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My Reading List for 2016

We’re nearing the end of the year, and as tradition dictates now is the time when I compile a list of the books I have read (to see previous years: 2013, 2014, 2015). I’m not the fastest of readers, but I try to remain consistent. This usually correlates alongside my Goodreads reading challenge. The books in this list are books I read for pleasure; I don’t count research material. Likewise, graphic novels and short stories get counted separately in their own list.

This year I was offered up another challenge, this time by my friend and fellow author Steve Toutonghi. He challenged me to read more classics than anything else this year, and I accepted. By the time I had finished, over two-thirds of the novels I had read where from the classic or modern classic category. Not bad!

Since this list tends to be long, I forgo reviews, but you’re welcome to follow me on Goodreads where I do occasionally review books. At the end of each list, I will call out some of my favorites of the year. As before, all links will go to Amazon as a default, but if one of these books sound interesting to you, then I would encourage you to visit your local independent bookstore and purchase through them. It’s important for your local economy to buy local whenever you’re able.

Novels:

  1. Join
    by Steve Toutonghi
  2. Partials (Partials Sequence, #1)
    by Dan Wells
  3. The Great Gatsby
    by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  4. Slaughterhouse-Five …again.
    by Kurt Vonnegut
  5. Wise Blood
    by Flannery O’Connor
  6. Brave New World
    by Aldous Huxley
  7. The Aeronaut’s Windlass (The Cinder Spires #1)
    by Jim Butcher
  8. Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1)
    by James S.A. Corey
  9. The Old Man and the Sea
    by Ernest Hemingway
  10. Beta Reading
    by REDACTED
  11. Life on the Mississippi …again.
    by Mark Twain
  12. Beta Reading
    by REDACTED
  13. Dracula …again.
    by Bram Stoker
  14. This Census-Taker
    by China Miéville
  15. Prince of Thorns (The Broken Empire #1)
    by Mark Lawrence
  16. Labyrinths: Selected Stories and Other Writings
    by Jorge Luis Borges,
  17. The Illustrated Man
    by Ray Bradbury
  18. Great Expectations
    by Charles Dickens
  19. Iron Council (New Crobuzon #3)
    by China Miéville
  20. The Scar (New Crobuzon #2) …again.
    by China Miéville
  21. Hondo
    by Louis L’Amour
  22. The Hell Bent Kid: A Novel
    by Charles O. Locke
  23. Ravencroft Springs
    by Logan L. Masterson
  24. Perdido Street Station (New Crobuzon #1) …again.
    by China Miéville
  25. Dark Matter
    by Blake Crouch
  26. True Grit
    by Charles Portis
  27. Animal Farm …again.
    by George Orwell
  28. Lord of the Flies …again.
    by William Golding
  29. The Handmaid’s Tale
    by Margaret Atwood
  30. Kindred
    by Octavia E. Butler
  31. The Gunslinger …again.
    by Stephen King
  32. To Kill a Mockingbird …again.
    by Harper Lee
  33. Call of the Wild …again.
    by Jack London
  34. 1984 …again.
    by George Orwell
  35. Wuthering Heights
    by Emily Brontë

When selecting my favorites, I decided to disregard any books I had previously read from the running. (Twain’s Life on the Mississippi, Miéville’s The Scar, and King’s The Gunslinger are some of my favorite books of all time and it’s really not fair to compete with those.) I read so many good books this year it made picking my faves tough. While there were many I enjoyed, I settled on three. All were new to me, and they all not only challenged me but lingered in my mind long after I had finished.

Favorite Novel of 2016:

Kindred by Octavia ButlerKindred
by Octavia E. Butler

This book is stunning. Bulter is one of the preeminent science fiction writers of our time. Her prose is sharp, her plot intense, the portrayal of the slave/master relationships in antebellum South shook me. I found myself dwelling on Kindred weeks after I finished it.

Favorite Novel Runners-up of 2016:

The Handmaids TaleThe Handmaid’s Tale
by Margaret Atwood

There is an art to writing a book so captivating and yet so simple. The regressive dystopia of Gilead is terrifying in its believability. It’s strange to think this book was written in ’85 yet its criticisms of gender relations, religion, and power are still as poignant as ever.

Join by Steve ToutonghiJoin
by Steve Toutonghi

My friend Steve’s debut novel, like the others, stuck with me long after I had finished. His examinations on individualism, mortality, gender, and consciousness were thought-provoking, engaging, and whip-smart. I knew when I finished that Join would end up here.

