Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Hi everybody, and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday!
How are we the end of 2021 already? Seriously, how? It feels like the year just started and I just can’t wrap my head around it being December already. But we are, as evidenced by the amount of books I consumed throughout the year. So it’s time for the official list of my favorite books of 2021!
Now, last year, I got carried away and added 25 books to the list instead of 10. This year, I tried to be way more selective and I managed to get the list down to 12. Still not 10, but progress, right?
Anyway, here we go!
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
I debated adding this book to my favorites list, simply because it’s not one I’ll be re-reading soon. It was a slow and moody, introspective read that definitely impacted my mental state a bit while reading it, but there’s no denying how absolutely beautiful this was written and how exquisitely crafted the characters were. Read my full review.
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
Sarah J. Maas is one of those authors that people seem to either love or hate, but I’m firmly in the love category. A Court of Silver Flames was a beautifully written journey through the effects of trauma and PTSD and had the best character development of any book read this year. Also, the romance *chef’s kiss*. Read my full review.
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
Will I ever read a Christina Lauren romance book I do not adore? Maybe, but I doubt it. The Soulmate Equation was a a nice mix of fake dating and enemies-to-lovers, and it’s all sticking together with a good dose of sciencey goodness. Read my full review.
People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry
This is the second year that an Emily Henry book made my favorites list, and I doubt it’ll be the last. People We Meet On Vacation had a truly amazing, slow-burn friends to lovers romance, intense chemistry and great banter, intriguing dual timeline and all the travel goodness to stoke your wanderlust. Read my full review.
All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata
Mariana Zapata is the slow-burn queen and that’s a fact. All Rhodes Lead Here was an amazing read featuring the sunshine/grumpy trope, the single dad trope, small towns and found families and a dash of music love. Read my full review.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Casey McQuiston is another author that has achieved auto-buy status for me this year. Her books have this amazing ability to make you feel good, understood and ready to take on the world. One Last Stop was a heartwarming f/f romance featuring a girl lost in time, a sweet and steamy romance and a merry band of roommates that form the loveliest found family. Read my full review.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
The Love Hypothesis was just an ADORABLE read. It had fake dating in a STEM environment, the grumpy/sunshine trope, amazing banter, great friend groups and demisexual representation. It felt like a warm hug and definitely a comfort read. Highly recommend.
Under The Whispering Door by TJ Klune
I could cry because I love this book so much (just like last year and my never-ending adoration for Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea). Under The Whispering Door is a profound, touching and heartwarming story about love and loss. The story flows beautifully and is filled with both laugh-out-loud moments and emotional, teary ones. It’s heartwarming and poignant and will stay inside your heart long after reading it. Read my full review.
Rogue Ghosts & Other Miscreants by Annette Marie & Rob Jacobsen
I had a small existential crisis while trying to pick just one (JUST ONE!) favorite Annette Marie book this year, but in the end I had to go with Rogue Ghosts & Other Miscreants because it featured not one but TWO of my favorite characters in the Guild Codex world and the start of the best bromance ever. Read my full review.
The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
An amazing reality tv show setting à la The Bachelor, amazing mental health and sexuality rep and great characters and friendships make The Charm Offensive an all-time fave for me. This book just felt like giddy joy, warm hugs and the happiness that comes with feeling understood. The story was so heartwarming and real and the mental health rep and sexuality rep was so well done and I just loved it so much. Read my full review.
A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I was nervous that I was gonna miss Poppy and Cas too much and I would not love this prequel series to the From Blood and Ash world because of it. But I LOVED this story so much. I’m so invested in Sera and Nyktos (maybe even more than Poppy and Cas right now? Don’t shoot me) and I also tore through this book so fast it was like my reading slump didn’t exist for a little while.
If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich
The latest addition to this list is a book I just finished this week but I’m happy I did, because it needed to be featured on this list. This queer boy band romance may have cured my 3-month long reading slump. But it’s so much more than just a boy band romance and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves supportive friendships and found family vibes, adorable friends-to-lovers romances and a thoughtful exploration of some of the harmful practices found in the music industry. Read my full review.
Tell Me:
What were some of your favorite reads of 2021?
Do we have any in common?
Wow, I’ve read most of these books, I like your list!
Glad to hear we have many faves in common!
I also quite liked one last stop!
I bought love hypothesis, but a few others also stand on my virtual wanna read; happy you enjoyed them! ☺️
One Last Stop was so good! Hope you’ll enjoy The Love Hypothesis 🙂
Under the whispering door was so good <3
It was amazing, I loved it so much!
Loved many of these – although I am still disappointed with myself that I have not got around to Addie LaRue yet!
I hope you had a great Christmas and this is my look back at the best and most fun books I have read in 2021.
