Showing posts with label Archive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Archive. Show all posts

Friday, December 31, 2021

Books Read in 2021

[Books Read In 2021]

January
February
  • Wesley, Valerie Wilson - A Glimmer of Death (#1) (2021) - Crime Fiction/Cozy/Paranormal
  • Mlynowski, Sarah - If the Shoe Fits (Whatever After #2) (2012) - Fantasy/Middle Grade
  • Guillory, Jasmine - The Wedding Date (The Wedding Date #1) (2018) - Romance
  • Hawkins, Rachel - The Wife Upstairs (2021) - Romance
  • Mlynowski, Sarah - Sink or Swim (Whatever After #3) (2013) - Fantasy/Middle Grade
  • Obama, Michelle - Becoming (2018) - Nonfiction
March
  • Russell, Rachel Renée - Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker (Dork Diaries #6) (2013) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Forna, Namina - The Gilded Ones (2021) - Fantasy/YA
  • Ravenel, M. - The Arrangement  (Plainclothes Tootsie #1) (2021) - Crime Fiction/Historical
  • Russell, Rachel Renée - Tales from a Not-So-Glam TV Star (Dork Diaries #7) (2014) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Neville, Kim - The Memory Collectors (2021) - Fiction/Magical Realism
  • *Penner, Sarah - The Lost Apothecary (2021) - Fiction/Historical
  • Davis, Kathy - Passiflora (2021) - Poetry
  • Russell, Rachel Renée - Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After (Dork Diaries #8) (2014) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Manansala, Mia P. - Arsenic and Adobo  (Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #1) (2021) - Crime Fiction/Cozy
  • Voruganti, Thanvi - From the Inside: The Inner Soul of a Young Poet (2021) - Poetry
April
  • Russell, Rachel Renée - Tales from a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen (Dork Diaries #9) (2015) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Cleeton, Chanel - The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba (Cuba Saga #4) (2021) - Fiction/Historical
  • Dunbar, Kiley - The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday (2021) - Romance
  • Russell, Rachel Renée - Tales from a Not-So-Perfect Pet Sitter (Dork Diaries #10) (2015) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Neill, Chloe - Shadowed Steel (Heirs of Chicagoland #3) (2021) - Fantasy
  • *Acevedo, Elizabeth - The Poet X (2018) - Fiction/YA/Poetry
  • Russell, Rachel Renée - Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy (Dork Diaries #11) (2016) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Seanan, McGuire - Angel of the Overpass (Ghost Roads #3) (2021) - Fantasy
  • Wilder, Cheryl - Anything That Happens (2021) - Poetry
  • Russell, Rachel Renée - Tales from a Not-So-Secret Crush Catastrophe (Dork Diaries #12) (2017) - Fiction/Middle Grade
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

© 2021, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
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First Sentences of Book Read 2021

Opening sentences are our first step inside a story. Some hook us right away while others ease us in. I started keeping track of first sentences years ago. I enjoy looking back on these opening lines and seeing what memories they stir up. 

Below you will find the first sentences of books I read in 2021.

*

OMG! ~ Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess by Rachel Renée Russell


An old woman sits on the beach, a cushion strapped to her bottom, sorting algae that's washed ashore. ~ The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See


I keep my earbuds shoved into my ears on the minibus from Geneva Airport. ~ One by One by Ruth Ware


I wish for chocolate chip cookies, warm. ~ What Mothers Withhold by Elizabeth Kropf


OMG! ~ Tales From a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All by Rachel Renée Russell


Threads of steam rose from the warm tarmac. ~ Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg


It's a widely known fact that most moms are ready to kill someone by eight thirty A.M. on  any given morning. ~ Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano


Once upon a time my life was normal. ~ Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski


I sat at the table in my cabin, my sister's letter in my hand, and read it for the third time. ~ Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris


The office reeked of nutmeg. ~ A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley


I have a magic mirror in my basement and I'm going to use it. ~ If the Shoe Fits by Sarah Mlynowski


Alexa Monroe walked into the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco that Thursday night wearing her favorite red hells, jittery coffee, and with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne in her purse. ~ The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory


It is the absolute shittiest day for a walk. ~ The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins


Should I pack a bathing suit? ~ Sink or Swim by Sarah Mlynowski


When I was a kid, my aspirations were simple. ~ Becoming by Michelle Obama


OMG! ~ Tales From a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker by Rachel Renée Russell


Today is the Ritual of Purity. ~ Gilded Ones by Namina Forna


I peered through the slats of the blinds covering the glass on my office door and watched the dark, brooding man in the hallway. ~ The Arrangement by M. Ravenel


