Year 28 Reflection

Hello friend! I hope that you have been well. Though this is a few weeks after my birthday, I love keeping up with traditions and I am excited to bring a review of my year 28 – bookish and otherwise. This was a busy year for me with my wedding and travels and now I am finally finding the time to catch up on the things I normally do in October, my birthday month – a year review post and a multiple-book review post (coming later this week). Let’s get started.

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Year 28: Reading and Writing

I have been writing such personal posts about my reading and life for a few years now. Last year, I shared how I did with my goals for year 27 and set new ones that I took into year 28. I already knew at that point that I would have to work hard to stick to my goals – with the wedding preparations and usual demands of work and life, carving out the time and energy for books and reading was going to be a little harder. I promised myself to be kind and overall, I think I did well!

The Goals I set out to Achieve and how I did

1. Practice creativity everyday.

At the time of starting my 28^th year, I had been indulging in digital art. My art instagram @digital.endeavours was active. That was one way my creativity was manifesting – through digital artwork and maybe some Instagram staging too, I haven’t looked at it closely in a while. As the year progressed, there were days when I struggled to stay true to being creative. Ultimately, I ended up bending the definition to work for me – being creative is a way to connect with myself to spend time with myself. By creating and identifying my morning rituals (thanks to Surviving Storms by Mark Nepo), I started to see creative pursuit as not just art. Sometimes, it was knitting, sometimes it was curating a playlist for my mood or the grocery list for the week (meal planning takes some time and thinking!), sometimes it was going ahead and writing a blog post when an idea presented itself or even working on the scrapbook for my wedding. 

In my darkest moments this year, I turned to journalling to be the one practice I did not give up. It in turn has awarded me with many ideas on how I want to organize my life, experiments that I was able to conduct by journalling and really getting to know myself. I started the year glued to my iPad, creating art and having a digital bullet journal. I have ended it with the hope to pursue embroidery (thanks for two lovely starter kits, Ariel!) and two journals – one for the every-day and one for lists. A book of collections.

2. Create a page for memorable books.

When my art practice was still alive, creating a page for memorable books was easy. The one I made for HEX and Big Magic will always remain my favourites. Big Magic deserves to be a print on my study wall so that I can tap into its message anytime I need inspiration. But once I was no longer making art, I took to writing disorganized notes in my journal itself. I say disorganized because in the past, I would create new sections in my journals for each book and add pages as I go. But now, I have switched to writing about the books and what I am learning from them in context of my day. That is the truest way of remembering and recalling a book – I can easily look back and see what else was going on in my life and why a book had the impact it did.

3. Read more indie books.

Armed with A Book is the place where I share about known and hidden gems of the book world. In year 28, it expanded to not just being about reading books but also sharing about books that I have heard about – authors who have reached to me and I would like to promote but cannot always commit to reading. This year was a journey for me when it came to the purpose of my blog and whether the number of readers, followers, likes, insert any word that counts as having a presence on social media were something to strive for. I love numbers and that is why I work with numbers. However, my data analyst brain would love nothing but to take my hobbies, give it quantitative value and make some judgement. It is quite easy to do too with the tools that websites put at our disposal that already provide the basic numbers – number of books read, books on the TBR pile, number of followers, number of posts per month, number of comments on the blog, subscribers, you get the idea. When requesting review copies, I am often asked these stats. 

The other side of being a data analyst is knowing that numbers are not the full picture. There is a lot of context and work that goes with why the numbers are what they are and if at all they need to change. My wonderful husband, Clinton, and my fellow book blogger and bestie, Ariel, have heard me say this so many times this past year – I have not read enough books this month. Then I would throw a number like 4 or 7 and they would remind me that it isn’t that I am not capable of reading more, but there is a lot more  going on – we had a summer of weddings in the family and then our own wedding in September! – I need to learn to be kinder to myself. And I am working on it. 🙂

So all in all, this long story to say: I did some indie books (numbers coming soon!) but I did not limit myself to just reading them. Through my Indie Recommends Indie series as well as the interview and book excerpt posts, I hope that some indie authors that I have connected with have caught your eye and allowed you to take a chance on their book. I believe in letting you, my readers, explore books I might have decided to not read. If you like it, tell me. I love your recommendations!

