2021 Q3 & Q4 Reading Plan

As mentioned in my June/July post, I have decided to write a rough idea of the books and stories I hope to read in the second half of 2021. These include books for the Hugo Awards 2021 and Advance Reader Copies which I've received, as well as books currently on loan from the library. I'm splitting this list into four categories: Have to Read, Need to Read, and Want to Read, and then Non-Fiction.

Have to Read

These are books which have deadlines within 2021 for any reason

• Hugo Award 2021
• Book Group selections (although I don't always complete each month's book and sometimes can't participate)
• Review copies (mostly Secret Readers, but also Netgalley)

Need to Read

These are books that I've borrowed, either physically or digitally, from the library. As with the Have to group, they have due dates but unlike the above list, they can be renewed, extended, or re-borrowed later. Some books will (mentally at least) be moved from this list to Have to if I can't renew it for any reason - I do NOT want another 6 month break in a book before being able to finish it as I'm currently having with The House in the Cerulean Sea!!

Want to Read

Books which I have to hand (digitally or physically) and that I want to read, but which have no external deadlines beyond personal desire to read them. Also books which aren't in the above two categories, but which need to be finished off.

Non-Fiction

Non-fiction is harder to read as I find that I read it differently from the way I read fiction works. I make notes and generally read non-fiction much more closely and carefully, and thus it takes a LOT longer. On the other hand, it's much easier for me to pick it up and put down after a few paragraphs or a chapter. For these reasons, I'm listing NF books separately...

I am also adding here a list of "Not quite books", which is mostly related works stuff for the Hugo Awards.

Book List

Have to Read

Hugo Award 2021

Deadline: 18/19 November 2021

Official List of the 2021 Finalists

My list below is an edited version of the official list, above, based on which works are actually included in the packet; for series, I've also edited out the books which I've already read. This list is in alphabetical order by author. I have then made a reordered list of the titles in the order I (currently) plan to read them...

Categories I plan to read and vote in are:

• Best Short Story - 6 works
• Best Novella - 6 works
• Best Novelette - 6 works
• Best Novel - 4 works + 2 excerpts
• Best Series - 6 series. 
• Scalzi - 1 work
• Wells - 2 works (plus I have the 4 preceding novellas)
• Kowal - 6 shorts + 1 excerpt
• Kuang - 3 works
• Chakraborty - 3 works (1 read already)
• McGuire - 14 novels (8 read already), plus numerous shorts
• Astounding Award - if time - 3 works + 3 extracts
• Lodestar Award - if time - 4 works + 2 excerpts
• Best Related Work - if time - 4 works (1 book, 3 essays)

I currently have just short of 20 19 weeks to complete all the reading. My plan at present is to read a mixture each week. Last year I did them category by category, and struggled to finish all the categories I wanted to vote in. To avoid that, I want to read a mixture of longer and shorter works each week, if not a strict, one-of-each-per-week scenario. I have worked out a rough draft of what I intend to read each week, for a few reasons:

a) Ensuring that I am not rushing into reading them all in the same week - I do NOT want 2 weeks of 4 hours sleep again!!

b) Making sure that I factor in books with shorter deadlines (e.g. book group books, review copies)

c) Keeping series reads together (Hugo awards), across multiple weeks if necessary

d) Allowing space to buy copies of books where either only excerpts or Book 1 of a series were provided in a packet. I'll probably only do this if the series grabs me well enough that I want to place it more carefully

e) Adding more books in weeks when I'm travelling, on holiday; less on my birthday week; and putting the audiobook reviews to align with when I'm expecting to be doing more sewing and thus less able to read print.

Book Group selections

• ✔ The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - July 
• The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry - August
• ? by ? - September
• ? by ? - October
• ? by ? - November
• ? by ? - December

Review copies (+ archive date)

• A Death in the Family by Caroline Dunsford (Secret Readers)
  
• She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan (Netgalley) - 22 July
• Sylvester by Georgette Heyer (Netgalley) - ?
• Cecilia by Sandra L. Rostirolla (Netgalley) - 28 July
• The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan, audiobook (Netgalley) - 31 August
• The Gatekeeper's Staff by Antoine Bandele, audiobook (Netgalley) - 4 August

Need to Read

Finishing off:

• Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorofor

Other Library books:

Unstarted library books, assuming that they are not reserved

• Blood of Elves by Sapkowski
• A Peace Divided by Tanya Huff
• The Hunt by C Neill
• Elsewhens by Melanie Rawn
• The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
• Children of Blood and Bone by T Adeyemi
• Cursor's Fury by Jim Butcher
• Redemption's Blade by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I also have book 2 in the Daevabad series on loan, but since I also have the ebook via the Hugos, I'll return the hard copy so someone else can borrow it. My intention, renewals permitting, is to finish off these books in the period from Hugo submission to the end of 2021, so that I can start afresh in 2022 as far as library books certainly.

Want to Read

Finishing off:

• The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison
• Into the London Fog by Elizabeth Dearnley
• The Island of Sodor by Revd W. Awdry
• Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
• A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
• The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders
• The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley
• Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

On my shelves:

These are books which are staring at me plaintively, but are mine already.

