Bryan reads 100 Books in 2020

A slow start but back for another year of reading, good to see many of the group are busy reading already.

Managed 122 books last year at an average page count of 433.

Achieved hardly any of my 2019 aims so am keeping things simple this year ; 120 books, average page count over

400, reread some of my favourites, finish The Wheel of Time series, 20 books of over 500 pages...

Happy, healthy, busy reading year for all !

Just remembered another aim, to complete 'The 100 Best Books of All Time' list, 18 to go.

Glad to see you back!

Welcome back!

Thanks Francine, Pam, and Wookie, may we all have great reading years.

Bushfires are an issue, we live in the Adelaide Hills so a high risk area, there has been nothing near us yet but we

know people who have lost properties. Have prepared as best we can and hope luck is with us.

Francine I haven't read any Colleen, The Thorn Birds gets a mention on book lists so will get to it one day and probably enjoy it !

Good luck with another year of great reading!

Hi Francine, thanks for your thoughts, will put The Thorn Birds on my TBR pile. Not sure about Australian Gothic

but happy to contribute my favourite Aussie reads anytime you are interested !

We have been lucky with bushfires near us so far, and we live in quite a damp valley so I am confident. Many others and animals have not been so lucky and there is a concerted public effort to help. Our government are climate change deniers so no real action on that front for sometime, very frustrating.

#9. Cheers James, thanks and also best wishes for your year and reading, always enjoy your reviews and wish

mine were of the same quality.

Francine, I have been negligent in my Australian reading but here are some I have enjoyed :

A Fortunate Life by Albert Facey, autobiography and compelling reading !
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin, classic.
Voss by Patrick White, perhaps Australia's greatest writer.
True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey.
Remembering Babylon by David Malouf.
The Secret River by Kate Grenville, first in a trilogy.

All of these are very Australian and I'll be very interested to see what you make of any of them, I need to get to Kangaroo by D.H. Lawrence one of these days, and also Blonde....

Just thought of Picnic at Hanging Rock as a candidate for Aussie gothic. Regards !

Looking forward to seeing your reviews again.

Off to a slow start this year, have read 14 books so far but haven't posted any, now I am distracted again....

1. Island by Aldous Huxley. An enjoyable reread for me.

2. The Mahabharata by Vyasa, continuing my theme of reading the great religious classics.

3. The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan, 9th in The Wheel of Time series, the story is inching along, am enjoying Mat's adventures the most.

4. Joy in the Morning by P.G. Wodehouse, Jeeves saves the day again !

5. Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis.

6. The Land Before Avocado by Richard Glover, enjoyed this fun look at life in suburban Australia in the 60-70s, a book club book that everyone enjoyed.

7. The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays by Oscar Wilde, enjoyed the satire.

8. Borne by Jeff Vandermeer, genre of new weird fantasy, and this one was weird.

9. The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud, finale of a good teen series.

10. The Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest writings, interesting.

11. The Overstory by Richard Powers, Pulitzer Prize winning book club book which I found an ok read, somehow the tree

preservation theme was heavy handed and the characters contrived in my opinion.

12. Orlando by Virginia Woolf. Interesting 'biography' of a young man who suddenly becomes a woman.

13. Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan, 9th book in the series and the story is really bogged down in details....

14. Long Day's Journey Into Night by Eugene O'Neill, a well known play but not easy to read/watch with the difficult topic of family disfunction and addiction.

15. Thank You, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse. Jeeves saves the day again.

16. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, reread and thoroughly enjoyed this modern classic. I remember also enjoying Sometimes a Great Notion so that is on the reread list.

17. Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens, read this because our grand daughter is enjoying the series and I want to be seen to support her reading, ok teen school mystery.

18. Never Die by Rob J. Hayes, historic Japanese fantasy, plenty of action, interesting characters.

19. Mad as Hell and Back by Shaun Micallef, highlights of comedian Micallef's TV shows, great fun !

20. Getting Past Your Past by Francine Shapiro, self-help techniques from EMDR Therapy, plenty for me to be doing here.

21. The Fugitive and the Vanishing Man by Rod Duncan, satisfying finale of the Elizabeth Barnabus series, a return to the

feel of the first book The Bullet Catcher's Daughter. Very good steampunk fantasy series.

22. Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho, reread for me to prepare for her The True Queen, and thoroughly enjoyed this historical (?) fantasy.

23. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, I thoroughly enjoyed this debut fantasy novel, recommended.

24. The True Queen by Zen Cho, continues the story of her first novel, didn't quite grab me as much but still a good read.

