lavaturtle's 50 books in 2024

Hi! My name is Grey, my pronouns are they/them, and I live in the New York area. I almost exclusively read science fiction and fantasy, with the occasional mystery or nonfiction that comes highly recommended. Some of my favorite authors these days are Seanan McGuire, Charlie Jane Anders, Sarah Gailey, and Ruthanna Emrys.

For the last few years my "home" group has been over at the Category Challenge, but I'm looking to change things up in 2024. I would like to read more books, and 50 seems like about the right number to be challenging but still possible, so I'm going to give this a go!

A loose set of goals for my reading in 2024:

- Read 50 books! This does not include single-issue comics (which I'm tracking elsewhere).
- Nominate and vote for the Hugo Awards.
- Read some books by people of color.
- Return to / catch up on some series that I've loved in the past.
- Read at least one non-fiction book.

Stats
Total books read so far in 2024: 40

On the docket
I'm doing a lot of "impulse" reading lately -- or at least, impulse requesting-from-the-library, followed by reading -- but this is a spot where I might jot down books that I particular intend to get to this year.

- The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins
- Starfang: Rise of the Clan by Joyce Chng

Okay, this thread is now set up!

1. Maus: A Survivor's Tale I: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman

I'd heard of Maus before, of course -- it's one of the most famous non-fiction graphic novels -- but I hadn't gotten around to reading it until I saw it in a "banned books" display at my local bookstore and picked up a copy.

It's interesting that the "framing device" of Vladek telling Art the story is very present -- the story is always told via his narration, and there are lots of scenes in the present day where we see his strained relationships with his remaining family.

The art choice (Jews are drawn as mice, Nazis as cats, Poles and Germans as pigs) sounds like it should be weird, but it's effective. I particularly like how when Vladek is trying to pass as a non-Jewish person, he's drawn wearing a pig mask.

2. The Lost Cause by Cory Doctorow

Wow, there is a lot going on in this book! I loved it from early on because there's some great worldbuilding on what an "optimistic" near future could look like, with a Jobs Guarantee that connects people with work that actually helps their communities (caregiving, solar panel maintenance, etc.), lots of people working on relocating coastal cities inland, and factories that only run when there's surplus solar power. But that's just the beginning, as the protagonist has a bunch of conversations with different people about how to fix the world. And then there's the major conflict, which is fought in courtrooms and with creative activism and in the court of public opinion. And also a bunch of cool people living their lives and cooking delicious food for each other and falling in love. There are no easy answers, even by the end, but there's a whole lot to think about.

3. Flotsam by R J Theodore

This series has a really interesting setting, and exactly how it got that way is something of a mystery that we learn more about over the course of the book. The setting reminds me a little bit of the Lady Blackbird RPG (no idea if that's a coincidence), with the airships traveling between islands and the heavy imperial presence. The protagonist and her crew are all really great characters, as is Scrimshaw the alien who they take on later. Talis is definitely a protagonist in the "means well but constantly keeps messing up" mold, but she grows a lot over the course of the story.

I love that the world of Peridot has multiple cultures and religions -- we got a close-up look at two of them, and I'm hoping we'll see more in the next couple books. And there are multiple queer main characters! And I love a scrappy pirate crew (although Talis really needs to step it up as a captain)! And then there's the ultra-powerful naked robot woman who is also kind of the soul of the planet? Cool!

4. The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz

There are a whole lot of ideas in this book -- about what it takes to protect an ecosystem, about who gets to be a person, about the assumptions we tend to make about language and intelligence, about how to structure a society, about collective decision-making, about what is and isn't considered a reasonable plan of action. I really liked the worldbuilding, with the various people (only some of whom were human or even biological), the ERT, the sensor networks... and the subversion of modern assumptions about biological gender, sexuality, and reproduction. Also the stuff about language and intelligence, and what kind of society would limit people's communication ability just to lock them into a particular kind of work.

