Friday, January 3, 2020

Favorite Reads of 2019! Part 1

I have so many favorites, I tried to be selective but I read so many awesome things! I will also have a honorary mentions post and a worst of post later in January. First, the favorites! In no particular order because I loved them all 5 stars worthy! I realized I had too many for just one blog post so i'm making it into 2 parts! Part 2 will be posted the day after this one. I won't go into too much detail about any of them but will say a little bit and link to any more thorough reviews.

1.

Defining Myself: Transmasculine Experience Through Poetry Edited by Michael Eric Brown and Max Andeo Meyer

This has poetry by 38 transmasculine individuals. From binary trans men and non-binary transmasc folk alike. I am transmasculine as well and I related so much to the words in these pages. It meant so much to me. I have a review on this blog here.

2.

How to Be You: Stop Trying to Be Someone Else and Start Living Your Life by Jeffrey Marsh

A self help book on how to be you. Different from other self-help books. There is so much truth in these pages that I think everyone could use. The book isn't preachy and it's sincere and without judgement. There are stories of Marsh's life and activities to engage in as well. I have a full review on this blog here.

3.

Krampus: The Yule Lord by Brom

This was a re-read but a first listen. I first read is physically in 2015 then again in 2018 (both in December) and in 2019 I decided to listen to it (also in December) since I want to try to get into audio books but they are difficult for me as a general rule so starting with books i've already read. This is a holiday horror story, sort of.

I love the characters, the messages. It reminds me of stuff I sometimes need to be reminded of. Krampus isn't evil and Santa isn't all good but both can be morally gray. Neither evil, neither perfect. I think I need to make this a yearly re-read. And the audio book was amazing! I can't believe it was one person doing it, the voices for everyone were so different! It was a great experience to listen to it! My review on Goodreads Here.

4.

The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite

A sapphic historical romance taking place in the early 1800s with strong women who are also flawed humans that I fell in love with. I loved the plot, the themes, the romance, all of it! I have a full review on on this blog here.

5.

So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

A book on public shaming and how things spiral way out of proportion and ruin lives. It was very enlightening. It's actually the group read for the cancelathon readathon happening this month but since I just read it in November I won't be re-reading it. I do have a full review on Goodreads here and my copy is very annotated.

6.

The New Annotated Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, edited by Leslie S. Klinger, with an introduction by Guillermo del Toro and an afterword by Anne K. Mellor

I love Frankenstein. I first read it in 2015 but I didn't know then there are 2 versions, the original 1818 version which is more recommended by scholars and the censored 1831 version that is more widely read. So what I first read was the censored version. I enjoyed it at the time but then upon learning it wasn't the orignal had to read the original uncensored version, and loved it so much more! This one has the original 1818 text but with annotations that show how the 1831 text is different (among other things) so it's like reading both at the same time. I loved it as well as all the extras! Frankenstein❤️.

My first review of the 1831 version Here, my first review of the 1818 version Here and my review of this annotated version Here, all on Goodreads.

7.

Bodymap by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Poetry about being a queer disabled femme of color. Raw, emotional, heart-breaking, thought-provoking, beautiful. I related to some of it, being queer and disabled myself. I am not femme (though I am AFAB) or a poc. What I couldn't relate to still moved me to tears. I don't have words for how amazing this book of poetry is. Poetry for me seems to be either hit or miss and this was one hell of a hit! My review on Goodreads (which just says what I said here) Here.

8.

The Beauty, Vol. 1 by Jeremy Haun and Jason Hurley

I loved this horror novel about an STD that people actually want, because it makes them beautiful. Tackles society's obsession with beauty as well as the "health care" industry that doesn't actually want to cure people's suffering or death, but instead wants to just sell them pills to treat things even if a cure exists. Because cures make a lot less money in the long run. I need to continue with this series. Review on Goodreads Here.

9.

How to Understand Your Gender: A Practical Guide for Exploring Who You Are by Alex Iantaffi and Meg-John Barker

A very accessible book I believe anyone, whether cis, trans and/or non-binary, could get a lot out of. There is stuff in here that I wish everyone would hear. It took me on a journey of reflecting on gender and sexuality, in myself and society.

It also talks a lot about intersections and how they interact with each other. Class, Race, Ethnicity, Disability, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Religion. For example I'm White, Middle-Class, Physically Disabled, Neurodivergent, an afab Non-binary person, bisexual, and Wiccan. All of these things interact with each other and matter.

It talks about how gender is complex in that it's a mix of biological, psychological and social. Even though it's a complex topic, it was never confusing. I think I will need to revisit this book at a later date. My review on Goodreads here.

10.

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu

The MC's are both Chinese-American and queer. Nova is a witch who is hard of hearing and has hearing aids and Tam is an enby werewolf. Nova also has 2 grandma's in a relationship with each other. It is incredibly cute! Good witches protecting and interacting with nature. Tam also uses they/them pronouns and does correct other characters, who end up being so wonderfully respectful of them. I loved the details, the magic, the romance, the plot, cuteness, emotion, message, all of it! I read it from Netgalley and had to buy myself a physical copy when it came out! My review on Goodreads here.

11.

A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson

Exactly what the title suggests. A quick and easy guide to they/them pronouns, which are increasingly being used (though have been used for literally centuries). It's quick, it's easy and it's very helpful. My review on Goodreads here.

Part 2 to come (if you're seeing this before part 2 is posted a day after this one).

What were your favorite reads of 2019? Have you read any of mine and if so what did you think of them?

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