Tag Archives: 2021

My Top Reads of 2021: My Constant Company of Words

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Hi Bookworms! Time to let you know which were my favorites of the 219 that I read last year. It was a bit of a hodgepodge year, but most of my favorites were LGBTQ+ Reads, Retellings, and Audiobooks. This list will only include new reads, because counting my favorite rereads wouldn’t be as fun. These are in order of which they were read as much as possible. Let’s Get Started!

1. Words on the Bathroom Wall by Julia Walton

Honestly I watched the movie before reading the book, having only found out in my rewatch that it was a book. Both the book and movie have such an important impact. I can appreciate the differences and I feel both were right for each medium. One of the factors that gave this a 5 star rating was the author's note about them not having schizophrenia and the book was only displaying one type and one person's experience and by no mean speaking for every experience. Whenever an author writes a book about any disability, illness, disorder i feel this should be disclosed as people can assume if not educated.

The second part that made this a 5 star read was the fact it was the first book in a long while to make me laugh out loud. Adam’s voice was helping me survive. It is definitely a book I’ll recommend.

2. Dust by Kara Swanson

If you know me you know that Peter Pan retellings I am absolute trash for! God I didn’t think my first five star read would come this early, but did I fall in love with these characters. Her retelling put a spin on these characters while still remaining true to their underlining selves. It’s been a while since I could see character’s so clearly in my head. I laughed with them and ached for them.

3. Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen

This one was another one of those books that I got upset with myself for not committing to it and reading this earlier. So discloser if you are going into this for YA purposes, it is not YA. The more adult scenes were handled tastefully, and I love the parts of what normally were to be considered minor character’s in Barrie’s original world, were now integral to this story. It was hard to see Peter as a villain, but it as you go along, you truly understand he is a needed character just as the rest. I will definitely be rereading this as it made me have a soft spot for my favorite world again.

4.The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

This was my first review of the year. It was beyond gorgeous and knowing how this story came alive for Gornichec, makes me hold it a special place in my heart and inspire me. Hopefully it will lead me to writing my own fanfiction turn more. I am definitely rereading this asap.

5. The Midnight Library by Matt Hague

My first magical realism dream of the year (pun intended)!! It was the magical realism and reality I needed. The way I felt understood from this book to know I’m not the only one at this age feeling so lost. I feel like these books are finding me when I didn’t know I needed them. The way it deals with love, loss, depression, appreciate, adequacy. I wish I could personally thank Matt Haig for writing this book. It will definitely be a reread when I am feeling lost.

6. Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland by Lisa Schneidau

I will always be a fairy girl so to have myths and lores to pull me and educate me again of those myths that I used to devour younger. I also feel this is an amazing book who hasn’t read lore before and wants to dip their toe in.

7. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Magical realism amazement and mythological dreams. I would spend a whole year rereading this and never get tired of it. The prose and Addie’s rep for me was a bi girl’s dreams. God just talking about it makes me want to stop my current read and reread it again!

8. Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler

If you didn’t read my review for this let me tell you this was one of the hottest books of my year. Honestly not only is Dahlia one of the sweetest authors and people I’ve ever met even if we only sat together for 15 minutes max at the RT festival, she knows how to write chemistry. For me this is very important as a reader and watcher. I am one that needs chemistry in a kiss not too much cheese. She is the queen of this and the friendships in this book were beyond goals. Not enough authors focus on friendships that support these characters or people in real life. Having examples of ride or dies are something we all need so hopefully we can find our own.

9. Sword in the Stars by A.R. Capetta and Cori McCarthy

This book is another example of retellings I am week for. Arthurian Retellings. Plus a female Arthur and reincarnations? Did these 2 authors write this series just for me? Also this book is just goals by knowing it was written by a married couple. Excuse me, while I swoon! While this one I gave a 4.75 stars because I saw one of the plot twists coming. It was still an amazing book and definitely one where the sequel was my favorite over the first. I did love most though and the queer and POC rep was the best. The retelling reference at the end was the best. The kisses were intense and I think this series is definitely one I’d read again. King Arthur retellings need to be done more, and a happy endings are definitely preferred.

10. One Last Stop By Casey McQuiston

Speaking of chemistry THIS book! God I can’t even! If you love Magical realism this book is especially for you. If you adore strong friendships, pursuing the need to start over, your school path not linear, bi-girl that doesn’t feel bi enough? All of these things will make you feel so at home in this book!

11. What I Carry by Jennifer Longo

I’ll be honest it was a blind pick for the cover. Can you blame me? Honestly I knew I was going to get attached to the main character as soon as I started this last night. What I didn’t know is how attached I was going to get attached to all Muir’s circle and their stories. It had me near sobbing as I was reading it today. This book definitely left it’s mark and I am so glad that this is a story being written about, but also that Longo put an importance on having a circle. I feel that not enough YA does this lately that the stories are just about the end goal of the story or the love interest. This book like so many others are the breath of fresh air and hope I think all readers need especially in these times of isolation.

12. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

I am not a big sci-fi person, but there are a few exceptions to the rule and this is one of them. If you love the movie Bicentennial Man with Robin Williams, I’m 98% sure you will love this. This is one of those books I could see as a movie in my head. This is definitely one where a blind pick didn’t steer me wrong. I was so lost in this books many scenes and the setting. Even though it was sci-fi it had the perfect amount of magical realism I almost hope it does get turned into a movie.

13. Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven by Kami Garcia, Illustrated by Gabriel Picolo

I am so upset Goodreads doesn’t have a picture of my B&N Exclusive Edition. It is literally the cutest thing ever. Seeing these two fall in love in this series is everything. This whole book was amazing and perfect! It was cute and funny. I love BB and Raven but I also adore this author and artist working together. It is mean for them to make me wait till ’23 for the next, but I will be rereading this in the mean time. The action definitely kept me on edge and the banter was to die for. Although now Goodreads has it listed as this year and hoping that it is right!

14. Flora’s Travelling Christmas Shop by Rebecca Raisin

Honestly if you are into tiny house living or dream about it, this series by Rebecca Raisin is for you. These can be read as stand alones if you don’t mind spoiling who the main character in the previous book ends up with. The first one is called Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop.

aHonestly, this is my favorite out of the 3. It feels like this book was made for me. Someone who finds comfort in Christmas as I do, finding comfort in Flora. The romance was cheese, but not as much as the others and I adored the way she got Connor to see Christmas through her eyes and the end was beyond perfect. Also tiny house living was perfect in this and the friendships Flora built. It will definitely be a book I will be rereading often Christmas or not.

Well that’s all for last year, 14 books does feel like a lot, but it makes me feel less alone. The end and beginning of last year were very hard for me. The moment I stop reading is the moment you should be worried for me. While, I didn’t read much in print because of strain of it between things. Audiobooks saved my life especially when I could pick the pace. Wishing us all peace and safety for 2022. What were your favorites for last year? Have you read any of these? Please let me know in the comments below! Happy Reading and Stay Safe!

Book Talk: I decided to do a reading challenge!

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Hey Bookworms! Hope you are all staying safe, it is blustery and windy here, so since I can’t enjoy the outdoors, why not blog? So, I decided end of last year, to do a reading challenge. It is something I have skirted for years due to fear and pressure. This year it’s time to face my fears, now, how did I go about deciding it?

Now I know the normal and most popular is the Popsugar Reading Challenge, so I thought why not look into it? And dang if my mouth didn’t drop, the amount of this list was unbelievable. Not only that, it would take a lot of research, I mean an author that shares my zodiac sign?! What am I supposed to do, hop on Twitter and ask who else is a fish (Pisces)??? Now not saying I won’t do some of these books, if I run out of ideas of what to read, but I feel my reading challenge shouldn’t take more work than reading the actual books, themselves.

So where did I head to next? Pinterest, anyone else, still sometimes obsessed with pinning? I found one that felt doable and most importantly, I found a friend to keep me accountable. One of my best LDR reading friends and a big sister figure who I adore, who has been there for me during all the chaos, Julia.

Since January has past, I will post, what I read last month along with some of my thoughts, and what I plan to read next month.

January

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

Now to be honest when trying to think of a book I read in school, I was drawing a blank. So, I texted Julia who kindly texted me some ideas. One of them was this, obviously, now this is a book that I didn’t read in school, and I figured since she read it in school it counted? I am so glad I picked this up especially with the climate of today’s world. This book shows that we haven’t addressed enough of the discrimination of the world, we may have taken steps, but if last year has shown us anything it is that we need to do more to make a change. The fact that children are more open to the struggles than adults are who often times choose to turn a blind eye is so important. We definitely need to do better.

Now what’s next you may ask, I thought about it, wondering about which books I was jealous of books that others read in school that I haven’t yet. I thought and thought and then I went on the path of author’s I’ve read and wanted more of. Who better than the lovely Oscar Wilde? Who’s quotes speak to me in volumes as someone of the queer community that had to stay hidden. Ding, Ding, Ding, I had a winner.

February

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Now, I haven’t started it yet, as it just became available at the library and I am currently trying to finish this book before starting another. At least when in the same format, so if you all are interested, I will write about it next month, when I figure out what I am reading for my birth month. If anyone has any tips on how to find books that came out last year let me know as I am horrible at release dates.

Anywho that’s all for now bookworms, are any of you doing any reading challenges, what do you think of the Popsugar Challenge or reading challenges in general? Have you read the first two on the list? Are you doing a challenge? If so please let me know and link yourself down below, I’d be more than happy to follow your progress! As always Happy Reading and Stay Safe!

