Oh, what a year, and I’ve read so much and I love that! I wanted to take a moment to recap some of my absolute favorite reads this year so I can look back in a year and so you can glean from my list of reads for your TBR list!

2021 Reading Challenge by Goodreads

Do you use Goodreads? I definitely do, and I think it’s one of the greatest tools for readers today. It means that I can keep track of all my reading interests and explore options as I go.

For the first time in a few years, I completed my reading goal for the year, and I also dropped my goal is a very “easy” 31 reads. As it stands today, I’ve completed 62 books, but I suspect that I’ll complete 2-3 more books in the last weeks of 2021.

The Most Spooky: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Wow, this book was bone-chilling, but I couldn’t stop reading it because the allure of the curious children kept me interested. The story makes you question reality, offering glimpses of possibilities in the wrinkles of dark corners and bright moments. It’s a fantastical work that I would recommend if you’re ready for the cruel twist of tragedy that shadows this story.

The Most Empowering: City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

City of Girls is a frothy, delightful, tumbling read. While it starts out slowly, the story pulls you into the glitz and dirt of NYC in the 40s and after. Vivian grows from an immature child into a thoughtful and strong woman, building a life that she wants to live. The thread of historical events alongside her story brought the time period to life, making my quick visit to Norfolk, VA, even more alive for me as Norfolk was mentioned in the story. 

The Most Tearful: Know My Name by Chanel Miller

I found out about Know My Name from the book, The Body Keeps The Score, and I had to read it. When I saw that an audiobook was available via my favorite Libby app, I borrowed it. And I was brought to tears over and over again as I listened to Chanel Miller, herself, read her story to me. The audio editors even kept a few portions where Chanel’s voice breaks or you know that she may be wiping away her own tears. And I’m thankful. Chanel Miller brings her story to the page in an absolutely exquisite way, and her writing blew me away. It’s no wonder that her victim impact statement exploded across BuzzFeed. I hate that Chanel (and many others) have walked this road, but I’m grateful that Chanel decided to share her story. We need this story. We need to hear it. We need to wake up and demand change. 

The Most Eye-Opening: The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk

This book was recommended to me by a friend who is in the process of fostering, and she was so impressed by how it explained the functioning of the brain that then flowed into the body…and vice versa. As someone who’s completely and totally intrigued by human psychology, I wanted to read it. This review is hard for me to write simply because I feel so strongly that this book is an essential read for every human. If you’re human, you’ve likely experienced some type of trauma or you love someone who has walked through a deep trauma or both. Honestly, I think The Body Keeps The Score can offer insight to you about yourself or that loved one. Even better, this book is incredibly readable despite the heavy content.

The Most Chilling: The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

My goodness wow. Recommended to me by a friend who rarely finishes a book, The Gargoyle was a darkly fascinating, graphic, and grotesque story of the interlayers of history, the human mind, Dante’s Inferno, and yet, at its very core, The Gargoyle is a story of love. In the first few chapters, as the details of the severe burns and their care were shared, I actually felt pretty nauseous, but I was curious about this book that my friend could not put down. I kept reading, rather listening since I chose to listen via audiobook. From the plot to characters, this story blew me away, and it asks uncomfortable questions of our perceptions of the life (or is it lives) we live.

The Most Challenging of Worldview: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give has made waves, and I, as per usual, was slow to join the readership. But wow, I honestly think this book should be recommended and sometimes required reading for high-school age and older. From a plot, story, and character perspective, the story flew off the page, and it was easy reading. At heart level, this story was tough to read, and I fought nausea at points when I realized that real-life people deal with this type of profiling, systemic oppression, and more…every day. I loved Starr and her family, and this just furthers my opinion that stories are crucial for helping me to better understand the experience of others.