OMG!! ~ Tales From a Not-So-Glam TV Star by Rachel Renée Russell


The air beneath Evelyn's paper mask is hot and damp, and even though a shaft of sunlight from the open barn door reveals sawdust swirling in the air, she pulls the mask up to her forehead and allows herself a breath of cool air.  ~ The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville 


She would come at daybreak - the woman whose letter I held in my hands, the woman whose name I di not know yet. ~ The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner


Vision failing, she feels the leaves,
looking for butterly weed, a seedling
from her greenhouse for me take
in my efforts to flower a field. ~ Passiflora by Kathy Davis


I'M LATE! ~ Tales From a Not-So-Happily Ever After by Rachel Renée Russell


My name is Lila Macapagal and my life has become a rom-com cliché. ~ Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala


A spring to never forget ~ From the Inside: The Inner Soul of a Young Poet by Thanvi Voruganti


The past twenty-four hours of my life have been so disgustingly NAUSEATING that actually starting to feel like a . . . puddle of . . . um, cat . . . VOMIT!! ~ Tales From a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen by Rachel Renée Russell


I am surrounded by forgotten women. ~ The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton


Borrow-A-Bookshop invites you to live out your dreams of running your very own bookshop in a historic Deveonshire harbour village . . . for a fortnight.  ~ The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday by Kiley Dunbar


Okay, I've tried REALLY hard to be polite about all of this! ~ Tales From a Not-So-Happily Ever After by Rachel Renée Russell


"An ill wind moves through Chicago," Lulu said, sniffing the air. ~ Shadowed Steel by Chloe Neill


The summer is made for stoop-sitting
and since it's the last week before school starts,
Harlem is opening its eyes to September. ~ The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo


Noooooo!! ~ Tales From a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy by Rachel Renée Russell


The majority of urban legends form around a small grain of truth, however misinterpreted or misunderstood. ~ Angels of the Overpass by Seanan McGuire


Until I was twenty, I believed anything
wouldn't happen to me. ~ Anything That Happens by Cheryl Wilder


SQUEEEEEE!! ~ Tales From a Not-So-Secret Crush Catastrophe by Rachel Renée Russell


The first thing the ghost said to Jess was: 
Does your mother know you're a pengkid? ~ Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

We were  going to get caught. ~ A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver


The train that was delivering Junie to Trout River was just pulling out of the station and gathering speed, and already the compartment was filling up with cigarette smoke and the gregarious sound of sunflower seeds being cracked open. ~ Swimming Back to Trout River by Lina Rui Feng


As she woke up in the pod, she remembered three things. ~ The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers


It is not only in our brains that the memories of our lives are laid down. ~ Written in Bone by Sue Black


So much about the world baffled Dr. Trisha Raje, but she was never at a loss for how to do her job.  ~ Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev


I hitched the canvas strap holding the watering canister higher up on my shoulder and stretched to get the nozzle into the hanging plant. ~ The Good, the Bad, and the Undead by Kim Harrison


Correction: I, Kelly Quinn, was cleaning. ~ Just Add Magic by Cindy Callaghan


Do you believe in magic? ~ Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris


At first, when Piper scanned the docks and didn't see the familiar rickety white-pine-and-fir fisherman's trawler, she thought nothing of it. ~ The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley


Nineteen years before she decided to die, Nora Seed sat in the warmth of the small library at Hazeldene School in the town of Bedford.  ~ The Midnight Library by Matt Haig


"He's asking for you, Mrs. H." ~ Murder in the East End by Jennifer Ashley


I took a deep breath to settle myself, jerking the cuff of my gloves up to cover the bare patch of skin at my wrist. ~ Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison


I noticed the first crow when I opened the front door for the cat on the morning of my sixtieth birthday. ~ Becoming Crone by Lydia M. Hawkes


OMG! ~ Tales From a Not-So-Happy Birthday by Rachel Renée Russell


"Please, help me." ~ Death at the Crystal Palace by Jennifer Ashley


"Can you recommend a great book?" ~ I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel


I'd like to think I'm a good person, but I have no way of knowing for sure. ~ The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine


I predicted the future on my third birthday. ~ Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Rosselle Lim


I'm going to have the MOST. EXCITING. SUMMER. EVER!! ~ Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever by Rachel Renée Russell


The solid thud of David's car door shutting echoed off the stone face of the eight-story building we had parked beside. ~ A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison


The sorrowful beasts live in the north-eastern quarter of Yong'an City. ~ Strange Beasts of China by Yan Ge


