It's almost here! The New Year, blessed 2021, what we've all been dreaming about since... March. I'm determined to make next year better than the last in so many different ways, and that starts with setting goals. To me, New Year's resolutions are just more ways to feel bad about myself, so I'm not one for last-minute grandiose promises. However, I do have some goals for my blogger life.
That's it! I think those are admirable goals, and of course I'll be updating you with my progress throughout. Do you have any goals for the new year? I'd love to hear about them below!
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This week I'm focusing on relaxing between Christmas and New Year's, as well as getting back into the blogging groove! I can't believe this crazy year is coming to an end, but I foresee great things in 2021. I've got some milestones coming up, including my seventh year blogging (and fifth year with this website!) which is a terrifying idea. I don't have anything particularly exciting planned yet, but I want to make this fifth year the best one yet. Thank you all for being on this journey with me!
I finished watching Bridgerton on Netflix, and I'm eagerly awaiting Part Four of Sabrina. I think I'll have to do another feature post on the TV I've watched this year, because there's so much to discuss. I especially want to talk about Bridgerton! There's some good and some bad, as with all things, but part of media criticism is knowing you can love things and acknowledge their flaws. So here's my declaration: I love Bridgerton, and I know it could have been better. Come back soon to see me discuss how! There's been some debate recently on the ethics of "Worst" lists, and I'm going to make my stand as a reviewer by sharing my Worst of 2020 list. My voice is subjective--something that wasn't for me might be for you, and typically folks don't take these judgments to be end-all be-all decisions on what books to read. This blog is a space primarily for readers, and I'll not be cowed into sharing only positive opinions. I have the privilege of an audience, and it's my responsibility to speak honestly. If you're intimidated by that, I bet you'll find some measure of comfort in the fact that I rarely dislike books, and these are pretty much a collection of 3-star reads. Just me saying "It's not you, it's me" to a book. Not an indictment of quality, either, necessarily, since I rate on an emotional basis. These reads just didn't tug at my heartstrings--and that's not to say they won't for you.
I don't think I've ever done this before, but in such a horrible year I want to create a moment of joy. Today I'm bringing you my best books of 2020--books I read, instantly loved, and recommend to all of you. This is a pared-down selection of my 5-star rated books on Goodreads, and it excludes rereads. I've included links on some of the titles, either to a review or spotlight I've written for the book. Comment below if you've read any of these titles, or if they're on your TBR!
Hi all! I hope you enjoyed last week's lengthy post on Taylor Swift and my folklore/evermore analysis--I love being able to share more of my life with you, so I'll probably branch out into multi-media posts more often. I've realized that over the past months, I've deviated from the intended purpose of this feature (sharing two non-bookish parts of my life every week) and I do want to get back to that. My book mail updates, blogging life, and reading progress all belong in different posts, and I could update more often. So, with that said, here's my Tuesday's Two:
1. My friends and I have a bit of a secret santa going on, except you can imagine that delivery is difficult because of COVID-19. I'm really excited about the gift I've bought for my recipient (98% chance she'll never see this, but I'm not about to spoil it!) and can't wait to see her reaction. Other than that, and blasting Christmas music in between evermore replays, I'm not sure I'm in the holiday spirit this year. We're three days out from Christmas, and time just feels unreal. 2. Perhaps a coda to that would be the knowledge that I'm planning to spend my break catching up on films and television! I recently got a Letterboxd so I can better keep track of the movies I watch, and I can't wait to stream Wonder Woman 1984 on Friday! Wonder Woman (2017) is simply my favorite movie, and I am so excited for the next installment. I have literally waited three years for this!! There's also the Bridgertons series out soon on Netflix, and Part 4 of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina! All in all, it seems like I'll be making a lot of popcorn these holidays.