Short Stories:

  1. Last Boy in Aster
    by Drew Gerken
  2. Binti (Binti #1)
    by Nnedi Okorafor
  3. Ravencroft Springs: The Feast of ’69
    by Logan L. Masterson
  4. A Study in Emerald (Currently available in Fragile Things) …again.
    by Neil Gaiman

Four isn’t enough to rank favorites, but Drew Gerken’s story stood out. It lingered with me more than the other three and I continued to think about Kacee, Fin, and Aster long after I had finished. Seek it out. It’s very much worth your time.

Graphic Novels:

  1. Prophet Volume 2: Brothers
    by Brandon Graham (Author & Illustrator), Simon Roy (Author & Illustrator), Farel Dalrymple (Illustrator), Giannis Milonogiannis (Illustrator),
  2. Black River
    by Josh Simmons (Author & Illustrator)
  3. Wytches, Vol. 1
    by Scott Snyder (Author) and Jock (Illustrator)
  4. Bitch Planet, Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine
    by Kelly Sue DeConnick (Author), Valentine De Landro (Artist)
  5. Saga Volume 6
    by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
  6. Penultimate Quest Vol. 1
    by Lars Brown (Author & Illustrator)
  7. Penultimate Quest Vol. 2
    by Lars Brown (Author & Illustrator)
  8. Penultimate Quest Vol. 3
    by Lars Brown (Author & Illustrator)
  9. Catbeard Vol. 2
    by Matt Nelson (Author & Illustrator)

Favorite Graphic Novel of 2016:

Bitch PlanetBitch Planet
by Kelly Sue DeConnick (Author), Valentine De Landro (Artist)

From the get-go, Bitch Planet sets out to be subversive, and it’s not apologetic. Playing off the women-in-prison exploitation films the comic twists the genre to be a smart satire about modern culture, feminism, and humanity.

Favorite Graphic Novel Runners-up of 2016:

Penultimate Quest Vol. 1Penultimate Quest
by Lars Brown (Author & Illustrator)

See! I don’t always read serious/dark comics. Occasionally, I step outside of my comfort zone and read something lighter. Lars Brown’s writing is witty and fun, and the characters are memorable. A must for role-playing game fans and people who like jokes.

 

catbeardbook2

Catbeard Vol. 2
by Matt Nelson (Author & Illustrator)

Yep, it’s back! I picked up and thoroughly enjoyed the second Catbeard book. Attentive readers remember that the first book was one of my favorite graphic novels from last year and Vol. 2 was even better than the first.

So there is my list for 2016, a lot of amazing books and some fantastic short stories and graphic novels. For the next year, I’m returning to my roots and focusing on primarily science fiction and fantasy. In particular, books I’ve passed by in my stack on my quest to read classics. I could use a little escapism right now, and it’d be therapeutic to get lost in another narrative for a time.

Are you looking for a good book? Want to see my reading lists from previous years? Check any of the links below and see what I was reading in bygone days.

• 2013 • 2014 • 2015 •

Next year, why not join me? Goodreads does a reading challenge every year, and I am an active participant. First, follow me on Goodreads (leave me a review while you’re there), and once the New Year arrives, participate in the Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2017.

My Reading List for 2015
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My Reading List for 2015

As is now a yearly tradition, I share my reading list for the year. Last year I surpassed my goal of thirty books with thirty-seven. This year I had a goal for thirty-five and ended up with exactly that. (I’m not the fastest of readers.)

Since this list is so long, I tend not to fill it with reviews, but you’re welcome to follow me on Goodreads where I do review books I read from time to time. At the end of the list, I will call out some of my favorite books of the year. As before, all links will go to Amazon as a default, but if one of these books sound interesting to you then I would encourage you to visit your local independent bookstore and purchase through them.

