2021 Books in Review

Hello! I haven’t been very good with keeping up with blogging lately or my reading goals it seems. My reading plans died a slow, miserable death. Who cares? 2021 was another crazy year, crazier than 2020 for me anyway, so I’m just happy that I got to read some good books along the way. Here’s a brief overview from some of goals and highlights for this year.

 

Goal: 1 Book 700+ pages

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson—AaaaAAAaaaaHHHH!!! The plot twists. I did NOT see them coming! I also scrambled to finish this book in two weeks because somebody had a hold on it, but as I was approaching the end, the hold vanished. I may have finished all 1,200 pages in 2 weeks. A new record for me. 

My eyes are bleeding (but not really). Please excuse me while I dig out my reading glasses from the abyss… 10/10 would recommend!

 

Goal: 2 Poetry Collections

When the Stars Wrote Back by Trista Mateer—A delightful read full of art and poetry.

I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats by Francesco Marciuliano—The book itself was humorous, though not particularly memorable. The funniest bit though, was when I was going to show the book to my sister, and her cat peed on her beanbag chair. I’m not laughing. I don’t know what you’re talking about.

 

Goal: 3 Novels by Indie Authors I Haven’t Read

Ahab by E.B. Dawson—After reaching the end of the book, I realized I actually had read a book by Dawson before, so this one might not count? Eh, who cares. I want to talk about it. An interesting retelling with a great twist. Moby-Dick, but in space. Space whales. I actually loved the way Dawson handled with the story. It had more touches of classical literature than I would have expected for a sci-fi novel.

Child of the Kaites by Beth Wangler—Soooo, I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I thought I would. If it were pitched as a biblical-inspired book I might have enjoyed it more than a biblical retelling. As a retelling, it fell flat for me, especially since it focused less on the power of Aia (God) and more on the Aivenah (the devil).

 

Goal: 3 Classics by Non-American Authors

Um… I started reading Dante’s Inferno at one point…

Goal: 5 Books from the Depths of my TBR

Dune by Frank Herbert—A sci-fi classic. This one has been on my list for a while now, and I once stopped reading it a couple years ago. Since a new film adaptation was coming out, I thought I’d give it another try. Dense yet fascinating, though I didn’t care for the way it ended. I did highly enjoy the latest movie adaptation though, even if it did only cover half the book.

Where are the other four books? *shrugs*

 

Goal: 5 Award Winners

New Kid by Jerry Craft—Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award. A delightful graphic novel that showed a different perspective of what it means to be a new kid at school. When I was younger, with my family moving around all the time, I was also the new kid more often than not.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds— Newbery Medal, Printz Award, and the Coretta Scott King Award. Heartbreaking book. I liked the style even if it was a little unconventional, but I wish the ending had a little more clarity even if I understand why it was vague.

Crossover by Kwame Alexander— Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award. I really enjoyed the style of this one, but the ending through me off guard. Still a great read.

The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi—Michael L. Printz Award nominee. Such a delightful book, I went out and bought a copy as soon as I finished it. Translated from Japanese, The Beast Player explores a world with of Toda (dragons!), Royal Beasts (Pterolycus, a winged wolf), and the life of young Elin. It starts off seemingly simple and gradually grows more and more complex. I’m eager to read the sequel.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys—SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Fiction and more. This one broke my heart, but it was so informative. I didn’t enjoy this story as much as Sepetys’ Salt to the Sea, but I believe it’s equally important.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker--National Book Award Nominee for Young People's Literature. Such a sweet little book but still hard hitting. It looks innocent. It’s not. This is an animal book about the cruelties of the wild and humankind but the beauty that can still be found in both.

 

Goal: 1 Nonfiction Book about a Topic that Interests Me

I started reading Teach Like a Champion and The Emotional Craft of Fiction. Does those count?