I was having a less-than-ideal week last week, and then on Thursday Taylor Swift announced evermore, the sister album to this summer's folklore. My skin cleared, my mood changed, and all was well in the world. I've been a Taylor Swift fan for my entire life. On a level, we've grown up together. Not to brag, but I was in the top 0.5% of Taylor Swift listeners on Spotify in 2020. (Yeah, I'm totally bragging about that)
Dropping folklore and evermore as surprise albums is just an absolute boss move, and I admire Swift's commitment to her artistry and love for her fans. I can't say at the moment how big of an impact these albums have had on my life in isolation because we're still not out, and I'm not done listening! For now, I'll tell you that every time I have a bad day, whenever I want to blast music and scream-sing alone, and all the times I want to celebrate, I put on my Taylor Swift playlist. (If you want to check out my Spotify, it's on there!) It's probably going to take me a while to create book-to-song matches for folklore and evermore, because I am determined to get them right. However, what I want to share right now is a bit of opining on both albums. My favorite songs, my least favorite songs, and which ones best display Swift remarkable songwriting talent. I'm also sharing an album ranking, because I think with 9 studio albums out, it's finally the right time. So. Let's dive into folklore. I'd name the 1, cardigan, illicit affairs, invisible string, betty, and peace as my favorite songs. An honorable mention goes to the last great american dynasty for being absolutely incredible. After listening, I looked up Rebekah Harkness and the history of Holiday House, and it's just as good as the song. Swift rarely wrote non-autobiographical songs, and her foray into storytelling is one I hope she'll continue, because these songs are so good. (Well, except for the fact that epiphany just goes on too long. My tears ricochet is emotional but I always have the urge to skip it. And mirrorball... shiny but not for me.) The love triangle trio (cardigan, august, betty) has had me hooked on conspiracy theories (yes, I *do* think it's a sapphic love triangle and you can't take that away from me!) for the past four months. Cardigan especially might be my favorite song off the whole album. I love the imagery, and watching the music video premiere just brought me so much joy that night. I put peace on my Blackstairs playlist, because... "Your integrity makes me seem small / You paint dreamscapes on the wall / I talk shit with my friends, it's like I'm wasting your honor / And you know that I'd swing with you for the fences / Sit with you in the trenches / Give you my wild, give you a child / Give you the silence that only comes when two people understand each other / Family that I chose, now that I see your brother as my brother" is just the most Julian/Emma vibes ever. Okay, sorry for quoting an entire verse of peace on here but I need you all to understand how perfect these albums are for relating to books. The imagery, the metaphors, the undercurrent of acceptance and inevitability that runs through the songs?? It's just... agh!! I can't properly express how much I love folklore. That was it for me. As soon as I listened, I turned around and... heard it six more times that very same day. Nothing could compare. And then I heard evermore. I found out about Swift's ninth album last Thursday morning, like all of us, and immediately freaked out. I started planning my midnight first listen and theorizing about the song title meanings (yes, I thought dorothea, ivy, and marjorie were part of another love triangle story at first). Midnight ran around after the longest day ever, and I watched the willow music video wrapped in my favorite throw blanket. It is so very very good, and I'm glad it continues the aesthetic established by cardigan. We love continuity. I live-tweeted my first listen (just like I did with folklore) and then listened to evermore for the rest of the weekend. Okay, fine. The rest of the week. Okay, FINE! I'm listening to it as I write this and I'm not crying a little! I'm not! My favorite songs from evermore are willow; gold rush; no body, no crime (this song title having a comma forces me to use semi-colons in every list I make. I don't resent that *at all*); ivy; and evermore. Honorable mentions to champagne problems, tolerate it (those two always make me inexplicably sad), cowboy like me (Taylor *will* return to country music one day. This I believe!), and long story short (another Blackstairs song--I see them in everything!) for allllmost making my favorites list. Champagne problems in particular gets me, just because of how bittersweet it becomes. It's like Swift's earlier breakup songs, but less brash and more sympathetic. She doesn't take a side. Again, the lyrical maturity in both folklore and evermore just makes me want more. It's not that I don't like Swift's upbeat pop sound (Lover is my favorite of her albums, after all), but I do enjoy the more contemplative sounds she's chosen here. Her collaborations feel more interesting, the songwriting top notch. I have so much respect for her artistry and ambition, which is why I've remained a fan even when it wasn't "cool" to be one. Wherever she strays, I'll follow (willow reference, because I can't help myself). I don't think I could ever tire of this new style, especially because the limits of an album have become the expanse of Swift's imagination, and not the scope of her real life. So I was cool with a surprise twin album for folklore, and I'd be even cooler with a triplet. I know she debunked the woodvale theory, but I'm still holding out hope for a third album. I think Miss Swift has more stories to tell, and I'd be honored to hear any of them. Okay! Now for an album ranking, accompanied by my favorite songs from each. I left out movie soundtrack singles and her Christmas album, even though my favorite song in the world is Sweeter Than Fiction.