Dev Deshpande knows the exact moment he started believing in happily ever after. ~ The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun


Maureen Doherty stood at the window of her corner office on the top floor of Boston's William G. Bartlett Building. ~ Be My Ghost by Carol J. Perry


SPLORSH ~ Witch Hat Atelier, Vol 1 by Kamome Shrahama


 There's no way . . . ~ Witch Hat Atelier, Vol 2 by Kamome Shrahama


You tremble for naught. ~ Witch Hat Atelier, Vol 3 by Kamome Shrahama


Hammering my fist against the back of my closet wasn't one of my more pleasant dreams. ~ For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison


"Okay, Violet's Turn!" ~ Witches Get Stitches by Juliette Cross


The enigma arrived in the afternoon post, sealed, smudged, and devastating. ~ The Rose Code by Kate Quinn


Never mix vodka and witchcraft. ~ The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling


Sleeping Beauty is pretty much the worst fairy tale, any way you slice it. ~ A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow


The sky is a stranger color. ~ Cackle by Rachel Harrison 


They bind our feed and ankles, tear off our clothes, and douse us with alcohol. ~ The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke


"I'm going to kill her." ~ In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace


I leaned over the glass counter, squinting at the price of the high-grade redwood rods, safe in their airtight glass coffins like Snow White. ~ The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison


The strange occurrences that threatened to upend my marriage, my adopted city, and the potential happiness of tens of millions of children started on a December morning just nine days before Christmas with a frantic pounding on our bedchamber door. ~ Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland.


"You can't leave me," my best friend whispers into the phone, her voice urgent and filled with abject terror. ~ The Christmas Dress by Courtney Cole


"But it's August!" said Carmen into the phone, putting down her book. ~ The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan


All I have are her bones. ~ The Real Valkyrie by Nancy Marie Brown


I pushed against the tavern's massive oak door, but it would no yield. ~ Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookiee, Laugh Like a Hobbit by Robb Pearlman


Oosh ~ Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 4 by Kamome Shrahama


Most of us Yard men would say that over time we develop an extra sense for danger close at hand. ~ Down a Dark River by Karen Odden


I am born on a Tuesday at University Hospital
Columbus, Ohio,
USA -
a country caught 

between Black and White. ~ Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson


"You want me to do what now?" ~ Walking in a Witchy Wonderland by Juliette Cross


this book smells like me ~ Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson

© 2021, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
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Thursday, December 30, 2021

Year in Review: 2021 & Looking Ahead


One of my favorite ways to kick off the New Year is being able to take part in Sheila's (of Book Journey) First Book of the Year event, in which Sheila collects photos of readers and the first book they plan to start reading in the New Year to put together into a cool collage. The last couple years I have threatened convinced my family into taking part too. I am fairly sure I know which book I will begin the year with this year, but, until then, I reserve the right to change my mind. 

While 2021 did not feel nearly as long as 2020, it did, at times, feel just like an extension of 2020. It was quite the year. As life returned to some semblance of normalcy it was (and is) anything but. At the start of the year, I dove into blogging and reading and was on quite the tear. Until I wasn't. Even so, my reading year did not suffer too much this year even if my blogging did. I must have chosen the books I read wisely because I enjoyed them all. Not one fell below a 3 paw (good) rating. There were a couple of books I nearly gave up on, but my decision to persevere paid off in the end. 

Mouse and I spent a lot of time reading together at the beginning of the year, but she's taken to wanting to read more on her own in recent months. We still have our together reading time now and then--and share recommendations--but I sometimes miss cuddling on the couch and reading with her more often than we do. It comes with growing up. What does make me happy is seeing her go from a reluctant reader to really enjoying to read. 

Looking over my list of the books I read this year, I find I gravitated most often to lighter books, books that would make me smile or feel good. For the most part, I avoided reading books that were too dark or too heavy subject matter-wise. Although, there were exceptions--some among my favorite books of the year.

Some Fun Meaningless 2021 Reading Statistics:

Number Of Books Read: 81

Genres Read The Most:
(Some of what I read falls under more than one genre. Here, I count them under the genre I most identified with the book. Also of note, my categorization of each book by sub-genre using broad definitions).

Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror - 25
  • 13 Fantasy
  • 4 Middle Grade Fantasy
  • 4 Manga/YA Fantasy
  • 2 Horror
  • 1 Science Fiction
  • 1 Fantasy YA
Fiction - 20
  •  12 Middle Grade 
  •  5 Historical 
  •  1 General Fiction
  • 1- Magical Realism
  • 1 Poetry/YA (novel in verse)
Crime Fiction/Mysteries - 15
  • 6 Cozies (4 paranormal, 2 contemporary) 
  • 5 Historical
  • 3 Thriller 
  • 1 Science Fiction
Romance - 10
  • 7 Contemporary
  • 3 Paranormal/Fantasy (2 full length novels, 1 short story collection)
Nonfiction - 7 
  • 3 - Memoirs (2 of which were written in poetry/verse form)
  • 1 - Science/History
  • 1 - Science/True Crime
  • 1 - Hobby
  • 1 - Pop Culture/Humor
Poetry Collections - 4 

Of the books I read, 27 were print copies (hardcover or paperback), and 54 were e-books.

I shared my top fifteen books read in 2021 list earlier in the week, but here is a quick look at my top five 2021 reads:


The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See 
Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson 
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo 
What Mothers Withhold by Elizabeth Kropf 
Becoming by Michelle Obama

How was 2021 for you reading-wise? What were some of your favorite books? 


My Blogging Bookish Life in 2021

I got behind on my review writing this year and will be making up for it into the new year. My blogging also fell by the wayside about half way through the year. It was a combination of things, including a drop in motivation and time. Especially time. My new work schedule has not helped.  

In 2021, I continued to take part in Michelle's My TBR List feature at Because Reading, enlisting your help in choosing one book each month to read. I really enjoyed having you take an active part in selecting what I would read. It can be difficult to choose on my own with so many choices. You wouldn't believe the amount of time I can waste in deciding. Or maybe you can . . . I am grateful to Michelle for coming up with the idea. I plan to continue to participate in the meme in 2022, and hope you will join me! 

Books Read Because Of You (My TBR List Poll Winners of 2021):

• January: Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg
• February: The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
• March: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
• April: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
• May: The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers
• June: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
• July: Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim
• August: Blogging Break
• September: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
• October: Cackle by Rachel Harrison
• November: Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings (Mrs. Claus #1) by Liz Ireland
• December:  Blogging Break

I took part in quite a few challenges in 2021, all of which I completed successfully if one overlooks the fact that I did not get my reviews posted for many of the books I read. If you would like to see which challenges I participated in and what I read for each one, please check out my Reading Challenge Wrap Up post. 

My Goodreads 2021 Reading Challenge goal, which I rarely take seriously, was to read 10 books. I knew I would hit that mark early on, but I enjoyed seeing the percentage rise over 100% with each book I read after that.  I think 810% is a worthy completion rate, don't you?   


How are you feeling about your blogging as the year wraps up? If you took part in any reading challenges, how did you do? 


Looking Ahead to 2022 in Reading

As of this moment, I am not planning to sign up for any reading challenges this coming year. I have some of my own projects I would like to focus on. I told myself I was not going to make a list, but, here I go anyway:

1. Read The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas over the course of the year ~ It sounds like my husband might be joining me for this one!

2. Catch up on my series reading ~ (inspired by Katherine of I Wish I Lived in a Library) This will likely be a long-term project and not just reserved for this year. A side goal is to update my series' lists so I can better track my progress.

3. Read more from my existing TBR ~ and not just those shiny ARCs, which I will continue to read  because I have little will power when it comes to books.

4. Catch up with my review writing and stay on top of it ~ There. It's in writing. 

Thank you to all of you for your visits and comments this past year. It means so much to me. Coming back from my recent blogging break has only been a reminder of how much I enjoy being a part of this community and connecting with all of you--whether through my own blog or yours. I have enjoyed visiting with you and look forward to seeing what this year will bring us, both in books and in life. 

Here comes 2022, ready or not! I hope you all have a great New Year.

© 2021, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
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Sunday, January 03, 2021

2020: Year in Review

At the end of 2019, I was hopeful that the new year would bring more balance and less anxiety. That I would be able to shake the feelings of being overwhelmed and drained all the time. I think we all know how that turned out. Two thousand twenty came in and said, "You thought that was bad? Just wait!" 

It really felt like my reading suffered this past year. But if you look at the total number, I read as many books as I did the year before. The difference though is in what I was reading. My personal mystery count was down this year. Cozies seemed to hold my attention more, and I could not stomach the darker themes of thrillers and police procedurals. As has been true for the past several years, half or so of my reading was dedicated to children's books or middle grade novels, most of which I read with my daughter. Mouse tends to be a reluctant reader, but if I suggest we read together, she's usually all in. I have enjoyed introducing her to my childhood favorites as well as discovering new books with her. I topped the year off with Debbie Tung's Book Love, full of humor and truisms for all us booklovers. It seemed a fitting way to end--celebrating my love for books.
page from Book Love, 2019

I think a lot of my reading this year was for escape, but there was also some time made for learning and self-reflection. Books helped me through this past year, and I look forward to seeing where this new year will take me in reading.

