Lydia Schoch

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

The original prompt for this week was ‘Books I Hope Santa Brings.”

My to-read list is already so long that I decided to tweak it a little to be “Bookish Things I Hope Santa Brings.” The funny thing is, my parents never did Santa stuff when I was a kid and I don’t actually celebrate Christmas.

To be perfectly clear, I’m not at all offended by the assumption that we all eagerly await presents from Santa, but I think it would be really cool to see what other holiday-themed prompts Jana could come up with next year.

I wonder how many other Top Ten Tuesday participants celebrate winter festivals, holy days, or other events that are not at all related to Santa or Christmas? There must be at least a few of us out there!

Anyway, here is my list of bookish things that I wish Santa would bring to me.

1. Gift Cards to Local Bookstores 

When this pandemic started, I began ordering my bookish things through Amazon and big chain bookstores because everything else was either shut down entirely or hard to place an order through. 2022 should be the year I start supporting small, local businesses again.

2. Caffeine-Free Tea 

There can never be enough of it, especially when you’re reading a book about characters who are outdoors in the cold and have little access to luxuries like this.

3. Dairy-Free Chocolate 

My reasons for this answer are quite similar to my reasons for choosing my second answer. If I must read a story about characters who can’t eat sweets for any number of reasons, I’ll feel a little better if I can nibble on something sweet while I discover why their diets are restricted.

4. New Novels From My Favourite Authors

I’m especially hoping that these authors will release new books this year: Sarah Waters, Rivers Solomon, Nnedi Okorafor, Becky Chambers, Alex Cross, and Andy Weir.

What do you think the chances are that at least one of them will release something in 2022?

5. A Discovery of a Forgotten Novel from a Long-Dead Author

I won’t narrow it down to any particular author. I simply think it would be incredible for fans to learn there’s a “new” book for them to read from an author who died decades or even a few centuries ago. It would almost be like that author briefly coming back to life again.

6. To Recommend a Book That Someone Else Loves 

7. To Receive a Book Recommendation for Something I Love 

My last two answers are somewhat related to each other.

There’s nothing like the feeling of giving or receiving a book recommendation that is perfect for the person who ends up reading it! Honestly, it’s the closest thing we have to true magic in this world other than falling in love.

This happens so infrequently that I’ll have to rely on Santa to help it come true at least once next year.

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Winter is snowy and cold here in Ontario, so I generally get a great deal of reading done during it.

I mean, why not snuggle up with a great book when the snow is falling furiously and our local weather people are warning everyone about hazardous wind chills that can quickly cause frostbite or or even more serious health conditions if you spend too much time outdoors?

As I’ve said on other seasonal TBR posts before, this list is purposefully short and open-ended.

That is to say, I do want to read these books at some point, but I’ll need to wait and see when the Toronto Public Library has them in stock and how long the wait lists are.

I also like to leave plenty of space in my reading plans for books I discover at the last moment and for sudden literary cravings I have for specific authors, genres, or tropes. Yes, that means I’m a mood reader at least some of the time. So much depends on if my favourite authors have recently released new books and whether I’m happy to continue reading through a pre-determined list or feel the need to venture off into new directions again.

1. Brown Girls by Daphne Palasi Andreades

Publication Date: January 3

I Want to Read It Because: I love reading about the experiences of other immigrants. All of our stories are so unique!

2. The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

Publication Date: January 4

Want to Read It Because: I might be ready to read a dystopian novel again? This pandemic almost completely squelched my interest in dystopian, pandemic, horror, and other dark genres. It was happy endings only in my reading world for a long time there.  I’m so interested (and horrified) by the idea of a government controlling reproductive and parenting decisions that I might be able to get over that aversion for this particular tale.

3. An Abolitionist’s Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World by Patrisse Cullors 

Publication Date: January 25

Want to Read It Because: I’m eager for realistic advice on how to do your small part to change the world when you can only devote so much time and energy to the cause. (Whatever that cause may be). Some of the activist spaces I hang out in have sometimes struggled with the idea that not everyone has endless emotional, financial, physical, etc. resources to draw upon. I’m drawn to people and movements that take a more pragmatic approach that encourages taking care of yourself, too.

That’s the entirety of my list! I started this post back in November and have been gradually adding to it since then. Slow and steady wins the race, I think.