A Belated 2020 Wrap-Up & 2021 Reading Goals

Hello, my fellow bloggers! It is I, Keri, emerging from the void to FINALLY provide my 2020 reading wrap-up and perhaps even list a few optimistic goals for 2021? (Even though we’re nearly a quarter of the way through the year, whoops.)

Originally, I wanted to go back and cover all the months I missed since I last posted, but honestly, so much happened and covering it all seems rather intimidating, not to mention would require me to write like 4K words and no one wants that.

With the craziness of 2020, I found myself alternating between periods of reading and not-reading. I fell short of the quantity I’ve read in past years, managing only 50 books instead of my usual 70ish books. But at 50 books, I still made my Goodreads goal! Being my procrastinator self, did this require me to complete 3 books on New Year’s Eve with only 9 minutes to spare? PERHAPS, but shhhh, we won’t dwell on that.

---

2020 Reading Wrap-Up

As I mentioned above, I read 50 books last year. I created a bunch of pretty pie charts based on my reading stats, so please admire them down below! Not only did I track age category, genres, and formats, but I also looked at a book’s place in a series (or if it was a standalone), where I acquired the book from, and what months were most productive.

Age Category Breakdown

Genre Breakdown

The breakdowns of age categories and genres came as a bit of a surprise to me. For the first time, Young Adult was not my most read age category? Though I suppose it makes since, since I fell into devouring (smutty) romances as comfort reads, and those are very much NOT young adult. Though it was no surprise that my most read genre was fantasy. The day this changes will be the day that pigs fly.

Place in Series Breakdown

To no one’s surprise, I consumed a bunch of standalones and started lots of series, and only occasionally continued on to the following books.

Format Breakdown

Between eARCs and ebooks, over a third (and nearly half) of the books I read were ebooks! I’ve always considered myself to primarily be a physical book gal, but I guess all those spicy romances changed that! And trying out Kindle Unlimited for the first time helped too.

Sourced Breakdown

The books I read came from all over the place, but as I mentioned above: trying out Kindle Unlimited for part of the year was a dangerous thing to have access to, haha.

Reading by Month Breakdown

The first half of the year was definitely more productive than the rest, with the exception of December, when I was frantically making my last sprint to my reading goal.

Additional Stats:

Total Pages Read: 15218 pages

Average Length Per Book: 304 pages

Average Rating Per Book: 3.8 stars

---

2020 Book Haul

How Books Were Acquired

Format of Books Acquired

In 2020, I acquired a total of 40 books (including both physical and electronic), which I consider to be a win, given that this means I read more than I acquired! This was definitely not the case in 2019, when I read 74 books and acquired 100. 😅

---

How Did I Do On My 2020 Goals?

1. Read 50 books!

By finishing up 3 books on New Year’s Eve, I made it with 9 minutes to spare! ✅

2. Read as many of my already owned books as possible.

I read a total of 10 books that I had owned prior to 2020 and hadn’t picked up before. I consider this to be a decent result, but definitely not quite where I wanted the number to be, so I’ll have to continue my mission of tackling my already owned books in 2021. 🆗❌

3. Read at least ten 2020 releases

I read 12 releases from 2020! ✅

4. Reread at least 5 books

Errr, I read 3 rereads. So close, but not quite. ❌

5. Finish at least 4 series

I finished 2 series…and one was technically a “series” of companion romance novels. Definitely another goal to carry over to 2021. ❌

6. Read a variety of genres!

Mediocre success with this goal? I technically picked up 10 different genres across 2020, but if you look at the breakdown, 68% of what I read was either fantasy or smutty romance. 🆗