Unfortunately I found the giant time jumps pretty jarring. Just when I'd get really invested in a set of characters, we're hundreds of years in the future and most of them aren't around anymore. I do like that we got to see the long-term consequences of some of the decisions that were made. But I feel like we broke away from Destry's story, or Misha's, while there was still a lot left to tell. Also, the ending felt a bit rushed -- as soon as some old corporate secrets came out, things were basically solved, and also this magically caused a different corporation to generously reverse gentrification?

That said, there's still a lot I liked here. The sentient flying trains! The Tongue Forks! The way Chef subverted her language limiter by moving to Tooth! Everything about Spider City!

5. Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty

What a fun ride! So many bonkers things happen in this book. All my favorite characters (Mallory, Xan, Tina) are back, along with a whole new set of colorful characters. And there's a series of disasters on the space station, personal drama to deal with, and of course another murder to solve. I loved it! In the end, the only ones dead are two guys who kind of had it coming, and there are some interesting threads for the future, like, will Adrian get his translation bug turned off so he can really learn alien languages?

6. Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

This book has an amazing cast of protagonists with Kissen, Elo, and Inara. All haunted by a past that has nearly broken them, much like their country in the aftermath of a brutal war. I loved their slow-burn relationship and the way that truths about Elo's past and Inara's identity gradually came out. And that final horrible plot twist where Arren was actually just manipulating Elo so he could get more power -- wow! And the ending was just perfect -- I'm so glad that all of them lived, and that Inara has come into her power. (I still don't trust Skedi though.)

Oh, and Kissen's found family from way back -- love them, they're awesome!

7. The Invasion by K.A. Applegate

I somehow missed the Animorphs trend when I was a kid, so I decided to finally check it out. The writing style is definitely intended for a "middle grade" or young teen audience, but the story itself is still pretty interesting. And there's an obvious in-universe reason why a bunch of kids need to be in charge of saving the world, which is nice. The themes and ending are darker than I would have expected for a kids' book. The characters are a little under-defined, but it's a quick read -- I finished it in an evening -- and I'll probably read a few more of them (but not all 54!)

8. A Thousand Recipes for Revenge by Beth Cato

I liked this book a lot! Ada and Solenn are both compelling characters in tough situations, trying to make the best of things. There's a unique magic system tied in with a really interesting set of mythology, which is deeply woven into the cultures in the book. And several big unexpected plot twists! I'm glad there's more of this series.

9. Promises Stronger Than Darkness by Charlie Jane Anders

This is so good! This whole trilogy has been incredible, and this book really sticks the landing. I love all these characters and how they got to shine with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. And the galaxy is big, and full of different alien cultures and languages and genders! And friendship is important, and so is listening to people who are different from us, and finding creative ways to fight fascism. There are hard choices and big sacrifices but also growth and joy and music and love. And a tactical ballgown!

10. January Fifteenth by Rachel Swirsky

A quick read, and interesting. A set of vignettes, woven together without ever touching. The exploration of what a world with UBI could look like is thoughtful, with more questions than answers. But this isn't just an "idea book"; it's mostly about the small human stories, people dealing with grief and fear and uncertainty, and connecting with their communities.

11. Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

I liked this a lot! It does a great job from early on setting the mood of creeping dread, as we know everyone is headed into a dangerous situation with dubious motives and laughably inadequate safety measures. Tory, Jillian, and Olivia are excellent main characters, and there are a bunch of other good characters too. Oh, and disability representation! I also loved the human relationships that exist alongside all the chaos and danger. And the ending was good.

12. Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner

Things are definitely happening in this book! I loved seeing Inara and Skedi grow into their power, and Kissen have to deal with some challenges to her worldview. And seeing Elo in action as a military commander was sure something. I really liked the archives, and all the small gods, and seeing more of Yatho and Telle. And the ending... well, it's definitely the middle book of a trilogy!

