If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that 2020 has been a bit of a dumpster fire. However, this year has had it's bright spots, so today we're going to check out my own little highlight reel for 2020!
BOOKS:
The epic finale to the Folk of the Air trilogy was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020, and it did not let me down! The cover (I have the black jacket), serpent embossing on the hardcover, map, and illustrations make this book eye-candy, and the story was so exciting that it was hard to pace myself to keep up with my reading buddy (lol).
Another of my most-anticipated reads, as I am a huge fan of SJM. Since I recently reviewed this one, I'll keep it short; while I've seen many complain about the length of the book and amount of info-dumps, I never felt the story was dragging, because it's a big world with tons of interesting characters, all with complex relationships and a variety of settings. Fae, shifters, merfolk, angels, deamons, you name it. You can find it in Crescent City.
I'm pretty sure I found this one on bookstagram, and boy am I glad I did! I flew through this one last week (check out the review here!). I'd have posted the latest installment, Blood & Honey, but I haven't quite finished it yet thanks to the holidays and adulting. I can tell you that it is BOMB. Set in a French-inspired country, these books are packed with magic, action, humor, and one of my new OTPs. Mahurin is an author I'll be following closely in the future.
SHOWS:
Avatar: The Last Airbender
I was a bit late to the game with this one. I'd seen a few episodes here and there as a kid while visiting friends, but never had access to it until Netflix put it up. And WOW! It is amazing! The characters are lovable, from the charming and wise Aang to his morally grey enemy-to-friend Zuko, and their journey is full of lessons that are valuable for anyone to learn, especially kids.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
I loved this show for all the reasons I loved Avatar, and then some. As a girl, I of course enjoyed that this show is centered around powerful girls of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and personalities. There's also a ton of diversity between the wide range of skin tones, same-sex couples, and different family dynamics for each Princess. Add in the adorable animation, morally grey characters, magic vs science, a kooky old witch in the woods, and a talking Pegasus, and you've got yourself a recipe for success!
The Umbrella Academy
Another Netflix hit, The Umbrella Academy has everything: tortured characters you can't help but love, plenty of humor and one-liners, sick action scenes, interesting visuals, a killer soundtrack, and a story that will have you hitting "next episode" long into the night.
*The Haunting of Bly Manor
And what a story it is. Netflix killed it once again with this mini-series. The Haunting of Bly Manor gets an honorable mention because it has one of the most beautiful, haunting stories I have ever seen. While it may technically be a scary story, it's more of a tragic love story (or series of them) at the core. There was just enough of the supernatural to keep me in suspense and give me a few jumps, but it wasn't overly terrifying. 10/10 would recommend, but only if you've got a box of tissues.
PERSONAL:
Visited the Grand Canyon!
After spending some time back in Alabama over the holidays, my honey and I started driving home to Los Angeles last January. On the way back, we drove through Grand Canyon National Park. The landmark itself was breathtaking, especially dusted in snow, with deer and elk roaming about.
New Mom!
Cat mom, that is! Not long after we made it home from Alabama, we noticed a couple cats roaming the neighborhood. One in particular was a small, black female. One night during a downpour, my boyfriend was worrying about her and decided to open the door to see if he could spot her anywhere. She immediately darted in and has been living with us pretty much ever since. What started as a feral stray has become a spoiled brat who loves to be in the middle of everything and "help."
Launching Coffee, Book, & Candle!
This one's pretty self-explanatory, huh? But it's one of the highlights of my year! Launching this blog not only gave me something to do to keep me sane during COVID, but also provided me with a place to share my love and enthusiasm with the bookish community. Thank you all for enabling my madness, for all of the views, likes, shares, and comments, and for sticking around to close out the year with us! I'm so excited to see what 2021 has in store for us all.
What were some of your highlights this year? What would you like to see in 2021? Let me know in the comments! Until then, take care, and I'll see you soon!