At the beginning of this year, I did a post rounding up my top purchases from 2020. It was in an effort to find as much good as possible in what was a pretty crappy year. 2021 was definitely a better year, but I still wanted to look back at the things I bought to see what's stood the test of time.

These are things that I bought for myself, at any point during the last 12 months, that have gone above and beyond the call of duty...or that I've just used over and over again.

Desktop Computer - When I changed jobs, the magazine came with a laptop, which was great! It gives me the ability to work from anywhere, but it's also small and I felt a little bad filling it up with all my personal stuff, too. So at the beginning of the year, I bit the bullet and bought myself a desktop, and I have not regretted it a single day. I still use my laptop from time to time, but having a proper computer has been a game changer. I'm linking to the same model as the computer I have but it is not the exact specs.

Kindle Paperwhite - A few months ago, I made a kind of spur-of-the-moment decision to downgrade from my Fire tablet to a Kindle Paperwhite. So essentially I went from a tablet that had the Kindle app installed on it to just an e-reader. It took me a bit to get used to the covers not being in color, but otherwise I haven't looked back.

Yellow Converse - You should all know by now how much I love my Converse, but this yellow pair takes the prize.

Shacket - Yes, I know, I held off on this trend for ages, but once I finally took the plunge, I couldn't be happier. This is the perfect jacket for our weird Southern winters.

Skull Tank - This is probably my most-worn shirt for the year. I love it so much and will be sad when it eventually wears out or gets a hole in it.

Mellow Brow Powder Duo in Auburn - Y'all, I know I talk about this all the time, but it really is that good. It is literally the only eyebrow powder I have ever used that is a perfect match for my hair. Everything else is either too brown or blonde.

Monat - I'm generalizing this one because there are simply too many products to list without making a post just for it, but switching my haircare over to Monat products has been a total game changer for me this year.

Makeup Drawer Organizers - Such a simple thing has made a pretty big impact for my morning routine. I honestly don't know how I let myself go for so long without some system in my makeup drawer.

Postage Scale - I can't even begin to express how much time this has saved me over the year. If you have a home-based business, you need to invest in one of these. Then create yourself a PirateShip account. Trust me. You'll not regret it.

Letter Opener - Another simple thing that has made a pretty big impact on my work routine in the simple fact that it simplified a task that I honestly dread. I'm not linking to this because I literally spent $1 on the one I bought.

If you couldn't tell from my plethora of posts about books, I read a lot. I read so much that I'm pretty sure Amazon is losing money on me despite my Kindle Unlimited subscription. Not counting re-reads, I read 140 books this past year (yes, counting December because I won't finish another book before the end of the year).

I averaged about eight books a month, but May was by far the most books I think I've ever read in a single month with 28. However, 20 of those fall into the same series. It sucked me in, and I read them much the same way that other people breathe. Don't worry, they made the list.

These are the books that made the most impact on me this past year. They are the stories that made me think, challenged my beliefs, helped me escape reality for awhile, and often left me with a book hangover. These are the books I have told others about, bought my own copies to keep, and in some cases have already reread. I have discovered new authors and found new worlds I wish I could visit in real life. And I hope you find at least one book on this list that does the same for you! 

Gamer Girls series - I'm starting with this series because it's currently sitting at the top of my list. I've already reread this entire seven book series once, and I am currently rereading it again. That's how good this series is. It challenged my way of thinking about some things and opened my eyes to some situations I've never truly considered. It also made me miss playing video games with my friends in college. In a nutshell, a hate group called the Kings of Gaming are targeting women who play video games with virtual and real-life attacks.

As in the other times I've talked about this series, I need to include some warnings. Throughout this series, there is a lot of trauma, including rape, extreme PTSD, violence, a transgender woman just beginning her transition, sexism, domestic violence, and unconventional relationships.

Shades of Trouble series - This series exists in the same world as Gamer Girls, and there's even a little bit of crossover. Essentially, a group of people are trying to reopen a juvenile diversion center in a rural Texas town, but one of their neighbors is doing everything in his considerable power to stop it from happening. There are quite a few other challenges to overcome throughout the books, as well, the biggest of which is a child custody case. As with Gamer Girls, there are some potential triggers in these books, but there are warnings. You should also know that it centers around a very unconventional relationship. But the characters are so well-written, and it addresses a lot of small-town issues, some of which I've witnessed first-hand.

