2021: A YEAR IN BOOKS

In addition to publishing my first two books, 2021 was also my most prolific reading year to date! I managed to read 41 books this year, crushing my goal of 35 and even toppling last year’s 31. To celebrate, I wanted to review my year in books…

MY TOP 5 READS OF 2021

#5: THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE / KATHERINE ARDEN

It was the worldbuilding, the writing style, and the character development that really grabbed me in this one. Vasilisa is a delightfully feisty, no-nonsense protagonist who defied a lot of the standard female tropes that usually dominate YA fantasy. Her conflict was an intriguing one that felt grounded in reality (for lack of a better term). I look forward to seeing how the sequel holds up.

#4: THE SCORPIO RACES / MAGGIE STIEFVATER

Oh, Maggie. I discovered my love of Maggie last year when tackling The Raven Cycle and Call Down the Hawk, but I wanted to try something outside of that universe, so I went with The Scorpio Races. Maggie’s style resonates so beautifully with me; she has a real knack for injecting soul into her work, and this book was no different.

#3: A LESSON IN VENGEANCE / VICTORIA LEE

Perhaps a bit of a controversial take, but I have a weakness for books that inspire dread and discomfort—books that make me say aloud, “Oh…crap.” And I have to admit, A Lesson in Vengeance was one of those books. The witchy, dark academia vibes were fun, but in the end, it was those feelings of dread that made me enjoy this book.

#2: THE BAYOU / ARDEN POWELL

I discovered Arden’s sampling of queer fantasy this year and read three of their books in a single month, but The Bayou was by far my favorite. The southern horror vibes were delicious, and the narrative was so damn compelling. I definitely want this in print someday soon.

#1: A DOWRY OF BLOOD / S.T. GIBSON

And here we have my #1 read of the year. This was such a beautiful book, from the writing style to the stunning MC. It’s not often I really enjoy female protagonists, but Constanta has my whole heart. This is how I want all my vampire fiction to be.

STATISTICS

MOST-READ GENRE: fantasy (zero surprise there)

AVERAGE RATING: 3.6

SHORTEST BOOK: Opal by Maggie Stiefvater

LONGEST BOOK: Don’t Call the Wolf by Aleksandra Ross

WRAP-UP

Overall, 2021 felt like an exploratory year in books. I tried to dabble in some things I don’t normally read, like poetry and horror, and began venturing further into indie & self-pubs. I even started making use of my local library this year, which has been a rewarding experience.

For 2022, I’m aiming for 40 books. 40 is a comfortable pace for me. I have a lot of interesting and exciting books in my TBR, including books from fellow queer indie authors.

I’m starting 2022 with Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo. Let the reading commence!