was fully invested in his story from the beginning and his character growth is truly impressive (though in some ways not positive). He’ll get special attention in the next post. ;D

Most annoying character:

The journalist detective Jimmy London in Calamity in Kent (John Rowland) - he does a fair amount of lying and goes so far as to withhold a lot of information about the murder from the police simply for the purpose of trying to get a scoop. A slimy individual all around.

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 3:

Book you recommended most to others in 2022?

I made a lot of noise about Nothing Venture (Patricia Wentworth) to several sisters and @valiantarcher - it’s a nontraditional mystery romance that’s melodramatic almost to the point of silliness, but a lot of fun.

Book you most anticipated this year?

A Darkness at the Door, final book of Intisar Khanani’s Dauntless Path trilogy that started with my beloved Thorn. Still haven’t read this one but do have a copy now so it’ll be soon!

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 2:

Most surprising (in a good way) book of this year?

It has to be Dracula. I jumped on the bandwagon just because it seemed fun and manageable but was surprised to find such endearing characters and earnest determination. I was invested before I knew it was happening hah. I never would have read it on my own but I’m sure glad to have been part of Dracula Daily.

Most disappointing book/Book you wish you enjoyed more than you did?

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson is a nonfiction I read for the work book club. It was a bestseller so I was expecting it to be at least good. Hah. It follows the family of one of the last American ambassadors to Germany before WWII. There was a fair amount of tension conveyed, and it did give an interesting look at the world turning a blind eye to early Nazi evils. But while I can get along with most nonfiction, all the buildup led nowhere and most of the people featured weren’t worthy of the attention. Then I read some external sources and found that the ambassador’s daughter, who figured heavily in the book and already seemed extremely unsavory, had been worse than portrayed - she was actively working as a Soviet spy, sharing her father’s secrets. Larson apparently thought that was just a shade too far for the audience to accept in the woman he’d been painting as a naive little hedonist. Ugh.

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

This year I got through 36 books - and as usual entered the new year still in the middle of several I’d expected to finish. :P More finished than in 2021, though. Since I’ve been tracking the number of mysteries for a few years, that’s sitting at 12, a very solid 33%!

Day 1:

Overall - best books read in 2022?

Scanning the list, obvious standouts are, in order of appearance, Things We Couldn’t Say (Diet Eman), The Goblin Emperor (Katherine Addison), Peace Like a River (Leif Enger), Tenthragon (Constance Savery), Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis), and Liturgy of the Ordinary (Tish Harrison Warren).

Best series you discovered in 2022?

I read a couple of Book Ones this year which I decided to enjoy as stand-alones based on reviews of the later books (The Fog Diver and The Goblin Emperor). The only new series I continued has an excessively long final book in which I remain bogged down (Hero at the Fall, Alwyn Hamilton). So no real standouts in this category.

Best reread of the year?

It’s hard to believe, but I only got around to two rereads this year! The Tower at Stony Wood (Patricia McKillip) pulls ahead of The Silver Branch (Rosemary Sutcliff) - both are warm and heartening with characters I love, and The Silver Branch is the one I plan to make a graphic for one of these days hah. But the McKillip I had only read once, and longer ago. The reread was therefore more of a surprise and delight, and the sibling relationship was excellent. And I already said I love the characters in both books, but can I just emphasize that Cyan Dag is wonderful?!

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 13:

Favorite passages/quotes of 2022 (yes I just made the question plural - it’s always more than one after all hah):

Here’s one about obedience - to the world/government or God? And one about the imago Dei and why we serve. And while it was hard to choose just one from Peace Like a River, this one on the battles of life.

Book which had the overall greatest impact on you this year:

Liturgy of the Ordinary, which I read right when I most needed it - I suspected it was going to be helpful for the drama I was going through and it was very much so.

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 11:

Book you can’t believe you waited till 2022 to read:

Mere Christianity, I suppose, by virtue of being the only standout this year that I’d been aware of for a while. Certainly I have no excuse for not having read it before - along with several other Lewis books I have yet to get to. :P

Book you read in 2022 and are most likely to reread in 2023?

I’ll definitely be following along with Dracula Daily again if it comes back, though I don’t know that I’ll read every entry.

[idratherdreamofjune]

So many Bookish Fortnight posts up already!! ^^ It’s great to see so many friends involved! It might even be, dare I say it - motivating

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 14:

A book you didn’t read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2023?

Aside from books I’d already started reading before the New Year, it was Piranesi - and I’ve already finished it, so the year is off to a good start. Nevermind that it was on last year’s to-read-list. ;P My next priority is A Darkness at the Door.

New book you are most anticipating for 2023?

Um? I’m not reading any series with new books expected... Nothing is coming to mind, sadly.

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 12:

Book you still aren’t sure of your feelings on:

While my feelings on it overall are very positive, Tenthragon left me very conflicted about the ending. Some discussion with @valiantarcher and @isfjmel-phleg helped, but I’m still not reconciled to the author’s decision (and I don’t think they are fully either - ladies?).

Series you gave up on in 2022:

I answered this back on Day One - however, due to Mel’s input I’ll tentatively reconsider the sequel to The Fog Diver, leaving just The Goblin Emperor follow-ups in the discard heap. I enjoyed the book itself heartily, but the next books in the series follows a secondary character I don’t care to see more of.

[idratherdreamofjune]

Hello! I love reading your Fortnight of Books every year! I was wondering if it was ok with you if I do it too? :)

Hello! Thank you so much for saying so! Yes please feel free to join in and do make any changes/adjustments you find helpful - add or delete questions, start and finish whenever you like, etc! As you've probably seen, some years I don't even finish, myself. :P But the invitation is open to all!

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 6:

Favorite cover of the year award goes to:

While I did read a McKillip with a cover by Kinuko Y. Craft, my favorite is the vintage travel poster look of this one:

The British Library Crime Classics do tend to have such an appropriately classic look.

Most beautifully-written book you read in 2022?

Back to Peace Like a River again - it has a very lyrical feel at times, but in a solid grounded way, like a folk ballad. And the poetry written within the story by the character Swede is absolutely lovely and a delight in its own right.

[idratherdreamofjune]

Fortnight of Books: 2022

Day 4:

Favorite author you discovered this year:

Leif Enger’s Peace Like a River astounded me, I cannot believe he’s not better known. Depth, compassion, wisdom, humor, it’s all there. I’m definitely going to be looking out for his other books - if they’re half as good they’ll be a delight.

Author you read the most in 2022?

Without even counting I knew it was Patricia Wentworth - I read six of her mysteries. After her is Josephine Tey at three.