Top 10 Reads of 2021

Happy New Year bookworms and welcome to 2022!

Before I fully embrace the new year, I would like to invite you to glance back over the past year with me and see which books were my favorite reads of 2021.

I read a total of 55 books but it was surprisingly easy to narrow down my favorites. The books I’ve listed below were all books I rated 5 stars but I’ve listed them in countdown form to narrow down my top favorite book of 2021. 

So without further ado, let’s get started!

10. “Written in Starlight” by Isabel Ibañez

Amazon rainforest adventure with magic and an Indiana Jones vibe

9. “A Treason of Thorns” by Laura E. Weymouth

A dangerous house, a deadly magic, and a love that might not survive the fallout

8. “Lovely War” by Julie Berry

Greek gods meddle with heartbreaking love stories that span both World Wars

7. “The Coming Storm” by Regina M. Hansen

“The Scorpio Races” vibe + generational mysteries + ghosts and folklore = a hauntingly beautiful novel

6. “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier

A women is haunted by the legacy of her new husband’s dead wife in this deeply atmospheric classic

5. “Into the Heartless Wood” by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Deadly monster girl, soft astronomer boy, and cursed woods makes this a top favorite standalone fantasy.

4. “The Inheritance Games” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

A girl must discover why she inherited millions of dollars in this race against time, “Knives Out” style mystery

3. “A Castle in the Clouds” by Kerstin Gier

A quirky cast of characters hiding secrets, a stunning grand hotel in the Alps, and the coziest Christmas/New Years vibes 

2. “The Herbwitch’s Apprentice” by Ireen Chau

This fun regency inspired fantasy is full of magic, debutantes, and royal mysteries 

1. “Among the Beasts and Briars” by Ashley Poston

A girl with deadly magic in her veins must brave the bloodthirsty forest to save all that she loves

Bonus: The entire Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo

I had the honor of being able to read all of the currently published Grishaverse books this year and absolutely fell in love with the series. Although I didn't highly rate every book, this series is definitely 5 stars overall. 

- “Shadow and Bone”, “Siege and Storm”, and “Ruin and Rising”

- “Six of Crows” and “Crooked Kingdom”

- “King of Scars” and “Rule of Wolves”

- “Lives of Saints”

- “Language of Thorns”

So there you go! Have you read any these books? What was your favorite read of 2021?

Thanks for reading and until next time!

~ K.J. Haakenson