 

Total books: 11 out 20

Ouch! Maybe I need to make my goals for 2022 more realistic… But hey! My Year in Books according to Goodreads looks pretty cool. Look at all the pretty covers!

 

Bonus: Novels in Verse

After attending WriteOnCon in Februrary, I resolved to read 3-5 novels in verse a week for poetry month in April!

Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath—A heartbreaking account of the Armenian genocide. Part magical realism, part historical fiction,

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo—Now I’m angry. I definitely enjoyed this book more than her first one, The Poet X. But a lot of the characters in this story just made me incredibly angry. I suppose that’s part of the point, but still. I liked the dual perspective, although once the character’s names disappeared from the top of the chapters, I had no idea who was who.

Planet Middle School by Niki Grimes—Honestly wish this one were longer and more fleshed out.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds—see Award Winners above.

Other Notable Books (guess my go-to author)

The Singing (The Books of Pellinor, book 4) by Alison Croggon

The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Break the Fall by Jennifer Iacopelli

Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, book 5) by Martha Wells

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (see book review)

Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Promise by Gene Luen Yang

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

Descender (vols. 1-6) by Jeff Lemire

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko (see book review)

A Thousand Perfect Notes by C. G. Drews (see book review)

Small Favors by Erin A. Craig

Arcanum Unbounded by Brandon Sanderson

Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki by Mamoru Hosoda

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Let’s chat! What were some of your favorite books from this year? Have you read any of the ones I did? Did you meet your reading goals?

 

Similar posts: 7 Books I Bought Despite the Cover, 8 Books I Bought Because of the Cover, and 2021 Reading Resolutions

7 Books I Bought Despite the Cover

Last month I wrote about books I bought because their cover caught my eye. This month, it’s time for the opposite. Brace yourself! Here are 7 books I gave a chance despite the injustice done to their covers.

1)   Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbot

Can this poor book not get a decent cover design? The library copy I read was so colorful, and I bought this particular copy online. What’s with the format of this particular copy being so flat? Wait… hold on. I get it. Ha!

A fascinating story based in mathematics and religion. Though it’s not exactly a compelling story, it’s a fascinating discussion on multiple dimensions and the doubt often accompanied by new discoveries because they don’t follow the way things have always been done. Now that I teach math, I have an even greater appreciation for this book.

2)   The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

Another book that can’t get a decent cover. I mean, the 50^th anniversary edition is decent but nothing to write home about. The copy I borrowed in college had me cringing, and my current edition is just… why? Who thought this was a good idea?

If the book hadn’t been assigned reading in one of my classes, I definitely wouldn’t have picked it up. Now I recommend it all the time. Maybe this book can get a break because it’s so popular?

3)   Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins

This one was actually a gift from a friend, and if it wasn’t, I probably never would have picked it up. But I’m so glad I did! I love this story. It’s a powerful one about empowerment, found families, and the fight against human trafficking.

But the cover hurts my eyes. I also remember when I was reading it, my dad got a glimpse of the book and asked if it was about communism. Which it’s not, but I can see where he got that idea from. Maybe I’m missing some cultural significance in the cover design and its color scheme?

4)   Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

This cover never intrigued me, but I ended up buying it without reading it first because it’s by Brandon Sanderson! There are very few authors I’ll do that with.

When I was reading the book, I would glance back at the cover to get a better feel for the setting. But for whatever reason, this cover isn’t very memorable to me. The characters are though. I wish I could meet Raoden and Sarene!

5)   Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

This book actually has some pretty covers. Do you think the bookstore would have one? Haha! Nope. You get a bicycle. Anybody who hasn’t read this book want to tell me it’s about? I’ve read it, so I’ll go first. Spies. Intrigue. Female pilots who make me want to get my pilot’s license because the book was written by a female pilot! And we get a bicycle. *sigh* Forget the cover. Check out the first lines.

“I AM A COWARD.

“I wanted to be heroic and I pretended I was. I have always been good at pretending.”