Some Fun Meaningless 2020 Reading Statistics:

Number Of Books Read: 101

Genre Read The Most:
(Some of what I read falls under more than one genre. Here, I count them under the genre I most identified with the book. Also of note, my categorization of each book by sub-genre using broad definitions).

Fiction - 41
  • 17 Children’s
  • 17 Middle Grade Contemporary
  • 3 Adult Contemporary
  • 2 Historical Middle Grade
  • 1 YA
  • 1 Short Story Collection
Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror - 24
  • 7 Fantasy
  • 3 Science Fiction (1 Romance, 1 YA, 1 General)
  • 3 Horror (2 Historical, 1 Contemporary)
  • 3 Middle Grade
  • 2 Historical Fantasy
  • 2 Graphic Novel/Middle Grade
  • 2 Children's Fantasy
  • 1 Fantasy YA
  • 1 Graphic Novel/YA
Crime Fiction/Mysteries - 22
  • 10 Middle Grade (10 Paranormal)
  • 8 Cozies (5 paranormal, 3 contemporary) 
  • 2 Historical
  • 1 Thriller
  • 1 Middle Grade (Contemporary)
Romance - 6
  • 4 Contemporary
  • 2 Paranormal/Fantasy
Nonfiction - 6 (4 Adult, 1 Children's, 1 Graphic Novel)

Poetry - 2 

Of the book I read, 60 were print copies (hardcover or paperback), and 41 were e-books.

14 of the 101 books I read in 2020 were written by men.
85 of the 101 books I read were written by women.
2 of the 101 were written by both male and female writers.

54 of the books I read in 2020 were written in 3rd person point of view.
44 of the books I read were written in 1st person.
3 of the books I read were a mixture of both 1st and 3rd person.

Month I Finished the Most Books: January (13)
Month I Finished the Least Books: July (2)


Best In Books

Of the books I read in 2020 a few stood out above the rest. I tend to be led by emotions when choosing a favorite--how a book makes me feel counts for a lot. I also look for good writing, well-developed characters, a memorable setting and/or world building, and an entertaining and thought provoking story. Here is the list of my Top Ten Favorites for 2020: 

(Click on the titles to be directed to my bookish thoughts; the covers take you to the books' Goodreads pages.)

All Around Top Five: 

1. Wonder (Wonder #1) by R.J. Palacio



2. Dear Martin by Nic Stone



3. Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai 



4.  The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 



5. The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic #0.5) by Alice Hoffman  


*                   *                   *

Favorite Romance: Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis



Favorite Mystery: A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell, #1) by Deanna Raybourn



Favorite Fantasy: Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) by Rachel Caine



 Best World Building: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia



Favorite First in a Series: The Library of the Unwritten (Hell's Library #1) by A.J. Hackwith



I would love to know what your favorite reads of 2020 were! Please share a link to your favorite's list below if you posted one--or just tell me in the comments. Did we read any of the same books? 


My Blogging Bookish Life

I published 109 blog posts in 2020. January was my most prolific month with 14 posts, and July and August tied for my slowest with only 3 posts each.

I really fell behind on my review writing this year. I hardly reviewed any of the middle grade novels I read and most of the reviews of books I posted in general came the second half of the year. Many of which I had read a month or two (or more) before. For quite a while there, just the act of getting on my computer for nonwork related stuff was a challenge. To use a phrase a friend and fellow blogger, Mystica, used, I felt like I was "drifting without any focus." Adjusting to working partially from home and helping with distance learning were among the biggest challenges that received most of what focus I had.

I know weekly/monthly memes get flack from some in the blogging community, but I appreciated them even more so this past year. In a time when many of us have been isolated, they gave me the opportunity to feel more connected with others and not feel so cut off from everyone and everything. 


In 2020, I continued to take part in Michelle's My TBR List Meme at Because Reading, enlisting your help in choosing one book each month to read. I really enjoyed having you take an active part in selecting what I would read. It can be difficult to choose on my own with so many choices. You wouldn't believe the amount of time I can waste in deciding. Or maybe you can . . . I am grateful to Michelle for coming up with the idea. I plan to continue to participate in the meme in 2021, and hope you will join me! 


