2022 in Review & 2023 Resolutions: Yearly Wrap-Up

2022 was a big year for me! The biggest surprise being that I got ENGAGED! ✨ And, somehow, I anticipate 2023 will be just as busy. Between planning my wedding and studying for my professional exam, there is a lot to keep me on my toes over the next 12 months!

With all my responsibilities this year, it has been hard to prioritize blogging as much as I maybe would have wanted to. Because , even when I wasn’t that busy it was sometimes hard to motivate myself to post because I was feeling uninspired. I never want this blog to feel like a burden, so making sure that I took time away from it and only posted when I was really feeling motivated was so important for me this past year. Yes, this meant I posted less, but I think it was worth it in the end.

Advertisement

December 2022: Monthly Wrap-Up

Here we are, already a week into 2023! Honestly, the past couple of weeks have gone by in a blur. I feel like I’m still trying to get my bearings from the end of the holiday season… Just in time to jump right back into work and real life winding up again.

Let’s just say the holiday “break” wasn’t really that much of a break. 🙃 My trip got cut in half due to all the craziness at the airport, which means I didn’t do everything I hoped to, and there was a lot of additional stress surrounding the trip. Not that I should be complaining, because it was so nice to see my family and catch up with everyone.

Not only that, but I am in the middle of planning my wedding! 💍💕 Which is super exciting (but also pretty stressful). The wedding will be in my hometown, so the entire trip was mostly spent figuring out those logistics. But I got A LOT sorted, which definitely elevates some stress. And honestly, it was very fun to visit the venue, start vision boarding the decorations, and pick out my dress!

4 LGBTQ+ Books to Read this Holiday Season: 2022 Edition

Get out your hot chocolate and put on your coziest set of pj’s – it is officially that time of year again! ❄️🌟💝

Two years ago around this time, I did a post called 4 Books I Want to Read This Holiday Season, where I listed a few holiday-themed books I wanted to read to get me into the holiday spirit. And this year between the extremely cold weather, being sick with the flu, and the ominous flight conditions, I felt the need for a few more holiday tales to lift my spirits once again. To make things a little different from last time and to add some excitement, I choose to highlight 4 holiday-themed reads that were released this year. Half are adult fiction and the other half are YA, so there’s really something for everyone here. Bonus points for them all being queer! ✨

Because there’s truly nothing better than the week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve when there’s nothing to do and no expectations but to cozy up with a good book.

These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy: ARC Book Review

If I had to review These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy in one sentence, it would be simple: I LOVED IT. ❤️

This novel was probably one of my all-time favorite YA fantasy books! I actually read it almost an entire year ago, and I can still remember it with such clarity because it was just so good. I simply cannot wait to read its sequel, This Cursed Crown. And with This Cursed Crown having been just published, I thought it would be the perfect time to revisit my thoughts about this fantastical novel!

In These Feathered Flames, the Russian folktale The Firebird is reimagined for a modern YA audience. In the world of Tourin, there are twin heirs. One, Izaveta, was designed to rule as the future queen, and her sister, Asya, was fated to become the next Firebird, a magical being who ensures that magical costs are always repaid. When their mother, the reigning queen, dies unexpectedly, both sisters are thrust into their new positions much sooner than anticipated and have to deal with the consequences these responsibilities entail.

How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao: ARC Book Review

Katie Zhao pitches How We Fall Apart as: “an Asian American high school student is found murdered, and her high-achieving friends become the prime suspects.” And with a premise like that, who wouldn’t be intrigued? As a fan of dark academia, YA mystery/thrillers, and a long-time lover of trashy teen shows like Gossip Girl, I definitely had high hopes for How We Fall Apart!

Unfortunately, this novel did not live up to the expectations I had built up in my mind; which isn’t to say that this book wasn’t enjoyable, because it most certainly was! But it read a little immature for my tastes. While the topics touched on were more mature, I felt the writing style and the way things were glossed over or only hinted at made it feel more juvenile to me.