Drawing from the Well
Writing this year was a mixed bag. Planning out Book III was one of the hardest processes I’ve ever endured. I’m still reeling a little from it. The good news is that I got through it and even WON NaNoWriMo, which is a first. I outlined 28,000 words for the Book III outline, mapped 229 scenes, completed 21 major character profiles, and wrote just over 50,000 words of the first Book III draft for NaNo. Although I would have liked to accomplish more, I am still happy with what’s here. I aim for more in 2022.
Filling the Well
This is the last image for 2021. In my next post, the right side will reset with this year’s reading list.
#ProjectBookworm2021 is complete! I met and exceeded my goal for ’21 and even beat my mark from ’20, which was already an all-time high. In ’20 I read 100 books. For ’21, 103. I’m very pleased with this. So let’s hit the stats, my Top 10, and my Six-Star Book of the Year. Last year’s stats were
- 100 books
- 47 Authors
- 87 Audiobooks, 13 Physical and eBooks
- 1 1-Star, 1 2-Star, 11 3-Star, 53 4-Star, 34 5-Star
And this year, we’re looking at
- 103 books
- 39 Authors
- 3 Physical Books, 19 eBooks, 81 Audiobooks
- ★: 0
- ★★: 4
- ★★★: 16
- ★★★★: 53
- ★★★★★: 30
So, more books concentrated in fewer authors and more toward physical media, though I was tougher on rankings this year. Now for the Top 10:
- #10: The Gift of Battle by Morgan Rice
- #9: Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard
- #8: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamont
- #7: The Last Life of Prince Alastor by Alexandra Bracken
- #6: Age of Magic by Elise Kova
- #5: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
- #4: Lore by Alexandra Bracken
- #3: Failed Future by Elise Kova
The last two books of my Top 10 were tough. Either could have been my 6-star book of the year. The difference came down to a hairsbreadth so I decided to break them both out here. My #2 Book of 2021 was Cyborg Tinkerer by Meg LaTorre. This book was EXQUISITE. The Hunger Games aspect was unique, inventive, and brutal. The steampunk elements were well-realized and well-incorporated. The polyamory felt organic, engaging, and steamy. I loved it.
And yet, that STILL isn’t my Six-Star Book of the Year. That honor, barely, goes to Witchshadow by Susan Dennard. This book was complex and moving. Where Bloodwitch spread the various character threads out, Witchshadow drew them back together in anticipation of the final book in the series. It was outstanding and I loved every minute of it. Dennard’s books are sometimes hard for me to follow thanks to her four-point conflict structure (thanks John Truby), but this was magnificent.
I’ll have the full list after the Well Chat and sign-off if you’re interested.
Well Chat
Last year, we did this in 3 parts. This year, we’re paring it down to 1. It’s already been a lot to this point, so I’ll keep this section short.
This year was a tough year. There were some deaths in the family and some personal setbacks. While there were definitely wins this year, 2021 closes on a note darker than I would like. I have some personal growth I need to go through as well as diving in deep with Book III. I’ve kept the same reading goal so I’m confident I can meet it again, even if I’m already a book behind. I aim and pray to make 2022 a better year. I hope the same for all of you.
Next week, we’ll talk about my slogan for 2022 as well as my (few) goals. Be well.
May the tide carry you to safer shores.
BSG
2021 Full Reading List
| Number | Title | Author | Rating |
| 1 | Circle of Ashes | Elise Kova | 4 |
| 2 | The Nutcracker and the Mouse | Charlie N. Holmberg | 4 |
| 3 | Judge Dee and the Limits of the Law | Lavie Tidhar | 5 |
| 4 | Journey to the Center of the Earth | Jules Verne | 3 |
| 5 | A Quest of Heroes | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 6 | A March of Kings | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 7 | A Feast of Dragons | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 8 | A Cry of Honor | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 9 | A Vow of Glory | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 10 | A Charge of Valor | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 11 | Kind of Hindu | Mindy Kaling | 4 |
| 12 | Please Like Me [But Keep Away] | Mindy Kaling | 4 |
| 13 | Help Is On the Way | Mindy Kaling | 5 |
| 14 | Searching for Coach Taylor | Mindy Kaling | 3 |