Two of the biggest joys in the world I have as a book blogger are: 

1. knowing someone else has also read or considered the book that I have been thinking about. This includes books I read, add to my TBR, books of authors who I have hosted on the blog – any book whose cover I have seen works!

2. being referred to. My current version of the contact form is not even a year old and in the ~600 emails I have received from authors, publishers and publicists through it, there have been a few who contacted me because a friend recommends the blog. I appreciate each and every one of you who takes the time to join me on my random book adventures and shares with your family and friends. 

Year 28 was decent when it came to reading indie books. I read a total of 84 books of which 23 were indie books – a little over a quarter! Yay!

I started year 28 with 184 books in my TBR and ended it with 278 books. I discovered a number of indie books through authors and I have been sharing about them in my monthly wrap ups and collaborations on the blog. Anything that is on my TBR, I always mention it. 🙂

The Noteworthy Books

Keeping with the other tradition in this year review post, here are the books that I loved and why:

As I researched for my wedding, I found myself diving into retellings of Hindu epics and mythology. This isn’t a theme in reading that I planned on but it happened nonetheless and I have loved reconnecting with my culture. Every single book I read spoke to me in a special way.

• The Girl and The Goddess – This one is unforgettable to me as it not only reminds me of the stories that my Amma used to tell me but also let me see the goddess in the girl, and myself. Read my review here and find the book on Goodreads.
  
• The Palace of Illusions – The Girl and the Goddess led me to this book and the portrayal of Drupadi is one I passionately admire. Read my discussion with Lauren here and find the book on Goodreads.
  
• Kaikeyi – Growing up, reading Ramayana, this book from the perspective of his step-mother, Kaikeyi, challenges the stories of the past and led me to love and accept another side of the story that was never told. Read my discussion with Ariel here and find the book on Goodreads.
  
• The Forest of Enchantments – Retelling of the Ramayana, Kaikeyi led me to this one. I love it for Sita’s portrayal and how it keeps with traditions but also the points at which one grows and has to speak up. Hoping to write about this one at some point, meantime find this book on Goodreads.

The non-fiction books this year were equally amazing. I read about creativity, time management, reviving energy, overthinking, confidence, relationships and have so much I want to say about each of them:

• Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear is a must-read for anyone who wants more creativity in their lives. Author Elizabeth Gilbert shares her experiences as well as what stops us from being creative, the things we tell ourselves and how making something is ultimately the pursuit, not the shares and the likes. This one I highlighted and soaked up in ways I had never devoured a book. Read my review here and find the book on Goodreads. Who knew that was just the beginning of the year and I would find more books like this one. 🙂 
  
• A perfect read for the winter, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times is a book about the season as well as a beautiful reflection on change, rest, grief, and rejuvenation. Our mind and body need rest and Wintering not only reminded me of that but also the power of getting to know myself. There is a lot of satisfaction that comes from understanding ourselves and then taking the steps needed to grow. To make a change. To live like we want to. Read my review here and find the book on Goodreads.
  
• My step-mom recommended Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking to me and Jon Acuff is one of the best narrators I have listened to. It changed the why I think about thoughts and empowered me to be able to notice and change them. I definitely have to re-read this one to get all my thoughts on it together though. Find it on Goodreads.
  
• Though aimed at young girls, Made for More: A Fresh Start Approach to a Bolder, Brighter You by Lindsey Sealey is for every woman. A book about rediscovering confidence, authenticity and many things that as a society we don’t talk about, Made for More is an upbeat positive read that made me feel great. My short review is on Goodreads, longer one coming!
  
• I haven’t read books about relationships before but What Makes Love Last?: How to Build Trust and Avoid Betrayal caught my eye in the month leading up to my wedding. Another book which got me filling pages and pages in my journal. Dr. John M. Gottman offers insight from his research with couples, highlighting the key points where relationships are more vulnerable, how to lead a happy life together and many more gems! A book I have to write about at some point. Find it on Goodreads.

And lastly, we have the fiction that I loved. Stories that tugged at my heart strings, that drew me into their worlds that nothing every had.

