Mae’s Books of 2019

Instagram is such an amazing community. Mae is one of  many book lovers I’ve connected with to learn more about books of 2019. She is a blogger herself, writing at mae-be-nerdy.com. She loves books, movies, classical music, anything nerdy, you name it!

Like all previous 2019 in books posts, remember that Mae’s words are in italics and since this is a bookish discussion, all book links open in a new tab so that you can refer to them afterwards.

Welcome to Armed with A Book, Mae. 🙂 Have you tried anything new in nerdiness lately?

I recently got into cosplaying and I love the challenge of trying to replicate a piece or creating something entirely my own based off of a character or prop or something.

What are your other hobbies?

Aside from reading I like to play piano and do cross stitch! I’m working on a Disney castle one right now and it’s perfect while I’m rewatching all the old TV shows and movies on Disney + ! My husband and I are also Dallas Stars season ticket holders. We love hockey! What about you?

Book blogging is so diverse that I think most of my hobbies currently center around it – reading, writing, staging, planning, connecting with authors and other readers. My background is in computing science and one of my at-home projects is to build a database of all my goodreads books. I use a software called Tableau at work and have used the goodreads data to visualize some of my reading habits. I posted about it here.

That’s awesome! I’ve done a quick database of my books as well. Definitely not as intensive though. It’s mostly to keep track of what I have and who has borrowed what. I can attach contacts to a book I’ve lent out, add a star rating, reviews, all the things. But like I said, I’m pretty bad at keeping it updated. Oops. But that’s way awesome! Love it.

Thanks! Tell me a little bit about your love for books.

My love for books started with the Narnia books when I was little. My parents read them to me and there was no turning back. I read everything from American Girl to Junie B Jones and Magic Tree  House when I was really young. And it was only a matter of time before I started reading more and more. I think Inkheart was one of the first books I read for me. And it holds a special place in my heart.

Whenever I don’t know what to ask for for birthdays or Christmas, I have a running book list that I give people. Books are NEVER an unwanted gift lol.

I completely agree! Magic Tree House and Narnia were an important part of my childhood as well. I remember Inkheart as well!

• 

• 

• 

Do you have a book/person/thing that kind of started your love of books and reading? Has reading always been a hobby/love? Or has it been relatively recently? 

Reading has been an integral part of my life since I can remember. My father’s side of the family had shelves and shelves full of books and creating a library for myself has been a life goal. Before I moved to Canada to be closer to Papa, twice a year I would get a parcel of books from him. I loved opening those packages. He always wrote a short note in the book, as simple as “Love, Papa” with a date. Nowadays, I buy the books myself, but for the birthday books, I chase down my family and have them write notes in them for me. 🙂

That’s so cute! I love it! My grandma is a big reader and we always have a bookstore run when she comes to town cause she needs another one for the plane ride back home!

Do you have a similar ritual or you like your books neat and tidy?

My family has always been big readers. But I’m definitely way more into it than the rest of my family. I think my love for fantasy in particular came from my mom and my aunt. They would tell me stories about fairies and mermaids and things and were very good about letting me believe in magic and everything that entails. I have very vivid memories of my aunt telling me the story of the Crystal/Glass Mountain. I want to get a recording of her telling it so that I’ll always have it.

As far as my books go, I have a couple that have a little note in them, but as I buy most of my books for myself, those are few and far between. I usually like my books pretty clean and if someone writes in it, it has to be before the title page haha!

---

Do you participate in the Goodreads Reading Challenge or set reading goals for yourself? How do you usually chose this goal and what was your goal for this year?

I’m actually really bad at disciplining myself… but I do set more general goals. I don’t necessarily check off a book every time I finish one. But I’ll do a big dump when I feel the need to organize myself. Which is also why I rarely review on good reads. Cause I’m doing so many at once. 

My goal this year was to read a book a week. And I honestly have no idea where I’m at! I’d like to think I’m close. I’ve read a ton this year.

I wish I could be as spontaneous as you! I actually considered not tracking on Goodreads at all next year, no goal, just read with the flow, but I don’t think the bookblogger in me is going to let me do this. 

