Category Archives: Blog Hops

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My list will be a short one this week. I tend to be a mood reader, and 2020 only amplified that preference a hundred times over. Honestly, I don’t generally know what I want to read next with these few exceptions.

My hope is that I will be able to finish these books this year.

A Promised Land by Barack Obama.

I’ve read a few of President Obama’s other books and enjoyed them.

The End of Everything by Katie Mack

Ms. Mack gave a (virtual) talk at my local library this past autumn that was excellent. Between that and her entertaining Twitter account, I look forward to reading more of her thoughts on astrophysics soon.

Stargazing by Jen Wang

So many of you have talked about Stargazing that I simply have to check it out.

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These are my hopes for 2021. Some are serious while others are purely frivolous.

1. That all of us who can be vaccinated for Covid-19 will be able to receive that vaccine this year. Herd immunity saves so many lives.

2. That this pandemic ends quickly and the economy of every country stabilizes again.

3. That President Biden’s transition into the White House goes smoothly.

4. That Toronto gets at least one decent blizzard this year. I love how quiet our corner of the world becomes when there’s a thick layer of snow covering everything.

5. That Jana eventually chooses one of my submissions for a future Top Ten Tuesday theme. Haha!

6. That streaming services or TV channels make more science shows like Cosmos while we’re all waiting for museums to safely reopen. I love learning about how our world works.

7. That all of our favourite living authors release new books this year.

8. That everyone gets two weeks of paid vacation time to rest and relax after everything that happened in 2020.

I’d argue that frontline workers should get at least double that amount of time off in appreciation of everything they did in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. to keep the rest of us safe, healthy, fed, and educated.

9. That I find the perfect job for my strengths, skills, and interests (and you do, too, if you also need this!)

10. That all of us have a peaceful, happy, and wonderful 2021.

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As always, I don’t know exactly when I’ll be reading these books. So much depends on if or when they arrive at my local library!

Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor

Release Date: January 19

Why I Want to Read It: I’m always interested in checking out Ms. Okorafor’s new stories.

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

Release Date: February 18

Why I Want to Read It: Intergenerational friendships always catch my eye.

Love Is for Losers by Wibke Brueggemann

Release Date: February 23

Why I Want to Read It: The title makes me giggle.

The Salt in Our Blood  by Ava Morgyn

Release Date: March 2

Why I Want to Read It: It sounds like something I would have loved to read as a teenager.

The Conductors by Nicole Glover

Release Date: March 2

Why I Want to Read It: The Underground Railroad is one of those historical topics that isn’t talked about enough in fiction.

Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town  by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

Release Date: April 1

Why I Want to Read It: I grew up in various small towns. While that wasn’t the lifestyle for me, I do have a soft spot for books that accurately describe what it’s like to be part of such an insular and tight-knit community.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O’Neal

Release Date: April 27

Why I Want to Read It: I enjoy the occasional werewolf story and am quite curious to see how the main character’s Lyme Disease affects the course of the plot.

The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary

Release Date: April 29

Why I Want to Read It: Oh, how I miss road trips! Maybe I can live vicariously through this one until it’s safe to do them again.

The Ones We’re Meant to Find  by Joan He

Release Date: May 4

Why I Want to Read It: I love the idea of characters using science to help humanity.

Jay’s Gay Agenda  by Jason June

Release Date: June 1

Why I Want to Read It: The title made me giggle. Yes, funny titles are something that can easily convince me to give a book a try.

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2020 was a topsy-turvy reading year for me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of you feel the same way. We’ve all been through a lot this year.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

(My review of it is here).

What I Liked Most About It: The world building was well done and there were many scenes I thought would be memorable on the big or small screen.

“Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter” by Kate Clifford Larson

What I Liked Most About It: I had a vague notion of the existence of a member of the Kennedy family who was lobotomized, but I didn’t know why that happened or what their fate was afterwards. Her tale was a sad, poignant one.

“The Ghost Child” by Sonya Hartnett

What I Liked Most About It: The magical realism added such a nice touch to the main character’s descriptions of what life was like for her in retirement.

“Zombies Run!: Keeping Fit and Living Well in the Current Zombie Emergency” by Naomi Alderman

What I Liked Most About It: Zombies might not be real, but there is a ton of great advice here about how to live as healthily as possible when your community is in lockdown, say, due to a worldwide pandemic.

“The Pull of the Stars” by Emma Donoghue

What I Liked Most About It: The descriptions of the 1918 flu pandemic, the medical treatments for it, and how hard these characters worked to keep their patients alive were mesmerizing.

