This is the time of year where one is supposed to talk about the great books of the past year, the things you read, the things you recommend for awards, and so on.
I have to confess, this year? I got nothing for you.
This year I did a lot of starting-books-and-bouncing-off-them. The things I did read to completion? They were... fine. Nothing that I'd be "You Must Read This Book!" (Or, at least, none of it was from this year. I don't exactly keep records of my reading, but I think I read The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson and Rules for Werewolves by Kirk Lynn in 2016, but they were both 2015 books.)
Other than that? The best thing I read I actually can't recommend because it's an unsold, unpublished book that I read for blurb-giving purposes.
But part of that is because, as I said-- start-and-bounce. A lot. That isn't something that should reflect on those authors, and I won't call out people whose books I didn't get into. Because that's about me, not them. Their books didn't click with me. That is OK. Not every book is for everyone. Heck, if you start-and-bounce with my books? That's fine. Really. I mean, don't go giving them one-star reviews or anything. That's not cool.
I know at least part of my bouncing on other people's books ties to what I'm doing, writing-wise. I have a lot of stuff to keep track of, a lot of process and writing craft stuff going on in my head. I can't read without going into diagnostic mode now. Again-- this is on me, not the writer. I can be all "Oh, that's a really well crafted thing they're doing", and I make no emotional connection to the story.
So I'll throw it out there: what should I have read? What should I be reading, especially if I'm going to be doing any award nomination stuff?
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