Books Read Because Of You (My TBR List Poll Winners of 2020):

• January: An Easy Death (Gunnie Rose, #1) by Charlaine Harris
• February: Dear Martin by Nic Stone
• March: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
• April: Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
• May: A Curious Beginning (Veronica Spellwell, #1) by Deanna Raybourn
• June: The Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock #1) by Sherry Thomas
• July: The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, translated by Philip Gabriel
• August: Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) by Rachel Caine
• September: The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic, #0.5) by Alice Hoffman
• October: A Deadly Education (Scholomance, #1) by Naomi Novik
• November: How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse  (Thorne Chronicles #1) by K. Eason
• December:  Royal Holiday (Wedding Date #4) by Jasmine Guillory


Outcome of My 2020 Reading Challenges & Bookish Goals:

1. Catch up with my NetGalley/Edelweiss reading ~ A continuing work in progress.

2. Read more poetry ~ And feature it on my blog. My dream was to do a monthly poetry feature, or more realistically once a quarter. I even joined the Poetry Reading Challenge hosted by Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit as inspiration. While I did not quite meet my personal goal, I did meet my goal for the challenge: to read one poetry collection during the year. I actually read two: Dog Songs by Mary Oliver and Girls Like Us by Elizabeth Hazen.

3. Keep a reading journal ~ My plan was to get back into keeping an actual reading journal beyond just the spreadsheets I keep with bookish minutia, a place where I jot down my thoughts on a book as I read or, at the very least, right after I finish a book, especially since I do not always get to review writing right away. Alas, it did not happen. Maybe in 2021? 

4. Read more nonfiction ~ I signed up for the 2020 Nonfiction Reader Challenge hosted by Shelleyrae of Book'd Out with the goal to read at least three nonfiction books during the year, and I read six. I'm not sure any of them count though because I only reviewed one and another was a children's book and another a graphic novel. So while I may not have officially completed the challenge, I at least met my personal goal. 
  • Well-Read Black Girl by Gloria Edim (ed.)
  • Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad
  • White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
  • How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
  • I Am Rosa Parks by Brad Meltzer & Christopher Eliopoulos 
  • Book Love by Debbie Tung
5. Goodreads Challenge ~ To read 13 books. I admit I do not always take this one very seriously. I try not to put too much weight on quantity. If I set myself a high goal, I would likely stress myself out trying to reach it. So, I generally set the number to something I know I can meet or aim ridiculously low.  I usually will not adjust the number even when I meet it because I kind of like to see the percentage go over 100%. I reached 421% in 2020!

To see which reading challenges I am taking part in this year, visit here. I also made sure to set my Goodreads Challenge goal as well, of course. 


It has been a difficult and frustrating year. I think most of us are glad to see its backside at last. Many of us have suffered loss and major lifestyle changes. I also realize how lucky I am compared to many others. I have a lot to be grateful for. I have no grand expectation for 2021. I do not expect it to be better or all that different than life is right now--at least not the first part of the year. I certainly do not want it to be worse. But what I do hope is for health and safety. For stability and to find joy wherever I can. To appreciate that which is in front of me. I wish this for all of us as we cautiously step foot into this New Year. 

Thank you to all of you for your visits and comments this past year. It means so much to me. As my blog turns 15 this coming summer, I cannot be more proud to be a part of this wonderful community of book bloggers. I have enjoyed visiting with you and look forward to seeing what this year will bring us, both in books and in life.


How did your past year shape up? Did you accomplish your reading and blogging goals? Have you set any for the new year? 

© 2021, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
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Thursday, December 31, 2020

Books Read in 2020

Books Read In 2020

January
  • Miller, Madeline - The Song of Achilles (2011) - Fantasy
  • Cogman, Genevieve - The Secret Chapter (Invisible Library, #6) (2020) - Fantasy
  • Bemelmans Ludwig - Madeline's Christmas (1956) - Fiction/Children's
  • Plourde, Lynn & illustrated by Russ Cox - Merry Moosey Christmas (2014) - Fantasy/Children's 32pgs
  • Parish, Herman & illustrated by Lynne Avril - Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine (Young Amelia Bedelia)
  • Harris, Charlaine - An Easy Death (Gunnie Rose, #1) (2018) - Fantasy
  • Cummins, Fiona - The Family Next Door (2020) - Crime Fiction/Thriller
  • Harris, Charlaine - A Longer Fall (Gunnie Rose, #2) (2020) - Fantasy
  • Cannon, Janell - Stellaluna (1993) - Fiction/Children's
  • Stead, Philip C. & Erin E. Stead - A Sick Day for Amos McGee (2010) - Fiction/Children's
  • Barry, Robert - Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (1963) - Fiction/Children's Rey, Margret & H.A. Rey - Curious George and the Puppies (1998)- Fiction/Children's Diesen, Deborah & Dan Hanna - The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School (2008) - Fiction/Children's
  • Diesen, Deborah & Dan Hanna - The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) - Fiction/Children's
  • Meltzer, Brad & Christopher Eliopoulos - I Am Rosa Parks (2014) - Nonfiction/Children's
  • Blume, Judy - Superfudge (1980) - Fiction/Middle Grade