“A Good Time to Be Born: How Science and Public Health Gave Children a Future” by Perri Klass

What I Liked Most About It: It gave so many reasons to be grateful to live in 2020, and it provided personal accounts from various historical eras on a topic that isn’t generally discussed in history classes. For the vast majority of human history, about half of all children died before reaching adulthood.  It took us multiple generations and the cooperation of countless scientists, politicians, and ordinary people to slowly create entire societies where the vast majority of children live.

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This week’s topic was Books I Hope Santa Brings, but my TBR list is already so huge that with a few exceptions I’ll make note of below that I’d rather not receive more books from Santa or anyone else this holiday season!

With that being said, there are some bookish items I wouldn’t mind receiving this holiday season.

Uninterrupted Reading Time 

What could be better than curling into a quiet corner of the house and reading for as long as your heart desires?

Dairy-Free Chocolate/Sweets

Grocery stores and coffee shops are filled with scrumptious holiday sweets at this time of the year.

I always get excited when I read the ingredient list for a new potential treat and realize that it’s safe for my milk allergy!

Caffeine-Free Hot Drinks

I don’t generally eat or drink while reading, but when I do these are the types of things I like to rummage around for in my cupboards. Some stories simply work better when you have something to sip or nibble on while reading them.

If Santa also wants to make my sweets and beverages low-calorie, I’d promise not to give away his secret for accomplishing that.

A Waterproof Case for My iPhone

So I can safely read ebooks while taking a bath, of course!

Warm Reading Socks

My feet grow cold in the winter. They need all of the coziness they can get.

Happy Endings for Protagonists 

Okay, and maybe some of the antagonists, too, if they truly regret their mistakes.

Audiobooks 

These are the one sort of book I wouldn’t mind receiving over the holidays because I can “read” them while exercising or cleaning my house.

I’ve found that the fantasy and young adult genres works particularly well for me in these scenarios, but I wouldn’t say no to science fiction, biographies, or many other genres as well.

Sequels to Unfinished/Disappointing Series 

I don’t want to hurt any author’s feelings by naming specific series here, but there are certain series that really should have been given better (or, in some cases, any) endings. I’d sure love if it they could all be wrapped up properly and respectfully.

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As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, winter is a time when I read much more nonfiction than usual. Here are some of the nonfiction books I’m hoping to check out before spring arrives.

Even Better Brownies: 50 Standout Bar Recipes for Every Occasion by Mike Johnson

Release Date: Already released

Why I Want to Read It: 90% of my diet is based on whole foods and quite healthy. The other 10% is decadent by design.

A Promised Land by Barack Obama

Release Date: Already released

Why I Want to Read It: I’ve enjoyed all of the previous books President Obama has written and look forward to reading about his memories from the White House.

It’s Never Too Late: Make the Next Act of Your Life the Best Act of Your Life by Kathie Lee Gifford and Dolly Parton

Release Date: Already released

Why I Want to Read It: The subject matter is relevant to my life (and to the lives of many other people this year!)

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life
by John N. Gray

Release Date: Already released.

Why I Want to Read It: I enjoy reading light-hearted philosophy books like this on occasion.

The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners: Meal Plans, Expert Guidance, and 100 Recipes to Get You Started by Elena Paravantes

Release Date: December 29

Why I Want to Read It: I’m always on the lookout for new recipes for the healthy 90% of my diet I referenced earlier.

Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding by Daniel Lieberman

Release Date: January 5

Why I Want to Read It: For many years, I was one of those people who genuinely hated exercise due to negative experiences with it in gym class as a kid and a lifelong disinterest in  team sports. I love the idea of reframing exercise in ways that get people like me to enjoy it. That’s something that should be emphasized much more heavily for all age groups and ability levels.

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders

Release Date: January 12

Why I Want to Read It: Writing is one of those topics I could talk and read about all day without growing tired of it. There’s so much to say!

The Extraction State: A History of Natural Gas in America by Charles Blanchard

Release Date: January 12

Why I Want to Read It: This is one of those ubiquitous parts of life I’d never think to write about but suddenly find myself interested in reading about.

Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain

Release Date: February 2

Why I Want to Read It: I’m always interested in reading portions of history that either weren’t covered in traditional history courses or were only given a cursory overview. There’s no such thing as having too many details about the past in my opinion.

Things I Learned From Falling by Claire Nelson

Release Date: March 5

Why I Want to Read It: Getting seriously hurt while camping or hiking far away from home is something that frightens me. Claire survived this scenario, so it will be interesting to read her account of how she got hurt and how she made it to safety.