My Favorite Books from 2021

Note- before we get started, here is some related content:

Oh, reading. I’ve loved you for most of my life. Ever since that summer before fourth grade when I read “Are You There God it’s Me Margaret” for the first time, I’ve known that reading and books would be an integral part of who I was as a person and how I would choose to spend my time.

Being Introduced to Goodreads in 2016 was also a turning point in my reading relationship. Now, all of the sudden, I could truly track which books I was reading, how many I read in a year, and so much more! I fell in love with the yearly reading challenges and the little summary that Goodreads would put together at the end of each December to show me my year in reading. It checked all of my Enneagram 3 accomplishment boxes.

But then 2021 came, and by the beginning of December I had only read a total of 10 books for the whole year. For someone who considers themselves a reader, that was a humbling number to face. While I knew I would need to extend myself some grace for lower than average reading numbers in the middle of a pandemic and a new relationship in my life, 10 books simply would not do!!

So, I set out to double, yes DOUBLE, my reading number from the year thus far in just one month! A challenge that my mother would roll her eyes at and ask, “Why do you do these things to yourself?” But I had to. I needed to close out 2021 feeling like I had accomplished SOMETHING. So, I did. Moreover, I surpassed my 10 book goal by clocking in an 11th book (in the 11th hour) as well! (This was much in thanks to my 9 year old daughter who is also a 3 on the Enneagram. She knew how close I was to finishing that book, so she locked me in my room and said, “We’ll not interrupt you. Come out when you’re done.” That girls GETS me!)

But enough babbling already, right? You want to get to my favorites! That’s why you’re here! Fine!

My Favorite Books I Read in 2021

  1. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah- HANDS DOWN my favorite book of the year!! Not only is it masterfully written with such captivation and eloquence, but it is performed impeccably by Noah himself. I am fully convinced that reading this book instead of listening to it is also a crime (see what I did there?). Without Noah to usher in the accents and emotion behind those words there is simply no way that it would have as profound of an effect on the reader. Do not sleep on this audiobook!

  2. Hooked by Sutton Foster- As a musical theatre girl through and through, and as a professional voice actress, it always intrigues me to read the memoirs of performers. This one was deep and sincere and I loved how it was all penned through the lens of the art Foster has made in her life off the stage- blankets, collages, drawings, and more. She calls herself a maker and it reawakened in me those makerly roots that I also hold but that have been buried deep for a few years now. I’m so glad I listened to this book right at the end of the year so that it could inspire me to make creating a part of my life again in 2022. It feeds the soul!

  3. The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary- This book came as an unexpectedly deep surprise! I went into it expecting a rom-com with a fun premise- two people sharing a flat, one at night, one during the day, thus they should never cross paths but be able to split their rent. Of course I knew that hijinx would ensue and that it would turn into a love story, but what I wasn’t expecting was the emotional depth of the characters and the themes of PTSD brought on by a former traumatic relationship. This obviously hit very closer to home for me and ended up being a cathartic experience. I loved this book and can’t wait to read more of O’Leary’s work.

  4. Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn- A sweet and fun love story that draws much from the calligraphy and stationary world! I have long been obsessed with lettering, planners, and paper, and these themes are so seamlessly woven throughout every detail of this book that it truly carried me away and had me dreaming of fonts and signs. Clever and well researched- I highly recommend!

  5. Majesty by Katherine McGee- The sequel to American Royals that I loved more than its predecessor. I enjoyed the character growth in part two of this story and the difficult choices that so many of the characters are faced with taking. All Hail Queen Bea!

  6. BONUS!!! Out of My Mind by Sharon M Davis- Emmerson (my 9 year old) and I fell in love with this book and its characters. Melody is an incredibly intelligent 11 year old girl with cerebral palsy, who has so many amazing thoughts but, without the ability to speak, has no way to express them to the people around her. Following Melody on her journey to communicate and prove so many people wrong was powerful! We are both eagerly looking forward to jumping into the sequel, Out of My Heart.

In my next post I will be sharing what I am currently reading and the books I am most looking forward to this year. If you are anxious to see what I am reading, however, you can always see the latest by checking out my Goodreads here!

What were your favorite reads from 2021? Share in the comments!

FavoritesMacKenzie Koppareading, books1 Comment