My Favorite Books of 2021

Before we get too far into 2022, I want to share my favorite books of 2021 with you! I’ve been so focused on my New Year New Room Refresh Challenge that I haven’t had a chance to sit down and reflect. But with the hallway project now finished, as I look back over the 52 titles I read last year, these five books definitely stand out as favorites.

1. The Midnight Library – Matt Haig

I just can’t stop thinking about this story. The premise of a library as a sort of train station for life with books representing tracks you’ve already traveled, tracks you could have taken if you’d made different choices and tracks you’ve not yet taken, well, the metaphors in The Midnight Library really left an impact on me.

This story is about life’s choices and regrets. It’s about the should haves, would haves, and could haves that can sometimes weigh you down. Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you’d made a different decision about insert blank? I sure have.

This story made me feel so grateful for the complicated, unexpected journey of life. I’ve described this book before as a cross between It’s A Wonderful Life and Sliding Doors (a 90s movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow that you should watch if you haven’t already). But at the heart of this story is a question – what makes life worth living? And the answer, revealed through these pages, is likely more about your perspective of the story than the story itself. And for me, it ended in such a beautiful, thought-provoking way.

2. Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First. – Laura Tremaine

All the way back in February of 2021 when I first read this book, I predicted that it would likely land in my top 5 of the year. And low and behold, it did! I just loved everything about this book, from the memoir/ guidebook style in which it was written to the private podcast the author created to share interviews with some of the people she writes about in the book. I’ve recommended Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First to all of my friends and even gifted this book to a few. What I found in these pages was not only an inspiring springboard to creating deeper friendships but a catalyst to a deeper connection with myself.  As a newbie to daily journaling, I so enjoyed the the journal prompts!

When I said, “I think every woman should read this book.”, I meant it. And I stand by that statement. Also, that private podcast that was at first only available to those that preordered the book can be found via Laura’s Patreon. Check her out on Instagram to find out more about that. I felt like those podcast interviews really added so much to the overall reading experience, but you don’t technically need access to them to enjoy this book!

3. Dirt – Mary Marantz

This memoir absolutely blew me away. Mary Marantz is an incredible writer, and she tells her truth in such an honest, humble way. On the surface, her story is one you’ve likely heard before – a young woman who grows up in a single-wide trailer goes on to graduate from Yale Law School. But the heart of this memoir is underneath the surface. Dirt is really about healing and forgiving, and it is one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read.

4. The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid

I discovered Taylor Jenkins Reid in 2019 when I read Daisy Jones & The Six. I actually loved that book so much that I named it as my number one favorite read of that year. And I still have a special place in my heart for that story, but The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is right up there with some of the most entertaining, unexpected fiction novels I’ve ever read. Taylor Jenkins Reid has a really special talent for creating characters whose personalities just jump off the page. And Evelyn Hugo most definitely felt more real than fiction. It’s old Hollywood glamour with all its secrets, lies, and ambition, but at the heart of it is a heartbreakingly, tragic love story. And I was sucked in from the very first page, and all these months later, I’m still wondering if this fictional story was based on any particular Hollywood starlet.

5. The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah

I’m a big fan of historical fiction, and yet, I’d never read anything by Kristin Hannah until this year. My Instagram book club, @4readingwomen, read The Four Winds back in March. And I enjoyed it enough to ask my book club friends, who’ve read a lot of her novels, which book of hers I should read next, and they resoundingly answered with, “You have to read The Nightingale.” And they were right. This WW11 novel highlights the women’s roles in German-occupied, war-torn France. And it tells the story of two wildly different sisters, separated by years, each struggling to survive in their own way. It’s a heartbreakingly beautiful story that celebrates the strength of women and the bond of sisterhood.

Honorable Mentions

The best celebrity memoir I’ve read in years – Mariah Carey’s Memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. I’m serious. It’s better than you’re probably thinking it is. It’s not as self-congratulatory as you might imagine. Mariah Carey gets fairly honest and vulnerable. I’ve been a fan since childhood……picture me at 11 years old in roller skates with a cd walkman blaring Vision of Love in my ears. But it’s not my fan bias talking, this memoir is really good. I recommend the audible version….she sings!

The most out of my normal reading zone fiction that I really enjoyed – Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant. Mermaid horror. Yes, you read that right. You might never look at the ocean the same again, but it’ll be worth it. Trust me.

The most unexpected fiction read of the year – The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller. The cover of this book is so deceptive. Not that you should ever judge a book by its cover, but come on, we all do it. And this one looks like it’s going to be a light-hearted, palate-cleansing beach read. Wrong. The only thing beachy about the book is the setting. This book should come with a trigger warning. It is the opposite of light. But it is a page-turner. I couldn’t put it down. And I’m still thinking about the ending.

2021 was an interesting reading year for me. I read more last year than I’ve ever read, although I did miss my yearly reading goal by eight. Coming in at 52 when my goal was 60. But the point of setting a number goal wasn’t to make me feel bad if I missed it. It was to motivate me to read more books. And I read four more books last year than I did the year before. So, mission accomplished.

This year my reading goals are less numbers-based and more content-focused. I want to read more backlist books (because I’m always distracted by the shiny, new release) and classic books I never read when I was young. And I hope to revisit some of my favorites, too!

Do you set reading goals? Tell me, what were your favorite reads of 2021? What’s on your to-do read list for 2022?

*See more of our home library here.