West with Giraffes - This book gave me a lot of insight into a time period of American history that I didn't really learn about in school. It's the story of a pair of giraffes being carted from New York to California and all the issues they encounter along the way. A young boy manages to get himself hired as the driver for part of the journey, but everything that can go wrong on the trip does, and he ends up making the entire journey.

Opium and Absinthe - First of all, I really love this author. Lydia Kang is one of the best mystery writers I've read, and I've read a lot. She has this knack of working in a twist you just won't see coming, even if you know to be looking for it.

There is a murderer on the loose in New York City who's staging his kills to look like vampire attacks.  Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula, has just been released, fueling the fantastical rumors. When Tillie's sister is one of the victims, Tillie begins investigating, but she's got some personal demons to fight along the way, namely her newfound addiction to opium and her fiancé's unwanted romantic advances.

Verity - If you've never read Colleen Hoover, you're missing out. I don't think I've read anything by her that I didn't enjoy. This book was not what I expected at all, and quite frankly I'm still not sure which version of "the truth" is the right one. She kinda leaves it up to the reader.

A moderately successful author, Lowen, is hired to finish writing a successful series after an accident leaves the author, Verity, unable to continue. Lowen is unexpectedly kicked out of her apartment and temporarily moves into Verity's family's home at the insistence of the husband. While going through Verity's office for direction on the remainder of the series, Lowen finds and reads Verity's autobiography, which is filled with dark secrets.

The Cursebreaker series - This is my favorite Beauty and the Beast retelling. I've read a few, but this is the only one I would recommend to others. Prince Rhen and his captain of the guard, Grey, have been trapped inside a curse, forced to bring girls to their kingdom in the hopes she'll fall in love with the prince and free them. Time after time, they fail. Then a girl with cerebral palsy is brought by mistake, but that mistake could be their salvation.

The Book of Lost Names - This historical fiction about WWII hooked me from the very first chapter. Eva is a semi-retired librarian with a secret past. When a German librarian begins reuniting books stolen by Nazis during WWII with the families' descendants, Eva gets the chance to finish the mission she began when she worked as a forger for the French Resistance - getting Jewish children safely over the border into Switzerland with new identities while preserving their given names in secret code in a religious text.

The Coven saga - This whole thing is technically not finished, but it's a bunch of different seasons woven together to tell one story. Regardless, this whole storyline is absolutely one of the best magical tales I've read in awhile, and I can't wait for the next book(s) to come out. There's really no way for me to summarize this without spoiling something for you, but if you like books about magic, i.e. Harry Potter, you should give these a try. I'm linking to the boxset you should start with, Elemental Magic. The reading order is on the author's bio page.

Chronicles of Blood & Chronicles of Madness - This was such a unique retelling of Alice in Wonderland. I enjoyed it immensely. Fair warning, it is reverse harem, and there is a lot of craziness. It's broken into two series, but both are complete. Mal is a 'fixer' who's been assigned to reverse whatever has turned Wonderland toxic. Turns out, it's been infected by another fairy tale, which has altered the characters' whimsical madness into something altogether deadlier.

Something to understand before starting this series: while many of the Wonderland characters do appear in this tale, they are all twisted. And, in a surprising turn of events, Mal is not a version of Alice. In fact, Alice barely plays any role in this story at all.

Worth It - A trio of best friends go to one of their ex's weddings and chaos ensues as two of them do heir very best to sabotage the pre-wedding festivities. Nothing goes as they plan, especially when two sexy distractions join the party.

I laughed my way through this book, then made my bestie read it so she could laugh too. I highly recommend it, and I just found out there's going to be a sequel!

Bluewater Billionaires series - This four-book series follows four best friends who are all billionaires in their own right. Emily is a brilliant scientist who's making life-changing skincare products; Cam is a literal rocket scientist blazing her own trail; Luna is a free-spirited, animal-loving vegan makeup queen shaking up the beauty industry; and Daisy is the heir to an international real-estate empire. They each get their own book, penned by separate authors, and face their own troubles in their own ways, finding love and new purpose along the way. All four of these was very good, but I think Wild Open Hearts was my favorite.

180 Seconds - This book absolutely wrecked me, but in the best way. It is amazingly well-written, and I can't think of anyone who shouldn't give it a read.

Allison is a college junior who keeps to herself, her only friend a girl who grew up in foster care with her. When she gets pulled into a social experiment with a social  media star, Allison's life changes completely. She suddenly has a boyfriend and a social life, but then her best friend drops some truly terrible news on her.