Top Ten Tuesday: My Goals for 2021

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Hey bookworms, I am back! I know this topic was posted for a week or 2 ago, but I needed to write today, so why not start with this. I don’t know how many I am going to post or if they were be all book related, but I am gonna see what my fingers come up with. These Top Ten Tuesday themes can be found as posted by That Artsy Reader Girl. I am trying not to ramble too much, so let’s get started.

1. Get My Creativity Back

Now this may seem silly as I am writing this now, but it goes further. I want to create characters again, see the words flow out of my fingers, or even hear their voices in my head (yes, I know that can be a sign of other things), but I miss hearing them. I would even settle for writing a fanfiction, more poetry, no, I am not trying to pressure myself, but this was always the person I know I was meant to be. I want to help others find refuge as the same way these creators have helped me find in the past. My best Christmas gift was a subscription to Masterclass, gifted by my Tia. I am literally hanging on Gaiman’s words and I want to create, it’s just hard to know how to anymore. How to create? Question of my life lately, anyone else struggling with that, please let me know I am not on my own.

2. Get a Laptop of My Own

Now this may sound silly as I am writing on one currently, but this is mom’s chrome book, and it’s always different working on my own. The problem with that is the expense, and the guilt that comes with buying something of my own, but I don’t have the same guilt buying something just as expensive for others. My brain makes no sense to me, but I am determined to get past that even if it is buying it on credit and paying it down. The ability to just get on it whenever I want, always having it close buy.

3. Find a Job I Like

Now maybe this isn’t something I can accomplish in 2021 (COVID and having to only work remotely being at risk and living with my mom who is at risk), but I want to get on a path to a day job that makes me feel appreciated, that I feel doesn’t drain me to my core. I know writing is my passion, but can I as rusty as I am turn this into a career, am I ready to bare more to the world, would I be able to find a niche, or do I pursue going back to school to go into a different field? I know I always say age is just a number,but at almost 30 I can’t help but compare myself to my peers seeming to have found their purpose. It just seems to be a circle even if I don’t want the same paths they do. I feel like I am lost, when I used to have such a fire.

4. Read 100-150 Books

I read 147 books last year, and I want to definitely want to try to do better, but I also don’t want to pressure myself more. My current goal is set to, 100 on good reads, and as I am writing this I’ve read 17. I currently have a bit of free time on my hands and will post about that at a later time, right now I don’t feel secure to.

5. Read More Print

Now by no means am I belittling my audiobook reads, as I am currently reading one I am writing this. I adore that I can control the speed to read faster and have my hands free to do other things such as type, cuddle and chase around our new puppy. I feel bad that I have neglected my print books, whether they be E-books or Physical. There is so much on both shelves that I need to tackle, my concussion has long since healed there is no reason, I can’t ease myself back into them. Plus I have so many cute book marks that are begging to be used.

6. Read at least 3 different Genre Types

Now, I like most readers can be like Sheldon Cooper, sticking to genres I know and love, but one thing I am most proud of last year was how many different genres I read: contemporary fiction, historical fiction, memoirs. I want to keep this trend going.

7. Visit Another Country (Whether it Be Fictional or In Person)

Whether it’s in person to Canada again (although unlikely with COVID and committing to a 14 day quarantine is a bit much as much as I love my partner) reading would suffice reading a setting outside of the US. I want to be safe and the vaccine isn’t exactly accessible at this point. Hopefully they will work out the kinks sooner or later, so books are my trains and planes.

8. Get Back Into the Community and Make More Friends

The thing I miss most about this community is the feeling of belonging and having people I can go to. Talking of opinions even if we don’t agree and sharing recommendations. I just dunno how to step back in. Hopefully this year I can figure this out.

9. Practising Self Care and Not Feeling Guilty about it

I have had so many days even this month where I feel guilty for not being able to do much physically because my body is screaming for rest. I want to learn to be gentle with myself, asking for help when I need it, and not pushing people away. Also in this when I am able to get things back in order is getting medical and mental health help, see a dermatologist, a orthapedist, etc. I know it seems simple but it’s getting over my fears and accepting my body for what it is and not fighting it anymore.

10. Write More Reviews

This circles back to my first goal and number 8, but how am I supposed to be strong in my own writing, if I am not brave enough to voice my own opinions. I want to build up my skills again and be proud of sense of voice again. I want to help the authors that I read and part of that is writing reviews. Now I am not committing to a number as of yet, but I would be proud to at least do 2, whether it is book or movie reviews.

Well that’s all for today. If you do want to keep up with what I am currently reading as always you can check my Goodreads and Insta(plus my insta has cute puppy stories!). I hope you all are staying warm, safe, and well. Do your part to help us all stay safe if you can please, because those of us that are at risk are finding it hard to be apart from the ones we love. Did you do this topic? What are your goals? Leave me the links or let me know in the comments below, please. Happy Reading!