• Prudence (re-read) by Gail Carriger
• Imprudence by Gail Carriger
• Competence by Gail Carriger
• Reticence by Gail Carriger
• Strange Brew (anthology)
• Of Wars, and Memories, and Starlight by Aliette de Bodard

Non-Fiction

Finishing off:

• Regent's Park by Paul Rabbitts
• The Machine Breaker Convicts (MA Thesis) by Bruce W. Brown
• Belief and Unbelief in Medieval Europe by John H. Arnold

Not Quite Books List

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2021 Plans Updated and Expanded

 So, I wrote a post earlier this year outlining my original crafting plans for 2021, which was made using the Historybounding Discord channel's prompts. I'm now updating my plan based on the following:

a) Reality - I now have a better grasp on what I am able to realistically complete in a given month

b) Using the British Guild challenges instead

c) Adding non-crafting plans (mostly reading)

So without further ado, here is my updated 2021 Plan

Crafting

Prompts (from this month onwards)

• Mythology May
• "Sumer is icumen in"
• Just do it!
• Academia and Allure
• Spooks & Secrets
• Out to Sea
• No Buy
• Winter Woolies

May 

Mythology, Legends, Folktales

I've always planned to make an outfit based on Russian folklore, so I'm still hoping to get at least part of that underway this month. It might turn out to be a much longer project, but I wanted to get a catalyst section completed in May. Currently I am hoping to make a version of a sarafan, based on dress from an unknown museum. I had thought it was in the Государственный исторический музей, as I have a copy of a page showing it in an exhibition held there, but since I can NOT find it anywhere in their collections, I have to assume it was a loan item. I'll share the inspiration image(s) I'm using on another post as I hope to write more on Russian folk costume later this month.

June 

Summer - theme or purpose

I have a vague plan to make an Edwardian or Late Victorian hat, to go with my walking skirt planned outfit. A nicely decorated hat could double as a summer hat. I may also consider a fan and a parasol as useful things for summer...

As Pride is still within the remit of June for the updated challenges, I may colour theme it with the Ace/Aego colours.

Other options I have considered:

1950s swimsuit or other beachwear

Summer pattern circle skirt (because I love circle skirts!) - with a petticoat to match if I make this

Edwardian blouse - nice and cool for summer, but also covered up, because sunburn

July 

Just do It!

I have no specific plans here yet, but honestly there are many aspects of sewing which I've not yet had the confidence to try, so there's lots of opportunities here.. This may be where I finally actually work on the Edwardian blouse! I may also use July to get a nice big chunk of my Regency underthings sorted.

August 

Academia and Allure

Well, I guess August is the time to let my inner librarian become my outer one! My plan for August is primarily to make an Edwardian (stroke Late Victorian) walking skirt from the pattern I bought last summer. I may line it in something fun though, especially if I can find a cute books related fabric print... 

This month may also be the one where I try out the American Duchess cloak pattern.

September 

Spooks and Secrets

I am not ashamed to state that I am a goth and that I love the gothy aesthetic as much now as I did as a student. I've not got any definite ideas here, but vague thoughts include

Bonnet trimming - can get quite autumnal and/or spooky without much difficulty

Cobweb themed circle skirt (and hopefully a top to match)

October 

Out to Sea - Nautical or Regency (thinking of Trafalgar Day)

I'd like to spend October working on a spencer, pelisse or redingote for my Regency 1818 project. The fashions for these sorts of coats were strongly influenced by military fashion. A waistcoat is also part of the borrowing of men's fashions for women, and would be a nice thing to make...

November

No Buy November. 

Whatever I make this month must not cost me anything if at all possible. I am personally choosing to make exceptions for items purchased at charity shops or otherwise second hand, as I feel Not Bought New still aligns with the ethos of No Buy.

I will NOT be applying this to my life in general in November, notably because November into early December has a LOT of family birthdays, plus spreading out buying helps a lot towards making Christmas affordable. In acknowledgement of this aspect, however, I will continue to make a conscious effort to make as many of my Christmas presents as possible. 

December

Winter Woolies

If not done earlier in the year, then both the AD Cape and Pelisse fit here beautifully. I may also focus on the "wool" aspect and try again to learn how to crochet.

I will also be using December to make presents, so that will be the "Winter" aspect...!

Reading

Reading is one of my longest persisting loves, and I have managed to completely lose my mojo over lockdown. I need to get it back! There is some flexibility in this list for adding new books that I buy, borrow, or which are selected for my book group. I hope to pay for the Hugo voting packet again this year, so I'll also be adding those books to the list. Here's my Short and Longer lists for 2021, where Short List is library books, books I've started reading, and a few others. The Longer List is for books I would like to get around to reading this year, and also books I want to read, but which are stored at the other end of the country from me... I also am resolving to ensure that I read at least 50% of my magazine that I have on subscription (because I accept that not every article is going to grab my interest each month). 

In "honour" of writing this, I am going to read at least one short story off my list before I go to sleep tonight! 

Short list

Started and need finishing:

Who Fears Death

The Island of Sodor

Cold Comfort Farm

The Fifth Season

No Longer a Gentleman

Regent's Park [history book]

Library books

Blood of Elves

Children of Blood and Bone

Cursor's Fury

Dreams of Gods and Monsters

Elsewhens

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

The Hunt

The Kingdom of Copper

A Peace Divided

Redemption's Blade

Short Stories

The Angel of Khan el-Khalili

Chicken Chicken Bang Bang

The Perseverance of Angela's Past Life

Head of a Snake, Tail of a Dragon

If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again

The House of Aunts

The Queen's Army (Lunar Chronicles)

Book of Souls (Prof Croft)

Long list (additional possibilities)

Hugo Leftovers

A Memory Called Empire

The City in the Middle of the Night

The Light Brigade

Middlegame

Presents (2020 Birthday and Christmas)

Prudence (re-read)

Imprudence

Competence

Reticence

Strange Brew

Of Wars, and Memories, and Starlight

Finally I have 5 or 6 books which were given to me in return for reviews. I need to do my genuine best to read them (or DNF) and write genuine reviews before the end of 2021.