13. Aftermarket Afterlife by Seanan McGuire

Incryptid is my favorite series, and I'm always excited to read the next book. And at the beginning of this one, we're in an interesting place where the plots of the last several books are finally meeting up and everyone is back together again -- what happens next? Well, a lot of things, most of them bad. Mary is an interesting narrator, because she's connected to everyone, but usually kind of on the sidelines, not part of the main plot or driving the action. Ultimately, that means she has to get creative about how she can get involved in things, which is neat to see. Also, I always love to see more of the ghost parts of the setting.

This is very much part 1 of a two-book plot, and the ending leaves a whole lot unanswered about how things turned out and where the future will take us. I wish I didn't have to wait a year to find out!

14. Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story by Nicole Mains and Rye Hickman

Nia is such a great character, and it's cool how Nicole Mains has championed her across TV and comics. It's a little weird reading an origin story for such an established character, because it's so clear where things are going -- Nia embraces her dream powers and becomes Dreamer, and her mom realizes that "daughter inherits powers" could be her trans daughter. And there's plenty of hints early on. But the ending was still surprising (and bittersweet), and I adore the group of queer/trans/alien friends Nia connects with. I hope there will be more Dreamer stories!

15. The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older

The setting is really original and cool, and I really wanted to root for the two protagonists and their relationship. And the mystery plot is interesting and resolves in a satisfying way. But something about the writing just didn't quite fit comfortably for my brain, and everything just felt a bit detached.

16. Witch King by Martha Wells

This is a really interesting setting, in several ways: the different peoples and cultures of the known world (especially in the "past" storyline), at least three different kinds of magic (intentions and demon stuff and summoning minor spirits), and the beginnings and aftermath of fighting an occupying force and building something new. It took me a while to get up to speed on all the different things going on, and I was glad for the map and list of people, although I could have also used a glossary to remind me about e.g. cohorts and cadres and vanguarders, Imperials and legionaries and the Rising World. But it was worthwhile and I loved the slow-burn relationships between Kai and various people, and the throughline with Zeide and Tahren, and a bunch of other people.

17. Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

I. Loved. This. Book. Kyr is a really compelling protagonist, even though she starts out wrong about a lot of things. (In a way, she reminds me of Adora at the beginning of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.) She's competent and dedicated and has a lot to learn about people and the world outside what she was taught from childhood. I loved watching her grapple with what to do when reality didn't match her worldview.

And then the Wisdom lets Kyr go back and change things, and OMG! That was a huge twist that changed everything, and gave another angle on how we're shaped by our environment and what might have been. And the ending was perfect, just perfect, seeing how Kyr has grown and changed and a chance at a different future for everyone. Yes!

18. Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo

This is a short read, and it's kind. That's the best word I have for this story and its setting -- there's a very grounded human kindness and compassion woven through it. I love the Singing Hills Abbey setting, and the non-binary monks, and the birds that remember everything. Recommended for fans of Becky Chambers's Monk & Robot series.

19. Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

I enjoyed this fairy tale reversal. The two timelines worked well, with the slow reveal on what exactly happened in the past entwined with Toadling's present trying to deal with Halim. Toadling and Halim are both such great characters, I really like them.

20. Archangels of Funk by Andrea Hairston

There is a lot going on in this book! Art, technology, solarpunk communities, hoodoo, runaway capitalism, ghosts, theater, music, maybe-possibly aliens from another dimension... wow! And somehow it all ends up working together. I wasn't sold on the dog and bot POV chapters at first, but as I got more into the story, I loved the range of different perspectives. (And Bruja the Witch-Dog is perfect.) It's chaotic and messy and beautiful, just like the community Cinnamon has around her.

21. The Care Manifesto by The Care Collective

I like the idea of this book, and the concept of reorganizing society around the concept of caring for one another and the planet. But I wish it had gone into more detail and examples. Instead, every chapter felt like it was just repeating the same thing.

