Ten New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2021

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

This week's topic is those authors we read for the first time in 2021, whether or not they published for the first time in 2021. Here are ten of mine!

1. Becky Chambers
This was the year I finally read the Wayfarers series and fell in love with Chambers' writing. I'm so happy that she's started a new series that will have its second book out this year!

2. Asia Citro
Citro's Zoey and Sassafras series was the one that I heard recommended from every corner when I was looking for a new chapter book series with my older kid. Sadly we are down to the ninth and last book that's been published so far, but I'm so glad we had the chance to read these wonderful books!

3. Jacqueline Jules
Jules' Zapato Power series, in contrast, was the first series that we read all the way through, and the combination of adventure, mystery, and diverse representation informed what I've been looking for ever since!

4. Ibram X. Kendi
It was beyond time for me to pick up How to Be an Antiracist, and I immediately saw why the book is a standout even among the many great antiracism books out there. It was the first of Kendi's books I had read, but it won't be the last.

5. Robert Kolker
Hidden Valley Road was recommended as a comp for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and it successfully delivered the same blend of biography and science reporting that I found so compelling. When Who Is the Bad Art Friend? blew up the Internet a while ago, I wasn't surprised when I got to the end and found it was another stellar piece of reporting from Kolker.

6. Seanan McGuire
I picked up Every Heart a Doorway after hearing it recommended repeatedly on Get Booked, and I thought McGuire's entire approach to the story was clever and multi-layered. Although I opted not to continue with the series, I was glad to have experienced McGuire's excellent writing for the first time last year.

7. Rosamunde Pilcher
After having it on my to-read list for years, I finally read The Shell Seekers last year and absolutely loved it, and I'm so glad to know that Pilcher has an entire catalog of other books I can explore!

8. Nalini Singh
I would not have discovered Singh if my bibliologist hadn't recommended A Madness of Sunshine, a thriller that is apparently quite different from Singh's normal fare. I enjoyed reading a book set in New Zealand by someone who grew up there!

9. & 10. Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples
I finally started the Saga graphic novel series last year, and it is quite a trip! I've made it up to the eighth volume by now. Although the story's gotten quite convoluted and sometimes difficult to follow by now, there's no doubt that these two are talented!

Which authors did you read for the first time last year?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Concrete Rose, My Father's Dragon, and The Shell Seekers
Five years ago I was reading: Don Quixote, Good-Bye to All That, and The Bell Jar
Ten years ago I was reading: Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat

Ten 2021 Releases I Was Excited to Read But Didn’t Get To

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

This week we're talking about 2021 publications that we didn't read in 2021, but we're still hoping to get to eventually. Here are ten of mine!

1. Cultish by Amanda Montell
This book sounds like exactly the kind of journalistic nonfiction I enjoy — an exploration of things that aren't technically cults but share many of the same characteristics that traditional cults do. I'm interested to know more!

2. Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
I'm usually not that keen on books that are classified as very "literary" (and have the awards to prove it), but this one caught my attention because I keep hearing it described by trans people as a book that doesn't cater to a cis audience. That is definitely something I'd like to experience!

3. Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe
Another nonfiction pick that explores one topic deeply, which multiple people I follow on Goodreads have given 5 stars. It sounds fascinating, and I also feel like I should know a little more about the opioid crisis than I do.

4. Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
Being at a pivot point in my life right now, this seems like a good companion to one of my favorites, 168 Hours, for helping me think about how I most want to spend the time I have.

5. How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith
I don't know if I heard any book more enthusiastically recommended from so many different corners last year than this one. I had the opportunity to hear the author talk about his book at the end of Ashley C. Ford's audiobook of Somebody's Daughter, where the two interviewed one another about their respective works. I will definitely be prioritizing this read.

6. Laundry Love by Patric Richardson
This book was enthusiastically recommended by Anne Bogel, and now that I'm solo parenting half the week and trying to spend that time only on work, my kids, and anything around the house that has to get done to care for them, I like the idea of finding joy in the daily tasks that need to get done.

7. Let the Record Show by Sarah Schulman
I heard an NPR podcast about this book and some of the history of ACT UP contained in it, and it was referenced again recently on another podcast. I'm especially interested in the any-and-every-strategy methods of the activist coalition and what that can teach us today.

8. Matrix by Lauren Groff
This book has been recommended on Get Booked multiple times now, and I'm intrigued by this badass feminist novel set in a 12th century abbey.

