Like the Comet

Last year, I truly discovered my love of reading. Maybe it was more discovering a different type of “escape” that isn’t via a screen because, yanno, sometimes it’s nice to jump into another world for a few hours. Either way, I ended up reading 48 books when my original goal was only 20. Which means, from now on, I won’t feel like a phony by putting “reading” as one of my hobbies lol.

This year, I decided to Emeril LeGasse my Goodreads goal and kick it up a notch!

2021 Goodreads Reading Goal: 55 books.

Of those 55 books, I’m aiming for at least 30% (or ~17) to be books written by BIPOC and/or LGBTQ authors and two need to be classics. Apparently my mom is a big fan of the classics and she was pushing me to read more of them this year. So, Daphne du Maurier, I’m coming for ya.

Anyway, without further adieu, let’s recap the books I read in January, shall we?

(Actually, lol, quick preface to my ratings: I feel like I gave out a lot of 5 stars last year whereas some people rarely give them out. So, I figured I’m either not being judicious enough with my fivers or I’m just only reading books I know I’ll love lol.)

NOW, without further adieu…

*All summaries are paraphrased from Goodreads.

THE ASSASSIN’S BLADE by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 4.8 /5 stars

Summary: Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan’s most feared assassin, and her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel - King of the Assassin’s Guild. Truly though, Celaena only trusts her herself and her fellow assassin, soft-eyed Sammy boy. In this collection of action-packed novellas, Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from Pirate islands to hot af deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. All Celaena wants is to be free, but acting against Arobynn’s orders could cause her to suffer the unimaginable punishment for such treachery.

My Thoughts: Okay, so I could literally write a standalone blog post about the entire Throne of Glass series because I’m that obsessed with it. There are seven books total and in December, I DEVOURED them like Thanksgiving leftovers. I just cannot express how lost in the sauce this series made me feel. So, to kick off my year with finishing up the emotional journey I’ve been on in this fantasy world by reading the prequel…*chef’s kiss*. This book was about Celaena Sardothien’s various assassin missions and life in Adarlan leading up to the salt mines of Endovier (a.k.a. where the first book starts). Each of the short novellas in Assassin’s Blade were mentioned throughout the actual series, so to finally get the whole story - especially about Sam - was incredibly fulfilling. Highly recommend Assassin’s Blade, but I will cut you if you don’t read the ToG series first (lol at the violent pun). :)

BIG MAGIC: CREATIVE LIVING BEYOND FEAR by Elizabeth Gilbert

Rating: 4.3/5 stars

Summary: This book uncovers the enigma that is the nature of inspiration and clever ideas by encouraging readers to embrace their curiosity and let go of personal skepticism. Gilbert walks us through how to tackle what we love most and face down our biggest obstacle - fear. By explaining the attitudes, approaches and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the creative potential hidden within each of us.

My Thoughts: Though I was v lucky because a lot of the personal examples she gives is about writing, anyone with a creative interest would benefit from this book. Gilbert explains through a variety of examples and anecdotes that creative geniuses don’t exist; rather, everyone has the potential to find their own creative genius. So, whether you crochet, play an instrument, widdle soap, literally anything - you will walk away inspired to try this concept of creative living.

My key takeaways:

Ideas and creativity will only find you if you’re putting in the energy for them to reach you
Only do your creative practice if it’s because you genuinely enjoy it, not because you think other people will
Never start a creative project with monetization in-mind or else it will always disappoint you
Don’t allow the fear of not being the best at your creative practice prevent you from doing it

THE VANISHING ACT OF ESME LENNOX by Maggie O’Farrell

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Between running her vintage clothing store and avoiding her current guy-of-the-moment’s clinginess, Iris Lockhart receives surprising news: her great-aunt Esme, whom she has never heard of before, is being released from an asylum - where she has been locked away more than 60 years. Esme’s records prove she is Iris’s grandmother’s sister, and there’s no doubt Iris can see a glimpse of her dead father in Esme’s features. Though Esme has been deemed harmless, she is still essentially a stranger to Iris, and carries with her some very dark family secrets.

