2021 was quite the year. After 2020, I know we were all hoping for something a bit closer to “normal”, but I think many of us have come to realize that normal is changing. One thing that has remained consistent is my reading habits. I’m happy to have finished 100 books for the third year in a row. Here is a general breakdown of what I read:
Based on my ratings for the year, I’d consider it a success. While I did have 3 or 4 DNFs, they are not included in my final count. As you can see in my sidebar (below on mobile), my rating system is based entirely on my enjoyment of the book. Anything 3 stars and over means I enjoyed the book and recommend it to others, so 50% being 4 stars is a great year!
Here are the 33 books that I rated 5 stars this year:
| Crescent City | Sarah J Maas |
| The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue | V.E. Schwab |
| A Court of Silver Flames | Sarah J Maas |
| A Trial of Sorcerers | Elise Kova |
| Fly With the Arrow | Sarah K.L. Wilson |
| Blade & Rose | Miranda Honfleur |
| Spotless | Camilla Monk |
| Beating Ruby | Camilla Monk |
| A Thieving Curse | Selina R. Gonzalez |
| Crystal Whisperer | Camilla Monk |
| Gilded Serpent | Danielle L Jensen |
| Gild | Raven Kennedy |
| Born a Crime | Trevor Noah |
| Call Me Maybe | Cara Bastone |
| Beneath Black Sails | Clare Sager |
| By Dark Deeds | Miranda Honfleur |
| Glint | Raven Kennedy |
| Gleam | Raven Kennedy |
| Love Not at First Sight | Sarah Ready |
| Stolen Songbird | Danielle L Jensen |
| The Savage and the Swan | Ella Fields |
| The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo | Taylor Jenkins Reid |
| City of Thorns | C.N. Crawford |
| The Prison Healer | Lynette Noni |
| Romance by the Book | Sarah Ready |
| The Wall of Winnipeg and Me | Mariana Zapata |
| Kingdom of the Cursed | Kerri Maniscalco |
| Shacking Up | Helena Hunting |
| Dance with the Sword | Sarah K.L. Wilson |
| Song of the Forever Rains | E.J. Mellow |
| The Inadequate Heir | Danielle L Jensen |
| Fire Heart | Emma Hamm |
| Christmas at the Grotto | Colby Bettley |
One of my on-going reading goals is to read more independently published novels. I’m super proud that over half the books I read this year were indie titles. With the rise of self-publishing and the increased hype for indie authors on social media, I’m very curious to see how this trend transforms the publishing industry in the long run.
Goals for 2022:
In 2022, I am hoping to read 75 books. I’m setting this number low again with the hope that I will dedicate more time to writing and blogging.
I will continue to read indie titles as much as possible.
I would like to read more books by authors of color and of the LGBTQ+ community. While I will seek out indie authors that fit these parameters, I will focus my traditionally published selections with these two criteria so that major publishing houses recognize the demand for own voices and diverse stories.
Tentative TBR for 2022:
- Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko
- Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
- Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
- Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim
- We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
- The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon
- Only a Monster by Vaness Len
- Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
- Book of Night by Holly Black
- Gallant by V.E. Schwab
- House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
- Dance of a Burning Sea by E.J. Mellow
- Bleeding Hearts by Emma Hamm
- Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson
- Wings of Ebony by J. Elle
- A Court of Honey and Ash by Shannon Mayer and Kelly St Clare
- Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
- Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
- The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
- Give Your Heart to the Barrow by Sarah K. L. Wilson
- Against Dark Tides by Clare Sager
- Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
- Rook Di Goo by Jenni Sauer
- Innate Magic by Shannon Fay
- The Brown Sisters trilogy by Talia Hibbert
- Ruinsong by Julia Ember
I will gladly take recommendations to add to this list. I’m a total mood reader, so I’ll likely change this list considerably over the next year, but it’s a good starting point.
Additionally, I want to thank everyone that reads my blog, even if this is the first/only thing you read. This year I saw 10,000 more visits than 2020 and over 13,000 more views! I also have about 150 followers and that is amazing as well.
Cheers to 2022!