In case anyone is curious, the other genres I picked up were: Classics, Contemporary, Sci-Fi, Historical Fiction, Humor, Magical Realism, Memoir, and ‘regular’ Romance, lol.

~~~

I had some additional writing and lifestyle goals, but those all crashed and burned rather quickly, so let’s not even bother talking about them, shall we?

---

Reading Goals for 2021

1. Read 50 books!
Always my first & foremost goal, though I would of course love to surpass this number this year.

2. Read as many books from my already owned collection as possible.
To be more specific, this means books I owned prior to 2021 and copies that I haven’t read before. I would like to read at least 25 of my already owned books.

3. Read at least 15 releases from 2021.
Perhaps this is a bit ambitious since I also wanna focus on my already owned books, but I also wanna stay up-to-date on book hype *sheepish shrug*

4. Reread at least 5 books.
Perhaps I’ll actually make this goal this year?

5. Finish at least 5 series.
Apparently I’m feeling SUPER ambitious as I sit down and type out all of these goals.

6. Read as many sapphic books as possible! 💕 🏳️‍🌈
This goal goes hand in hand with focusing on further diversifying my reading, though I plan to focus on sapphic books in particular. I would also like to grow my collection of sapphic books, but alas, that requires money. I need to start hunting down those unused gift-cards in my room that I keep forgetting about…

---

And that’s it for my wrap-up & new goals! How is everyone? I would ask what your goals are for 2021, but since most of you posted about them 2 months ago like normal bloggers, why don’t you tell me how your goals are currently going? What’s the best book you’ve read so far this year?

Please drop a comment–I’ve missed talking with you all!

Top Ten Tuesday: Fall 2020 TBR

This week’s TTT topic is “Books On My Fall 2020 TBR.” I’m ecstatic it’s time for a seasonal TBR because I love compiling book lists! (Even though I haven’t been reading much lately and I completely failed at my summer TBR list aka only read 1 of 10. BUT we’re not gonna talk about that.) Ahhhh, it feels like it’s been so long since I’ve participated in a TTT (according to WordPress it’s been nearly 2 months?!?! crazy). I’ve definitely been in a weird funk and reading slump lately so fingers crossed this post helps me claw my way back into reading (and blogging tbh).

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

---

1. The Deep by Rivers Solomon

Here for all the stories about mer-people and sapphic romances. I finally got my copy in early August and I can’t believe I haven’t read it yet! (Yes, this is a repeat from my Summer TBR.)

2. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Still repeatedly mentioning this book (yes, this was also on my Summer TBR). Really need to get on this reread though, because the end of the year and the release of the 4th book is coming upon us quickly!

3. Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

This year especially, I have been continually obsessed with and craving romance books. I’ve heard great things about this book and author, so I actually purchased a physical copy of this novel for myself recently and I’m excited to get to it!

4. The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi

Meant to have this read before its release date today, but alas, the reading slump is real. I’m currently in the middle of rereading the first book in a buddy read with Sammie @ The Bookwyrm’s Den and we’ll definitely be moving onto this one soon! (well, hopefully)

5. The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson

My writing buddy recently started reading this book, reminding me that I actually own this book and haven’t read it yet?!?! Definitely wanna hop on this book soon so we can discuss. I also don’t read enough MG and really need to change that.

6. The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Been meaning to read this book for YEARS since I picked it up at a local bookstore as a underclassman in college.

7. The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Political intrigue fantasy, a sapphic romance, rave reviews…why haven’t I read this up yet??

8. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Whoa, how did this come out a year ago? And how am I still slacking on Leigh Bardugo books??

9. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Thriller, another genre I need to read more of. Also, still really need to read this so I can return it to my grandfather’s wife since she kindly loaned me her copy, oh, almost over a year ago.

10. The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

With the spooky season approaching, it would be fun to pick up a horror fairytale retelling, right? Even though I’m not sure I’ve ever read a true horror book before?!?

Wow, I’m really proud of myself for incidentally creating a TBR list with a wide range of genres and age categories.

---

That’s it for my Fall TBR! Fingers crossed I actually get around to most of these!?! What books are you hoping to read this fall? Have you read any of the ones I mentioned above? If so, which ones do you recommend I start with? PLEASE, give me all the encouragement and motivation to kick this reading slump!

Also, if you participated in TTT this week, feel free to link up your post in the comments below–I would love to check them out!

A VERY BELATED Mid-Year Freak Out Tag + 2020 Goals Check-In

Yes, I hardcore procrastinated on this post, so I guess it’s now a two-thirds-of-the-year check-in and freak out!? Eh, I guess it at least fits my theme this year of procrastinating on all my wrap-up posts, right? Bonus points for staying on brand? Or at least for making ya take a second look when you saw the notification pop up in your email and making ya wonder “doesn’t this child know it’s nearly September??!?”.

I do indeed know it’s August and now nearly September, but I refuse to not write this post. Fingers crossed I don’t embarrass myself too much with my progress (or there lack off) on my goals. Originally I was going to only look at the first half of the year, but that sounded like extra work, and for the sake of making myself feel more accomplished 💪, I’m going to factor in everything I’ve done so far in 2020.

Also, I have no clue which version of the tag I’m doing. I pulled most of the questions from the tag I did last year, then added a few other cool ones I saw from other blogger’s posts this year.

---

Mid-Year Freak Out Tag:

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2020.

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