My Thoughts: Funny back story to this book - and I promise I’m trying to make it short. Earlier this month, I was staying at my parents’ house for a few days and was looking for a quick, easy read. My mom said she had a book downstairs that I bought her for Christmas when I was about 10. Apparently, when I gave it to her, I told her that after buying gifts for my brother and dad, I only had about $6 left. So, I went to Barnes & Noble, found the clearance table, saw a book with a ballerina on it that was only $5, and thought this was the gift for mom. For obvious reasons, she was expecting the book to suck eggs, but to her surprise, it was actually a banger. So, she’s held onto it all these years lol. I really enjoyed this book and it was a pretty quick read. The format of it is a little different, but once you get an idea of which character is talking/thinking, it’s hard to put down. The ending was very poetic and left you with just a nugget of completion while still wanting more.

THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE by Audrey Niffenegger

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Henry DeTamble, an adventuresome librarian, frequently finds himself misplaced in time. As one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement disorder, Henry’s disappearances are spontaneous, the period of time he’s sent to frequently changes, and his experiences are unpredictable. Clare, Henry’s wife, has known him since she was a child and he was in his thirties. Through both Henry’s and Clare’s points of view, The Time Traveler’s Wife dives into the effects of time travel on their relationship and lives.

My Thoughts: It took me longer to read this book than I expected it to. That’s definitely not because I didn’t enjoy it, but I wasn’t so enthralled that I “couldn’t put it down.” (I guess another way to say that is, when I had the option of continuing to binge watch Gilmore Girls or to read TTTW, I more often chose Gilmore Girls lol.) The author does a great job of tying together all of the different experiences from both Clare’s and Henry’s perspectives as it relates to his time traveling. What kept me hooked though was the feeling that I was putting together a puzzle, but had to figure out who had the right pieces - Clare or Henry. I will say that I wasn’t in love with either character, and it truly surprised me that Clare never questioned whether or not she had a choice in all of this. She just blindly trusted some guy who kept showing up randomly in the woods near her family’s property and took whatever he said at face value. I would have been a liiiiittle more skeptical than that. (Like, hello, Clare? Stranger Danger? Have you never heard of it?) Overall, I enjoyed this book, but probably won’t read it again.

THE BLACK FLAMINGO by Dean Atta

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: A boy, Michael Angeli, comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen by falling in love with the art of drag and transforming into The Black Flamingo.

My Thoughts: The easiest five stars ever. This was a powerful story about owning who you are on your terms and not allowing others to define you or put you in a box that makes them feel more comfortable. I absolutely loved Michael. Even through the rough patches when he wasn’t sure of himself, I could feel it in my gut that he was going to thrive. The poetry throughout this book was an amazing component and I appreciated how it reflected his growth. Towards the start, the poems felt a little naive and scrappy, but as the story continued and Michael began to be more confident in his identity, the poems he was writing became more polished and profound as well. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick read that will leave you feeling v satisfied.

A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN by Roseanne A. Brown

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: The Solstasia Festival only happens once every 50 years when the Bahia’s Comet passes over Ziran. For Malik, Solstasia is an opportunity to escape his war-stricken home with his sisters and start a new life in the prosperous capital. That is, until his younger sister, Nadia is taken by a vengeful spirit as payment for entering the city. The only way to get her back is to kill Karina, the Crown Princess of Ziran. However, Karina has concocted some deadly plans herself after her mother, the sultana, is assassinated. In order to resurrect her mother, Karina requires the heart of a king, and by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition, she will get one. However, seeing their tasks to kill each other through may be tough after Malik rigs his way into the contest and love starts to flicker between them.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book and not just because it has to do with a comet that is a rare sighting (like Halley’s Comet (lol)). I’ve been on a YA fantasy kick for a while, and the imagery in this book was very refreshing. The author did a wonderful job of creating a world painted with a variety of magical characters, mystic beings, and more - all inspired by West African folklore. It took a little longer than I anticipated to get into it, and at first, I found it kind of hard to like the main characters. Although that improved as the characters developed, I can’t say I closed the book feeling super connected to them. One of my favorite things about this book is that she portrayed Malik’s struggle with anxiety as a debilitating illness with both mental and physical effects. As someone who wrassles with anxiety on a daily basis, it was really validating to see it illustrated so accurately. There is a sequel to this book, but I wouldn’t say this first book ended on an incredibly suspenseful cliffhanger, so I’m still undecided about whether I’ll continue onto the second in this series.