Thanks! So many books, so little time right? I hope you’ll love Addie when you get to it 🙂
I’ve read several of these, but they didn’t make it on my list. Happy reading! My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/the-best-10-books-i-read-in-2021/
Thanks, happy reading to you too!
ACOSF is on my list as well (no surprise there 😅) and hey maybe next year you’ll actually be able to only pick 10.
ACOSF was amazing! Haha, maybe, who knows 🙂
So many favorites here!!!
Glad we have favorites in common 🙂
I have If This Gets Out on my TBR, and hope to get to it in 2022.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/the-10-best-books-i-read-in-2021/
I loved it, hope you will too!
I have a book by Emily Henry on my TBR list but didn’t get around to it this year, when I do, she will be a new-to-me author. https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com/2021/12/top-ten-tuesday-cover-love.html
Great, I hope you’ll love her when you try her books!
I’ve heard so many good things about Under the Whispering Door!
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-best-books-i-read-in-2021/
I love it so much, it definitely deserves the hype in my view 🙂
I loved Addie too! Next year I’m hoping to read a TJ Klune book so I can see what the hype is about.
I hope you’ll enjoy TJ Klune’s books next year 🙂
I want to try out Rogue Ghosts and the Hazelwood book! Great list and wishing you a Happy 2022. 🙂
I loved them both, so hope you will too 🙂 Happy 2022!
The Charm Offensive totally wowed me this year. So much love for that one!
It was such an amazing book indeed!
ACOFAS made my list too! What a great book.
ACOFAS was indeed so, so good!
So many good books here! I loved Under the Whispering Door, All Rhodes Lead Here, and The Soulmate Equation. Happy New Year!
Glad we have some favorites in common 🙂 Happy New Year!
The Invisible Life of Addie is on my audible account so I guess I’d better cue it up for listen. Thanks for the reminder. My 2021 Favorites
I hope you’ll enjoy Addie LaRue! I also listened to it on audio and loved it.
The Soulmate Equation was such a good read!
It was indeed so good!
Several of these are my top reads too – I loved Under the Whispering Door & ACOSF. I still need to read The Love Hypothesis and A Shadow in the Ember though. Great list, Lindsey!
Thanks, hope you’ll love The Love Hypothesis and A Shadow in the Ember when you try them!
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was on my favourites of 2020 list, so I’m glad you enjoyed it too. I still haven’t finished ACOWAR, I did get about 200 odd pages through it earlier this year but I’ve just not been in the mood for long books recently.
I know the feeling about the long books, hope you’ll enjoy them whenever you’re ready to start them!
Thank you!
Twelve’s a great number. You get that “bending the rules” feeling while still being very selective, lending your choices that much more weight.
Everyone who’s read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue seems to have a strong Opinion about it, so I’m always curious what people have to say about it on TTT lists. It’s not normally my style of book, but after “The Age of Adaline” came in as my #1 movie watched for the first time this year, I’m primed for the concept.
Also can’t wait to read People We Meet on Vacation and All Rhodes Lead to Here. Haven’t read either author before, but they have multiple books that intrigue me so far!
–RS
Haha, so true! 😀
Oh The Age of Adaline was an amazing movie and definitely has some similarities with Addie, so hope you’ll enjoy that one too!
(addendum: OK, the similarities between Adaline and Addie LaRue aren’t HUGE, but it sounds like they might have some similar takes on immortality and isolation so I’m curious.)
We definitely share a lot of the same favorite reads this year. 🙂
Glad we have so many faves in common 🙂
It’s been a while since I’ve read a MZ romance but I’m so excited to see All Rhodes Lead to Here on this list cos that’s high up on my TBR next year! I also had Love Hypothesis on my list 😍 I have a feeling I’ll be seeing it on many more this week!
Oh, I hope you’ll love All Rhodes Lead Here when you get to it next year! The Love Hypothesis is definitely popular this year, but I think it deserves all the hype 🙂
Such a long list of favourites, looks like you had a good reading year.
I have seen “Under the Whispering Door” on many lists, looks like I’ll have to read it.
Thanks for visiting my TTT this week.
I loved Under the Whispering Door so hope you’ll love it too if you decide to give it a try 🙂
I like your mix of books. I’m so behind on my list but hopefully it will get posted eventually haha!
Happy New Years!
Thanks, looking forward to your list and no rush 😀 Happy New Year!
I have so much love for The Charm Offensive. I am glad to see if made your list too! I really want to get to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue this next year since I somehow didn’t this past year. The Lauren book is another one I really want to read. So many great sounding books right here on your list! I hope you have a wonderful 2022.
The Charm Offensive was so amazing, glad to hear you love it too! Hope you’ll also love Addie LaRue and The Soulmate Equation if you decide to try them! Happy 2022!
Great list! I need to cross Under the Whispering Door off my TBR.
Oh, hope you’ll enjoy that one when you pick it up 🙂