My Year in Books: 2021 Goodreads Reading Challenge
As the years come to a close, I enjoy reminiscing on the books I’ve read over the past year. Thankfully, Goodreads tracks my reading habits and spits out statistics on how many words I read, hours of reading, and more.
As the years come to a close, I enjoy reminiscing on the books I’ve read over the past year. Thankfully, Goodreads tracks my reading habits and spits out statistics on how many words I read, hours of reading, and more. It always makes me feel accomplished to see the books I’ve read. Despite my busy life, I find time to nurture this hobby.
It is my great pleasure to share my year of reading and hopefully inspire some of you to pick up the hobby.
Read: 51 books
Pages: 16,908
My goal this year was initially to read one book, so I don’t get disappointed at the end of the year. My life is hectic, and I didn’t want to pressure myself to read a certain amount. Nevertheless, I changed my goal to 50 books and barely squeaked that out. Whatever number of books I’ve read, I’ll always be proud of myself.
Finding pockets of time during your day as reading time helps keep the hobby alive. For me, early mornings when I wake up are my favorite times to read, and even if I only get a few chapters in, it’s still progress.
My Highlights
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve already shared that this is one of my favorite books and rereading it was delightful. This 850-page book flows nicely despite its length, and I revel in every page. It deserves mentioning again because every time I read it, I’m thrown into a complex and colorful fantasy world full of magic and mystery. Who doesn’t love matriarchy, dragons, female main characters, and queer representation?
The Poppy War Trilogy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Trigger warning: violence and gore)
If you want a historical war trilogy set in an alternate Asia that will tear apart your insides and make you cry, these books are for you. As my favorite trilogy of the year, The Poppy War did not disappoint in writing, plot, or character development. I was always impressed with world-building and characters. I want to reread these back to back again.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Trigger warning: domestic violence, assault/abuse)
Homegoing follows two sisters and their African descendants, spanning generations of domestic violence, enslavement, and family loyalty. I enjoyed learning about lives so different from my own, learning about a culture I have no background in. I love a story spanning across generations because you get to know the characters and why they act how they do. I want to reread this one this year.
Den of Vipers by K.A. Knight
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Trigger warning: descriptive violence, gore, explicit sexual content, references to abuse/assault)
I did not think I would like this book so much since I don’t usually favor romance books. This reverse-harem mafia romance had me on the edge of my seat. The violence and erotica were toe-curling and heart-racing. If I ever need a book to take me away from the real world, this will be one that I consider.
I had a pretty successful year of books, and I cannot wait to see what I read in 2022. I hope that books will still bring me joy and help me cope with stressful events.