9. Sing Anyway by Anita Kelly
I haven't seen a ton of romances with non-binary characters, so I'm looking forward to reading this one!

10. You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
I always appreciate when people of color and other folks from marginalized groups are willing to share their experiences of microaggressions because I learn better how not to put my foot in my mouth in my own daily life. Combine that with the framing of "let's laugh about how absolutely ridiculous white people can be," and I'm definitely here for it.

Which 2021 releases are you still hoping to read?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: The Bear and the Nightingale, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and The Shell Seekers
Five years ago I was reading: The Picture of Dorian Gray, Good-Bye to All That, and Mountains Beyond Mountains
Ten years ago I was reading: The Phantom Tollbooth

Review of 2021 Bookish Goals

It's 2022! I've decided not to set any bookish goals for this year. I have enough else going on in my life right now! However, I did want to share how I did with my 2021 goals (which I intentionally made very squishy to keep it fun for me).

1. Read some books from my to-read list.
I drastically changed how I organize my books in Goodreads during 2021, so while I did successfully read four books from my original to-read list, that list is no more and my "might want to read" list has been cut down and I've added tags to it for the different reasons I'm interested in certain books.

2. Read some books published in 2021.
Yes — 20 of them! A number of my favorite authors had 2021 publications, and I also read several books that were newly released by people we interviewed on the podcast.

3. Read some books published in 2020.
Yep, I read nine of these.

4. Read some books from my "shelf of shame."
I read three that I recorded, though I usually take a book off this shelf when I start reading it so I may have forgotten some.

5. Continue with the Miss Marple series.
I got through several more books in the series, and I have five left to enjoy.

6. Read something my sister recommends.
So my sister didn't want to recommend me anything, and when I asked which of the books on her favorites list she thought I would like, she said I wouldn't. I persevered and picked one anyway, and she was correct — I did not like it very much! :D I may have to retire this goal until my sister finishes law school and starts reading for pleasure again, which I hope she does!

7. Read everything my bibliologist recommends.
I enjoyed my TBR subscription a lot! I read almost everything my bibliologist recommended, except that I have two books from the last quarter I haven't gotten to yet. But I plan to!

8. Read some books about race in America.
I read seven books that I think could fit into this category, some of which were stronger than others. How to Be an Antiracist was definitely the best of the bunch, but they each had something to offer.

9. Reread some books I've read before.
I read a number of childhood favorites to my older son before we started exploring some chapter book series that were new to both of us, and between my two book clubs I reread four books I'd read before. Now that I have a second kid, I also reread the excellent baby sleep resource Precious Little Sleep!

10. Participate in at least two TTT linkups each month.
Success! I actually managed to participate in three TTT linkups more months than not. And every month I also participated in the Quick Lit linkup and hosted the Best of the Bunch end-of-month linkup.

Did you make any bookish goals for 2021? How did you do?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Strangers from a Different Shore and Feminist, Queer, Crip
Five years ago I was reading: Death in the Clouds, Good-Bye to All That, and Dracula
Ten years ago I was reading: The Fault in Our Stars

Top Ten Books I Read in 2021

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

It's time to share my favorite reads of the year! I'm honestly not 100% confident I'm not going to finish another 5-star (or 4.5-star) read in the last few days of the year, but oh well, here we are! This year I'm not splitting by fiction and nonfiction because most of my 5-star reads this year were either rereads or chapter books, which I'm not including here, so I actually didn't have a lot to pick from. Here are my ten favorites of the year. To read more about why I liked them, you can search for them on the blog or check out my Goodreads! (Psst: To see my favorite read every month, I encourage you to check out — and link up with — the Best of the Bunch linkup.)

1. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

2. Girl Sex 101 by Allison Moon

3. Listen by Patty Wipfler and Tosha Schore

4. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

5. A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh

6. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

7. On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed

8. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

9. Rick by Alex Gino

10. Wholehearted Faith by Rachel Held Evans

What were your top reads of 2021?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: The Moving Finger and Feminist, Queer, Crip
Five years ago I was reading: Don Quixote, Good-Bye to All That, and The Wonder
Ten years ago I was reading: The Spirit Level

Ten Bookish Goals for 2021

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

This week is about our resolutions for the year, bookish or otherwise. I typically set 10 bookish goals each year, and I debated on whether to abandon the practice this year. I like some things about having goals but sometimes they can stress me out, which is not what I want in my reading life. Eventually I decided I would make my goals less "SMART" by taking away exact numbers and would go easy on myself by listing out what I planned to do anyway rather than making any stretch goals this year. Here's what I expect to do this year. (See my previous post of how I did on my 2020 goals.)