6)   H. G. Wells: Collector’s Book of Science Fiction

Yeah, this cover is just awful. But the book was cheap, and it has a lot of classic science fiction stories, so I couldn’t pass it up.

I used to love looking at the pictures for War of the Worlds when I was a kid. I didn’t bother reading the story back then, but the idea fascinated me. Now, I’ve read the book a couple times, and it’s still the only one in the collection I’ve read, but I’ll get around to the others… someday…

7)   The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This one is another book that actually has a decent cover, but I didn’t get one of those copies because I wanted to support an indie bookstore. #shoplocal Unfortunately, my current city of residence doesn’t have many indie bookstores, so I tend to buy from Barnes & Noble. It’s not ideal, but at least it beats buying from Amazon.

 

There you have it! Seven good reminders not to always judge a book by its cover.

 

Let’s chat! Have you read any of these? What are some books you own that aren’t the prettiest but you enjoy anyway?

 

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Similar posts: 8 Books I Bought Because of the Cover; Don’t Judge a Book By Its Author, Or Should You?; and Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

8 Books I Bought Because of the Cover

I’m not one for impulse buys. I don’t just find a pretty book off the bookstore shelf, snatch it up, and bring it home. Experience has taught me that doesn’t usually end well.

But there have been times when I’ve been browsing the bookstore, the library, or my Goodreads feed, found a pretty cover, and read the blurb as a result. Then, I’ll check it out at the library. Sometimes the library doesn’t have it. Indie books, for example, are hard to come by. But for most books, two out of three times, the library has it. Then, if I really enjoy the story, I’ll buy the book.

Here are just a few pretty books that made their way to my shelves because the cover caught my eye. Books are organized by the authors’ last names.

1)     Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

You know how there isn’t a starfish on the cover except for the word itself? Yeah, that intrigued me, and I wanted to figure out why. Not to mention that font, the purple, galaxy-like backdrop, and the sketch of a jellyfish!

I ended up reading the book at my library, then bought the book a couple years later when I had access to an English bookstore again. I don’t remember the plot very well anymore, so it’s probably time for a reread.

2)     Fawkes by Nadine Brandes

“Take a breath, Thomas. There has always been fear. There will always be fear. It’s up to us to stand tall, even when the fear demands we bow to it.”

I’d seen Brandes’ books on Goodreads before but was never interested in them until Fawkes came out. I particularly enjoy stories that feature masks that hide identities (not necessarily ones that cover one’s mouth), even though masquerade balls are always a bad idea for characters. It’s like they’re asking for trouble! Even though there are no masquerades in this story, the plot is even better than the cover.

I listened to the audiobook from my library first, and then a dear friend bought me the book (thanks again, Faith!). But it totally counts for this list.

3)     A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole

Look at that pretty little plant on the cover! It’s a sci-fi book, so it left me wondering if it was a flower or just some sort of spore. That and the backdrop is black, so it really stands out.

I read the book at my library first, and while the story wasn’t so much about plants as it was about nature and animals, it was really fascinating. So much so, I ordered the book online rather than wait to find an English bookstore.

4)     The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

“I hope you will find the cracks in the world and wedge them wider, so the light of other suns shines through; I hope you will keep the world unruly, messy, full of strange magics; I hope you will run through every open Door and tell stories when you return.”

Look at all those different fonts! Is the cover busy? Yes. Is it pretty? You bet. Did I enjoy the book even more? Absolutely! The cover actually reflects how there’s a lot going on in the book and all the different worlds featured within, and I enjoyed every page.

I read this one at my local library than bought it at the bookstore within the next week.

5)     All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

I bought this one on a whim when I was visiting London with a friend. It had been on my list for a bit, and the cover looked intriguing. You know, light, fluffy. Yeah, no, the book isn’t fluffy at all. It ripped my heart out. Thanks a lot. It’s one of those sad contemporary ones, but it’s still so, so good.