It is why I struggle though, cause I’m not consistent! I need more organization in my life. Maybe still keep track of what you’re reading, but don’t set a goal or a schedule of what to read next? I don’t know if that’s what you already do or what. That way you’re still doing the reviews etc, but you have a little more freedom to mood read or take a break -which we need sometimes. Especially with book hangover.

How do you feel about audiobooks? I’ve sort of recently discovered them, and I find it extremely useful to have it in companionship with the ebook. So I can listen in the car to and from work, but then pull out my Kindle when I get home to actually read. I love technology!

I discovered audiobooks last year in September. I have never tried reading them as a companion to the ebook (That’s such a great idea!) but audiobooks have surely helped me narrow down some books that I want to read as a physical copy. They are truly good for commuting, and tasks like folding laundry, cleaning the house. Another friend of mine was saying how he is always tempted to take notes while he listens to audiobooks, which is hard because we are always trying to multitask! 

I can literally only do audiobooks when I’m driving. I don’t know what it is, but only while driving. Or listening while I color (yes I’m a child!)

Are there certain genres of books that you prefer to read as audiobooks?

I’ve tried reading classics as audiobooks but I just couldn’t get into it. They’re a struggle normally, add boring people talking at you… not great. All the other ones I’ve tried have been fantasy. And whatever Star Wars books count as -they’re not exactly sci-fi, but they’re not fantasy?- but the Star Wars Aftermath books, specifically, are AMAZING. Cause they made them a full production with a soundtrack and sound effects. Like if there’s a blaster fight or a TIE fight, you hear those blasters and people yelling, or you hear the TIE screaming by. There’s a deranged battle droid, Mr. Bones, and they do his voice and his singing and it’s hilarious. The whole thing was really amazing.

I also think that the narrator makes a BIG difference. I have found what kind of narrators I like and which I don’t. For example, I struggle more with female narrators as opposed to male narrators. But I would also rather have the same narrator throughout as opposed to it switching as the POV changes. I definitely have to listen to a sample before I get it.

How do you choose your books to read?

I’m the biggest mood reader on the planet! I have a running list of books that I think look interesting or books people have suggested to me, and I sometimes pick from that…. Sometimes. Other times a cover screams at me to pick up the book. Or I’m in the mood for a scifi, or a cheesy romantic sort of story. Sometimes I do rereads because I want a certain kind of character. Do you ever read a book for it’s tone? It’s really hard to find new books this way, but sometimes I just feel like reading a book that feels the way I feel when I go to my family’s vacation spot. Or I want to feel like I’m walking through the land of fae. Or feel like Elizabeth Bennett on that cliffside. I don’t know if that makes sense. I want the feeling that these moments give me, but through whatever I’m reading?

I understand. There are times like that. There is this one book that I pick up every couple years, I have reread it the most number of time – Friday’s Child by Georgette Heyer. When I want a good chuckle, be around friends, that’s my go to book because it feels like home, with a splash of silliness and some tummy aches from laughing.

Yes! Exactly! I’ll have to look up Friday’s Child.

About the books this year

Did you read any books this year that got you thinking about your writing style? How did these books inspire you? I read the Illuminae Files this year. I think all of us have a little writer in us, but I’m one of those that do it JUST for me and know it will never see the light of day. Lol.  But Illuminae opened my eyes to unconventional formats, I think it’s incredibly interesting and I was inspired to start a different kind of story than I’m used to piddling around with. And I’m able to implement these strange formats.

I think Illuminae really resonated with me because I’m more of a visual/hands-on learner and having something where names floating on a page represent people floating in space (for example) really clicked and made such a huge amount of space. It’s somewhere between a picture and plain text and I love it!

That sounds like an amazing book that I should read next year! 🙂 Were there any books this year that challenged your thinking or you learned a lot from?

I finished The Count of Monte Cristo this year. It was a long road, but I did it. I think challenging yourself to read older or “more difficult” books is important. I also read the Winternight Trilogy and I learned a whole ton about the time period and the way people lived / believed in two different belief systems. I know it’s a fantasy novel, but Katherine Arden I think did her research and did a very good job of pairing the fantastical with actual fact.

The Winternight Trilogy is another one on my TBR list. Fantasy, dystopia, every single genre has research at its heart. I read somewhere that you can’t write a convincing story without some truth to it.

