Dear friend, this past year has seen a new addition to my family, but also additions to my blog followers and subscribers. For those of you who are new and this is your first time to my annual birthday reflection, welcome. For those of you who have been with me longer, it is nice to see you again.
In October last year, I was at the cusp of something brand new. The last trimester of pregnancy and the promise of a whole year after with baby as a full-time stay-at-home mama. I remember asking family and friends (thank you to all who fan my love for reading and made up challenges), “How many books do you think I will be able to finish before my baby arrives?” I could look up the wait in books, but what I know off the top of my head is the book I was reading while in labour – Murder by Memory. Reading between contractions without any pain medication is quite the experience, and I don’t think I lasted long on reading or without medication.
Anyway, that was December, and here we are again, closing another year of growth, moving into another year of growing. I don’t have templates for these reflections, though every year in September, I look through the last one, trying to glean what was important then. Does it still hold now? Of course, some things do. Books do. This blog does. But so much has happened, and I am excited to share the best parts, some challenges, and what year 32 holds for us.
The Books & Authors that Stand Out
The Books
I read more this year than I had expected. Before my daughter arrived, I was on a mission to read as much as I could, and that definitely kept my numbers high, but come April, I started to return to my usual reading pace.
I love organizing books by themes and highlighting quotes, and this year, I’ve been able to start curating ideas better. My latest TBR Tales, 8 quotes about love, was a start. There are many books that stand out this year, and some of them I’ll tell you about in forthcoming articles:
- Ariel and Kriti’s buddy reads of 2025
- 5 books that offer tenderness to the new mom
- Books I discovered from mediation teachers
- Jenna’s Book Club picks I adore
Below are what stood out to me. Goodreads links and reason why each book is on this list can be found at the end of the post.
The Connections
This year has been one of the richest seasons yet for Armed with A Book, not just in the stories I’ve read but in the voices I’ve had the chance to host. Some of these conversations came from my own reaching out, others through the incredible support of publicists, and together they reminded me of why I love holding space for authors on this blog. I love supporting and being supported by Canadian authors!
I reached out to Fran Kimmel to interview her about Cattail Lane and met a beautiful person. At a time when I was noticing how much the blog has grown after the lull of earlier in the year, Fran reminded me that my work is seen. “I’ve just subscribed as one of your newest fans,” she said in her last email to me. I cherish it. Fran, if you are reading this, thank you!
After many years, Ariel and I had the joy of doing another double interview, this time with Premee Mohamed, a local author whose success makes me so proud.
Other authors who accepted to chat with me include Ai Jiang (Linghun) and Morgan Dick (Favorite Daughter). I’m excited to share the interviews in the coming weeks!
I’m especially grateful to Jennifer and Rachel at Over The River PR, who have been steady partners for years. They continue to bring me great books and opportunities while never asking for more than I can give, something I have valued very much in this season of life.
I also want to give a huge thanks today to the publicists at Tachyon Publications, St. Martin’s Press, Random House, and Simon & Schuster who pitch their books to me and connect me to their authors for interviews. I’m thrilled to be an ally to champion these authors’ works!
Each interview is a chance to amplify, to connect, and to witness the spark behind the stories. I’m grateful for every single author who sat down with me this year, and for all of you who read along.
Let’s do a countdown to the end.
Four Series coming to the blog – The Projects Ahead
This summer, I have been gathering ideas. Creating the subscribe page offered an opportunity to think about what else I want to do here on the blog. Over the course of year 32, overlapping with the 7th year of the blog, I’ll be launching four new blog series:
(1) The Blogging Shelf
An insider look into blogging as a hobby, this series is about pursuing a creative writing life, the challenges of wanting to do more and being enough, the intricacies of the evolving writing world with the emergence of AI tools, and much more. I’ve had this blog for over 6 years and though I’m no expert, I am starting to see myself as seasoned and the fact that I keep returning and my blog still exists with all the changes in life is testament to how integral this beautiful hobby of mine is in my life. This series is its celebration.
(2) Reader Life
Over the years, I have hosted readers and creators on the blog in various capacities, but primarily to learn about their favourite books or their craft. Reader Life is about the everyday. How people make time for reading. Why it matters to them. How it has changed them. This is open to everyone who reads. I’m excited for it because it’s a completely different style of writing and interviewing. Of course, Ariel is the first guest.
(3) Creating While Caring
The original idea for this was Creating While Parenting, but as the first article finally started to take shape, I switched Parenting to Caring. It’s a word that encompasses everything: parenting, caregiving, as well as caring for ourselves and our crafts. It carries warmth and inclusivity, and I love how it opens the door to voices beyond parents. I have floated the idea of this series with a few writing mamas and have only found encouragement. You will meet them on this series in various ways. I want to give a heartfelt mention to Anitha Krishnan, who is the first one I told and who has accepted to be my partner and sounding board for ideas.