February
  • Dunstall, S.K. - Stars Beyond (Stars Uncharted, #2) (2020) - Science Fiction
  • Chow, Jennifer J. - Mimi Lee Gets a Clue (A Sassy Cat Mystery #1) (2020) - Crime Fiction/Cozy
  • Barrows, Annie & Sophie Blackall - Ivy + Bean: Doomed to Dance (#6) (2009) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Stone, Nic - Dear Martin (2017) - Fiction/YA
  • Barrows, Annie & Sophie Blackall - Ivy + Bean: What's the Big Idea? (#7) (2010) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Siegal, Ida - Big News! (Emma is on the Air #1) (2015) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Parish, Herman & Lynne Avril - Amelia Bedelia Means Business (#1) (2013) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Docherty, Helen & Thomas Docherty - The Snatchabook (2013) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Bright, Rachel & Jim Field - The Lion Inside (2015) - Fiction/Children's
  • Katsu, Alma - The Deep (2020) - Fiction/Historical/Horror

March
  • Edim, Gloria (ed.) - Well-Read Black Girl (2018) - Nonfiction/Essays
  • Novak, B.J. - The Book With No Pictures (2014) - Fiction/Children's
  • Burgess, Carla - The Five Year Plan (2020) - Romance
  • Mullock, Emily - Go Away, Unicorn! (2010) - Fantasy/Children's
  • Barrows, Annie & Sophie Blackall - Ivy + Bean: No News Is Good News (#8) (2012) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Serle, Rebecca - In Five Years (2020) - Fiction
  • Madonna & Loren Long - Mr. Peabody's Apples (2003) - Fiction/Children's
  • Barrows, Annie & Sophie Blackall - Ivy + Bean Make the Rules (#9) (2012) - Fiction/Middle Grade

April

May
  • Barrows, Annie & Sophie Blackall - Ivy + Bean Take the Case (#10) (2013) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Barrows, Annie & Sophie Blackall - Ivy + Bean: One Big Happy Family (#11) (2018) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Addison, Esme - A Spell for Trouble (Enchanted Bay, #1) (2020) - Crime Fiction/Cozy/Paranormal
  • Green, Jacqueline Dembar - The Sound of Applause (American Girl: Rebecca #1-2) (2014) - Fiction/Historical/Middle Grade
  • Raybourn, Deanna  - A Curious Beginning (Veronica Spellwell, #1) (2015) - Crime Fiction/Historical
  • Clifford, Eth - Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library (Jo-Beth and Mary Rose Mysteries #1) (1979) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Hendrix, Grady - The Southern Book Club's Guide to the Vampire Slayer (2020) - Horror
  • Conte, Cate - Witch Hunt (2020) - Crime Fiction/Cozy/Paranormal

June
  • Celano, Marianne, Marietta Collins, Ann Hazzard, and Jennifer Zivoin - Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story about Racial Injustice (2018) - Fiction/Children's 
  • Miller, Sharee - Don't Touch My Hair! (2018) -Fiction/Children's
  • Moreno-Garcia, Silvia - Mexican Gothic (2020) - Fiction/Horror
  • Saad, Layla F. - Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor (2020) - Nonfiction/Self-Help
  • Louis, Lia - Dear Emmie Blue (2020) - Romance
  • Thomas, Sherry - The Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock #1) (2016) - Crime Fiction/Historical
  • DiAngelo, Robin - White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism (2018) - Nonfiction

July

August
  • Cross, Juliette - Wolf Gone Wild (Stay a Spell, #1) (2020) - Romance/Fantasy
  • Kendi, Ibram X.  - How to Be an Antiracist (2019) - Nonfiction
  • Caine, Rachel - Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) (2015) - Fantasy
  • Hackwith, A.J. - The Library of the Unwritten (Hell's Library, #1) (2019) - Fantasy
  • Brook, Allison - Checked Out for Murder (Haunted Library, #4) (2020) - Crime Fiction/Cozy/Paranormal