25. Jacques the Fatalist by Denis Diderot, French 1700s satire inspired by Tristan Shandy I think.

26. The Complete Essays by Michel de Montaigne, 1269 pages, 107 essays, musings on a wide range of topics from the 1500s in France, quite readable.

27. The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson, Bill is always informative and entertaining.

28. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn, OK.

29. Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan, book ten in the Wheel of Time series, story has slowed to a crawl, must keep reading !?

30. Plays by Anton Chekhov.

31. The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, powerful story of the women of a northern Norwegian village in the 1600s.

32. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, enjoyed the sense of humour in this novel.

33. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, reread of one of my favourite stories, wonderful !

34. The Two Noble Kinsmen by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher.

35. Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan, 11th book in the saga, the author has picked up the pace of the story, and we spent significant time with each of the main characters, looking forward to The Gathering Storm.

36. Coraline by Neil Gaiman.

37. The Bromeliad by Terry Pratchett, 2 fun rereads.

38. A Thousand Moons by Sebastian Barry, his new novel and sequel to Days Without End, and equally powerful.

39. The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King, intriguing fantasy and a page turner !

With the local library effectively closed, a chance to read some of my own books !

One area that has been neglected has been the Penguin Classics section, first up is North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.

40. History: A Novel by Elsa Morante, second world war and beyond from an Italian woman's perspective.

41. Notes from a Big Country by Bill Bryson, Bill's wry and amusing views on American life.

42. The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman by Angela Carter, wildly imaginative and fun story that has been waiting for me to read for years, great to get it read and ready to take on more.

43. An Orc On The Wild Side by Tom Holt, Lord of the Rings gets the Tom Holt treatment, very funny !

Up to date with finished books !

44. The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson.

Twelfth novel in the Wheel of Time series, two to go as we near the Last Battle. Towers of Midnight and A Memory of Light are in the mail, hopefully arriving soon and I am very keen.

45. Illywhacker by Peter Carey, one of those novels I have wanted to reread for years, not quite as good as I remember it.

46. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, enjoyed this 1855 classic looking at the social concerns of industrial life.

47. Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko, winner of the 2019 Miles Franklin Award, graphic and confronting story of an indigenous family, not an enjoyable read for me.

48. The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood, debut fantasy novel that I thought began intriguingly but I lost some interest in the second half.

49. The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett, first of the almighty Discworld series, have read this maybe 4 times and still

enjoyable. Will be rereading the series over the next couple of years and really looking forward to reengaging with this brilliant

world and it's remarkable themes and characters.

50. Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson.

The penultimate book in this long saga and the characters are finally lining up for the Last Battle. The final book A Memory of Light has only 1010 pages to bring everything to a rewarding conclusion, hope so.

>47 bryanoz: Too Much Lip is on my Kindle but, having read your comment, I might avoid it for now.

Pam, I didn't like it but others have so I'll be interested to see what you think when you get to it.

Now is such a good time for a Discworld re-read.

Cheers Meredith !

51. Complete Stories by Dorothy Parker, erudite and amusing observations on society, particularly the issues for women.

52. The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett, reread, 2nd in the Discworld series, Rincewind and Twoflower continue their adventures with Cohen the pensioner Barbarian a delightful addition !

Way behind with listing the books i've read...

53. Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk, another great children's story by the author of Wolf Hollow.

54. The Killing Light by Myke Cole, final volume of The Sacred Throne trilogy, good series.

55. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, really enjoyed this novel of words, meanings, history, suffragettes, and much more by a local (to me) author, highly recommended.

56. A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson, final volume in the 14 book saga and a satisfying conclusion. Would have liked more information on some of the characters that I have come to like over the journey but with such a vast array of characters and situations I understand that there will be some gaps.

57. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss.

58. Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett, enjoyed this reread, onto The Hobbit.

59. New Spring by Robert Jordan, prequel to the Wheel of Time, set 20 years earlier and looking at Moraine and Lan's first meeting and development of their relationship.

60. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, 2nd World War story of 2 French sisters, quite good.

61. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.

And that is my reading up to date ! Am currently perusing Notre Dame de Paris, Waiting for God, The Hobbit, and just started the new Mark Lawrence The Girl and The Stars.

62. Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo.

Les Miserables is one of my favourite classics so I thought I should read another Hugo, this was an earlier work that was interesting but lacks the depth and majesty of Les Mis.