Novels:

  1. The Mirror Empire (Worldbreaker Saga #1)
    by Kameron Hurley
  2. Blightborn (The Heartland Trilogy #2)
    by Chuck Wendig
  3. Dune (Dune Chronicles #1)
    by Frank Herbert
  4. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
    by Erik Larson
  5. The Hour of the Oxrun Dead (Oxrun Station)
    by Charles L. Grant
  6. The Martian
    by Andy Weir
  7. The Slow Regard of Silent Things (The Kingkiller Chronicle #2.5)
    by Patrick Rothfuss
  8. The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard #1)
    by Scott Lynch
  9. Something Wicked This Way Comes
    by Ray Bradbury
  10. Annihilation: A Novel (Southern Reach #1)
    by Jeff VanderMeer
  11. NOS4A2
    by Joe Hill
  12. The City of Ember (Book of Ember #1)
    by Jeanne DuPrau
  13. Changeless (Parasol Protectorate #2)
    by Gail Carriger
  14. The Wind Through the Keyhole (The Dark Tower #4.5)
    by Stephen King
  15. The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2)
    by Brandon Sanderson
  16. Karen Memory
    by Elizabeth Bear
  17. The Flight of the Silvers (Silvers #1)
    by Daniel Price
  18. Southern Gods
    by John Hornor Jacobs
  19. Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances
    by Neil Gaiman
  20. Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive #2)
    by Brandon Sanderson
  21. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (Fairyland #1)
    by Catherynne M. Valente
  22. Black Chalk
    by Christopher J. Yates
  23. Redwall (Redwall #1)
    by Brian Jacques
  24. Chapelwood (The Borden Dispatches #2)
    by Cherie Priest
  25. The Alloy of Law (Mistborn #4)
    by Brandon Sanderson
  26. The Tombs of Atuan (Earthsea Cycle #2)
    by Ursula K. Le Guin
  27. The Dunwich Horror
    by H.P. Lovecraft
  28. The Harvest (The Heartland Trilogy #3)
    by Chuck Wendig
  29. A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic #1)
    by V.E. Schwab
  30. The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3)
    by Brandon Sanderson
  31. Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
    by David Bayles, Ted Orland
  32. The Spirit Machine
    by Robert Hazelton
  33. A Witch’s Feast (The Memento Mori Series #2)
    by C.N. Crawford
  34. The Gap Into Conflict: The Real Story (Gap #1)
    by Stephen R. Donaldson
  35. The Deep
    by Nick Cutter

If there is one takeaway I have, it’s that I read way to much Sanderson. He’s on the list four times. While I’m not discounting him as a writer (his books are a lot of fun), that’s way too much for me. So next year I vow to be Sanderson free (even if the next Stormlight book comes out.)

Favorite Novel of 2015:

Flight of the Silvers by Daniel Price

The Flight of the Silvers (Silvers #1)
by Daniel Price

It would have been easy for me to select Dune or Something Wicked, both classics and both books I love. However, I wanted to pick something that was a new favorite, something that stuck with me after I put it down. Flight of the Silvers was that book. Daniel Price wrote an amazing world with incredible characters all struggling together and against one another. A fresh new sci-fi series and I cannot wait for the sequel.

Favorite Novel Runners-up of 2015:

Chapelwood by Cherie Priest

Chapelwood (The Borden Dispatches #2)
by Cherie Priest

The sequel to last year’s runner-up, Maplecroft. This book exceeded its predecessor and was easily one of the best books I read all year. Priest’s take on new mythos is both fresh and familiar, it’s dark but is still heartfelt and incredibly engaging. I loved every minute of it.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard #1)
by Scott Lynch

I didn’t know what to expect when I sat down to read this book and even a few chapters in I was dubious. I’m glad I stuck with it. I loved this book. The world is familiar but feels fresh and fully realized, its characters are well-crafted and real, and the plot was amazingly complex. I found it impossible to anticipate and quite difficult to put down.

Graphic Novels:

Unlike last year, in 2015 I read a whole swath of great graphic novels and a handful of some pretty terrible ones. As with the previous list, at the end I’ll pick my favorite graphic novel from 2015. (I’m not going to pick Saga… I’m not going to pick Saga… I’m not going to pick Saga.)

  1. The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act
    by Kieron Gillen (Author), Jamie McKelvie (Author, Illustrator)
  2. Prophet, Vol. 1: Remission
    by Simon Roy (Author), Farel Dalrymple (Author), Giannis Milogiannis (Author), Brandon Graham (Author, Illustrator)
  3. East of West Volume 1: The Promise
    by Jonathan Hickman (Author), Nick Dragotta (Illustrator)
  4. Moon Knight Volume 1: From the Dead
    by Warren Ellis (Author), Declan Shalvey (Illustrator)
  5. Southern Bastards Volume 1: Here Was a Man
    by Jason Aaron (Author), Jason LaTour (Illustrator)
  6. Trees, Vol. 1: In Shadows
    by Warren Ellis (Author), Jason Howard (Author, Illustrator)
  7. Saga, Vol. 5
    by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
  8. Catbeard the Pirate, Book 1: Keelhauling & Kitty Litter
    by Matt Nelson (Author & Illustrator)
  9. Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds, One Cop
    by Matt Fraction (Author), Chip Zdarsky (Illustrator)
  10. The Manhattan Projects, Vol. 1: Science Bad
    by Jonathan Hickman (Author), Nick Pitarra (Artist)
  11. Neonomicon
    by Alan Moore (Author), Jacen Burrows (Artist)