When the Netflix adaptation came out, I forced my family to watch it with me. They cried.

6)     The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X. R. Pan

“Once upon a time we were the standard colors of a rainbow, cheery and certain of ourselves. At some point, we all began to stumble into the in-betweens, the murky colors made dark and complicated by resentment and quiet anger.  At some point, my mother slid so off track she sank into hues of gray, a world drawn only in shadows.”

The colors on the cover are both striking and beautiful, quite like the story itself. I also like the way the text bends with the shape of the bird. That and the story itself is enchanting yet heartbreaking. I read it at the library, then bought the book. Now it’s probably time for a reread.

7)     Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

“I’m not a kid. I'M A SHARK!”

I first saw this one at my library and picked it up on a whim. The story is just as fun as the art. It follows some of my favorite tropes and one of my favorite themes, “What makes a monster or a villain?”

Of course, I bought the book as soon as I could, and now it’s one of my go-to books when I want something particularly fun.

8)     The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi

“A good teacher is not one who never doubts, but rather one who strives to keep on learning despite the doubts in her mind.”

Look at that cover! Isn’t it pretty?! The font is classical fantasy, the colors are pleasing, and I particularly like the way the Royal Beast portrayed on the cover includes natural elements, adding to their mysterious nature. And let’s not forget Elin standing there with her harp.

To be more accurate, I spotted its sequel The Beast Warrior first. The booksellers had the cover turned to face browsers like myself, and long story short, the method worked. I’m waiting until The Beast Warrior comes out in paperback before I get my copy. It should be out by now! *stares longingly at bookshelf*

 

There you have it! Just a few books I’d recommend having read them and admired their covers.

 

Let’s chat! What are some books with pretty covers that you enjoy? Do you impulse buy books? Why/why not?

 

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Similar posts: 7 More of my Go-To Authors; Don’t Judge a Book by Its Author, or Should You?; and 5 Books with Surprising Plot Twists

Book Review: Raybearer

“‘Uniformity is not unity. Silence is not peace.’”

 
Wow, just smack society in the face, why don’t you? Too often we see globalism’s attempt to erase culture in the name of peace. I think we need to read that again: “‘Uniformity is not unity. Silence is not peace.’”

 

Book: Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Genre: Young adult fantasy
My rating: 4/5 stars
Mini description: courage in the face of confusion
 
For someone who has often struggled to get into young adult fantasy, I really enjoyed this one! The main reason I struggle with YA fantasy is because it’s often lackluster in comparison to the epic worlds and characters you see in adult fantasy. Not so with this book.

I also finished the story in about a week, which is refreshing since I didn’t had a lot of time to read at the time I was reading the book, but I didn’t want to put this one down!
Though there were a couple of times where I had a hard time connecting with Tarisai, the main character, the writing style was really good. The details were spectacular without being overwhelming, as is common with adult fantasy.

The writing style takes an untraditional approach, though the trend is becoming more common, and covers several different years of Tarisai’s life. It really showed how she grew over time, going from being naïve and wanting to please those around her to being well researched and determined to stand up for what she believes is right, even when it's not always clear.

Also, can we talk about the emphasis on culture and the dangers of continent-wide conformity? Throughout the story, readers get a taste of the disunity in an empire, but the emperor and his council keep trying to fix it in all the wrong ways, which is frustrating but typical of governments.

I enjoyed the book so much, I went out and bought a copy of my own. Now I have a wait a whole year before the sequel’s paperback edition comes out… But that doesn’t stop me from borrowing the sequel from the library!

In all, I gave Raybearer 4/5 stars for excellent themes and character development albeit some reader disconnect. I would recommend the story to anybody interested in YA fantasy. I was still in the beginning of the story when I noticed that there's going to be a sequel, and I got really excited. Even once I reached the end, I have similar sentiments.
 