22. Escape Velocity by Victor Manibo

What to say about this book? There's a horror-movie quality to it, as we see the creeping doom coming for people who kind of have it coming. But there's also some interesting worldbuilding around exactly how the future rich and powerful continue to rig things in their favor while pretending everything is fair and "merit-based". By the time the mutiny happens and the rich people die, it's a little sad, because we've had enough time to empathize a bit with our various POV characters. And then there's the mystery of what exactly happened 25 years ago. A few details are dropped here and there, but we only actually get the full story at the very end, when there's no one left to hear it or react to it. There are no easy answers and no clean triumphs -- even for Cielo, it's a victory at great cost, and it's not at all clear that it will change anything in the long term.

23. Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle

What a ride! There were some great plot twists I did not see coming. And at the same time, the gradual reveal of the childhood inspirations for all Misha's monsters had a horror-movie inevitability to it. I loved the story and the great ending, and the commentary on how Hollywood treats queer characters and queer creators. And Zeke and Tara are awesome supporting characters.

24. Nimona by ND Stevenson

A chaotic shapeshifter, a villain who's not so evil, "good" guys who maybe are kind of evil, and a forbidden (gay) romance?! Yes! This story has heart and it has mischief and it's awesome.

I saw the movie first, and the plot of the movie is very different from the plot of the book, but the main characters and dynamic with the Institution are the same. And it's such a delight! In both cases the ending is kind of sad, but it works.

25. The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins

This book has a lot of interesting things to say about how we might finally address the climate crisis, and the high costs of not fixing things sooner, and who's to blame, and who governments tend to prioritize. Interleaved with the big-picture stuff is an intimate portrait of a family and a teenager who's coming of age in the "after", and how the legacy of the crisis affects everyone personally. (Side note: There's a POV character with some serious disordered eating issues; that's the major content warning I'd note in recommending this book.) It's good! I thought the "history project" sections were a great way to do some basic exposition in a way that felt natural to the story. And the ending was good.

26. The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein

This was recommended to me when I was involved with a local housing policy fight a few years back, and I finally got around to reading it. The book can be a bit dry at times, but the author lays out a compelling case that the government deliberately discriminated against Black people in housing policy on a wide scale for decades, and that therefore the government has a legal obligation to make things right.

I'd recommend skipping the FAQ section at the end, though. It gets weirdly racist by the end.

>31 lavaturtle: I thought The Color of Law was extremely insightful and informative. It's part of a trio of books that for me form a body of essential books on the issue of race relations in the U.S. The other two are:

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander and

The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee

The first is famous, of course. As for the second, my wife and I saw McGhee interviewed by Trevor Noah when he was hosting the Daily Show. We both read the book and both thought it well written and very helpful.

>32 rocketjk: Interesting, I'll have to check that one out!

27. The Legend of Korra: Patterns in Time

What a great collection of cute short comics! Loved these peeks into the lives of various characters from Legend of Korra.

28. MURENGA by Nyasha Mugavazi

Awesome! I love the diverse cast of characters and the interesting world of the planet Murenga. I want more of this story!

I'm glad I have the companion book from the Kickstarter, because it helped explain some aspects of the setting that were not obvious just from reading the comic itself.

29. Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion by Eleanor Medhurst

This was a super interesting tour through the clothes chosen by queer women and/or transmasc people in a bunch of different times and places. I learned a lot! The book covers a wide range of places, across class and race divides and even to 1910s Japan! (That part was especially interesting, as I'd previously known nothing about that time period in Japan.) I appreciated the care the author takes to respect the nuances of how each historical figure chose to present themselves, as far as we can know.

30. Crisis and Care: Queer Activist Responses to a Global Pandemic

A quick read, this was an interesting range of perspectives on how queer communities and organizers responded in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

31. Breathless by Pat Shand

I really enjoyed this story of monsters and scientists, capitalism and violence.