• One of the best horror I have ever read, I can never stop gushing about HEX by Thomas Old Heuvelt. Review with art | Goodreads
  
• Moon of the Crusted Snow is a dystopia about an indigenous community in Canada. Lauren and I loved discussing this one and it gave us an opportunity to talk about many cultures and everyday life. It was the first book we read together and enjoyed so much that we read together again. Book discussion | Goodreads
  
• First of the three books on this list with strong women scientists protagonists that blew me away is Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict (who I got a chance to interview and am still over the moon about that!). Review | Interview | Goodreads
  
• Next on my list of books with amazing protagonists, The Dolphin House by Audrey Schulman is based on a true story of a young woman, whose fate leads to her four dolphins housed at a research facility lagoon. I adore this book! Review | Interview | Goodreads
  
• Lessons in Chemistry generated a lot of hype then it came out – for good reason too! The struggles of a female scientist and single mom in the 1980s tugged at my heart strings many times. Thankfully, I was into audio journalling when I read this book so I have my reactions throughout the book as well as the review recorded. Just need to transcribe it to get you the full review! Goodreads
  
• I had challenged myself to read the mammoth, The Count of Monte Cristo, in 2021 and it was the best! A classic that is easy to read and so captivating. Maybe one day I will reread it. Review | Goodreads

• One of the best indie fantasy I have read, The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies has so much to offer! I have accumulated many a quotes from this book and my highlighted and tabbed copy is a prized possession of mine – it shows how much I can love a book. Review | Interview | Goodreads
  
• Ariel and I had decided to do a romance challenge this year. While I did not get very far in it, I discovered two beautiful romances through it. Time After Time is a touching tale about a girl stuck in time. An emotional story about love and a tribute to Grand Central station. Review | Goodreads
  
• The second of my romance favourites, The Forty Rules of Love is a beautiful, immersive tale about love, spiritual, personal and relational, hiding between the leaves of this book, the very forty rules promised in the title. Review | Goodreads
  
• My favourite book by Emily St. John Mandel, Sea of Tranquility, is forever going to be a story about time travel I will come back to. It tangled me in its plot in such a way that I could not let go and from a reader, I quickly transitioned to a student, taking notes, highlighting sections. Review | Goodreads
  
• When I looked through my completed books for year 28, I was surprised that Tell me an ending by Jo Harkins popped out to be as a noteworthy read. I remember struggling with this book at the beginning and only at the end recognizing the reasons for those challenges and loving it so much. Imagine a future where memories could be removed from will from your mind, or so they say. Review | Goodreads
  
• Something about immigration, something about missing home and finding a new one, something of milestones: Interpreter of Maladies is a raw collection. Review | Goodreads

Have you read any of the above or plan to?

If you are curious about last year, find my recommendations from then here.

A Note on Writing

Armed with A Book has been around for long enough that it takes me a while to say it’s age. 😀 It is thrilling to have a hobby like it, an extension of myself, a special place of mine which is dedicated to books and other things I do. Having Ariel blog on it too has created a unique space for reading and it has also encouraged me to be open to hosting more people and letting them enjoy the space.

Year 28 saw a total of 237 posts – an increase from the 167 of year 27, that is impressive! I had some help – Ariel contributed six of the posts and there were more author features than any years in the history of the blog! Where I felt the pressure of reading, I also had the pressure for writing – somedays I had energy to write reviews, other days all I could do was schedule the post for the day. 

I have mentioned in recent wrap up posts about the new things I want to bring to Armed with A Book – talk about stories, songs, shows, whatever catches my fancy. Some of these ideas I implemented through the wrap ups, others are waiting for me to find the time to try them. My collections journal is handy for that! 🙂

In year 29, the blog will continue.

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Year 29

I ended last year’s review with some goals for the year. This year, I want to be an observer of the patterns that emerge. If there is anything that analyzing my reading habits has taught me – the standard is that I change direction a lot. I go through seasons of genres and there is no telling when SciFi will happen again, though it is constantly on my mind when I see the names of certain books on my TBR. I wonder which stories I will gravitate to this year, how many indie books I will love, the challenges I will take part in. I have lots of questions about the future: will I do more blog tours? What kind of books will I fall in love with? Which books will Ariel and I read? Who else will I read with?

I am excited and open to possibilities! 

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Dear reader, if you have ideas and want to read together or collaborate with me, reach out! If you have read a book I have posted about, tell me which one. Say hi, start a conversation! Let’s see where it takes us. My email is kriti.khare@gmail.com.