And because I want to plug my Spotify (which you should all totally follow for some amazing bookish playlists) I'm going to embed my blackstairs playlist, which I've mentioned a couple times here. I started this around folklore's release, and I'm really proud of it.
Hi all! I want to highlight an upcoming 2021 release for you. Rebel Daughter will come out February 9th--sooner than we think! Get your preorders in! I'm working with the author on a number of exciting things to celebrate Rebel Daughter's release, so check back soon for some news on that front. In the meanwhile, I'm working on my review (Thank you to Lori and the #GetUnderlined team for sharing an ARC!) so watch my reviews page for new updates. Author Website Preorder Links A young woman survives the unthinkable in this stunning and emotionally satisfying tale of family, love, and resilience, set against the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Esther dreams of so much more than the marriage her parents have arranged to a prosperous silversmith. Always curious and eager to explore, she must accept the burden of being the dutiful daughter. Yet she is torn between her family responsibilities and her own desires; she longs for the handsome Jacob, even though he treats her like a child, and is confused by her attraction to the Roman freedman Tiberius, a man who should be her sworn enemy. Meanwhile, the growing turmoil threatens to tear apart not only her beloved city, Jerusalem, but also her own family. As the streets turn into a bloody battleground between rebels and Romans, Esther's journey becomes one of survival. She remains fiercely devoted to her family, and braves famine, siege, and slavery to protect those she loves. This emotional and impassioned saga, based on real characters and meticulous research, seamlessly blends the fascinating story of the Jewish people with a timeless protagonist determined to take charge of her own life against all odds. Good morning everyone! Unfortunately circumstances have prevented me from sharing today's post, scheduled to be my first foray into lifestyle blogging! I'm still planning to write and post it later this week, but I ask for your patience as I step back today to deal with a bit of unfortunate personal news.
Hi all! It's been a while! I hope you've had a good week, and if not, I empathize! I'm anticipating some news later, and I've gotten a bunch of packages to either cheer myself up or celebrate after receiving it. If you're interested in those, check out my mail update from a few weeks ago to see what I've gotten! And once you've finished, give my Spotlight On: The Last Best Story post from yesterday some love because I simply adore that book!
In other news, I've started painting again. Square canvases this time, and small ones, so that I can hang them like a little painting mosaic. I'm very excited, and I hope to sneak a bookish quote on there somewhere. I have no idea what I'd even choose, but I'll definitely share pictures of that when it's done. I'm rewatching The Good Place, a show that held my heart since the very first season and which continues to destroy me psychologically whenever I think too much about it. I identify on some level with all the characters, and that setting has always appealed to me. Having the afterlife be a bureaucracy will never not be funny to me, so I'll read any book or watch any show that runs on that premise. There might even be enough books out there with similar vibes to do a recommendation post! I should start drafting that... That's basically how my brain is these days. So many ideas, so little time. I do have some exciting things in the pipeline for you: book-track matches for Taylor Swift's new albums! I was supposed to drop my folklore matches this summer, but never did since I had a hard time finding books to match with all the tracks. I have a bit of a dissection post on evermore coming Wednesday. I know it's not book related, but I'd love to get into more lifestyle musings with you all. Gives me a reason to update here even when I can't read a lot! |
The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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