63. The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence, first of a new series set on the same world as his Book of the Ancestor trilogy, but from a very different part of that world. Lawrence continues his great story writing with this engaging tale and he is a busy writer so the next book will be next year so no long wait !

64. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, an enjoyable classic adventure.

65. Waiting For God by Simone Weil.

66. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein, reread and a very enjoyable one, will reread the Rings books and then The Silmarillion for the first time.

67. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, really enjoyed this charming novel about a Russian Count who earns the displeasure of the ruling bolsheviks and is exiled to a hotel. Very engaging novel with twists and turns to keep any reader interested.

68. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, teenage novel mixing Greek gods with modern times, okay for teens.

69. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune, quite an enjoyable fantasy with dangerous magical children, severe bureaucracy, diversity and joy of family, and a love story as well.

70. The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco, Eco's fiction is always an intellectual examination of an true historical event, with observations on life, death, religion, science, and much else. Somehow he does all this with realistic, flawed characters and humour as well. This book is no The Name of the Rose or Foucault's Pendulum(an underated great book in my opinion) but still a worthwhile read.Baudolino awaits when I next have some time.

One of those weird synchronicities that happen to readers, reading The House in the Cerulean Sea and cannot remember coming across the word cerulean (sky blue), Eco's Island book has the word twice !

71. A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher.

Interesting dystopian novel but I found the ending rushed.

72. Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw, intricate and philosophical play that I cannot imagine being performed, though apparently it has.

73. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein, reread and thoroughly enjoyable.

74. Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates.

Really enjoyed this big (939 pages) fictional 'biography' of the life of Marilyn Monroe. Tragedy and page turner.

My first Joyce Carol Oates novel and I enjoyed her writing style, so have ordered her recent Night. Sleep. Death. The Stars, also a big novel at 928 pages.

75. Maybe the Horse Will Talk by Elliot Perlman.

Hoping for another The Street Sweeper but disappointed with this corporate law story that tries to tackle the issue of sexual harassment in the work place but misses the mark.

76. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey.

First novel of the Expanse space opera series and an interesting read, not sure I will read the following books though.

77. Timeless on the Silk Road by Heather Ellis, book club read about an Australian woman in the 1990s who contracts HIV and decides to ride her motorcycle from London back to Australia across Asia. Should have been an intriguing story but I found it underwhelming if not boring.

78. A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie.

Read his first and highly rated fantasy book The Blade Itself and thought it was ok, so haven't read anything else of his. This latest novel, first in the Age of Madness trilogy, I did enjoy the plot, the characters, and particularly the quips and sass woven into the story. The sequel The Trouble With Peace is published in a month or so and I will be buying it.

79. The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkein, very glad to be rereading this classic story.

Way behind with updates...

80. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, enjoyed this novel.

81. Quiet by Susan Cain, for us introverts.

82. Snake Island by Ben Hobson, lent by a friend, meh.

83. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, reread as I prepare to read the series.

84. Educated by Tara Westover, fascinating and inspiring memoir.

85. The Kreutzer Sonata and other stories by Leo Tolstoy, some of his later stories.

86. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson.

Cussy Mary is a young woman who works for the Pack Horse Library Project, delivering books and reading material to remote Kentuckians. She is also one of the 'blue people' of the area, and the author has crafted a powerful and engaging story that brings to life these true situations. Highly recommend this novel.

87. Wolfe Island by Lucy Treloar, a book club read, really enjoyed her debut novel Salt Creek but this slightly dystopian look at how climate change will displace people, with resulting tensions, lacked something for me.

88. Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell.

An entertaining and (in my opinion) believable story of four musicians and their manager in 1960s England who struggle to become a successful band. I enjoyed the name dropping - David Bowie, Brian Jones, and many others - and look forward to the albums !

>79 bryanoz: I am glad you enjoyed Utopia Avenue. I did, too, although it didn’t quite offer the literary pyrotechnics I have come to expect from David Mitchell. Still, it seemed to capture the feel of the times very well, and, like you, I enjoyed all the cameo appearances by real figures.

89. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, a reread and I was surprised at how much more I enjoyed this fantasy novel the second time !

90. A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom by John Boyne.

His new novel and after the brilliant The Heart's Invisible Furies there were considerable expectations for this.
The novel has a different format as we follow the 'same' characters through over two thousand years of history, and all corners of the world. Once I got used to the idea and plot this became an enjoyable read.

91. Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch.

Second in the Gentlemen Bastards series, following the very successful The Lies of Locke Lamora. The entertaining lives of Locke and Jean continue as they are forced to survive on the high seas.

92. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkein, reread of Lord of the Rings done, was great to revisit Middle Earth and read slowly, enjoying the story and language. The Silmarrilion up next, which I haven't read before.

93. A Room Made of Leaves by Kate Grenville.

Her new novel, a fictional account of Elizabeth Macarthur's life and a continuation of her The Secret River trilogy.

This is Australian historical fiction and a compelling account.

94. Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker.

I really enjoyed his Engineer trilogy and expected something similar here, but it missed the mark somehow, still an ok read.

95. Damascus by Christos Tsiolkas.

A book club read and one I was reluctant to read given how much I disliked his first novel The Slap.

Damascus is the story of the Biblical Paul both before and after his conversion to follow Jesus.

My interest in spirituality meant this was likely to be an interesting and controversial story and I enjoyed it.

96. Mort by Terry Pratchett, probably the third time I have read Mort and it is still an enjoyable experience !

97. The Absolutist by John Boyne.

I have read and enjoyed 5 of John Boyne's adult novels and this one ranks 2nd only to The Heart's Invisible Furies.
Set early in the First World War we follow the lives of young English men, some keen to engage the enemy, others questioning the basis of the war and need for violence.

98. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang.

Fantasy novel published in 2018 with glowing reviews. Based on 20th Century Chinese history (I think) and with some interesting elements. the story and characters didn't grab me as I had hoped.

99. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles.

After enjoying his A Gentleman in Moscow had to read his other/first novel Rules of Civility. Katey is growing up in New York in the late 1930s, and is looking for truth and authenticity amongst the dazzle. An entertaining, thought provoking and enjoyable story.

Behind with reviews as usual...

100. The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch, third in the fantasy Gentleman Bastards series and a fun continuation.

101. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie.

102. The Time-Travelling Caveman by Terry Pratchett, more of Terry's early work and great fun.

100 books read ; 43,558 total pages ; average 435 pages.

Congratulations on the hundred!

Congratulations on reaching your century, Bryan - time for a lot more yet before the end of the year!

Thanks Pam and James, tenth year of 100 or more books read so happy with that, good luck with both of your reading !

103. The Great Science Fiction by H.G. Wells.

Includes The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds, and some short stories. Good to finally read these classics and reflect on how far ahead of their time (1890s) these ideas were.

104. 11.22.63 by Stephen King, interesting premise and a page turner in true King style.

105. Danger Music by Eddie Ayres, book club read and an autobiographic account of an Australian music teacher working in Afghanistan which didn't grab me at all.

106. Anathem by Neal Stephenson.

Have enjoyed Neal's novels up to now, full of scientific ideas and musings, however Anathem was too slow and ponderous for me.
His later works are more engaging and looking forward reading his newest Fall or, Dodge in Hell.

107. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor.

I really enjoyed this original, creative and imaginative fantasy novel, the first Laini Taylor book I have read but not the last.
Straight onto "Bryan's 50 Best Fantasy Reads"!
Have ordered the sequel Muse of Nightmares, and Daughter of Smoke & Bone, first of an earlier trilogy.

108. Sourcery by Terry Pratchett.

My third time reading the Discworld series and it is great fun !
Rincewind the inept wizzard returns, and we get to meet Conina the female barbarian who wants to be a hairdresser, and Nijel the Destroyer setting out on his first barbaric adventure !

109. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman.

Third time reading this original fantasy series and what a pleasure !
His Dark materials is one of my all time favourite reads and I am appreciating every page. The Amber Spyglass is next and I must remember to take my time and savour every page.

110. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke.

Clarke's first novel was the magnificent fantasy Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, published in 2004. Apart from a short story collection we haven't news of another novel (due to the author's illness I believe) until last year when news of a new novel surfaced, and I'm sure I wasn't the only reader waiting impatiently until September 2020.
Piranesi is a totally different type of story and it took me quite a way into it to get a hold on who Piranesi is and why he lives isolated in a mysterious labyrinth. At only 245 pages the story is soon drawing to a close, and although unravelling the mystery was satisfying, I can't say Piranesi was a great read. Other reviewers use descriptions like "elegant', "hypnotic", and "haunting" so perhaps I should reread the novel to glean more treasure, but no rush.

111. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, stoical musings on life by a Roman Emperor.

112. The Trouble With Peace by Joe Abercrombie, recently published and second in The Age of Madness trilogy. I was keen to read this after enjoying A Little Hatred and wasn't disappointed. Engaging characters, plenty of intrigue and action, plus humour !

