And that’s a wrap! Tomorrow it’s Christmas and another year has just about at its end. I am taking a break between Christmas and New Year, so this will be my last post for 2021. This year was filled with ups and downs for all of us as it has raced to close. I must say, and I am sure all book lovers will agree with me, no matter what is happening in the world, if I have a good book at hand, and a pile on the shelf I still need to read, then I am happy and able to deal with just about anything life throws my way.
This has been my best reading year ever. I read a hundred and thirty-five books this year, and I will hugely indebted to Anne Carter from Random Things Tours. Anne has been an inspiration and 2021 saw me reading mainly new-to-me authors thanks to her blog tour invites. I have had an absolute blast this year. While I am heading back to work in 2022, I look forward to remaining a part of the Random Things Tours and making time for as many as possible.
Okay, I won’t keep you waiting. Everyone is eager to know what my top books for 2021 have been. A quick summary, I read 135 books and they were all brilliant reads and I wish I could choose all of them. Of those 40 received five-star ratings, and with one exception I only picked one per month. This year there have been 13 books of the month and looking back I am still battling to pick which one will be my book of the year.
Here are my top picks, broken down by the month I read and reviewed them:
This debut novel was simply brilliant, and I cannot wait for Allie’s new book The Bay which is due for release in June next year.
This is a book that will stay with me for a while. Matt reached out and asked that I review the book and I was not sure what to expect. Only to find myself completely blown away by this book. I loved it and will keep recommending it for a long time – I cannot wait to see what Leonardo DiCaprio does with the movie.
I have been hooked to C.J. Tudor’s books since the release of her debut novel The Chalk Man in 2018 I have loved all her books and The Burning Girl did not disappoint. C.J. Tudor is one of my favourite author’s at the moment and I cannot wait for her next book. (Just wish we didn’t have to wait quite so long to see the books in local bookstores.)
This new-to-me author’s book was a blog tour arranged by Random Things Tours and I recently saw a cover reveal for a new book from this author, I am hoping that I manage to get my hands on a copy or if there is a blog tour that I manage to secure myself a space. I enjoyed The Source immensely and look forward to reading more from this author.
Yet another new author I was introduced to by Random Things Tours. I found myself lost in this psychological thriller, the author adds meaning to her tales and I truly enjoy that. You will notice that Elizabeth Forbes is the only author who has two titles in my top picks for this year.
June had two Books of the month, simply because I could not pick between these two wonderful titles.
This debut novel was a beautifully told take with characters that reminded me of people I know. Making this a relatable story and one I have recommended to various friends already.
This book is not something I would have picked up in a bookstore. I usually lean towards thrillers and when an invite for a blog tour for this landed in my inbox, I read the blurb and thought it was time to try something a little different. That turn out to be one of the best decisions I have made this year – This was one of the most touching stories I have read this year. The author did such a remarkable job with this book. I fell in love with the characters and simply cannot speak highly enough about this book. It’s a fantastic read and if you haven’t yet please add this title from Orenda Books to your TBR.
My second pick from Elizabeth Forbes this year. This author just keeps me flipping the pages with her amazing storytelling. I love her work. I have one more of her books on my TBR and I hope to find time for it during next year.
As my birthday month pick, you can be assured of a great read when you reach for this title. The Hen Party is a book that will keep you up at night as you flick through the pages. It is impossible to put this one down. I loved it.
This book is just heart-breaking. It is one of those books that was just a little too close to home. I could relate to this story and found myself imagining what I would do if I ever found myself in a similar situation. This book broke my heart, and I loved every minute. If you have someone close to you that suffers from dementia then this book will move you.
This debut novel had me glued to the pages during an extremely hectic week. It drove me crazy that I could not sit down and simply keep reading. On The Edge is a nail-biting tale centred around rock climbing, drug smuggling and human trafficking set in Cornwall. There is not a single dull moment.
This is one of the most emotional coming-of-age mysteries I have read recently. A deeply moving story about family, loss, and disappointment. The bond between siblings is beautifully highlighted in this gut-wrenching tale.
Natalie Symons gives her character a strong voice, allowing you to experience the emotions as they pour off the pages.
December was a stressful month. We moved into our new house on the first, Alicia celebrated her 17th birthday, Tristan has been away for most of the month and I was hosting the family Christmas lunch. Sadly all this left me with very little reading time. However, I managed to fit in four reviews before Christmas and The First Day of Spring deserves a place on my top reads of the year. Oh, my greatness, this book is so sad, I simply could not drag myself away. This moving tale features an eight-year-old girl who is desperate for love and attention. This is just a brilliant read. It’s due for release on the 17th of February next year. You will regret it if you do not get your hands on a copy of this one.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
Alicia says: “ACOTAR helped me get out of a serious reading slump. This book had me up till 03h00 to finish it. It is very captivating and a real page-turner. I had loads of fun reading this book. I look forward to reading and reviewing the rest of the books in this series. So stay tuned for that during 2022.”
With so many brilliant books to choose from, how do I pick just one? Believe me, this was not an easy decision for me. But one book stood out for me. One of these books was different and touching and looking back it is the one story I remember the most clearly. Perhaps that is just because it was a little different to everything else I have read this year.
Okay, I won’t keep you hanging any longer, my book of the year is……
Thank you, Louise Beech and Orenda Books, for this truly memorable read! Of course, a thank you is owed to Anne Cater as well for sending me the invitation to this blog tour – if it wasn’t for that invite, I might never have read this book!
Well, that’s it, 2021 is wrapped!
Thank you to everyone who sent me a book for review this year. Your books kept me entertained and gave me a reason to get out of bed each morning. Thank you for sharing your hard work!
To everyone at NetGalley, Jonathan Ball Publishing and Penguin Random House South Africa – thank you for aiding my addition to reading.
Also, thank you to everyone who visited the blog, your support and comments have not gone unnoticed, and I appreciate all of you.
I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a successful New Year full of mind-blowing books! See you on the other side of 2021, until then… Happy Reading!
