Welcome 2021!

I’m sure a lot of us were over the year 2020. It was by far one of the tougher years of my life. Although 2021 still poses many challenges (COVID-19, economic crisis, continuing social injustices, etc.), I’m hopeful that 2021 will move us in the right direction. Well… at least for most of us. There are some people that I think are just completely hopeless and will never change.

Regardless, let’s talk 2021. Shall we?

2021 Reading Goals

I don’t usually set many goals for myself or at least not intentionally at the beginning of the year. They mostly just come to me as my year progresses. However, with 2020 being such a rollercoaster, I figured why not set some goals for myself to aim for. So here is what I got:

  • Read all of the Jane Austen novels. (I generally stay away from what people typically consider classic literature, but I’d like to branch out a bit. So I figured to start with a safe choice: Jane Austen.)
  • Read at least 12 books authored by a POC, someone that identifies as LGBTQ+, or has a disability. I know 12 may not sound like many for some, but I think it’s a good starting point for me. I’m a mood reader. & Unfortunately, I honestly don’t put much thought into how I choose my next book. I just scroll through the library website or whatever bookstore I’m shopping at, looking at synopses of books until I find a book that sounds good. I need to start a Diverse Reads TBR list and be more intentional about my book choices. If you have any recommendations, let me know!

I also have a Goodreads goal, but I honestly don’t pay much attention to it. *shrug* If it hit it, cool! If not, that’s okay.

Most Anticipated January Book Releases

Lastly, let’s quickly talk about the book releases I’m most excited about this month. (Note: All links lead to the book’s Goodreads page.)

1. You Have a Match by Emma Lord (1/12): The idea of at-home DNA tests always intrigued and scared me at the same time. I’m from a single-parent household. I know I have half-siblings out there. Do I know who they are? No. Do I want to know? I don’t know? So the premise of this story is very interesting. I’m interested in seeing how Abby deals with finding out she has a sister.

2. The Invitation by Vi Keeland (1/18): To be honest, I’m just in the mood for some romances, and Vi Keeland is usually a safe bet for me for a good read. So I’m excited for The Invitation. Plus, I have never thought about crashing a wedding, but with a lot of my friends getting engaged or married, I think it’d be fun to crash a wedding through The Invitation.

3. We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal (1/19): The first book in this duology, We Hunt the Flame, took a while for me to get into. That ending though! Hook, line, and sinker. I knew, I needed to read the second book, and I’m so glad it’s finally here! I can’t wait to read about Zafira, Nasir, Altair, and Kifah. I probably should reread We Hunt the Flame though. Just to refresh my memory.

Do you have any reading goals for 2021? What are your most anticipated releases? Let me know in the comments! 🙂