Hello! I’m here to talk about my December reads for the Buzzword Readathon! **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
This is the twelfth and final post in my “Buzzword-a-thon” series (at least for 2021). In case you’re new here, Buzzword-a-thon is a read-a-thon originally created by Kayla at the YouTube channel booksandlala. It centers around readers choosing books that include specific words or ‘types’ of words. This year, all prompts were selected in advance and it’s been loosely hosted once a month. I’ve made a yearly challenge for myself to at least read one book with the buzzword each month, and also include one recommendation and one anticipated read in my monthly post. To wrap up the year, December’s theme was “days, months, or seasons,” and while I have read a fair few books that could fulfill this prompt, I haven’t necessarily enjoyed them. But I was able to stay on track for my three book posts – one read, one recommendation, and hopefully one future read.
Read in December – Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw
-I received a special edition of Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw in an OwlCrate monthly subscription box back in 2019, and it’s been patiently sitting on my shelf in my room waiting to be read. I thought this month would be a great time to finally dive in, given the prompt and the fact that it’s just getting colder where I live. The story follows Nora Walker, the youngest Walker living in Fir Haven, and the full-mooned night she enters the woods and finds a boy, a boy presumed to be missing since the day of the big storm, a lost boy who needed to be found. I didn’t quite know what to expect, it’s my first Shea Ernshaw book, but I really loved the writing style – descriptive and captivating, while also leaving the reader wanting more at the end of each chapter. I appreciated getting both Nora and Oliver’s perspective, and loved getting hints throughout the story to figure out the true plot and exactly what happened. I was able to decipher things pretty early on, but I don’t fault the book for that – it actually gives me a sense of accomplishment when the book spells it out and I am correct. There were also darkened pages that give a little history to Nora’s ancesters – older Walker women who have lived and died in the same town, and what they had been capable of. Overall I really enjoyed my reading experience with Winterwood, and am actually looking forward to picking more books up by Shea Ernshaw in the future.
Recommendation – Not Our Summer by Casie Bazay
-I was pretty torn between using Not Our Summer by Casie Bazay and The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters for my recommendation. Both are 2021 releases by indie publishers, and I was lucky enough to read both and review them here on my blog. I think I enjoyed The Summer of Everything more, but decided to go with Not Our Summer because I don’t see as many people talking about it on the bookish internet, and think it deserves some more attention. The story follows Becky and KJ, cousins who haven’t spoken since their mothers had a falling out years ago. But after the death of their grandfather, their sent along on five trips throughout the spring and summer which they must complete if they (and their mothers) are to receive any inheritance. Another story in dual perspective, I loved getting to follow both Becky and KJ, who have had very different upbringings which shape their judgement of each other and the world around them. Sprinkled in are letters from their grandfather, Elijah Walker, explaining why he chose certain excursions and his thought process towards the end of his life. I found the imagery to be vivid, and the progression of the cousins’ relationship to be believable and relatable. It’s a solid debut read I would highly recommend (and if you want to see my full thoughts, my extended review can be found here).
Want to Read – Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
-I know I pretty much only talked about seasons in this post, but ever since I heard about Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell early in 2021, it’s been on my radar. The story follows the Iskat Empire, which recently has had trouble with some planets, including one called Thea, chafing under its rule. When Imperial Prince Taam tragically dies, his widower, Jainan, is thrown into a politically arranged marriage with Taam’s cousin, Kiem, in order to try and keep the peace between the two worlds. But when Taam’s death is looked into as something other than an accident, and fingers are pointed at Jainan as the main suspect, he must work with Kiem to uncover the truth, all while trying to surpress their growing feelings for each other. I have started to get more into sci-fi in the past few years, and when I heard this pairs sci-fi and romance (especially a queer romance) pretty evenly, I knew I had to pick this up. I hope to dive into this one soon.
And there you have it! Twelve months of Buzzword-a-thon posts – 12 books read, 12 recommendations, and 12 reads I hope to get to in the future. I’m planning on participating in the 2022 challenge, with an entirely new set of prompts, but I’m not sure if I’m going to continue this format, track my reading in a different type of post, or just have a wrap up at the end of the year. I guess you’ll have to stick around to find out. I hope you’ve found some new books to read or have at least enjoyed my commentary, and hope your year has kicked off with a bang.
Where to find these books:
Winterwood: Bookshop Amazon Goodreads
Not Our Summer: Bookshop Amazon Goodreads
Winter’s Orbit: Bookshop Amazon Goodreads
Authors’ sites: Shea Ernshaw Casie Bazay Everina Maxwell
Thoughts About Things 