(4) Reading with a Slice of Life
This series emerged from The Names. Each day, I read the book and then wrote about it. At the end, I had 7 long-form articles. This is a completely new style of reviewing. You can think of it as a mix of readalong and a life diary, blending literary commentary with the personal. It doesn’t work for every book, and I can’t wait to find another story that calls to me in this way. Stay tuned for all my thoughts on The Names.
Three Things I am Bringing With Me
Three things I know will continue to be part of my daily life and joy:
InsightTimer – I rediscovered this app back in June, and it’s been a daily companion since. Every morning, I set an intention, and regularly, I listen to a guided meditation from their massive free library or relisten to one of my favourite tracks. I’ve met some great teachers here as well as books. More on that someday.
Rituals – little moments mean a lot to me, and I want to return to them.
- Sitting in my rocking chair, looking outside at the tall lombardy poplars around my house.
- Having a bedtime snack with my husband.
- Sharing new and old music we discovered over the week on the weekend over coffee.
Anime – I rediscovered my love for animes this year and you may have noticed the suggestion of one in the monthly wrap-ups.
Two Things I am Leaving Behind
Two things I don’t want to carry forward are:
Filling up my blog calendar – Back in October 2024, I posted to my blog 23 times, that is more days than the number of days I worked. I’m not going there again. This past August was 14 posts and when I sit down to plan my blogging calendar for the month, 15 is the maximum number of times you will hear from me in a month.
Wanting more opportunities – When we do something for a long time, we start to associate that thing with us. This year, I let go of book excerpts and did very few Indie Recommends features. If I no longer host interviews or am part of book tours, I’ll still be okay. I learned a valuable lesson that even if the blog did not exist, I would still read and write. These past few months have shown me that ideas are abundant and when I want to write, I can. That’s what I love. So I’m letting go of my desire to be asked to review more books, host more authors, have more readers, reach more people, more, more, more. I have come this far and I will keep going at my pace. I am content with the opportunities that I get.
One blog post I’m most proud of
Hands down: The Four Trimesters Reading List.
This was the first major piece of writing after my daughter was born and it was a labour of dedicated reading and effort spread over months. Reading was the easy part. Finalizing the books, writing, taking their photos, creating graphics… I remember chatting with Ma on how to write this article. She was with me when I started and back home when I finished. She was so proud and I cherish her messages when I showed her this post.
I started year 31 expecting my daughter. I begin year 32 with her in my arms. She is 9 months old, blooming into herself, taking me on an adventure I could never have imagined.
Some days I feel like I am in a story.
It’s her story. I am reading her.
Sometimes, I read to her.
Eventually, we will read together.
There are many more moments to come and I am excited for all that we become this year.
Thank you for reading! If you made it this far, spend a minute in the comments or send me an email / message with something as simple an emoji to show you read this or perhaps what you loved about this post.
I am eager to hear from you. 😊
Top Reads from year 31
(*) implies reviewed on the blog
- A mother-daughter relationship – The Booklover’s Library(*) | Goodreads
- Amazing storytelling, sad, complicated, and hopeful – A Woman is No Man(*) | Goodreads
- Being okay with how I’m feeling – The Comfort Book | Goodreads
- Trying on other lives – The Midnight Library(*) | Goodreads
- A page-turning fantasy – Nightstrider(*) | Goodreads
- Being okay with making mistakes – Gifts of Imperfect Parenting | Goodreads
- Learning that motherhood is a time of evolution and that creativity will come (and it did!) – Mothershift | Goodreads, To have and to hold | Goodreads
- Love that survives a curse – A Curse for the Homesick(*) | Goodreads
- Travelling back in time to understand choices – The Memory Collectors(*) | Goodreads
- Being calmer – Buddhism for Mothers | Goodreads
- A haunted family – Linghun | Goodreads
- How to be with a baby and toddler – Elevating child care(*) | Goodreads
- Perfect Imperfect family life – The Things we cannot say(*) | Goodreads
- Poems about growing as a mom – Motherhood is… | Goodreads
- A competition for the throne that tests strength, smarts, and wits in wild imagination – The Raven Scholar(*) | Goodreads
- Pursuing a creative project in the midst of chaos of life – Slayers, every one of us | Goodreads
- Meditations on words – After the Rain | Goodreads
- A story I didn’t want to leave – The Names | Goodreads
- Single parenthood – Wild Dark Shore | Goodreads
- Choices that change everything – Small Things Like These | Goodreads
- Sister love and lyrical magic – The River Has Roots(*) | Goodreads
- Being part of a community – The Serviceberry(*) | Goodreads
- Dementia and family – Cattail Lane(*) | Goodreads
- Trickster trials and stories – The Audition for the Fox(*) | Goodreads
- Recommendation letters for all, a book I shared with Papa – Dear Committee Members | Goodreads
- Sabotage in space – The Apollo Murders(*) | Goodreads
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