| 15 | Once Upon a Time in Silver Lake | Mindy Kaling | 4 |
| 16 | Big Shot | Mindy Kaling | 4 |
| 17 | Birth of Chaos | Elise Kova | 5 |
| 18 | A Rite of Swords | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 19 | A Grant of Arms | Morgan Rice | 5 |
| 20 | A Sky of Spells | Morgan Rice | 2 |
| 21 | A Sea of Shields | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 22 | A Reign of Steel | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 23 | A Land of Fire | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 24 | Batman: Three Jokers #1 | Geoff Johns | 5 |
| 25 | Batman: Three Jokers #2 | Geoff Johns | 4 |
| 26 | Batman: Three Jokers #3 | Geoff Johns | 5 |
| 27 | Age of Magic | Elise Kova | 5 |
| 28 | The Wish Quartet | Elise Kova | 5 |
| 29 | A Rule of Queens | Morgan Rice | 5 |
| 30 | Bridge of Souls | Victoria Schwab | 4 |
| 31 | Judge Dee and the Three Deaths of Count Werdenfels | Lavie Tidhar | 5 |
| 32 | An Oath of Brothers | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 33 | A Dream of Mortals | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 34 | A Joust of Knights | Morgan Rice | 4 |
| 35 | The Gift of Battle | Morgan Rice | 5 |
| 36 | All Our Yesterdays | Cristin Terrill | 5 |
| 37 | The Queen of the Tearling | Erika Johansen | 2 |
| 38 | The Emperor’s Railroad | Guy Haley | 3 |
| 39 | The 5th Wave | Rick Yancey | 4 |
| 40 | The Gray Knight | Jonathan Moeller | 3 |
| 41 | The Eightfold Knife | Jonathan Moeller | 4 |
| 42 | The Undying Wizard | Jonathan Moeller | 4 |
| 43 | Frostborn Omnibus One | Jonathan Moeller | 4 |
| 44 | The Master Thief | Jonathan Moeller | 3 |
| 45 | The Cyborg Tinkerer | Meg LaTorre | 5 |
| 46 | Treasure Island | Robert Louis Stevenson | 3 |
| 47 | Graveminder | Melissa Marr | 3 |
| 48 | Boomerang | Cameron Dayton | 4 |
| 49 | Waves | Michael Lewis | 5 |
| 50 | House of Shattered Wings | Aliette de Bodard | 3 |
| 51 | The Warded Man | Peter V. Brett | 2 |
| 52 | Freelancer | Jake Lingwall | 4 |
| 53 | The Calling | James Frey | 4 |
| 54 | Sky Key | James Frey | 4 |
| 55 | Rules of the Game | James Frey | 4 |
| 56 | Origins | James Frey | 3 |
| 57 | Descendant | James Frey | 4 |
| 58 | Existence | James Frey | 4 |
| 59 | Endgame: The Complete Training Diaries | James Frey | 3 |
| 60 | Come Tumbling Down | Seanan McGuire | 5 |
| 61 | Your Creative Brain | Shelley Carson | 5 |
| 62 | Bird by Bird | Anne Lamont | 5 |
| 63 | Lore | Alexandra Bracken | 5 |
| 64 | Mage Against the Machine | Shaun Barger | 4 |
| 65 | The Big Trip Up Yonder | Kurt Vonnegut Jr. | 3 |
| 66 | Reign of Shadows | Sophie Jordan | 3 |
| 67 | Frankenstein | Mary Shelley | 4 |
| 68 | His Majesty’s Dragon | Naomi Novik | 4 |
| 69 | Throne of Jade | Naomi Novik | 3 |
| 70 | Witchshadow | Susan Dennard | 6! |
| 71 | Intermittent Fasting | Philip Ghezelbash | 3 |
| 72 | Black Powder War | Naomi Novik | 3 |
| 73 | Temeraire: In His Majesty’s Service | Naomi Novik | 4 |
| 74 | Ninefox Gambit | Yoon Ha Lee | 4 |
| 75 | Raven Strategem | Yoon Ha Lee | 2 |
| 76 | Followed by Frost | Charlie N. Holmberg | 4 |
| 77 | Revenant Gun | Yoon Ha Lee | 4 |
| 78 | Hexarchate Stories | Yoon Ha Lee | 5 |
| 79 | Cruel Crown | Victoria Aveyard | 5 |
| 80 | Broken Throne | Victoria Aveyard | 5 |
| 81 | The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding | Alexandra Bracken | 5 |
| 82 | The Last Life of Prince Alastor | Alexandra Bracken | 5 |
| 83 | Witchmark | C.L. Polk | 4 |
| 84 | Vortex Visions | Elise Kova | 5 |
| 85 | Stormsong | C.L. Polk | 4 |
| 86 | Chosen Champion | Elise Kova | 4 |
| 87 | My Dear Friend Janet | Keke Palmer | 4 |
| 88 | From the Desk of Lady Miss | Keke Palmer | 4 |
| 89 | Chelsea’s Werk Week | Keke Palmer | 4 |
| 90 | Keri on the Loose | Keke Palmer | 4 |
| 91 | Sophie Dreams Big | Keke Palmer | 5 |
| 92 | Elantris | Brandon Sanderson | 4 |
| 93 | The Emperor’s Soul | Brandon Sanderson | 5 |
| 94 | The Hope of Elantris | Brandon Sanderson | 4 |
| 95 | Vortex Visions Bonus Scene | Elise Kova | 4 |
| 96 | Failed Future | Elise Kova | 5 |
| 97 | Red School Part 1 | Victoria Aveyard | 4 |
| 98 | Red School Part 2 | Victoria Aveyard | 3 |
| 99 | A Court of Thorns and Roses | Sarah J. Maas | 5 |
| 100 | A Court of Mist and Fury | Sarah J. Maas | 4 |
| 101 | Sovereign Sacrifice | Elise Kova | 4 |
| 102 | A Court of Wings and Ruin | Sarah J. Maas | 5 |
| 103 | A Court of Frost and Starlight | Sarah J. Maas | 4 |