September
  • Keene, Carolyn & Peter Francis - Big Top Flop (Nancy Drew Clue Book, #4) (2016) - Crime Fiction/Children's
  • Hansen, Lina - In My Attic (Magic Misfits, #1) (2020) - Crime Fiction/Cozy/Paranormal
  • Cross, Juliette - Don't Hex and Drive (Stay a Spell, #2) (2020) - Romance/Fantasy
  • Butler, Dori Hillestad & Aurore Damant - The Haunted Library (#1) (2014) - Fantasy/Crime Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Mlynowski, Sarah - Spill the Beans (Whatever After, #13) (2019) - Fantasy/Middle Grade
  • Butler, Dori Hillestad & Aurore Damant - The Ghost in  the Attic (The Haunted Library #2) (2014) - Fantasy/Crime Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Butler, Dori Hillestad & Aurore Damant - The Ghost Backstage (The Haunted Library #3) (2014) - Fantasy/Crime Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Butler, Dori Hillestad & Aurore Damant - The Five O'Clock Ghost (The Haunted Library #4) (2015) - Fantasy/Crime Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Butler, Dori Hillestad & Aurore Damant - The Secret Room (The Haunted Library #5) (2015)- Fantasy/Crime Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Hoffman, Alice - The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic, #0.5) (2017) - Fantasy
  • Butler, Dori Hillestad & Aurore Damant - The Ghost at the Fire Station (The Haunted Library #6) (2015) - Fantasy/Crime Fiction/Middle Grade

October
  • Butler, Dori Hillestad & Aurore Damant - The Ghost in the Tree House (The Haunted Library #7) (2015) - Fantasy/Crime Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Gutman, Dan & Jim Paillot (il) - Dr. Snow Has Got to Go! (My Weirder-est School #1) (2019) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Brecher, Christin - 15 Minutes of Flame (Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery, #3) (2020) - Crime Fiction/Cozy
  • Chapman, Linda - Team Magic (Unicorn School, #6) (2008) - Fantasy/Middle Grade
  • Butler, Dori Hillestad & Aurore Damant - The Hide-and-Seek Ghost (The Haunted Library #8) (2016) - Fantasy/Crime Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Butler, Dori Hillestad & Aurore Damant - The Ghosts at the Movie Theater (The Haunted Library #9) (2017) - Fantasy/Crime Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Novik, Naomi - A Deadly Education (Scholomance, #1) (2020) - Fantasy
  • Butler, Dori Hillestad & Aurore Damant - The Underground Ghosts (The Haunted Library #10) (2017) - Fantasy/Crime Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Wilton, Traci - Mrs. Morris and the Ghost (Salem B& B Breakfast #1) (2019) - Crime Fiction/Cozy/Paranormal
  • Applegate, Katherine & Patricia Castelao (il) - The One and Only Ivan (#1) (2012) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Lauren, Christina - In a Holidaze (2020) - Romance/Holiday
  • Brosgol, Vera -  Anya's Ghost (2011) - Horror/Graphic Novel/YA

November
  • Cleary, Beverly - Ramona and Her Mother (#5) (1979) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Chastain, Rebecca - Leads & Lynxes (Terra Haven Chronicles, #1) (2020) - Fantasy
  • Paterson, Katherine - Bridge to Terabithia (1977) - Fiction/Middle Grade

December
  • Russell, Rachel Renée - Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life (Dork Diaries #1) (2009) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Eason, K. - How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse  (Thorne Chronicles #1) (2019) - Science Fiction/YA
  • Craig, Erin et al - Together, Apart (2020) - Fiction/YA/Short Stories
  • Russell, Rachel Renée - Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl (Dork Diaries #2) (2010) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Guillory, Jasmine - Royal Holiday (Wedding Date #4) (2019) - Romance/Holiday
  • Palacio, R.J. - Wonder (#1) (2012) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • *St. James, Dorothy - The Broken Spine (Beloved Bookroom #1) (2021) - Crime Fiction/Cozy [review pending]
  • Russell, Rachel Renée - Tales from a Not-So-Talented Popstar (Dork Diaries #3) (2011) - Fiction/Middle Grade
  • Steinkellner, Emma - The Okay Witch (2019) - Fantasy/Graphic Novel/Middle Grade [review pending]
  • Alvarez, Lorena - Nightlights (#1) (2017) - Fantasy/Graphic Novel/Middle Grade [review pending]
  • Tung, Debbie - Book Love (2019) - Nonfiction/Humor/Graphic Novel [review pending]

© 2020, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
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