Favorite Graphic Novel of 2015:

Prophet, Vol. 1: Remission
by Simon Roy (Author), Farel Dalrymple (Author), Giannis Milogiannis (Author), Brandon Graham (Author, Illustrator)

I didn’t pick Saga! But seriously, there was something so engaging about this reboot of Prophet (a former, and awful, Image character from the 90s) that I loved. It’s Conan in space, the artwork is beautiful, the stories bizarre. Prophet, Vol. 2: Brothers is already on my list for next year.

Favorite Graphic Novel Runners-up of 2015:

Catbeard The Pirate Book One: Keelhauling & Kitty LitterCatbeard the Pirate, Book 1: Keelhauling & Kitty Litter
by Matt Nelson (Author & Illustrator)

As you can tell from my list, when it comes to comics, I usually am not drawn to comedy. However after a recommendation from a friend, I picked up Matt Nelson’s fantastic book. Catbeard is charming, witty, and was a delight to read. What else would you expect from a book with cat-beard voodoo curses, dinosaur riding heroes, and strange pirate adventures? It was the perfect respite between some of the darker graphic novels I was reading. Ready for the next one.

Trees

Trees, Vol. 1: In Shadows
by Warren Ellis (Author), Jason Howard (Author, Illustrator)

Trees is one of those books I wish I thought of, the setting is simple, but the ramifications of its simplicity are complex. What would society do if strange and enormous aliens arrived on Earth? Ten years after that event, Trees seeks to explore that idea, with what appears to be terrible ramifications, I can’t wait for more.

So that’s my list for 2015. A lot of really great stuff, and I’m looking forward to new books in 2016. I was also given a new challenge! If you recall, in 2014, I was challenged to read more women authors, and I ended up doing just that. Well, my friend Steve Toutonghi, author of the upcoming sci-fi novel Join, challenged me to read more classics in 2016. So that’s my plan. First on my plate (after I read my advanced reader copy of Join) is to dive into Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges and then it’ll move onto Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain.

How about you? How does your reading list compare this year? Did anything stick out? Did you find a new favorite book or favorite author? What are your plans for 2016? Is there any new book you’re excited to read? Are there any classics I should visit in my 2016? Leave a comment and let me know!

My Reading List For 2014
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My Reading List For 2014

Last year around this time I posted my reading list, I enjoy reflecting on the books I read, so I figured I’d do it again. I’m not the quickest reader, so I set myself a goal of thirty books. Not only did I hit my goal I surpassed it ending up with thirty-seven. I also took a challenge. In January my editor, Lola Landekic, tweeted:

I dare you to read more books by women than men this year

If you look at my list from last year you’ll see it was pretty bro-heavy and to be honest, an author’s gender isn’t something I’ve paid attention too when selecting a book. But 2014 was the year of reading women, so I took Lola’s challenge and I made an effort. Here at the end it looks like 60% of my reading came from women authors! Not bad.

Since my list is so much longer than last year I’ll avoid reviews, however I will select some of my favorites at the end. Follow me over on Goodreads to see what I thought of others. Links will go to Amazon.

