Favorite Reads of 2021

I haven't been the best at blogging in general lately, and probably haven't done a book-related one in 6 months (I'm too lazy to check), but I have still been reading so I wanted to share my favorites from the year and hopefully I'll be better about reviewing next year!


Best Sequel You've Read This Year?
Mind The Gap, Dash and Lily (Dash and Lily #3) - Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

New Release You Haven't Read Yet But Want To?
Apples Never Fall - Liane Moriarty

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?
Eight Perfect Hours - Lia Louis

Biggest Disappointment?
Outlawed - Anna North

    * This had a lot of hype around it (probably because I think it was a Reese Witherspoon book        club pick) and I thought I would like it because I unexpectedly LOVED Upright Women               Wanted by Sara Gailey last year which seemed like the same genre, but I didn't enjoy this           one.

Biggest Surprise?
One Last Stop - Casey McQuiston

    *This was a surprise because usually I don't like science fiction or time travel, but I                       absolutely loved this one (and don't worry, that's not a spoiler!)

Favorite new author (debut or new to you)?
B.A. Paris. I read Behind Closed Doors earlier this year adn already got The Therapist on deck- can't wait to read that and her backlist! 

New favorite character?
Elle Jones, the free-spirited social media astrologer who stand up for herself (and her profession) to her haters, in Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur.

Book that made you cry?
All The Ugly and Wonderful Things - Bryn Greenwood

Book that made you happy?
In A Holidaze - Christina Lauren
    *This gave me all the warm and fuzzies! 

Favorite book-to-film adaptation you saw this year?
Bird Box - Josh Malerman (also the only book-movie adaptation I read this year)

Most worthy of all the hoopla?
The Last Thing He Told Me - Laura Dave

Best non-fiction?
The Home Edit Life: The Complete Guide to Everything at Work, at Home, and on the Go - Clea Shearer and Jenna Teplin (I liked The Home Edit better, but the other two non-fiction books I read were memoirs and I didn't love either one of them)

Favorite book you read in 2021 by an author you’ve read previously?
Then She Was Gone - Lisa Jewell
    *This author ALWAYS gets me out of a reading rut! I'm glad I still have her backlist to read!

Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc.)
The Push - Ashley Audrain
    *I was asking everyone I know if they had read this one! If you don't know why, you MUST          read it!

Book you can’t BELIEVE you waited until 2021 to read?
Small Great Things - Jodi Picoult
    *If I had to pick a favorite book of the year, it would be this one! 

Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2021?
To Night Owl from Dog Fish - Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer
    *The friendship between Night Owl and Dogfish was so sweet! 


Book Stats
Total number read: 36
Netgalley: 5
Owned: 7
Non-Fiction: 3
WOC: 4 (wow, terrible)
Given Away: at least 10

What were your favorite reads this year? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana!

Currently: December

It's been a whirlwind month, and I can hardly believe it's December already! I really don't feel like getting into specifics as to *why* it's been such a crazy month, so let's just jup into the prompts and save the drama for your llama (or another day)! 

Watching:

Red Notice (Netflix) - this was SUCH a stupid movie. I figured with the all-star cast it would have been better. And truth be told I only watched it because of that, but WOW. It was pretty bad. 

Love Hard (Netflix) - this was a cute holiday movie. A bit Hallmark-y, but since I don't have cable (and therefore no Hallmark channel) this fit the bill. 

The Shrink Next Door (Apple TV+) - I have never hated Paul Rudd as much as I do in this show. I honestly cannot watch more than 2 episodes in one sitting because he is SO repulsive. And even though it's a trainwreck (not the show but the plot), I can't stop watching. I'm to invested... especially since it's based on a true story! 

Music Box: Jagged (HBO Max) - this was a bit disjointed with the side stories, but I've always loved this album and really enjoyed learning about  Alanis Morissette's rise to fame and some of the struggles she dealt with getting there. I haven't watched any of the other musician specials that have been out recently (Tina Turner, Britney, Janet Jackson, etc) so this was quite eye-opening. 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (in theaters!) - Honestly, I did this one for Blue. It was a little long, but cute and nostalgic.  I just felt uncomfortable in the movie theater because when we ordered tickets and picked our seats for a 2:30 showing on a Saturday, the theater looked empty, and then right before the movie started 2 girls sat DIRECTLY behind me, so I wound up wearing my mask throughout the movie. Needless to say, I won't be heading to another movie any time soon. 

Listening to: Adele's 30 album. How DEPRESSING! She still sounds great, but man, this one hits ya right in the feels! 

Sending: a Christmas present to my friend in CO, and books! I recently got back into Paperback Swap, so I've been clearing some room on my bookshelves!

Smelling: My Fireside candle by BBW

Wrapping: I haven't wrapped anything yet, but I'm just about finished with CHristmas shopping! I usually shop a little bit throughout the year but I also bought a bunch of stuff on Cyber Monday (won't find my in stores on Black Friday!), so the wrapping process shall commence in 5-7 business days LOL! 

Decorating - Nothing yet.  I took down all my fall decorations the day after Thanksgiving and got all of my Christmas decorations out from storage, but I realized I wasn't quite ready to put everything up yet. I plan on doing it this weekend though. 

Feeling - ambivalent? I'm not a huge Christmas person and things are pretty crappy at work, so I'm just trying to stay chill at this point. 

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I also wanted to share an update on my Fall Bucket List before it's time to make a new one for Winter! Overall I did pretty well, managing to complete all but 3/12 (and one that I'm not counting since this new variant arose). 

Try 3 new "Fall" recipes - I made Shay's Penne Sausage Bake and although I had to leave it in the oven a little longer than the instructions said, it was delicious! I also made Coconut Curry Lentils with Spinach from one of my favorite food bloggers/authors, Budget Bytes! I love how she almost always has recipes with items I already have on hand, however this was probably my least favorite in terms of flavor- as in it didn't have any! It was so BLAND! I also made carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for my Mountain Mama's birthday. They were so moist and delicious- definitely a hit! 

Light fall scented candles - Hmmm.... what are your favorite "fall" scents? I DID light candles, but not so sure they fall (haha) into the "autumn" category. Either way, I'm marking this as a pass. 

Paint nails a fall color - check! I sported "In The Cable Car Lane" by OPI for our bi-annual town hall at work, and am currently wearing an old favorite, Carry On by Essie. 

Decorate for fall - check! I decorated my mantle and porch.

Change over summer to winter clothes and donate the extras - check! One of my mom's friend's family was coming in from South America, so many of my cold-weather accessories went to them, and the rest to the Vets.

Go on a (weekend) getaway - No, but I wasn't mad about it since this new variant surfaced. I'm vaccinated (and already have appt for booster), but still, I'm too nervous.  

Enjoy a hooky spa day - check! Ok, so it wasn't a "hooky" day as I was originally planning, but my mom bought me a gift certificate to a spa and I went last Sunday and treated myself to a Korean body scrub. Though I don't anticipate going again for at least 6 months, I have to admit that my skin feels so smooth! 

Finish Erin's book challenge (deadline 10/31) - check! Getting ready for the next one! 

Check out a new winery or brewery - Nope...

Check out a new restaurant - does ordering in count? If so, then yes! We recently ordered in from a place called 30 Burgers and it was really good! 

Have a pumpkin martini + enjoy pumpkin ice cream - no. I even tried to make a homemade martini and my local liquor store didn't have the ingredients! Harumph! Luckily there's still some time left!

What's new with you?

Linking up with Anne!