Interested in the book? Have you read it yet? You might also enjoy these fantasy novels: Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger, Fawkes by Nadine Brandes, The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrowand, and The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi.
 
Let’s chat! Have you read Raybearer yet, or has it made it to your TBR? What are some of your favorite YA fantasies?
 
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Similar book reviews: Elatsoe, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and Fawkes

7 More of my Go-To Authors

Do you ever have a certain mood you want to read a book in, so you pick a particular author? I know I do. For example, if I want to read a story with a curios twist on a common trope, I’ll pick Neil Gaiman. Or maybe I’m looking for compelling characters and unpredictable plot twists: Brandon Sanderson. This method has also led me to know which authors I avoid, but today I’d like to focus on the ones whose works I enjoy.

Authors are organized by last name.

 

1. Megan Bannen

Does it count if you’ve only read one of their books but you liked it so much you can’t wait to read the next one even though it’s not a sequel? Eh, who cares. It’s my blog post. I particularly enjoyed her debut, The Bird and the Blade, so much so, that I eagerly awaited her latest book Soulswift. My library finally bought a copy, and I’m currently reading it!

2.   Susanna Clarke

She only has three books out. Who am I kidding? Only three books?! That’s so cool!!! I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve read so far. I read her beast-of-a-book Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell back when I was living in England, and I particularly liked the way Clarke connected the fantasy elements with the British culture.

The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories was also quite entertaining, especially the one that took place in the world of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust. Crossovers, anybody? Yes, please! I haven’t seen many crossovers outside of graphic novels, so this was a pleasant surprise.

I look forward to reading her latest book, Piranse.

3.   C. G. Drews

I first started following Drews on her blog where she writes as Paper Fury. One of the ways I like to determine if a book is worth reading is by reading her reviews. They’re great.

So are her books, of course! A Thousand Perfect Notes stole my heart with its characters, and her second book The Boy Who Steals Houses was even better. Though they took a while to release in the US (they’re finally here!), I liked to buy them online at Book Depository.

When will the publishing industry give us another one of her books? I know she’s written some! I know you can’t rush publishing, but I can dream.

4.   Neil Gaiman

I know, I know. I’ve only read three of his books. How could I possibly say he’s one of my go-to authors? I highly recommend his speech “Make Good Art.”

Though I wasn’t a particular fan of The Ocean at the End of the Lane, I found Norse Mythology to be quite fascinating. Of course, I’m slightly obsessed with Stardust, especially when it’s the audiobook read by the author.

5.   Hannah Heath

It’s not a proper list if I don’t list an indie author. Heath is one of my go-to indie authors because she always includes some sort of disability representation in her stories. That and she writes fantasy and sci-fi, so of course that’s a plus! Her story “Vengence Hunter” made me hate vampire stories less because she puts an interesting twist on the trope. Her story “So I Accidentally Killed the Chosen One” on Wattpad is quite comical. So far, I think “This Pain Inside” from the anthology Strange Waters, is one of my favorites. I look forward to her next piece.

6.   Jack London

As a kid, I used to pick up a lot of animal stories, and I used to listen to the audiobook of White Fang a lot. When I reread the book as an adult, I remembered why I enjoyed the story so much. Of course, his others books and stories can be good too, though I’ve never particularly cared for Call of the Wild. It has been a while since I’ve read it, though.

I particularly like how his stories include the beauties and wonder of nature and humankind contrasted with its deadly nature. No romanticism here.

7.   J. R. R. Tolkien

When I was a kid, my dad once read The Hobbit to my brother and me. Of course, I loved it! I can’t say I’ve read everything by Tolkien, but I grew up enjoying Lord of the Rings movie marathons, and I later dove into the books.

The last time I attempted to read The Silmarillion was when I was studying English lit. So yeah, it’s been a while. I’ll have to give the book another try at some point.

 

Let’s chat! Who are some of your go-to authors? Have you read any books by the ones I’ve mentioned?