  1. Pallitine Rising (Pallitine’s Path Book #1)
    by Roderick Davidson
  2. Something More Than Night
    by Ian Tregillis
  3. The Strain (The Strain Trilogy Book #1)
    by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
  4. Three Parts Dead (Craft Sequence Book #1)
    by Max Gladstone
  5. The Man in the High Castle
    by Philip K. Dick
  6. The Rithmatist
    by Brandon Sanderson
  7. Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch #1)
    by Ann Leckie
  8. Dust (Silo Saga #3)
    by Hugh Howey
  9. Vicious
    by V.E. Schwab
  10. The Waking Engine
    by David Edison
  11. Sand: Omnibus Edition
    by Hugh Howey
  12. Bitter Seeds (Milkweed Book #1)
    by Ian Tregillis
  13. Fourth Uncle in the Mountain: A Memoir of a Barefoot Doctor in Vietnam
    by Marjorie Pivar & Quang Van Nguyen
  14. Half Bad (The Half Bad Trilogy Book #1)
    by Sally Green
  15. Forsworn: A Powder Mage Novella (Powder Mage Trilogy Book #1)
    by Brian McClellan
  16. Range of Ghosts (The Eternal Sky Book #1)
    by Elizabeth Bear
  17. The Mystery Knight (Current Available in Warriors #1)
    by George R.R. Martin
  18. Hounded (Iron Druid Chronicles Book #1)
    by Kevin Hearne
  19. A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle Book #1)
    by Ursula K. Le Guin
  20. Promise of Blood (Powder Mage Trilogy Book #1)
    by Brian McClellan
  21. Doomsday Book (Oxford Time Travel #1)
    by Connie Willis
  22. Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky Trilogy Book #1)
    by Veronica Rossi
  23. A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet Book #1)
    by Madeleine L’Engle
  24. Windhaven
    by George R.R. Martin & Lisa Tuttle
  25. Jagannath: Stories
    by Karin Tidbeck
  26. The Giver (Giver Quartet Book #1)
    by Lois Lowry
  27. One Night in Sixes (The Children of the Drought Book #1)
    by Arianne “Tex” Thompson
  28. Boneshaker (The Clockwork Century Book #1)
    by Cherie Priest
  29. Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate Book #1)
    by Gail Carriger
  30. Maplecroft (The Borden Dispatches Book #1)
    by Cherie Priest
  31. Gone Girl
    by Gillian Flynn
  32. The Planet Savers
    by Marion Zimmer Bradley
  33. Assassin’s Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, Book #1)
    by Robin Hobb
  34. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth’s Children, Book #1)
    by Jean M. Auel
  35. The Killing Moon (Dreamblood Book #1)
    by N.K. Jemisin
  36. Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone Book #1)
    by Laini Taylor
  37. The Witching Elm (Memento Mori Series Book #1)
    by C.N. Crawford

Favorite novel of 2014:

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le GuinA Wizard of Earthsea
by Ursula K. Le Guin

This was a tough one, but in the end Le Guin won out. She’s a marvelous writer and A Wizard of Earthsea really shines throughout. I’d easily compare it with The Lord of the Rings or C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia.

 

Favorite novel runners-up of 2014:

There’s two other books that really stood out to me and since I didn’t read many short stories or graphic novels this year I figured I’d take some space to hit the two runners up to my favorite novel of 2014.

Doomsday Book by Connie WillisDoomsday Book
by Connie Willis

Time travel + the plague = good reading. Connie Willis’ exploration of a future where historians travel back in time enthralled me from beginning to end. I look forward to reading more in the series.

Maplecroft by Cherie PriestMaplecroft
by Cherie Priest

If there is anyone who could be considered writing proper new mythos it’s Cherie Priest. I had expect Maplecroft to be another alternate history thing similar to Seth Grahame-Smith’s books. Instead I got an enthralling tale of a Lizzie Borden who is fighting an unseen evil, not unlike the protagonists in a Lovecraft’s work. It was hard for me to put this down.

So there’s my list for 2014! If you’re interested you can check out my list from 2013 as well. How was your year of reading? Did anything stand out? Did you discover a new favorite? What’s on queue for next year? Is there a book you’re really excited to read? Leave a comment and let me know!

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My Reading List for 2013

My Reading List for 2013

With the year wrapping up I figured it would be fun to share my reading list from 2013. If anything it’s a good way to share with everyone what I have read (or re-read as the case may be) throughout 2013. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite. Since this list is pretty long I’ll avoid reviews, however follow me over on Goodreads to see what I thought. Links will go to Amazon.

