Ex Libris

For the bibliophiles

An avid book lover, I have been tracking the books I’ve read for well over a decade. I’ve got a penchant for speculative/science fiction, depictions of non-monogamous relationships, fairy tales and modern retellings, strong friendships, coming of age stories, and magical realism. In an effort to level the literary playing field I prioritize books by women and BIPOC. Got a recommendation for me? Let me know!

Books I read in 2023

My 18th year of keeping track of the books I have read!

Books I read in 2021

This year continues my prioritization of women and BIPOC authors. I’m a fan of speculative/science fiction, depictions of non-monogamous relationships, fairy tales and modern retellings, strong friendships, coming of age stories, and magical realism so if you’ve got recommendations for me please send them my way! Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman – Big Friendship: How…

Books I read in 2020

This year marks my 15th year of keeping track of the books I’ve read, and I’m again prioritizing reading works by writers of color and women, as I’ve done for the last five years. Haruki Murakami – Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman Fannie Flagg – Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe Ted Chiang -…

Books I read in 2019

1. N.K. Jemisin – The Dreamblood Duology2. Nnedi Okorafor – Who Fears Death3. Ishmael Reed – Mumbo Jumbo4. Nalo Hopkinson – Brown Girl in the Ring5. Neal Stephenson – The Diamond Age6. Terry Pratchett – Reaper Man7. Lydia Davis – Can’t and Won’t8. Neil Gaiman – Norse Mythology (audiobook)9. N.K. Jemisin – How Long ’til…

Books I read in 2018

1. Naomi Novik – Crucible of Gold2. Ursula K. LeGuin – The Wild Girls, plus..3. Connie Willis -To Say Nothing of the Dog4. Naomi Novik – Blood of Tyrants5. Naomi Novik – League of Dragons6. Nnedi Okorafor – Binti7. Nnedi Okorafor – Binti: Home8. Ernest Cline – Ready Player One9. Garth Nix – Goldenhand10. Nnedi…

Books I read in 2017

Once again I am attempting to read books largely by women or people of color. I’ve really been enjoying it! Tamora Pierce – Mastiff: Beka Cooper Book Three Viet Thanh Nguyen – The Sympathizer adrienne maree brown, Walidah Imarisha (editors) – Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements Sabrina Vourvoulias  – Ink Haruki…

Books I read in 2016

Begun late and filling in the gaps, as per usual. This year continues my efforts to read books largely by women or people of color. J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Stephen Fry audiobook) J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Stephen Fry audiobook) J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter…

Books I read in 2015

1. Neal Stephenson – Anathem2. Octavia E. Butler – Blood Child and Other Stories3. Ursula K. LeGuin – The Dispossessed4. Neil Gaiman – The Sandman: Endless Nights5. Haruki Murakami – The Library6. Helen Oyeyemi – The Opposite House

Books I read in 2014

1. Francesca Lia Block – Love in the Time of Global Warming2. Chang-Rae Lee – On Such a Full Sea3. Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret4. John Gardner – Grendel5. Philip Pullman – The Golden Compass6. Philip Pullman – The Subtle Knife7. Philip Pullman – The Amber Spyglass8. Gabriel Garcia Marquez – Love…

Books I read in 2013

1. Julian Assange, Jacob Appelbaum – Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet2. Neal Stephenson – Zodiac3. Guy Thorne – When It Was Dark4. Markus Zusak – The Book Thief5. Lewis Carroll – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Pennyroyal Press edition)6. Charles Soule, Renzo Podesta, W.Scott Forbes – Twenty-Seven, First Set7. Lewis Carroll – Through…

Books I read in 2012

1. Art Spiegelman – Maus I2. Michael Pollan – In Defense of Food3. Isabel Allende – Of Love and Shadows4. Gabriel Garcia Marquez – One Hundred Years of Solitude5. Haruki Murakami – The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle6. Phillip K. Dick – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?7. Charles Bukowski – Women8. Francesca Lia Block – Ecstasia9.…

Books I read in 2011

Turns out when you work at a bookstore you actually tend to read less. 1. Spencer Holst – The Language of Cats2. Haruki Murakami – Dance, Dance, Dance3. Haruki Murakami – After Dark4. Charles Bukowski – Hot Water Music5. Grimm’s Fairy Tales6. Haruki Murakami – Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (2nd time)7.…

Books I read in 2010

1. Yasunari Kawabata – The Sound of the Mountain  f2. Hitomi Kanehara – Snakes and Earrings  f3. Isabel Allende – City of the Beasts  ya4. Alan Lightman – Einstein’s Dreams  f5. Xiaolu Guo – A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers  f6. Augusten Burroughs – Magical Thinking  m7. Augusten Burroughs – Dry, A Memoir  m8. Banana…

Books I read in 2009

1. Jeffrey Eugenides – Middlesex  pf2. Dian Curtis Regan – Princess Nevermore  ya3. Keith Miller – The Book of Flying  f4. Sally Lowenstein – Sender Unknown  ya5. Alastair Mackintosh – Symbolism and Art Nouveau  nf6. Jacqueline Carey – Kushiel’s Chosen  f7. Elizabeth Berg – The Handmaid and the Carpenter  pf8. Barbara Kingsolver – Animal, Vegetable,…

Books I read in 2008

Guess who graduated from college / became largely unemployed in 2008? Gabriel Garcia Marquez – Love in the Time of Cholera  mr Isabel Allende – Eva Luna (again)  mr J. M. Barrie – Peter Pan  p, c Marcus Borg (ed.) – Taking the Bible Seriously but not Literally  nf Samuel Beckett – The Lost Gospel…

Books I read in 2007

Aldous Huxley – The Genius and the Goddess  f Isabel Allende Eva Luna mr Christopher Paolini – Eldest  sf/f  ya Joan Didion – The Year of Magical Thinking  pf Ernest J. Gaines – A Lesson Before Dying  f Gabriel Garcia Marquez – One Hundred Years of Solitude  mr Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee -…

Books I read in 2006

Audrey Niffenger – The Time Traveler’s Wife   pf Michael Chabon – The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay   f Laura Esquivel – Malinche   mr Laura Esquivel -The Law of Love   mr  Rick Steves – Europe Through the Back Door  t Carolyn See – There Will Never Be Another You   f Paolo Esquivel – Veronika Decides…

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