1. Read some books from my to-read list.
I'm still working my way through my original to-read list, and I'd like to make at least a little progress this year on getting more titles read from that list. (Since I no longer have unread books on my shelves, this is kind of the equivalent for me.)

2. Read some books published in 2021.
I like having a goal that gives me permission to pick up at least some "new and shiny" publications when I hear about them.

3. Read some books published in 2020.
Every year there are books published that I regret not getting to, and though I read 18 books published in 2020, there are lots more on my list, so I want to make space to get to some of those!

4. Read some books from my "shelf of shame."
I'm slowly working my way through these few dozen "books I should have read by now," which I always enjoy because they tend to be ones that even casual readers know and recommend, so we can discuss them.

5. Continue with the Miss Marple series.
Will I finish the series this year? Probably, but if I don't that's OK too!

6. Read something my sister recommends.
I'm continuing this goal that I've had in recent years. My sister hasn't done a lot of personal reading since starting law school, but there are some books on her favorites list that I haven't read, so I'm going to see which one she thinks I should try.

7. Read everything my bibliologist recommends.
I'm very excited to have been gifted a TBR subscription for my birthday, and I already read and loved one suggestion, The Parker Inheritance. The other recent recs will take a while to get from the library, and then I'll get another set of three recommendations next quarter, which I plan to prioritize in my reading!

8. Read some books about race in America.
I've read a lot of books on this topic in the past decade and I have many more on my to-read list, so I want to make sure I continue learning about the experiences of Americans of color as well as the historical and present-day contributors to structural racism.

9. Reread some books I've read before.
It's well documented on this blog that I'm not a big rereader, but in the past few years I've ended up rereading some, mostly for book club but also by revisiting childhood classics. Now that my older son is up for having me read chapter books to him at bedtime, I plan to get through several rereads.

10. Participate in at least two TTT linkups each month.
I've done pretty well with this the past couple years, and I'd like to continue!

What are your 2021 goals or resolutions?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: The Seeress of Kell, The Next Evangelicalism, and There There
Five years ago I was reading: Lonesome Dove, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, and Bhagavad-Gita
Ten years ago I was reading: Human Happiness

Seven Most Anticipated Releases for the First Half of 2021

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

This week's topic is the book we're looking forward to in the first half of this year. What I've found is that I do end up reading a lot of books in the year they come out, but I typically don't know about them ahead of time. I just hear about them when they come out and then pick them up because they sound good or a lot of people are recommending them. However, I do know of seven books coming out this year that I am interested in reading!

1. The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (Release Date: May 18, 2021)
I started listening to this podcast not too long ago, so even though some of the content in the book is from the podcast, most of it should be new to me.

2. Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas (Release Date: January 12, 2021)
I've been on the holds list for this prequel to The Hate U Give since I first heard about it, so I'm hoping to get it right away when it's released!

3. Do Better by Rachel Ricketts (Release Date: February 2, 2021)
I just heard about this recently, but it seems right up my alley as someone who runs a podcast about faith and feminism.

4. Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli (Release Date: April 20, 2021)
Although I haven't been a big fan of Albertalli's recent collaborations, I still love her work enough to want to read everything she writes!

5. Mister Impossible by Maggie Stiefvater (Release Date: May 18, 2021)
I greatly enjoyed the first in the Dreamer trilogy that came out in 2020, and I'm excited that the next book is due out so soon! I think the third one might also come out this year?? Maybe she wrote them all before starting to release them? Clearly I haven't looked too far into this!

6. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (Release Date: June 1, 2021)
I loved Red, White, & Blue as much as anyone, and I'm very excited to see what McQuiston does next!

7. The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary (Release Date: April 29, 2021)
I read O'Leary's other books for the first time this year, and now I'm a big fan! Definitely picking up this next one.

Which books are you anticipating in 2021?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: The Seeress of Kell, The Next Evangelicalism, and There There
Five years ago I was reading: Middlemarch and The Quran
Ten years ago I was reading: Human Happiness