This novel was one of the most unique, incredible, and thought-provoking books I have ever read. It tackles grief, trauma, science fiction, spirituality, and Christianity/religion (and you most definitely don’t have to be religious or Christian to read it–it challenges religion repeatedly). This book also features a great found family, and aaahhhh, it was just so amazing.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2019.

The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O’Neill

Technically more of a companion than a sequel, but I’m counting it! This series is so cute, beautiful, and includes a lot of diverse representation! I can’t until I can get my hands on the third one!

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to.

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

I ordered this from a local bookstore because I had heard great things about it and tbh because I wanted that gorgeous cover! Contemporary fantasy is not usually the subgenre I gravitate to, but I can’t wait to dive into this one! (please appreciate that cliche, minor pun)

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

Oooh, it’s so hard to pick only one! My cliche answer would be How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories, but my hopefully less stereotypical second answer would be Written in the Stars. Of course I’m excited for more Cardan, but I’m also dying to get a hold of this sapphic P&P retelling!

5. Biggest disappointment.

Telling Secrets by Frederick Buechner

I had to read this memoir for class. Though memoirs aren’t my go-to genre, I’ve found that I’ve enjoyed them more and more lately, but this one was such a struggle to get through. Which was especially aggravating because the book itself was only 106 pages!

6. Biggest surprise.

Ash by Malinda Lo

This was technically a reread for me (though I technically read it like 9 years ago so I had forgotten most of it), and I know I’ve said this before, but wow, how did baby teen me not appreciate this book?!?!? It’s sooooooooo good.

7. Favorite new author. (Debut or new to you)

Anna Stone! She writes f/f BDSM erotic romances. I discovered her during my KU trial and devoured all of her books. They’re such light and fun (and smutty, of course) reads and honestly just what I needed to get through the end of college and these weird times. You can now bet your biscuits I’ll read everything she ever writes! I think I would have to say that my favorite of hers so far has been Behind Close Doors, which is a sexy office romance with a slight mystery twist!

8. Newest fictional crush.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Ooooh, this is hard. Probably Nathaniel from Sorcery of Thorns. What a sassy, charismatic sorcerer…

9. Newest favorite character.

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

Alice from Let’s Talk About Love! I’ve already raved about her multiple times, but ughhhhhh, I want her to be my friend so bad.

10. Book that made you cry.

A Million Junes by Emily Henry

I’m not a big crier, but I was definitely tearing up at the end of this novel! It’s a whimsical and atmospheric book with a cute romance that also tackles grief and dealing with the realization that your idealized memory of someone doesn’t live up the reality of them.

11. Book that made you happy.

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

Of course I couldn’t get through this post without mentioning a SJM book! This book was such a fun read and honestly a great distraction when America finally realizing we were in a pandemic back in March.

12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received).

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

Circe by Madeline Miller

Picking a single book for an answer is so hard! The Deep has one of the most mysterious and intriguingly beautiful covers I’ve ever seen. I also finally bought myself a copy of Circe this year so I can reread it in the future and ughhhh, it’s also such a pretty book.

13. Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation.

Oooh, either Little Women or The Witcher. Though I haven’t actually read any of The Witcher books, so I guess I’ll go with Little Women! I finally read the classic in February for my book club and then my friends and I saw the adaptation right before it left the theaters! I won’t give any spoilers, but how they framed the ending…so amazing!

14. Favorite 2020 Blog Post of Mine.

So far, I think I’m most proud of my post about motivating yourself to write during a pandemic. *waves arms pathetically* Writing and motivation are so hard, so I made an attempt to inspire both myself and others!

15. Favorite Review I’ve Written in 2020.

Ohhh, this is hard. I’m pretty proud of my (gushing) review of Girl, Serpent, Thorn!?

16. What book(s) do you need to read by the end of the year?

Ermmmm, so many. But the first ones that come to mind are the An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir. I STILL need to reread the first book and then continue on to the second and third in preparation for the fourth book releasing at the end of this year.

---

2020 Reading Goal Check-In:

1. Read 50 books!

As of August 25th, I’ve read 37 books, which Goodreads says is 5 books ahead of schedule! Though I was hoping to be a lot more ahead, I’m still technically on track, so I’m counting it as a success. ✅

2. Read as many of my already owned books as possible.

By ‘owned books’ I mean books acquired prior to 2020 (and that are copies that I haven’t read before). So far I’ve managed 5 books, which is not ideal, but better than none. With covid/quarantine and whatnot, I was hoping to focus more on my owned books, but alas, that still has yet to happen. 🤷

And of the 36 (physical & electronic) books I’ve acquired this year, I’ve only read 8. 😬

3. Read at least ten 2020 releases

Including a novella I just finished the other day, I’ve read 10 2020 releases, so I’ve actually already completed this goal! ✅✅

4. Reread at least 5 books

So far I’ve reread 2 books, which is pretty impressive for me! Usually I get distracted by new-to-me books, but I’ve been feeling nostalgic lately, so hopefully I can reach 5 by the end of the year. I even made a TBR of books I wanna reread the other day, so fingers crossed I continue to feel inspired to reread!

5. Finish at least 4 series

Currently only at 1, but hey, it’s better than none? In case you’re curious what the series was, it was LOTR, because my Tolkien class read the entire trilogy. Thank you college for helping me with my reading goals! 😆

6. Read a variety of genres (and age categories)!

As you can see, Fantasy is still my main genre, but romance (specifically erotic romances lol) have really been helping me get through the year!

I think this is the first time ever that YA isn’t the highest section? But I guess it makes since with all the romance books I’m reading (which are very much adult/NA).

