Looking Forward to 2022

 Happy Friday and Last Day of 2021! 

I am both nervous and excited for a new year. Coming into 2021 felt like stepping into a new season. I let go and left a lot of things in 2020, some harder than others to leave behind. But as I enter 2022 I feel like I'm taking things with me and I'm stepping into my final year of college. I have two semesters left. This spring and the summer and then I am done. I'm nervous about what that's going to look like in the fall. My first fall in years without any college classes. But I also know that God has it all in hand. He has a plan and I don't have to worry about what's going to come next because I trust that He will take care of me and provide for me. If 2020 and 2021 has taught me anything, its that God's plans are always great than ours and I can never predict what might happen next. 

Now! Onto the fun stuff! 

Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2021: 

Wishtress by Nadine Brandes

She didn't ask to be the Wishtress.

Myrthe was born with the ability to turn her tears into wishes. It's a big secret to keep. When a granted wish goes wrong, a curse is placed on her: the next tear she sheds will kill her. She needs to journey to the Well and break the curse before it claims her life--and before the king's militairen track her down. But in order to survive the journey, she must harden her heart to keep herself from crying even a single tear.

He can stop time with a snap of his fingers.

Bastiaan's powerful--and rare--Talent came in handy when he kidnapped the old king. Now the new king has a job for him: find and capture the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. But Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. When he locates Myrthe, he agrees to take her to the Well in exchange for a wish. Once she's fulfilled her end of the deal, he'll turn her in. As long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don't compromise his job.

They are on a journey that can only end one way: with her death.

Everyone seems to need a wish--the king, Myrthe's cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they're ready to bully, beg, and even betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one of them, Myrthe would have to die. And if she tells them about her curse . . . they'll just kill her anyway.

The Ballad of Ever After by Stephanie Garber 

Cover and Blurb to come 

Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 9 

Cover and blurb to come 

The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella 

Cover and blurb to come 

The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lin 

Cover and blurb coming soon

The Summer We Forgot by Caroline George 

Some memories are better left forgotten.

Darby and Morgan haven’t spoken for two years, and their friend group has splintered. But when the body of their former science teacher is found in the marsh where they attended camp that summer, they realize they have more questions than answers . . . and even fewer memories.

No one remembers—or no one is talking.

The group of reunited friends begins to suspect that a murderer is stalking the coastal highway 30A, and they must try to recover their memories as quickly as possible . . . before the history they can’t remember repeats itself.

Everyone has a secret.

As tensions rise and time runs out, Darby and Morgan begin to wonder if they can believe one another . . . or if they can even trust themselves.

Some memories are better left forgotten.

Darby and Morgan haven’t spoken for two years, and their friend group has splintered. But when the body of their former science teacher is found in the marsh where they attended camp that summer, they realize they have more questions than answers . . . and even fewer memories.

No one remembers—or no one is talking.

The group of reunited friends suspects that a murderer is stalking the coastal highway 30A, and they are desperate to recover their memories as quickly as possible . . . before their history they can’t remember repeats itself.

Everyone has a secret.

As tensions rise and time runs out, Darby and Morgan begin to wonder if they can believe one another . . . or if they can even trust themselves.

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 

Third book in The Inheritance Games series. I don't want to spoil anything by putting up the blurb haha 

The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi 

Third book in The Gilded Wolves series. Didn't want to spoil it with the blurb either haha 

Then Comes a Drifter by Claire Banschbach 

Cover and blurb coming soon 

A Lonely Dance by Selina R. Gonzalez 

Cover and blurb coming soon 

The Phoenix Priest by Cassidy Clarke 

Cover and blurb coming soon 

Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig 

There's a price on her head, and it has everything to do with the brand on her arm.

Tertian Space Coalition has blessed every planet in the quadrants with high technology, save one: Drosero. But in spite of their tenuous treaty with the ruling clans, TSC has plans for the backward planet. And they're not alone.

After a catastrophic explosion, Kersei Dragoumis awakens in a derelict shuttle, alone, injured, and ignorant of the forbidden technology that has swept her into a nightmare. The brand she's borne since childhood burns mysteriously, but the pain is nothing to that when she learns her family is dead and she is accused of their murders.

Across the quadrants, Marco Dusan responds to the call of a holy order-not to join them, but to seek a bounty. Gifted-or cursed-with abilities that mark him a Kynigos, a tracker sworn to bring interplanetary fugitives to justice, Marco discovers this particular bounty has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with prophecy. One that involves the hunter as much as the hunted.

