The Best of 2021: All the Bookish Bests

 

This year has been filled with so many great books. Yeah, there have been a few duds, but thankfully they were the exception. So now, just hours before we kick this year to the curb say goodbye to 2021, I'm sharing my standout reads. Those books that, for various reasons, made a lasting impression. Here we go...

BEST COVERS

The Awakening | Before I Saw You | Heard it in a Love Song

BEST DEBUT

 

The Charm Offensive | Always, in December

The Charm Offensive was *this close* to being included in my Best of the Best of the year, but I had to draw the line somewhere. That in no way diminishes my love for this absolute gem. The Charm Offensive was like a giant hug to my heart.

Always, in December was an amazing, emotional story of love lost and love found. While not a romance, it still delivered all the feels and I was completely invested in Max and Josie's story. I can't wait to see what Emily Stone delivers next.

BEST SURPRISE

 

Down Too Deep | Playing the Palace

Color me surprised by Down Too Deep! I expected a run of the mill romance but I was amazed at how connected I was to those characters and how their story touched me. Way more emotional than I anticipated. And it was one of the rare instances where I was not put off by children playing a prominent role in a romance novel. The kids were sweet, their dialogue felt age-appropriate and believable, and they added so much to the story.

I requested Playing the Palace from Netgalley on a whim and what a great decision that turned out to be. Playing the Palace didn't take itself too seriously and instead delivered a campy, frothy good time. Nonstop fun.

BEST AUDIOBOOK

Malibu Rising

Malibu Rising is another one that was *this close* to being in my overall favorites of the year. Taylor Jenkins never disappoints and Malibu Rising was another great example of her gift of weaving a story that makes me forget I'm reading fiction. I was 100% invested in the Riva clan and the dual timeline made for such a rich story. Julia Whelan is a top-notch narrator and she brought every character to life.

BEST MYSTERY / SUSPENSE

The Night She Disappeared

Lisa Jewell is a long-time favorite. I've been reading her books for two decades now but I can safely say The Night She Disappeared is her best yet. Jewell managed to weave together three timelines and doled out bits of information and small clues as the story was slowly revealed. My favorite thing about Jewell's brand of mystery/suspense is that the characters are always front and center. The plot, while strong and intriguing, never overtakes the real story: the characters and how their lives are impacted. Side note: The audio version was absolute perfection.

BEST FANTASY / URBAN FANTASY

Grace and Glory

It's safe to say that Jennifer L. Armentrout has a definite formula to her writing, but it's also safe to say that it's completely addictive. Grace and Glory was an epic series finale and it delivered in a big way. All my favorite characters were in attendance complete with action, humor, romance, battle scenes, and several twists that I never saw coming., What more can you ask for? 

BEST PARANORMAL

Layla

With Layla Colleen Hoover delivered another what-the-hell-did-I-just-read moment. There were several instances in the beginning that gave me chills. Such a great creep factor. As the story started to unfold, and the twists kept coming, I was absolutely fascinated. This was one of those don't want to put it down/can I read and walk at the same time books. 

BEST SERIES

  

  

The Cake series by J. Bengtsson (Books 2-6)

When I read Cake (the first book in the amazing series) in 2020, I was instantly hooked. And throughout 2021 I inhaled the next six books in the series. This is one of those series that I could rave about endlessly. At its core is the story of the McKallister family and how one tragic event changed their lives and continued to effect them all for years to come. Reading each book was like returning to friends that I'd missed - ones that I was desperate to check on. Nothing in Bengtsson's writing is over the top or melodramatic which makes these characters and the issues they are dealing all the more believable and emotional. The books are fantastic, the audio versions are superb... The whole series is *chef's kiss.*

BEST OF THE BEST

 

 

The Things We Leave Unfinished | Tied

When You Come Back to Me | Ripple Effect

I decided to not even bother trying pick one favorite book of the year. Way too stressful. 😊 But I decided I could handle choosing one favorite per quarter so that's what I did.

January-March

The Things We Leave Unfinished was among the first books I read this year (way back in early February) and the fact that it still resonates with me almost eleven months later says a lot. The dual timeline and the way the characters in both times were connected drew me in. But it was the characters themselves, and what they experienced and sacrificed, that made this one unforgettable.

April-June

Tied was a story that was like a punch to the heart and it took me by surprise. It was so much more than I expected, in all the best ways. This was like a fairy tale romance but with a dark and gritty edge. I was utterly captivated from the very start and my heart ached for the characters who had been through so much. They desperately needed each other and were so much better together than apart. I adored this story of healing and know I will read it again.

July-September

Emma Scott knows how to write angst. And I admit, sometimes it's a bit much, even for me. But not the case in When You Come Back to Me. I lapped up every delicious, angsty drop and was begging for more. Holden and River were characters that I held close to my heart. I desperately wanted to hug them and promise everything would be okay. Few characters move me on such a visceral level as Holden Parish did and I shed so many tears throughout this story. The audio version was phenomenal and I found myself replaying certain scenes just to experience it again and again. 

October-December

Ripple Effect is my most recent read and before I even finished it I knew it would be among my favorites of the year. Once again, J. Bengtsson proved what a stellar storyteller she is and created characters and a narrative that had me finishing the book in record time. Filled with one of the best character arcs (I'm looking at you RJ), tension, humor, swoony moments, a great cast of secondary characters, and an epilogue that was everything, Ripple Effect was an instant favorite. 

So there you have it... my best of 2021.

Have you read any of these books?

What was your favorite book of the year?