32. Rumor Has It by Cat Rambo

What a complete delight! I love this series so much, and this was an excellent entry. A rich, vividly-painted setting; and important developments for all the characters and their relationships. I'm so relieved that Talon and Rebbe worked things out. And Skidoo is going to be okay!

33. The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard

I really enjoyed this space pirate romance, with its living ships and complex political situation. I loved how in addition to the (excellent) romance, the book really interrogated the ethical issues entangled with both the pirate world and mainstream society. And the ending was great!

34. The Black Girl Survives in This One: Horror Stories

I really liked pretty much every story in this collection. The stories are a good length and span a whole range of scary/spooky/creepy genres, to good effect. It's hard to pick favorites because they're all so good, but my top favorites are probably "Queeniums for Greenium!", "Black Girl Nature Group", and "Welcome Back to the Cosmos". Shout-out also to "The Harvesters" for a really excellent sense of timing, and "Foxhunt" for asking "what if things actually are what they look like?". I'm definitely going to look for more writing by a bunch of these authors.

35. A City on Mars: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through? by Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weinersmith

This was really interesting and informative. Like many sci-fi fans, I had a vague notion that we're technologically not too far from being able to establish a moon settlement, probably in some kind of nifty bubble. The Weinersmiths explain what's wrong with that idea, from the important science we haven't done yet on how to keep people alive long term, to the likely legal and geopolitical issues. Along the way there are a bunch of fun anecdotes and trivia from our existing space programs. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone interested in the messy human details of what "living in space" would really mean.

>42 lavaturtle: Looks like a good companion piece to Packing for Mars.

>43 rocketjk: Yeah, that one looks interesting too!

36. Wicked Problems by Max Gladstone

So excited to return to the world of the Craft Sequence (and now Craft Wars)! All my favorite characters are here. Kai and Tara are so cute! And the plot is exciting and the worldbuilding is still awesome and I liked it.

37. The Labyrinth Index by Charles Stross

I enjoyed this! A different POV, and the return of a few characters we've met before in different circumstances. A new, uh, challenging set of circumstances the protagonists are working under. And the usual set of ridiculous eldritch shenanigans, laced with a British view on how weird the US is sometimes. I was pretty happy with the ending, too. I hope this isn't the end for Pete, though!

38. The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis

I loved this book! Five teenage girls flee a desperate situation and have to learn to trust each other along the way. It's an interesting setting, and I liked the range of different ways we saw people resist the system. Super excited that there's a sequel!

39. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

This book is, of course, famously the most banned/challenged book of the past few years. And as a genderqueer person, I've been meaning to read it based the reputation and title alone. I finally picked up a copy at my local bookstore, not knowing what to expect, and binge-read the whole book in one sitting.

So, yeah! Like the subtitle says, it's a memoir, and the story is really intensely personal and specific to Maia as a person. This isn't a generic intro to "what it means to be trans" or anything; it's Maia's story about eir experience growing up and how e relates to gender and sexuality. If (like me) you're used to only reading fiction or the occasional memoir of a much older person, it's an adjustment to read a memoir by a younger person: E's still figuring things out, and not everything is resolved. Which is totally reasonable!

Anyway, the story is well told, and the art is awesome. I like how the art style supports the storytelling and emotions. Definitely worth reading!

40. Too Many People? Population, Immigration, and the Environmental Crisis by Ian Angus and Simon Butler

Like many environmentally-inclined people, I've often heard the claim that "overpopulation" is a big problem, and that humanity ought to reduce our numbers to save the environment. Well, it turns out it's not that simple. Angus and Butler lay out a compelling argument that 1) The evidence that "too many people" is the cause of environmental crisis is pretty weak, 2) Projects focused on reducing population growth tend to target poor people and people of color for blame and control, and 3) Focusing on population numbers keeps us from addressing the real problem, which is capitalism.

I'd highly recommend this book to anyone interested in environmental justice / eco-socialism / the messy intersection of environmentalism and human rights.