The Ice Swan - I've read several historical fiction books about the Russian Revolution, but they nearly always focus on Anastasia. This book, however, does not. Instead, it focuses on another royal family that manages to escape the Bolsheviks. Svetlana, along with her mother and sister, flee to Paris, where they are forced to live in the city's underbelly. There, Svetlana meets Wynn, a British army surgeon, and agrees to marry him simply for protection from the Bolsheviks who continue to hunt her and her family.

Shadows and Shade series - This series isn't finished yet either, but y'all I have been sucked into this world and it's kind of ruining me for other books right now while I wait for the next one to come out. It combines a lot of aspects of some of my favorite books ever, but she does it so seamlessly.

The Elorsin brothers arrive at the estate where Shade is an indentured servant looking for a bird. They end up leaving with her instead, despite her lack of desire to go with them. But Shade's destiny is much  bigger than she ever dreamed, and it centers around the Elorsins.

The Seventh Bride - Fifteen-year-old Rhea is unwillingly betrothed to Lord Crevan, a sorcerer who has been married six other times. When Rhea is summoned to his estate before the wedding, she discovers that none of his previous brides have left the estate. They're all trapped within the property, and all have unwillingly give something precious to their husband. Now, the greedy sorcerer has set his sights on Rhea's youth. Now, it's up to her to save not only herself but all the others Crevan has trapped.

The Wife, The Maid, and the Mistress - Judge Joe Crater's rise to the bench leaves him indebted to Tammany Hall and a notorious gangster. He's also cheating on his wife, blackmailing the maid, and has no idea his mistress is working for the gangster he owes. This book is based on a true story, although the actions of those involved is fictionalized.

It's hard to believe that 2021 will be over in just a few short days. Looking back, I can agree that it's been a much smoother ride than 2020, although not completely bump free. A lot of things stayed the same from one year to the next, but I think we all kind of started to find our footing again and take some tentative steps forward.

Here on the blog, I was able to build on the momentum I built up in 2020. I implemented a long-overdue scheduling system and started to be more serious about entertaining and accepting offers from potential sponsors and clients. As a result, my post count was even higher this year than last. By the end of this week, I'll have published 194 posts this year. The only year I published more was 2010, my second year of blogging.

It's always interesting to me to see which posts grabbed your attention the most over the past 12 months. So let's take a look at the 10 Most Popular Posts from 2021. We'll go in descending order, from 10 to 1.

#10. Starting our list this year is this post from January - 4 Outfits with Sneakers. There's no real mystery about this post. It's literally a post about four ways to wear sneakers.

#9. I'm not surprised at all to find The Best Blueberry Pancake Recipe in the top 10. Seriously, if you're a pancake fan, you should give these a try. They're super easy to make, and yes, they're from scratch.

#8. Spring Must-Have: White Denim Jacket - Judging by the popularity of this post, a lot of you bought white denim jackets last spring. If you didn't, check out these six easy ways to wear one.

#7. This particular 5 Books I'm Reading Right Now post was from March. I do these type of posts pretty frequently, and I'm not sure what about this one caught everyone's attention.

#6. An Honest Review of LUS 3-Step Wavy Hair System is exactly what it says it is. I tried the products and documented my experience.

#5. Considering the popularity of the March currently reading post, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that What I Read March made the list, as well.

#4. What I Read February had just one more reader than March's reading roundup.

#3. I'm not going to lie, this Chicken Bruschetta Casserole surprised me with its popularity. It is a good recipe, though.

#2. I'm pleasantly surprised that my Good Hair Days with Monat post took the silver for popularity. I have been beyond thrilled with my results using their products, and I would love to help any of you find the perfect system for your own needs.

#1. Taking the top spot this year is 4 Ways to Wear a Maxi Dress in Spring & Summer. I guess a lot of you needed some styling ideas that went beyond just a maxi dress and sandals, huh?

Well, that's gonna wrap up this year's top posts countdown.

Thank you for all your support this past year as Mommy the Journalist continues to grow and evolve. I don't know what 2022 holds just yet, but I'm excited to keep sharing my passions with all of you.

Happy last Monday of 2021, friends. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas weekend. Ours was filled with family, food, and lots of laughter...and I didn't take many pictures at all.

We spent Christmas Eve with my husband's parents and brother's family. They have two boys, one of whom is Alexis's age, so there was a lot of giggling. We actually all dressed to match, but didn't get a picture until we got back home.