~~~

I also had some other writing/blogging/life goals for 2020, but ya know…we don’t need to check-in on those. 😅

---

How are your goals going so far? Have you read any of the books I mentioned?

Pssst, if there are anyone you out there who also didn’t do the mid-year freak out tag earlier, and still want to, I tag you!

 

Blog Tour Stop: Lobizona by Romina Garber [ARC Review!]

I am so honored that I was gifted an eARC of Romina Garber’s Lobizona and given the opportunity to be a part of this blog tour arranged by Wednesday Books! This novel was such a fun and addicting read, and I can’t wait to tell you more about it below!

---

ABOUT THE BOOK

LOBIZONA

by Romina Garber

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Release Date: August 4th, 2020

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Age Category: Young Adult

SYNOPSIS

Some people ARE illegal.

Lobizonas do NOT exist.

Both of these statements are false.

Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who’s on the run from her father’s Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.

Until Manu’s protective bubble is shattered.

Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past—a mysterious “Z” emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.

As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it’s not just her U.S. residency that’s illegal. . . .it’s her entire existence.

---

REVIEW

Romina Garber’s Lobizona sucked me in and didn’t let me go, to the point where I could barely part with it for more than a short period at a time and ended up devouring the majority of the book in a single day.

My favorite part of this novel was the numerous themes that Garber wove into the story. Not only does she chronicle the daily struggles of being an undocumented immigrant, but she challenges misogyny and systems rooted in a gender binary through the paranormal world of witches and werewolves. Alongside this, we see Manu struggling with the personal battles of taking control of her own destiny and happiness, finding a place where she fits in, and learning how she wants to make her mark on the world.

Another one of my favorite aspects was the Argentinian folklore–inspired paranormal world that Garber crafted! Enchanting details of this world threaded their way onto every page, causing me to fly through the book at an increasing speed. I will say that some areas of the worldbuilding did feel a bit lacking in depth, but this may be a combination of me devouring the book and missing details and Manu still learning about the world. I cannot wait to see this magical world further explored in the sequel!

And not only did Garber bless us with this captivating, hidden world, but she gave us a fellow book nerd and fangirl as a protagonist! As Manu spent most of her days home-schooled under Perla (a grandmother figure in her life), it’s clear how important literature has become to her. Throughout the novel, Manu regularly compares herself and her circumstances to literature, whether it’s Harry Potter or Jane Austen. Another thing that I adored about Manu (and her friends) was that they’re unapologetically feminists, repeatedly challenging micro-aggressions and gender stereotypes. ALSO, there was a surprise f/f side couple (and potentially some additional queer characters that have yet to come out) that just made me so happy!

The only thing that I found that didn’t work for me was the insta-love romance. Manu is quickly drawn and infatuated with her love interest, and I think I would have preferred to see her more focused on exploring this new world of brujas and lobizones. The two seemed to make a decent couple, but I just wished their timeline hadn’t been so rushed.

Overall, I adored this book, and I definitely recommend it to lovers of YA, witches, werewolves, or paranormal fantasy in general! Lobizona is a beautifully balanced book between its relevant conflicts, fun boarding school setting, and captivating worldbuilding, making it a valuable contribution to the YA curriculum.

Trigger Warnings: a misogynistic and homophobic society, sexism, a brief physical assault, a capture and physical abuse by ICE

Rating: 4 stars

“…so, are you my book?”

“I have captivated you so that you won’t be able to stop howling about me for awhile.”

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ROMINA GARBER (pen name Romina Russell) is a New York Times and international bestselling author. Originally from Argentina, she landed her first writing gig as a teen—a weekly column for the Miami Herald that was later nationally syndicated—and she hasn’t stopped writing since. Her books include Lobizona. When she’s not working on a novel, Romina can be found producing movie trailers, taking photographs, or daydreaming about buying a new drum set. She is a graduate of Harvard College and a Virgo to the core.

Social Links: Twitter | Instagram

---

Are you excited to read Lobizona? If you’ve already read it, what were your thoughts? Let me know down in the comments!