Novels—

It was a big year for novels for me. I’ve read more that I ever had before. This was also my first year reading on a Kindle (Paperwhite). For years I was a staunch physical book reader. However this year has changed all that. I absolutely love my Kindle it has changed the way I read. I’ll save those thoughts for another post…the list:

  1. God’s War: Bel Dame Apocrypha Volume 1
    by Kameron Hurley
  2. Ready Player One
    by Ernest Cline
  3. Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas
    by John Scalzi
  4. Slated
    by Teri Terry
  5. Gun Machine
    by Warren Ellis
  6. Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) …again.
    by Jim Butcher
  7. Fool Moon: (The Dresden Files, Book 2) …again.
    by Jim Butcher
  8. Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, Book 3) …again.
    by Jim Butcher
  9. This Present Darkness
    by Frank Peretti
  10. The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files)
    by Charles Stross
  11. The Human Division
    by John Scalzi
  12. The Aylesford Skull (Tale of Langdon St. Ives)
    by James P. Blaylock
  13. The Keyhole Factory : A Novel
    by William Gillespie
  14. American Gods …again.
    by Neil Gaiman
  15. Blood Meridian: or the Evening Redness in the West
    by Cormac McCarthy
  16. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (The Inheritance Trilogy)
    by N. K. Jemisin
  17. Heart Shaped Box: A Novel
    by Joe Hill
  18. The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive)
    by Brandon Sanderson
  19. Under the Empyrean Sky (The Heartland Trilogy)
    by Chuck Wendig
  20. The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel
    by Neil Gaiman
  21. Shift – Omnibus Edition (Silo Saga) (Volume 2)
    by Hugh Howey
  22. The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer …again.
    by Neil Stephenson
  23. BioShock: Rapture
    by John Shirley
  24. Your First 1000 Copies: The Step-by-Step Guide to Marketing Your Book
    by Tim Grahl
  25. Beta Reading
    by REDACTED
  26. Beta Reading
    by REDACTED
  27. Mistborn: The Final Empire (Book No. 1)
    by Brandon Sanderson
  28. The Lurker at the Threshold 
    by H. P. Lovecraft & August Derleth
  29. The Stars Were Right (… again, and more times than I can possibly count.)
    by me!

Favorite novel of 2013:

Blood Meridian: or the Evening Redness in the West
by Cormac McCarthy

Not only was Blood Meridian my favorite book of the year. It shot past Life on the Mississippi and became my 2nd favorite book of all time. It’s that good.

Graphic Novels—

I am a big fan of comics. So alongside novels I also read a bunch of comic books. I generally wait until they’re available in collected form. The loose issues always feel too short for me and I like to settle in with a nice big chunk.

  1. Saga, Vol. 1
    by by Brian K. Vaughan (Author) , Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
  2. Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft
    by by Joe Hill  (Author) , Gabriel Rodriguez (Author)
  3. The Sixth Gun, Book 1: Cold Dead Fingers
    by Cullen Bunn  (Author) , Brian Hurtt  (Illustrator)
  4. The Sixth Gun, Vol. 2
    by Cullen Bunn  (Author) , Brian Hurtt  (Illustrator)
  5. Leviathan
    by Ian Edington (Author)
  6. Saga, Vol. 2
    by Brian K. Vaughan  (Author) , Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
  7. Locke & Key, Vol. 2: Head Games
    by Joe Hill  (Author) , Gabriel Rodriguez (Author, Illustrator)
  8. American Vampire Vol. 1
    by Scott Snyder  (Author) , Stephen King  (Author) , Rafael Albuquerque (Illustrator)
  9. Hawkeye, Vol. 1
    by Matt Fraction  (Author) , David Aja (Illustrator) , Javier Pulido (Illustrator) , Francesco Francavilla (Illustrator) , Alan Davis (Illustrator) , Jesse Hamm (Illustrator)
  10. Hawkeye: Little Hits, Vol. 2
    by Matt Fraction  (Author) , David Aja (Illustrator) , Javier Pulido (Illustrator) , Steve Lieber (Illustrator) , Francesco Francavilla (Illustrator) , Jesse Hamm (Illustrator)
  11. Moscow 38
    by Benjamin Jelter

Favorite graphic novel of 2013:

Saga Vol. 1 & 2
by Brian K. Vaughan  (Author) , Fiona Staples (Illustrator)

Short Stories—

I didn’t read many short stories this year which is a shame. As a result I won’t be picking a favorite. However all three of the short stories I did read where quite good.

  1. Dead Pig Collector
    by Warren Ellis
  2. Taltos
    by Steve Tontounghi
  3. Shaggoth in Bloom
    by Elizabeth Bear

So that’s my list! How about you? How was your year of reading? Was there anything that stood out to you as a favorite? Did you find a new favorite author? What’s on your plate for next year? Is there a book you’re really hankering to read?