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Aging Hollywood movie icon and recluse Evelyn Hugo is ready to spill the tea on her glamorous and scandalous life. When she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more surprised than Monique herself - she’s not exactly at the top of her game, her husband recently left her, and her career has plateaued. Regardless of why Evelyn has chosen her to write the biography, Monique is determined to us this opportunity to breathe life back into her career. As Evelyn’s story unfolds, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

My Thoughts: I think we all need a little more of Evelyn Hugo’s energy in our lives - especially when it comes to not giving two fucks. This woman is a savage, but she’s so unapologetic about it, that you can’t help but admire her. When Monique first met Evelyn’s character, I couldn’t tell if I was going to like her or not. Like obvi the tea she was about to spill was going to be piping hot, but her personality was kind of cold and off-putting. However, as the book explores each marriage, you quickly learn she’s that way for a reason. It was also really powerful how, through her life story, this book touched on the topics of sexuality, race, and the expectation to conform to society’s norms. Especially as it relates to Evelyn’s relationship with her sexuality, and how it goes from being something she uses to advance her career to something she cherishes greatly. Evelyn’s anecdotes weren’t the only thing that kept me sucked into this book, it was also the plot twist of trying to figure out why she specifically chose Monique for this project. Overall, this was an awesome book and shows you just how far someone will go for the people they love.

CLOCKWORK ANGEL by Cassandra Clare

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: It’s 1878 and Tessa Gray, a young, soft-spoken gal from New York, is on her way across the pond to start a new life with her brother, Nathan. However, as her ship docks, she quickly learns her brother is missing and finds herself caught up in London’s dark supernatural underworld where her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters. Soon, they are up against a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans known as the Pandemonium Club which has a plan to overthrow the British Empire using a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures - and only Tessa and her allies can stop them.

My Thoughts: We love a good YA fantasy set in 1800s London, do we not? I surely do, and this book was no exception. I had a hard time putting it down. I love that the pace of this book was quick and easy to get into right from the start. It’s not that the entire thing was a string of action-packed events, though it has its fair share of that, but the development of the story and characters throughout was an enjoyable experience in itself. Tessa goes from being a shy, naive girl who just wants to find her brother to a powerful woman who is DUN with people treating her like she’s weak. She has a unique power that is extremely desirable to the “underworlders”, but this leaves Tessa questioning whether or not she’s human and what being human truly means. As for the other characters, Ima try to keep it short:

Will: ugh. This brooding, witty young Shadowhunter is such a fuck boy, but it’s clear that’s just a front and he’s got some demons of his own to battle. So, basically, I love him lol.
Jem: Jem is the sweetest guy ever, and Will’s “battle brother” for lack of remembering the exact term used in the book. Anyway, Jem is empathetic, understanding, and overall just a lovable character that is impossible to dislike. He’s the guy-friend you’d take to a wedding because he can get along with anyone and everybody likes him.
Charlotte: The badass boss of the Institute where they all live. She’s everyone’s “mom” and mentor, and acts as the neutralizer of every situation.
Henry: Charlotte’s husband who likes to tinker with gadgets and demon slaying devices. He’s super aloof which was mildly annoying, but he also comes in clutch when it counts.
Jessamine: A Shadowhunter who cannot be bothered with Shadowhunting. She’s pretty superficial and very focused on appearances - however, there’s definitely more to her that I hope we get to see in the next book, so I’m not writing her off as a petty bitch just yet. :)
Sophie: a queen. I really like this character. She isn’t a Shadowhunter, just the housekeeper of the Institute, but she’s scrappy, resilient, and gives us those good good vibes.

Anyway, I am very excited that I found another YA fantasy series that sucks me in almost as much as Throne of Glass and cannot wait to read the second book!

2021 Book Count: 8 down, 47 to go!

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YOUR TURN! Leave a comment below if you’ve read any of these books! I’d love to hear your thoughts or any solid recommendations you may have for books I should add to my reading list for this year!