New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2021

Hello everybody! I hope things are going well for you in your corner of the world! So far January has been it’s typical cold and dry self, as our area slowly recovers from the snow storm that hit us a few weeks back (yes, still recovering). I’m pleased to say that I’m now completely recovered from the fall I took two weeks back, which is a relief, and I hope to get out for a hike sometime in the near future.

This week I’m showing off my favorite authors that I discovered last year. It’s an all-female extravaganza, with women hailing from many parts of the world, all writing varied and interesting stories. There’s science fiction and fantasy, humor and Wuxia, middle grade novels and manga- and more! All below the cut!

Top Ten Tuesday is brought to you by That Artsy Reader Girl.

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

Oh my gosh, hi everyone! How’s the new year been treating you so far? I for one can’t believe we’re half way through the month already- where does all that time go? I’m pleased to report that besides a bit of pain in my left knee and the inability to put my weight on my right hand, I’m recovering okay from the fall I took last week (you should have seen the bruise on my palm, though, it was nasty).

This week I’m sharing the titles I was excited to read last year… and then didn’t actually get around to reading. You know how Dr. Malcom was like, “Life… finds a way,”? The truth is that life gets in the way, frog DNA or no. Speaking of DNA, I had to special order a book for a woman that detailed how to alter your DNA using sound waves… and I have a lot of questions. But at least that wasn’t as bad as the woman who got angry at me because I wasn’t able to special order her a book on macrame…. that was printed in 1973. Like… ma’am, please, there’s only so much I can do. I might be cool AF, but I’m not a book god.

Yet.

Top Ten Tuesday is brought to you by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection

Happy Monday/Tuesday, lovelies! I hope the start of 2022 has been treating you well. We’ve finally managed to dig ourselves out of the snow and most of the community even has power again! Things have been quiet here in the land of the four winds, thankfully so, after the chaos and insanity of the holidays- well quiet if you don’t count my cat, who almost never stops talking (it’s cute until it isn’t). I’ve gotta keep typing to a minimum at the moment, as I took a fall earlier in the day and my right hand and wrist are pretty banged up, nothing serious, but half my palm is bruised and my wrist feels… well, like it caught most of my weight very suddenly which it did.

This week I’m showing off my latest book acquisitions, and now that I’m at a bookstore full time, there’s always something new to go home with, be it ARCs or new releases. Under the cut we’ve got all sorts of things- from gay mermaids *squeals*, sneaky magicians, aquatic creatures making forays onto land, and much more!

Top Ten Tuesday is brought to you by That Artsy Reader Girl.

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

Rating at a Glance

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The Darkness Outside us by Eliot Schrefer is an intense story of survival, trust, and facing the unknown. It ripped my heart out and then shoved it back into place with enough force to leave me an emotional wreck for a day after. At times humorous, other times bleak, but always heartfelt and human, this is a story of surviving against the odds, and finding love and letting it make you better then you were before.

Most Anticipated Books for the First Half of 2022

After a weeks worth of time off I have to go back to work tomorrow, and while that’s not terrible per se. I have really enjoyed this week of reading, writing, and eating all the leftovers from Christmas. I hope you all had a lovely holiday season and got some time to relax and enjoy it in ways that make you happy.

This weeks TTT takes a look at what’s coming out in the first half of 2022, and there’s some exciting titles to look forward to! Holly Black, V. E. Schwab, Sapphic Gatsby with magic, and more wait for you under the cut!

Top Ten Tuesday is Brought to you by That Artsy Reader Girl.

The 2021 Wrap Up

*pokes the year with a stick*

Wow, what a year. So much has changed for me over the last twelve months, it’s hard to even know where to begin. Obviously the biggest change was with work, I finally left the food service industry behind, and while there are aspects of it I will always love and miss, for the most part is has been a huge relief to be free of such a stressful work environment. Life at a bookstore isn’t always the most exciting, but I’ll take it in the face of having near constant anxiety and being in pain almost every day.

Being vaccinated was also a huge relief- nothing like plugging my veins full of science and reaping the benefits of it. I still am avoiding most public places, but it’s nice having a little extra defense against the pandemic.

Best Books I Read In 2021

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope your Christmas was excellent (if you celebrate it), and you all got some cool stuff from the Santa’s in your life. Things are quiet and cold here in Four Winds world, it’s the first proper December we’ve had in a long time- and while it never really felt like Christmas, at least it felt like winter. Everything is steel grey, the mornings frost laced and foggy, the wind biting and angry. It’s been trying to snow all morning, and we’re expected to get at least a foot of it overnight. Higher in the mountains they’re expecting over six feet, and it’s quiet exciting.

This weeks entry has us taking a look back at our favorite books from the year, and while I can’t say there were any books that I completely adored, there were plenty enjoyed a great deal. We’ve got a mixed bag under the cut- from everyone favorite antisocial robot to role playing graphic novels and a plethora of strange things in between.

Top Ten Tuesday is Brought to you by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Books I Hope Santa Brings

I feel like I’ve barely been on the ol’ blog lately and I apologize- this time of year is so crazy and I’m at work all. the. time. If I’m not there then I am a curled up, a little potato wrapped in a blanket and listening to sad song while thinking about stories and BTS. Seriously, they are supposed to be on break right now, but then GQ Korea happened and why won’t Hobi just let me breathe.

Anyway.

This week I’m showing off some of the books I hope I get for Christmas, though I doubt I will because the people in my life have decided that just because I work at a bookstore they don’t have to get me books anymore. I have a lot of questions, but none of the energy required to actually ask these people, who claim to love me, why they aren’t feeding my perfectly reasonable and healthy addiction.

Top Ten Tuesday is Brought to you by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Books on My Winter 2021 To-read List

Happy Tuesday everyone, hope your week has been going well! This week I’m showing off some of the books on my TBR, another motley assortment of random titles. From necromancers with hearts of gold to dragons (and more dragons), Amanda Gorman (hype!) and Celtic Goddesses, there’s strong Jess energy under the cut!

Top Ten Tuesday is Brought to you by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Back to the Forest

I feel like I haven’t actually been awake since August… that’s normal right? Why don’t humans get to hibernate when so many of us obviously need to just sleep through winter?

Hello everyone! Sorry I didn’t post a 5PF last week, time got away from me and I have been working too much and I have no concept of reality anymore. Also being a BTS fan is a full time job so like… what are other things, exactly?

This week we’re heading back to the Mendocino Coast and it’s beautiful redwood forests. There’s something so magical about this region of California, it doesn’t matter how often we visit, it keeps us coming back for more.