That’s very true!

Did you read any books that had practical strategies to apply to life?

I read a textbook for my Cisco certification? Lol. I mostly read for enjoyment and I find textbooks/informational books extremely dull and dry.

I don’t think I have ever come across an interesting textbook myself. 😉

I know it is hard to give recommendations, especially when we read so many books in a year! If you had to choose, tell me about four books that I should check out and why.

Out of ones I’ve read this year? Illuminae Files, Winternight Trilogy, Of Rioters and Royals, Poison Study. These are that ones that really stand out to me. I’ve read a bunch of other really great books. But I know a book is great when I need other people to read them so that I can talk about it with someone. I hate being trapped in the book void, where you’ve read a book, but you feel like no one else has? And so you’re stuck with your feelings and ideas and theories. It’s worse than book hangover!

Haha yes!!!

None of these are new releases this year – I don’t think. But they’re the ones I’d recommend from my readings. 

• Illuminae is just in such an interesting format- I know it’s not for everyone, but it helped keep me captivated and I liked the characters and the story. It’s been awhile since I read a scifi book that wasn’t chalk full of nonsense space words. 

I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to horror. I have not read this one yet but having leafed through the book, I can tell you, it is creepy and similar to how Illuminae is written. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski I would love to buddy read it with you if you decide to pick it up! Let me know, friend of mine has it!

I too am also a chicken. But I’m down if you are!

• Winternight was fascinating. The dual theology-which was apparently an actual thing is amazing to me. Essentially it’s about early early Russia and how the people are just starting to convert to Orthodox, but they still believe in upsetting the household gods and fantastic beings. And it’s about the balance between the two and I loved it. 

Winternight reminds me of Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah. It was such a heartwarming book about sisters and family. I read it a couple years back – another one I would love to reread.

I will have to look it up.

• Of Rioters and Royals is a shameless plug for my favorite indie author. I think it’s a fantastic story with loveable characters and an interesting power system. And the next book is even better, and I can’t wait for it to be released in January!

• Poison Study is one of those ones I was talking about earlier. I first read them a couple of years ago and I was fully convinced that I had imagined them or I was literally the only one who had read them. I couldn’t find them at any of my local stores, or the libraries… they didn’t exist. Then I saw someone post about them and I was like “they do exist!” And decided to reread them. They hold up, they’re still great. Lol.

What were some of your favorites?

You are turning the tables on me now. 😀 There are too many that were too good! 

• Karen McBride’s Crow Winter was a fascinating read. It taught me so much about the First Nations cultures and later, Karen broadened my knowledge even more. It’s a story about a girl who is able to talk to Nanabush, a spirit being who lives as a crow.

This sounds really amazing!

• The Similars by Rebecca Hanover was fascinating! Apparently, someone perfected the cloning technology and created clones of some babies. Now, the originals and the clones are teenagers and about to study in the same school! This is the first book of two, the second being out in 2020. Can’t wait!

This one has potential for some serious hijinks!

• The Braid was finally translated to English. It is a beautiful story of three women separated in place, and yet united in the pursuit of their dreams and the strength they possess. There are three very strong characters in this story – Smita is an untouchable who wants her daughter, Lalita, to have a better life. She does not like the destiny that has been imposed on her, so for her daughter’s sake, she decides to be the mother she never had – she decides to educate her little girl, inspite of all the odds. I am from India and it exposed another side of the country, which I knew about, but isn’t much talked about.

This sounds like it could be really sad, but also uplifting because of the love for the daughter.

It’s not sad, I promise. 🙂

The Year Ahead

Talking about next year, would you change anything, whether it is your reading habits, review routine or reading goal?

I definitely want to try being more consistent with my reviews. I want to do reviews for more of the books I read, and I want to give better reviews other than, “this was really good, read it!” I’m really bad about ranting about the bad books, but then when I have a good book, I have nothing to say. I’d really like to work on that.

I think writing regularly helps a lot with that.

I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Mae! Please let us know what you think and share with your circles! Connect with Mae in the following ways:

Website

Twitter

Instagram

Next up, on the 27th, I’ll have Helen, from the Confederate Book Store in Ecuador, over to learn about her year in books.

Thanks for reading! ❤️