How We Rise by Brooke Riley 

When the truth gets you killed… will you still Rise?

Raegan MacArthur is content with her simple life. But lately, her life hasn’t been all that simple. She can’t drown out the screams in the night coming from the military base up the road. And she can’t ignore the truth behind them.

Peter Daniels thought moving back to Texas with his mom for senior year was a good thing. A chance to reconnect with old friends and finally feel at home again. But his life now can never be the same as it was six years ago.

Signs of government overreach are everywhere, and an unknown- yet familiar- enemy lurks in the shadows, watching their every move. The government is clamping down tighter and tighter on anyone who resists their ways. Raegan and Peter have to make the hardest decision they've ever faced: will they go quietly to save their lives… or will they rise?

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson 

The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first. 

The Merciful Crows by Margaret Owens

 A future chieftain.

Fie abides by one rule: look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime.

A fugitive prince.

When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses—and perhaps his throat. But he offers a wager that she can’t refuse: protect him from a ruthless queen, and he’ll protect the Crows when he reigns.

A too-cunning bodyguard.

Hawk warrior Tavin has always put Jas’s life before his, magically assuming the prince’s appearance and shadowing his every step. But what happens when Tavin begins to want something to call his own? 

TV/Movies I'm Excited for in 2021:

Morbius 

I've been waiting for this movie for two years! It got postponed during 2020 and now, at last in January, I get to see it! I love all things vampires, so getting a vampire in the Sony/Marvel universe is going to be epic! 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

When we got to the end credits of No Way Home and I realized they were giving an exclusive trailer for this movie, I freaked out! And then I freaked out even more at that ending and a certain character who showed up. I may have grabbed my mom and shouted I know who that is!! I can't believe they're doing this!! Suffice to say, I am psyched for this movie.

Batman 

Honestly, I'm not a huge Batman fan, but I am a big Robert Patterson fan, so I'm excited for this movie haha I'm excited to see what they decide to do with this new Batman and I like that they're using the Riddler as the big bad in this movie. He's a villain that we don't seem to see much of in the DC movies. 

Jurassic Park: Dominion

The last movie feels like it came out forever ago. I remember seeing it with my friend and everything and that ending was so cool! I can't wait to see what they do in this one! 

Thor: Love and Thunder 

I honestly don't know what to think of this movie. It'll interesting to see Jane as Lady Thor? Or whatever she's called. But I'm kind of sad this Thor movie won't have Loki and I hope they pay Thor's character more respect than they did in Infinity Wars and Endgame. 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part One 

This movie looks so good!! The animation is gorgeous and I can't wait to see Miles and Spider-Gwen again!! 

Avatar 2

We've all waited a very long time for this movie. I love the first Avatar. It is one of my favorite movies of all time and I've watched it and rewatched it so many times. I can't wait to see what the sequels hold and I really hope they live up to all the wait and the hype. 

Pretty much all of the Marvel shows coming out this year. Moon Knight, Secret Invasion, She-Hulk...

And all of the Star Wars shows. Book of Bobba Fett, Obi-Won Kenobi, The Mandalorian, season 2 of The Bad Batch... 

Avatar the Last Airbender 

I'm cautiously excited for this. I couldn't believe they announced that it's coming out in, like, June this year. The casting looks really promising and I think if they know what they're doing, it will be worth the wait... but I'm also kind of nervous because the original ATLA creators left over creative differences so... Honestly, what I want to see is a scene by scene, word for word live action reenactment of the original series haha I know that probably won't happen, but still... I think it would be pretty cool haha 

Goals for 2021: 

Publish Emerald Phantom in January 

Publish Scarlet Phoenix in the Fall 

Publish Desert Flower 

Finish the first draft of my new WIP 

Finish editing and revising Project Xion 

Graduate with my Bachelors Degree

Conquer my driving anxiety 

Read at least 20 books 

Get into the habit of spending at least an hour of deep studying in the Bible once a week. 

Get my first job 

Seems there will be a lot going on this next year. Honestly, I'm more nervous than I am excited to start 2022. I'm unsure of what the year will hold, but I'm also trying to rest in the peace and comfort in knowing that God is sovereign and that He has gone before me into the new year. I'm praying that 2022 will be a good year and that I will be able to focus on one day at a time and remind myself that His mercies are new every morning. 

What are some of your goals/things you're looking for in 2022??