113. Ada or Ardor by Vladimir Nabokov.

Published in 1969, this is an experimental (code for difficult) novel that appears to be about an 'accidental' incestuous relationship within a family, but is actually about much more.
Nabokov plays with time, love, death, and writing, rewarding the discerning reader who takes their time and delights in words.

114. Pyramids by Terry Pratchett, 7th in the Discworld series and a fun reread.

115. Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor.

Following the tumultuous events at the end of Strange the Dreamer I was intrigued to see where the sequel would go. Needless to say the author continues her original and engaging story, with revelations and twists, to a satisfying conclusion. Recommended !

New books arrived !
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart.
The Neil Gaiman Reader.
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk.
The Ankh-Morpork Archives: Volume Two by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Briggs.
Happy days !

116. This is How We Change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield.

117. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman, reread and one of my favourite series ever !

118. Night of Knives by Ian C. Esslemont.

I read Steven Erikson's 10 volume Malazan series in 2015, and thoroughly enjoyed the originality, depth and humour of the work. Esslemont and Erikson developed the Malazan concept together, and it is about time I ventured into Esslemont's version of things. Night of Knives was his first book, and although it lacks compared to the Erikson books, I found enough of interest to persist. Return of the Crimson Guard is next, only 1056 pages !

119. The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor.

First published in 1971, and collecting her short fiction from the 1950s and 60s, this is a riveting but also confronting look at life in southern USA. Putting O'Connor's two novels on my TBR list now.

120. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

First of a trilogy, this imaginative fantasy novel took me a while to get into but I was soon caught up in the story and happy to read the sequel Days of Blood & Starlight.

121. Eragon by Christopher Paolini.

A YA fantasy written by the author while he was in high school, this has been a popular book that has been recommended to me by many people over the years. I had my doubts but have finally got to it, an OK story with magic and a dragon, but I don't need to read the sequels.

Have got to holidays so first job is to update this list.

122. The Portable Beat Reader by Ann Charters (ed).

123. Tender by Sofia Samatar, intriguing short stories by the author of the great fantasy A Stranger in Olondria.

124. The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd, Book Club read, a possible life of Ana, the wife of Jesus, interesting.

125. The Neil Gaiman Reader by Neil Gaiman.

A comprehensive collection of Neil's short stories, with excerpts from his novels, great reading !

126. Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson.

This novella ebook is a side story to Sanderson's new Rhythm of War, good to get a reminder of the Stormlight world before plunging into Rhythm.

127. The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow.

An engaging story of sisters, witch hood, and suffragettes set in New Salem in 1893. This is Alix's second novel, first being The Thousand Doors of January, and both are recommended.

I am rereading Hogfather for Christmas, reading the new Sanderson Rhythm of War which is 1230 pages so hope to finish it this year, and soon to begin The Golden Ass, a latin classic.
Makes 130 books for the year and happy with that.

128. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett.

Fun Xmas reread as the Hogfather goes missing, Death takes over delivering the presents, and chaos ensues !

129. Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson.

Fourth and latest in The Stormlight Archive series, this is highly original, epic fantasy.
Sanderson is a prolific author so there is comfort in knowing that the next volume will be published in no longer than three years. Sanderson projects another six books to complete the story so hopefully will be around for the end !

130. The Golden Ass by Apuleius.

A Latin classic and ok read.

I won't be finishing any more books this year, the couple I have ongoing can go on next year's list.
So that is 130 books read, average page count of 445, total pages 57,921, and an average of 159 pages per day !
Am happy with the year, my favourite reads to follow.

I had plenty of great reads this year, in order of reading..

Joy in the Morning by P.G. Wodehouse, fiction, humour.
The Land before Avocado by Richard Glover, non fiction, Australia in the 1960s.
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, drama.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, fantasy.
The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson, non fiction.
The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, fiction.
A Thousand Moons by Sebastian Barry, fiction.
The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King, fantasy.
The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, epic fantasy.
Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk, fiction, young adult.
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, fiction.
The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence, fantasy.
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, fiction.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune, fantasy.
A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie, fantasy.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson, fiction.
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell, fiction.
The Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom by John Boyne, fiction.
A Room Made of Leaves by Kate Grenville, fiction.
The Absolutist by John Boyne, fiction.
The Time-Travelling Caveman by Terry Pratchett, fantasy for children.
11.22.63 by Stephen King, sci fi.
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor, fantasy.
The Neil Gaiman Reader, fantasy, short stories.