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Similar posts: Don’t Judge a Book by its Author, or Should You?; 7 of my Go-To Authors; and Let’s Agree to Disagree: Reader vs. Author Opinion

Recommended Reading: Novels in Verse

As some of you may know, I recently attended WriteOnCon, an online writing conference, where I attended a wonderful session by Megan E. Freeman on writing novels in verse. For a while now, I’ve been in love with the style, as is evident from my previous post, 7 Reasons I Enjoy Novels in Verse, and I would like to some day write one of my own.

For now, though, I thought I’d share some of the ones I enjoyed in hopes of convincing more readers to fangirl/fanboy along with me. My recommendations are by no means extensive, and some readers may argue that some novels might have been better in prose rather than verse, but I enjoyed them for their form.

The following books are organized by authors’ last names.

1.   Audacity by Melanie Crowder (young adult; see book review)

“You will lose,
I say
if you try to strike
on your own without us.
[...] It is only by standing together
—men and women—
that we can ever hope
to outlast them.”

Personally, I find it easier to learn about historical events when I can connect with the people and their stories. This book focuses on the story of Clara Lemlich, who fought for women’s rights in the workplace. I may be making the book sound dull, but the story is far from it.

2.   Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu (middle grade)

A story about American citizens set in a foreign country? Yes, please! Though I’m not Japanese and haven’t been to Asia just yet, I could still relate to the characters, especially when it comes to the difficulty of time zones. Not to mention the story is also historical fiction set during 2001—wait, did I just call something that happened in my lifetime “historical?” Please excuse me while I have an existential crisis.

3.   Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton (MG; see book review)

“On this clear and moonless night,
Mama and I wrap up in our winter clothes
and go outside to watch and listen.
The trees beyond our backyard form a torn-paper line
between the snow and this sky
filled with stars.”

Of all the novels in verse I’ve read, this one is one of the most memorable. A delightful story about Mimi, a young girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut and moves with her family to a new town. Not to mention the gorgeous imagery, which is one of the many reasons I love poetry.

 

4.   Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai (MG)

“Would be simpler
if English
and life
were logical.”

When I see people recommend novels in verse, I tend to see this one recommended all the time. Not to mention, it’s a Newbery Honor Winner, so of course it gets a lot of attention. But it’s sooo good, so I won’t complain. The story focuses on Há, a young immigrant who moves to America from Vietnam with her family, and how she struggles to learn how to adjust to a new country and the complexities of the English language.

 

5.   Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough (YA)

This book was probably the most intense, so much so that I almost didn’t finish it, but it was ultimately worth the read, at least for me. The story focuses on a poetic interpretation of the life of Artemisia Gentileschi, a historic Italian painter, whose work often emphasizes empowering women. I learned a lot about history, injustice, and overcoming.

 

6.   Saving Red by Sonya Sones (YA)

This book was the first novel in verse I ever read, and it got me hooked on the style. After all, what’s not to like about the way stories combine with imagery? You can’t have purple prose if it’s not in prose. When I first started reading novels in verse, I found I also liked the style because the chapters were so short, and before I knew it, I’d finished more than I might have if the chapters had been long.

 

This April, I plan on reading a novel in verse a day (during weekdays only because let’s face it, work is hard). I gave up social media for lent, but after Easter, you can follow me on Instagram to see exactly what I’m reading.

Here are just some of the novels in verse on my To-Be-Read list:

• Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
• The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
• Bull by David Elliot
• Alone by Megan E. Freeman (top of the list!)
• Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes
• Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
• Butterfly Yellow by Thanhhá Lai

 

Let’s chat! Have you read any of the books I’ve mentioned? When’s the last time you read a novel in verse? Have any favorites?

 

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Similar posts: Self-Publishing Poetry: A Glimpse into the Making of Dandelion Symphony, 7 Things I Learned from Writing Poetry, and 7 Reasons I Enjoy Novels in Verse