We spent Christmas morning at home, opening presents. Santa brought Alexis a new bicycle with no training wheels. She wasn't thrilled, but once we convinced her that she's been balancing without the help of the training wheels on her old bike, she gave it a shot and grew some confidence. We're still working on starting and stopping, but she's not far from having those skills down pat. I did get a video of her first ride, but I can't figure out how to get it to upload here.

She also got a ton of the Rainbow High dolls, which are her current obsession. I think she's got 10 total now. Plus, some modeling clay, Polly Pockets, Lego Friends, a gymnastics Barbie, some games, new books, and a beanbag chair.

We had our traditional breakfast of cinnamon rolls and bacon, with some grits and eggs added in. Then we finally put together our gingerbread sleigh. It was not an easy project, despite what the box said!

We spent the afternoon with my parents, Granny, and one of my brothers. Sadly, my sister-in-law had a death in her family, so she and my other brother were not there.

I got quite a few of the things on my Christmas list - mug warmer for my desk (using it as I write this!), Pioneer Woman serving bowls, book seat (best. gift. ever.), and black Converse - as well as few things that were not - a beautiful giraffe necklace, lighted makeup mirror, selfie stick/tripod, and some faux trees to go outside my front door, to name a few.

Chris came out pretty well, too. He got the new tools that he wanted, plus a weighted blanket to go on our bed. It took a bit of getting used to, but I do like the feeling of being hugged all night long without the body heat.

So, all-in-all, a good Christmas. This week, I'll be taking it as easy as possible. We're slowly putting the house back together, although you might not be able to tell it by the amount of boxes waiting to go by the road. We always host New Year's lunch, so everything will get straightened out by then, for sure.

The big project, for me at least, was getting Alexis's room organized. Who knew she actually had a floor in there?!

Anyway, I've got some stuff to do for the magazine's website, and a few posts to schedule for this week. I'm doing my annual Best Of posts this week, so definitely check back for those!

I don't know about you, but I love to send handwritten notes. It could be because I was raised in the South where we send handwritten thank you cards for literally everything.

From a business standpoint, I always think it's a nice touch when a business I've worked with sends a personalized note with my order. And I send out at least one handwritten note each month for the winner of my magazine's teacher of the month contest.

So when I heard about Handwrytten, I had to check them out!

Handwrytten is a website that lets you send handwritten greeting cards online. All you have to do is type your message on their website or use their app, then choose from their selection of cards. You can even use your own stationary if you'd prefer.

The way it works is pretty cool, too. They have custom-designed handwriting robots that hold real pens to write your note in the style of your choice.

I chose a simple 'Congratulations' design, then used the simple input tool to craft my message. As you can see, it turned my text into handwriting. There were quite a few different handwriting styles to choose from, which is great.

If you send out notes regularly, they have a template feature so you aren't constantly retyping your message. You can also create an address book for easier input.

All in all, Handwrytten's website is super easy to use and the quality of their thank you notes is top notch. If you're looking for an easier way to send handwritten greeting cards, you should definitely give them a try!

Do you guys send Christmas cards? I love receiving them from my friends and family, and this year the magazine got its first card from one of the school systems we cover! But, I have a confession...I have never sent out my own.

Then I used Walgreens to design the card. They have so many options! They actually have an app that'll let you do it on your phone. I definitely recommend their service. It was quick and easy, and I think they turned out great!

We always go looking at Christmas lights, although this year we haven't been able to go to our favorite display because the weather just hasn't cooperated. We're keeping our fingers crossed for Christmas Eve that we'll get to maybe go to a different one.

I try to do a craft of some kind each year. This year we've got a gingerbread Santa's sleigh and reindeer and some wooden nutcrackers to paint.

And the only other thing - that's been a constant since my childhood - is we eat cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning.

And that's about it on the traditions for us. What are some of your family's traditions?

I learned something recently about my husband. New Year's Eve is his favorite holiday. Growing up, we always had something to do on NYE, usually involving a party of sorts at a cousin's house. It was never anything super exciting, at least for a kid and certainly not something designed for dressing up.

The first New Year's Eve party I went to as a teenager wasn't anything to write home about either. It was about a dozen teenagers around a fire with a bucket full of bottle rockets. So, again, nothing to get dressed up for.

I did dress up for a few NYE parties in college, and I'm sure I went to at least one once I entered the world of working adulthood, though I can't actually remember it.

