#books i read in 2021

[fullibooked]

I love Murderbot. I love, love and love Murderbot. On the cover of the first of Martha Wells' Murderbot Diaries is a quote from Ann Leckie that says "I love Murderbot!" I agree with her. and yes, I know that Murderbot looks mostly human so all the bot parts wouldn't be showing but it wouldn't look at all bot if I just left my hand human, so here we are. I still love Murderbot.

All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, Exit Strategy, and lastly the novel, Network Effect are now among my favourite books of all time. The sarcastic, grouchy, genderless, socially awkward, narrating, bot is just the best character. It's internal monologue is so funny, and angry, and everything I want from a unit that is learning all about itself as a potential person.

I devoured the five of these stories in less than two nights each, and not just because they are mostly novellas in size. The excitement didn't let up, nor did the sass. I was giggling at 3am and it was all thanks to Murderbot.

There is a lot of depth to these books that I cannot even remotely delve into in a tiny review so I'll just say holy crap and you need to read them. I'll stop gushing sometime soon, I promise, it's just, I don't know if you've noticed, but I love Murderbot.

[the-cartoon-connoisseur]

The BEST line I have ever read from a Ford x Reader Fic

was something along the lines of "I want him to grab me like how he grabs that chicken sandwich."

I have searched endlessly for this one-shot. I haven't seen it in at least two years, (honestly probably more). I fear it has been deleted. But I think about this line all the time.

To whoever made this masterpiece, I hope life is treating you well and I love you

[freshbaked-bread]

i fear that after 3 and a half years i am once again back on my gravity falls bullshit

[rotomicity]

TGCF art from 2021 which were very experimental and very much something out of my comfort zone but am still so satisfied with

(gonna ramble more under the cut 👉 )

My main inspiration for these were definitely classic storybook illustration styles and the watercolor-like illustrations included inside the tgcf books which depict hualian's daily slice of life routines as seen below

I wanted to capture that feeling of warmth i got from reading but i also went with the storybook look because their relationship (and by extension broad strokes of the entire plot) really did feel like something out of actual myth or legend; i'm chinese indonesian and was raised surrounded by chinese culture + values so tgcf felt VERY familiar to me, it threw me back to my childhood reading or listening to tales about chinese deities, i'd say the storybook image definitely came into my mind pretty quickly bc of this

I find this style somewhat hard to replicate now but if i could or have the time to, i really want to continue the 'companion pieces to chapter titles ' concept i did with the last 2 pieces (which are of the same chapter title but i was just indecisive 😭😭), i even had 3 more planned based on my favorite titles before burning out back then

[chiropteracupola]

A very fine captain, and a finer friend.

[roseworth]

i love this one. btw. if you even care.

[estebunny]

bernie collins recalled the scene of esteban ocon's first win in hungary 2021

via her book How to Win a Grand Prix

[wynntermelon]

I really admire the scum villain fandom for surviving this long through sheer willpower and delusion alone

[shayberri789]

Way of Kings Reread

I just finished Sunlit Man in prep for Wind and Truth, and Nomad had described 'roshar's own Damnation' as being cold, yet coppermind says that (in vorinism at least, maybe Azish religion says otherwise?) Damnation was firey, and even Kalak references fire on Braize?

My friends and I think maybe the memory of Ashyn and lingering understanding of the Spiritual Realm inspired Tranquiline Halls, and the memory of Ashyn as humans fled (ie: destroyed and on fire) (is it still firey?) got conflated with the idea of Odium and 'voidbringers' being sealed away on Braize, making Damnation Braize But On Fire

And in actuality Braize is cold but the Fused like using fire as torture devices. Who knows!

Prologue:

I forgot musicspren were a thing???

Okay I remembered that Gavilar met with Kalak and Nale. I did NOT remember Elhoker talking to them, Szeth encountering Jezrien, or the implication that Shalash was ALSO present (to steal her own statue ofc). That's like just under half of all the rosharian-side heralds present???

