It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Jan. 4, 2021)

 It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup.

Other Than Reading... 

This was another excellent, quiet week. It snowed 5 inches on Wednesday but wasn't really a problem. Without wind, it was just a nuisance event. It covered the roads and slowed travel just a little. I wasn't planning to go anywhere in any case. I don't think I left the house all week. 

My brother is out this morning trying to sweep the snow off the solar panels so that we can make some power if the sun ever comes out. He's using a roof rake and hoping he can clear them. He's a little concerned that there might be a layer of ice under the snow from the pre-Christmas blizzard. 

I really enjoyed listening to and reading the Vorkosigan series again all in one big lump. I read them as they were published with at least a year between them before. I only made one mistake in the order I reread. CAPTAIN VORPATRIL'S ALLIANCE really should have been read before CRYOBURN.

Now I'm on to reading new books including my February review books which include new titles by some favorite authors. I'm also planning to listen to the rest of the Chronicles of Elantra series. 

2020 Report

2020 will be mostly remembered for being the year I discovered audiobooks. Starting in February I listened to 171 of them. It was also a big year for rereading. I reread 160 books - mostly as audiobooks. 

I read a total of 308 books this past year which totaled 117, 809 pages. I reviewed 89 books this year. Only 10 of the books I read actually came off my TBR pile which I define as books I had prior to the start of 2020.

I added 355 books to my collection in 2020. 196 were Kindle books and 98 were audiobooks. 95 were Review books on my Kindle. As of today, 137 of my new additions are still marked TBR but 26 of them are review books which already have places on my reading calendar.

I still have 2254 books marked To Read including quite a number that have been unread since I started my LibraryThing account in 2008. As I look over that list, I see that many of them are books in a series but that don't start that series which means that I would probably need to start the series at book one in order to successfully read the ones on the TBR pile. It might actually be easier to just pull those which are print books and donate them to get them off my stack. Unfortunately, I already have one medium sized cardboard box and three full paper grocery bags in need of finding a new home sitting in my home library and nowhere to donate them.

Read Last Week

If you can't wait until the review shows up on my blog, reviews are posted to LibraryThing and Goodreads as soon as I write them (usually right after I finish reading a book.)

I don't plan to write reviews for my Vorkosigan reread. Some of the later ones have already been reviewed on my blog way back in the misty past. These were just for fun and to revisit a world and characters I really like.

• Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine; Audiobook) -- This novella takes place at Miles and Ekaterin's wedding and brings together again characters from Miles's time with the Dendarii Mercenaries. It really stars Taura and Armsmen Roic since the two of them solve a mystery that could derail the wedding. 
• A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine; Audiobook) -- This story directly follows KOMARR but shifts the setting to Barrayar where Miles is secretly courting Ekaterin. At least, he is keeping it a secret from her but not from anyone else. It also introduces Butterbugs and has a political fight for seats in the Council of Counts. It was in turns funny, romantic, and political.
• Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine; Audiobook) -- This story takes place on a belated honeymoon for Miles and Ekaterin which is interrupted by a mission from Gregor to solve a problem with the Komarran Fleet in Quaddiespace. One thing leads to another until things escalate to an almost-war with Cetaganda. I especially liked seeing Ekaterin growing into herself.

• Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine; Audiobook) -- Miles is investigating for Emperor Gregor on Kibu-Daini and, naturally, the investigation uncovers lots more than was expected leaving Miles to do his usual over-the-top things and solve the problem and change the world. I won't be reviewing this one since this is a reread for me.
• Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine; Audiobook) - This reread and first listen finally stars Lord Ivan Vorpatril who has be a side character in the Vorkosigan books since the beginning. I liked that Ivan finally finds a woman who is right for him and a job that really suits him. This was quite humorous in a way that Bujold usually isn't without skimping on the action.
• Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine; Audiobook) - This final Vorkosigan book circles back to the beginning by starring Cordelia. It was a wonderful story about grief and healing, finding new love, and finding a new future. 

• The Flowers of Vashnoi by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine) - This novella stars Lady Ekaterin Vorkosigan and takes place in Vorkosigan District. I liked that Ekaterin got to star in this story. I won't be reviewing it.
• Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg (Mine) - This Kindle First historical fantasy got set aside for my Vorkosigan reread which doesn't mean it wasn't an intriguing story. I liked the characters especially Elsie and thought the worldbuilding was intriguing too. My review will be posted on January 23.

Currently

• Cast in Flight by Michelle Sagara (Mine; Audiobook)
• Beneath the Keep by Erika Johansen (Review; Feb. 2)

Next Week

• Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano (Review; Feb. 2)
• Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood (Mine; Audiobook)
• Hide in Place by Emilya Naymark (Review; Feb. 9)

• The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa (Review; Feb. 9)
• Rafael by Laurell K. Hamilton (Review; Feb. 9)
• A Lady's Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett (Feb. 9)

Reviews Posted

• All the Colors of Night by Jayne Ann Krentz
• Cast in Silence by Michelle Sagara (Audiobook)

• Changer of Worlds by David Weber
• A Rising Thunder by David Weber (Audiobook)

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Bought:

• Junkyard Cats by Faith Hunter (Kindle Deal)
• Stealing Fire by Jo Graham (Kindle Deal)
• Red Herring Hunt by V.  M. Burns (Kindle Deal)

I have the first book and want to finish this series.

• The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi
• The Last Emperox by John Scalzi (Kindle Deal)

• Network Effect by Martha Wells - I have the novellas but haven't read them yet and couldn't pass up this Kindle Deal.
• King's Ransom by Suzanne Brockmann - Used to love this series and want to continue it.

Two new collections.

• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas - I've read some of these but want to reread and catch up.
• The Bone Season Bundle by Samantha Shannon 

Review:

• Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg (March 9)

What was your week like?