The last NYE celebration I went to was my last year working at the TV station. The city was hosting its first-ever downtown countdown, complete with a glowing peanut that they lowered at midnight. Naturally, we did a live show. And, naturally, it was rainy and cold. I had every intention of dressing the part, since I was field producing it and basically in the thick of it all, but ended up bundled up instead.

Now, full disclosure, we don't have any plans on attending any fancy NYE parties this year, and that particular downtown event isn't happening. But I couldn't resist the excuse to add something sparkly to my closet. So without further ado, I present to you four fun outfits for your New Year's Eve celebrations.

Sizing: I'm 5'2" and weigh around 150 lbs. I typically wear size small or 6 in clothes and size 7 in shoes.

You really can't go wrong with a floaty skirt, especially if it's got a little sparkly detail. This tulle one makes me feel a bit like a ballerina, and I adore the starry print. With a skirt like this, you really don't want the rest of your outfit to compete, so I recommend a plain, solid-colored top. I went with this long sleeve, mock-neck bodysuit. I've been avoiding these for years, and now that I've tried this one, I'm kicking myself for holding out for so long. I'm wearing a medium in both the skirt and bodysuit.

Metallics feel a little bit more elegant than sequins, don't they? This skirt is technically light blue. I know, it looks silver in the picture. The waistband is black and silver. I decided to keep things simple and classy with the black bodysuit and black heels. I don't know if offices have New Year's Eve parties, but this would totes be appropriate. Wearing this skirt in a medium as well.

I've been seeing a ton of sequin joggers on Instagram, and I really wanted to give them a try, but I just could not make myself pay upwards of $40 for a pair! Then I stumbled across these sequin leggings for about half the price and said, what the heck. They are surprisingly good quality and not super scratchy. They do run small so I recommend sizing up.

This off-the-shoulder sweatshirt dresses the leggings down a bit, while keeping the outfit fun. The quality on this is okay. It isn't your typical sweatshirt material, isn't lined at all, and will not stand up to super cold temps. Wearing both the leggings and sweatshirt in a medium.

We're going to end with my husband's favorite - the sequin dress. This is perfect for a New Year's Eve spent out on the town. Beware, it is really short! I'm wearing size medium and had to let the straps out all the way to get it to cover my butt. As with the leggings, I was surprised by the quality. It's not super thick, but there's enough between the sequins and skin for it not to be scratchy. I may not be hitting the clubs anytime soon, but I will be finding ways to wear this because it's just too much fun!

It's the Monday before Christmas. What?! And before you ask - No, I am not finished shopping. We've still got five people left to buy for, and no idea what to do for three of them.

This past weekend has been fairly exciting. We found out that my brother and sister-in-law are having a baby girl. Then my mom and I went to a local production of Elf the Musical with one of my friends and her mom. It was so much fun! Saturday was kind of a wet, blah day. I spent a good bit of it reading. Then on Sunday, I went shopping with my parents.

Every year around this time I look back on the goals I set and kind of grade myself. Last year, if you'll recall, was not a good year for my goals, and I didn't accomplish a single one. So I've honestly been a little scared to evaluate my 2021 goals, but here we go. I'll put the original goal in bold, and follow it up with how I think I did.

So, all in all, not a bad year for goals. Did you accomplish what you set out to do this year?

I cannot believe we are halfway through December already. Between Alexis being sick for a couple weeks, rushing to get the next magazine finished early, and trying to knock out Christmas shopping, it's been a whirlwind of a month so far.

Our weather has been kind of all over the place, so I've been relying pretty heavily on layers...or I end up changing into a t-shirt halfway through the day.

This edition of Real Outfit Roundup also has three bonus outfits, which have already been shared on the blog, but I wanted to include them here, as well, just in case you missed that particular post.

You guys really loved this outfit when I shared it on my social this week. I wasn't sure if all the shades of black and gray really worked together, but according to all of you, I pulled it off.

This is one of my favorite tanks. I actually ordered another one in a different print, that's how much I love it. My washed-black jeans are from last year, but Old Navy has an almost exact pair. I found my sweater in the little girls' section at Target. It was half the price of a nearly exact one in the women's section. I got it in an XL, although I'm pretty certain the L would have worked, too. Sadly, it's not available anymore, since I got it back in July.

My boots are brand new. I actually got them this week, using a gift card I received for judging a contest. I've been wanting a pair of Chelsea boots for awhile, but just hadn't found a pair I really loved. Either the heel wasn't the right height or the shaft was too tall or some combination of the two. But this pair is perfect!

