Saturday Miscellany—1/4/25

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
January 1, 2025 is Public Domain Day: Works from 1929 are open to all, as are sound recordings from 1924!—While the list of some of the more prominent titles is interesting, it’s a good piece on copyright, public domain, and even some of people behind the works
Support an indie author by leaving reviews—An Evergreen Reminder
New You? Or Old Books? Here’s a resolution: Craft a personal canon
20 Years of Old Man’s War—Scalzi looks back at the publication of OMW, the book that changed his life
Robert Crais: A Crime Reader’s Guide to the Classics—You read this, and you never have to read another word about Robert Crais again. It’s just that good. (the last section is a must read)
Reading Ladies’ Carol has a few 2024 Blog Reflections to kick off 2025
She also posted: Best of the Best: 2015 to 2024—a nigh-Herculean task
Lashaan’s A Year in Review — 2024 at Roars and Echoes. I’m so tempted by just about everything mentioned in this wrap up (except for the very tiny amount of things I’ve already read/watched)
State of [Pete Long’s] Delirium 2025
Fictionophile’s SEVEN Bookish Resolutions 2025—some good, SMART, goals.
Politics in SFF: Yes or No? Book Berne-ing 18!—Berne delivers what will be come to known as the definitive take on the subject for years to come. (okay, probably not, but it should be a contender if such a thing were possible)

It’s the Time of Year for Best of Lists like these to embiggen your 2025 TBRs (or to give you fodder to think about). I’ve made purchases/planned purchases/placed library books on hold from these. One title in particular keeps showing up on these lists (including what I’ve posted the last few weeks). It’s going to be on my list, too. Which just makes me feel better about including it–I knew what I was doing. 🙂
Biblionerd Reflections’ My Favorite Backlist Reads of 2024 and My Favorite Books of 2024
The Fantasy Hive 2024 Year-End Awards—Nunc hoc in marmore non est incisum
2024 Book RoundUp —The Voracious Reader has some great taste.
2024, A Year in Reading: Best Books of the Year—from Asking the Wrong Questions. The third sentence is one of the most relatable things I’ve read in the last few months.
Spells and Spaceships’ My Books of the Year 2024.
The Shaggy Shepherd’s Most Memorable Reads of 2024
Top 10 Books Read in 2024—from Pete Long. My TBR can’t handle this kind of pressure.
Stephen Writes continues to put out good lists (and make me feel better about all the year-end lists I have planned)
The Best Settings I Read In 2024
Top 10 Books I Read In 2024
MIke Finn’s My 12 Favourite Reads of 2024
746 Books has three lists to tempt you:
My Favourite Books of the Year: Part One – The 746!
My Favourite Books of the Year: Part Two – The Irish!
My Favourite Books of 2024: Part Three – New to Me!
reader@work’s Books of the year: 2024 edition—made me reconsider a book I’d previously decided against
My Top Ten Books for 2024!—from The Orangutan Librarian
Dillon Michael White’s Top Books of 2024 is a quick watch well worth your time

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week?
Endsinger by Jay Kristoff—the disturbing, yet satisfying, (as I recall) conclusion to the Lotus War trilogy
Broadchurch: A Novel by Erin Kelly—I cannot get enough of Broadchurch‘s first series in any format (I will not comment on the rest).
Broken Soul by Faith Hunter
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes with Joe Layden—I should revisit this one
And I mentioned the release of Low Midnight by Carrie Vaughn.