Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Winter 2021 To-Read List

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

A cup of coffee and an opened book lying on a bed whose top sheet has been folded back 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.

 

Brown Girls by Daphne Andreades book cover. Image on cove shows figures walking away from an  apartment building that is bathed in pink and orange light.

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!

 

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan book cover. Image on cover shows a pink wall that opens into a pink corridor.

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.

 

An Abolitionist's Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World by Patrisse Cullors book cover. There is no image on the cover. It only has the title and author printed in old-fashioned newsprint style.

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.

48 Comments

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48 Responses to Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Winter 2021 To-Read List

  1. I just added The School for Good Mothers to my wishlist yesterday.

  2. I love the idea of activism that focuses in small steps. I want to help, but the reality is that I don’t have as much emotional reserves to draw on as I would like to have.

    My TTT: https://bookwyrmknits.com/2021/12/14/top-ten-tuesday-ten-books-for-my-12-in-2022-list-maybe/

  3. It looks like you’re going to have a great time reading this winter. All 3 of these sound good.

  4. Reading in the snow is the best!

    I’m also an emotional reader, and I really don’t know what I’m going to read from one book to the next—which makes library checkouts and book clubs tricky! I’m in the middle of Malibu Rising right now, which is due back to the library TOMORROW and what did I do last night? Read a steamy rom-com…cause I was in the mood for something mindless. Of course, now I have a deadline! And I haven’t read this month’s book club book…and the meeting is Sunday. Emotional readers…the struggle is real, y’all. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

    Thanks for stopping by earlier! I agree that Weather Girl looks adorable.

    Happy TTT!
    Lori

    https://fiftytwo.blog/2021/12/14/ttt-top-winter-picks/

  5. These all look great! I hope you enjoy them.

    Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!

  6. The School for Good Mothers sounds so interesting. Hope it’s a good one!

  7. I’d be interested in hearing more about The School for Good Mothers. I’ve shied away from too much unpleasantness in my reading this year, but maybe it’s time to dip my toes back in the dystopian reading waters again!

  8. Hope you’ll enjoy all of these when you get to them!

  9. We very rarely get snow here in South East England, just grey and the odd spot of rain!

    I know what you mean when it comes to dsytopian novels. I did however read one about people being turned into zombies when they were given a jab for a flu outbreak…I ended up really enjoying it and reading the rest in the series!

    Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog

  10. Jo

    I can definitely relate to not wanting to read any dystopian fic recently, or pandemic themed stuff, I’ve definitely veered hard away from anything pandemic related in fiction over the past two years.

  11. I’m not familiar with Brown Girls, but going to look it up now. Enjoy all these!

  12. I miss being a mood reader! I ended up getting behind on my reviews so all I was doing was reading for review. Which is fine, but sometimes you’re not in the mood for the books you requested, LOL. Here is my post: https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com/2021/12/top-ten-tuesday-books-on-my-winter-tbr.html

  13. Brown Girls sounds really interesting. Definitely going to have to check that one out

  14. We don’t get much snow in the UK, but when we do, there is nothing cosier than snuggling under a blanket and reading through it. I hope you get to do that this year!

  15. An Abolitionist’s Handbook looks awesome! That’s the type of book I need in my life. I hope you enjoy all these!

  16. I agree with you about staying home and reading during the winter. Reading is a great way to spend some time with as cold and snowy as things can be in Ontario.

    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
    https://readbakecreate.com/winter-2022-tbr-10-books-i-hope-to-read/

  17. These both look so good. I don’t know that I’m ready for dystopian books now, but maybe soon.

  18. All three of these sound really interesting. I hope you enjoy them.

  19. As a mood reader, most of my reading is unplanned and I like when it stays that way. But I also enjoy making lists 😂 I haven’t heard of any of these but Brown Girls looks really interesting. I hope you enjoy these whenever you get to them!

  20. I agree with you about wanting practical suggestions for activism. I admire people who can fully dedicate to a cause but that doesn’t work for me. I’ll check out Abolitionist’s Handbook. Hope you have a good winter!

  21. I’m also an incorrigible mood reader and make TBR lists with trepidation! Happy cozy winter reading!

  22. These all sound very interesting, Lydia. I hope you enjoy them all. I am definitely a mood reader, but I know I will read so much while in Florida, so ten should be easy plus still have lots of time to pick and choose.

  23. That sounds like the perfect weather for reading… since you really don’t have a choice in being outside anyways! I am such a mood reader and hardly ever make TBR’s but hopefully I can get through them in a few months! haha

  24. An Abolitionist’s Handbook sounds very interesting! I hope you enjoy/enjoyed this books! 🙂

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