I was looking back through my archives and realized that I haven't done a proper TBR update post for you guys since September! To be fair, I've forced myself to slow down on adding books to my TBR list, since I've got over 300 unread titles on my Kindle.

I've also been in a bit of an indecisive mood when it comes to what to read next here lately. For instance, the last few times I've purposefully scrolled through the Kindle store looking for something interesting, I've looked through hundreds of titles without hitting the sample button. If you know me, that's unheard of.

I think some of that has to do with the series I've gotten into over the last couple of months. They've made it difficult to engage in books that aren't part of their worlds, especially if they fall into the same genre. So I decided to switch gears and revisit a genre that I love but have strayed away from.

So, here are 16 books I just added to my TBR list.

The Cheat Sheet: A Romantic Comedy - Bree and Nathan have been friends forever, and Bree has liked the star quarterback for nearly as long. When she accidentally confesses her feelings to a reporter while drunk, it makes the friends' agreement to be a fake couple, well, awkward.

A Ruin of Roses - Have I mentioned how much I like fairytale retellings? This one is a spin on Beauty and the Beast featuring a dragon, which is new.

A Not So Meet Cute - Lottie is looking for a rich husband when she literally runs into Huxley Cane. One thing leads to another and before you know it, Lottie has agreed to fake date Huxley. What could possibly go wrong?

The Devil Wears Black - When Maddie's ex, Chase, asks her to pretend to be his fiancee to fulfill his father's dying wish, she agrees, if only to see him squirm a bit. But then a series of events leads to Maddie's life blowing up, Chase's walls come down, and they're both forced to face reality.

The Paid Bridesmaid - Rachel is a bridesmaid for hire whose next gig is a destination wedding for an Instagram influencer. She's looking forward to extending her clientele base, but the best man may have something to say about that.

Fires of Hatred - When a slave girl, known simply as 625, is sent to clean a forbidden part of the castle, she stumbles across a captured elf, forced into making Elven weaponry to fight against his own kin.

Escaping Wonderland - This is a sci-fi take on Alice in Wonderland. Wonderland is a virtual world operated inside an asylum to which Alice has been wrongfully committed, but she can't find her way out. Her only hope of escape lies in Shadow, who may be the maddest of all Wonderland's inhabitants.

The Bone Witch - When Lennox's grandmother dies, the magic of the Bone Witch passes to her. Then Rogan shows up and tells her someone is hunting down and taking her kind. According to him, Lennox is next.

Vines - Addy moved to the Virginia countryside to make a new life for herself. While she's struggling to keep her vineyard going, Addy's neighbor, Crew, discovers a CIA target being investigated for treason is keeping tabs on her.

The Fair Isle Trilogy - Evelyn and her sister are sent to marry the Elf King and his younger brother. When her sister flees, Evelyn must marry the king in her place to prevent war.

Subversive - Beatrix Harper is member of the Women's League for the Prohibition of Magic. When the only wizard her town has ever produced presses her into his service as his assistant, Beatrix fears he wants to undermine the League, but his real purpose is far more dangerous.

Trusting Skylar - After leaving the army, Carson started a towing company as a front for his real job: hired killer. When Skylar calls for help while stranded, the attraction is innocent, but Carson is jaded and Skyler is innocent, something he doesn't want to change. When Skylar learns what he really does for a living, she's not sure she can handle it. But when she faces a deadly threat, Carsen will use all his skills to bring her home.

Moon Touched - Ayla has been beaten and bullied her entire life. Gaining her wolf form and fated mate is her only chance to change packs and have a better life, except when her mate is revealed, he's the future alpha of her pack's worst enemies. He rejects her in front of everyone, just before his pack kills her entire pack. Ayla manages to escape but is captured by the alpha of the mysterious lost pack.

Star Mother - When Ceris agrees to birth a new star, she does not expect to survive it. When she returns to her village, 700 years have passed. Ceris is determined to find her descendants, but traveling as a woman alone has challenges. Then she meets Ristriel, a godling and the only being who can guide Ceris safely to her destination.

The One and Only Crystal Druid - I'm not sure why I'm holding off on starting this one, to be honest. Zak is one of my favorite characters from the other Guild Codex series by this author, but according to the reviews, this book is very different from those other series. In this book, Zak has crossed paths with a girl named Saber, a girl who's quite possibly more broken than he is.