The Most Romantic: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

I really love the Libby app, a free library app that connects with my library card, and this app suggested Love Lettering as the “book club read” of the month. I figured, “Why not?” Guys, I binged this book. I haven’t binged a book like this in months, but I finished Love Lettering four days. Honestly, it could have been three, except, for once, I chose sleep. Meg and Reid were incredibly written — they felt believable with their own issues that stayed true throughout the story. Meanwhile, the story itself also sang with a great plot that was surprising on its own. Somehow Kate Clayborn crafted a story that’s solidly a romance while also being an incredible story of character growth for Meg (and Reid) as well as other secondary characters. I’m honestly not sure what could be better, and if you haven’t read it, YOU MUST. Especially if you love romance. Also, for those who are curious, there are some love-making scenes — I thought they were tasteful, but I recognize that not everyone wants that in their reads.

The Most Heartbreaking: Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Another book that shredded my heart, Before We Were Yours struck me to the core, especially with recent news on so many “boarding schools” coming to light with such dark pasts. I’ve been avoiding this story because I had heard that it was AMAZING and heart-searing. Lisa Wingate’s characters came alive, and the plot turned me into a speed reader. Fiction will always be my favorite way to learn about history, but it can be one of the hardest ways because I feel like I live the story too. One thing I really love about Lisa Wingate’s character was their level of space for the complexities of humanity, holding the good and bad all at once. She showed resilience in motion. 

The Most Fun Romance Series: Jen DeLuca’s Well Met series

I’ve delved headlong into a bunch of sweet chick-flick style romances in book form. Jen DeLuca delivered just the getaway I was hoping for, and I giggled over the characters and their Renaissance Faire. While there were a few moments where I wished the main lovers would just talk already, the story flowed nicely and it was a wonderful amusement!

The Most Sizzling Romance: Friends Without Benefits by Penny Reid

Romance readers, rejoice. Penny Reid writes memorable characters with a sizzling romance and interesting plot. Need I say more? Oh, I will. Something unique in this story is that Penny Reid writes the same chapter twice: the first version is the “clean” chapter and the second version is the “open door” chapter. And I found that break from the norm to be unique and useful.

The Most Life-Changing: Passive Income Aggressive Retirement by Rachel Richards

By purchasing Rachel’s book on finances, I became a part of her passive income, and I’m not sorry. I’d pay that $2.99 again for her discounted eBook on finances because this was one of the easiest reads I’ve ever read on finances. She made it fun, and Rachel broke down the math in a way that was simple. While this book offers an overview, it’s helpful because it’s a starting point for pursuing other avenues of passive income.

The Most Binge-Worthy: Chloe Liese’s Bergman Brothers (4-Book series)

Book #2 of the Bergman Brothers by Chloe Liese had me chuckling and grinning through the romance. While Chloe Liese still has a more crass choice of language for lovemaking scenes, I still enjoyed the story, characters, and romance. What I love about Chloe Liese is that she writes characters with real-life problems and challenges, not just low self-esteem or bad self image issues. I can hardly wait to get my hands on book #3!

The Most Thoughtful Historical: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amore Towles

From the cover to the title of A Gentleman in Moscow, I’ve long been fascinated with this book, and I was so happy to discover that it was an audiobook on my favorite library app, Libby. This novel was a long one (~18 hours), and it was slow to start. Sometimes I had to pause until my brain sorted out other problems before I was ready to listen to the story again. The descriptions and the quirky count made this story come to life, and it was intriguing to see how he handled all sorts of different situations…and slowly grew in his emotional capacity.

The Most Romantic in Language & Vienna: The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan

(official review still coming but here’s my quick take) Phewwww, the poetic language with which Rachel McMillan writes always sweeps me away, and I find myself swooning over her storytelling. Another ode to the romance of historic cities like Vienna, Austria, and Prague, Hungary, Rachel McMillan sets the romance story of Simon Barre and Sophie Villers against the backdrop of the end of World War II as Europe tries to set itself back to some sort of rights. Vienna is segmented between four different military powers, and Simon and Sophie are working on separate undercover projects. And I’m in love with all of it.

This year, I had the pleasure of reading more simply because I used my Libby app for audiobooks so much more, and I am so glad that I could include more reading in my life. It’s such a wonderful way to ponder more worldviews.

Did you read any of these titles this year? AND WHAT DID YOU THINK?!

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