Wonder what the others felt to see Jez old and senile, while they were virtually unchanged appearance-wise and considered themselves sane....

"For if you were going to assassinate a man, he was entitled to see you coming" remains a great line

Do we know why Shardblades form from mist? Is it like Leras's investiture being Mist, or something to do with the pure form of investiture in general/the spiritual realm?

Why does using a lot of investiture/stormlight cause frost to form of Szeth's clothes?

*assassination attempt happens* "is this kelsier's doing?"

My dude's reputation stretches far and wide (to think, the last time I read this prologue was before mistborn, when I didnt know who Kelsier was, nvm thaidakar)

Gavilar: "okay so not thaidakar. Reatares? Why?" Me: Gav, kalak was literally at your party you just had a meeting with him

Branderson was right: the Cenn pov WAS necessary. Kaladin man that you are, man that you were—

How did I forget that kaladin is EXTREMELY skilled and accurate with both knife fighting AND throwing the buggers. Hello?! Like even BEFORE he fought Helaran

(It may be a minute before I update since I am busy + reading several books at once. Once the reblog gets big enough I'll post it lol)

[butchlifeguard]

swimming <3

just add water, katie ledecky / tumblr / me / "how swimming helped an ocd writer quieten their mind," oprah daily / "how does swimming help shape my body?" plunge san diego / "simone manuel has already won," the ringer / pinterest / tumblr / aristotle and dante discver the secrets of the universe, benjamin alire sáenz / instagram / the swimmer, john cheever / me

[tigerbears]

[fullibooked]

Sometimes a story speaks for itself, sometimes it has illustrations to go with words, sometimes art speaks for itself, and sometimes when art and story come together and speak, words in a post like this just don't cut it.

I cannot accurately describe the beauty of Yuko Shimizu's illustrations for Oscar Wilde's Fairytales. I can only say that The Nightingale and The Rose was the story that broke my heart and mended it with illustrations so incredible I had to stop and stare for an honest long time.

This book is an absolute work art. I couldn't agonise over the photo for this one simply because the book does itself justice, regardless of me. If you haven't read Wilde's fairytales I do recommend getting a thorn in your heart that way. If you haven't seen Shimizu's artwork, get thee to google.

I'm usually good with words guys, but this book, I've got nothing, I'm just stuck in the kind of liminal headspace of a blue dusk after finishing absorbing all this imagination and awe. I think I'll be here a while…

[isdalinarhot]

Having Things To Look Forward To In The Near Future as a cosmere fan was super easy and simple in 2022 because it was like ok this november we get the lost metal (kinda mid not super exciting but thats okay) and then in 2023 we get Three Whole New Books (and said books from the previews that got shared sounded super interesting and good. and they were!) and then at some point in 2024 we get The Fifth Stormlight Book (wow!) and it was so great and wonderful. this will not be so for being a cosmere fan in 2025. like ok on one hand wind and truth just came out and that keeps you fed for a good solid 6 months of going WOOOOOAH WOOOOOW THE IMPLICATIONS WOOOAH but then when that wears off its not like ok next year/at the end of this year we get a cool book! its like 3 years from now we get elantris 2

[bleachbleachbleach]

I was taking a book recommendation quiz and now the only thing I can think about is the Seireitei Communications putting one out for shinigami (Hisagi's attempt to get buy-in for mass importation of books and movies and music and such from the Living World).

Like, how do you not read this question and think about comedic master Kuchiki Byakuya bemoaning the inability to choose more than one option:

I mean, like:

[wordvomit555]

As an autistic person with a very high hatred for injustice and a tendency for seeing the world in black & white, I had a very hard time with aftg at the beginning.

I still sometimes catch myself at trying to completely justify the actions of my faves instead of accepting them as human beings, who just make mistakes.

But that is why aftg is so beautiful and important. It taught me to look at things at a wider angle and even if the hyper fixation will fade at some point, I will forever hold those books close to my heart.

[presidentkamala]

I need to Get Out of this hole!!!!!!!!!