Top Reads of 2021 (and great gift ideas for the reader in your life)
It’s no surprise that as a lover of writing, I’m also a lover of reading and consuming great stories. While I typically stick to my favorite genre (fantasy), there is definitely a spread of books that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this year. From YA to NA to epic to romantic, I’ve compiled a list of my top reads of 2021 (and you can find the Goodreads links for the full reviews as well as the Amazon link).
Even better, these books make incredible gifts for the reader in your life.
Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2) by Sarah J Maas
Did I like the first one? Yes, enough to continue the series, but this one blew Throne of Glass out of the water. I have now re-read this book 3 times this year (one of the first books I’ve ever considered re-reading). Celaena is the assassin we all need in our lives and this entire series is worth the hype.
Beneath Black Sails (Beneath Black Sails, #1) by Clare Sager
A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #4) by Sarah J Maas
Nesta got a lot of shit in the previous books, but honestly, her arc here was by far my favorite of all the books. Do I love Feyre? Sure, but Nesta is so much more complex and her story needed to be told. It’s dark, it’s steamy, it’s emotional, it’s everything in a fae fantasy book you can ask for.
Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1) by Shelby Mahurin
I will say this again because it’s all I can talk about: Reid is the greatest male character I’ve read this year. Mahurin does an incredible job of subtly showing his changes throughout the book and his growth as a character. I’ve never loved a man more on the first page than I did here, and holy crap by the end… let’s just say this was the first time I laughed (out loud) and desperately wished I had someone reading this with me so I could gush about his last line in this book. The banter was superb and it was just a delightful read. The series was incredible.
A Sea of Pearls & Leaves by Rosalyn Briar
Delicious and riveting, A Sea of Pearls & Leaves is the best LGBTQ+ book I’ve ever gotten my hands on. It isn’t forced representation, which is what I keep coming across (and that’s incredibly disappointing). This book actually delivers characters that are real, flawed, and not the cookie cutter “I put someone gay in this story so I can call it representation”. No, this book is everything we need in fantasy and LGBT. This is the future and I am here for it.
The Song of the Marked (Shadows & Crowns, #1) by S.M. Gaither
The book that kickstarted my obsession with reading this year. The Song of the Marked starts off great and gets even better. Enemies to lovers, mystery, magic, and badass female characters. I’m talking women who can actually hold a sword and compete, not who are trained and never get to use their skills or always get bested. Casia is the female character we can all look up to (for so many reasons) and you will love her little band of friends from the minute you meet them.
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
After a string of less than excitable reads, this book turned me around and kicked me toward the end of the year. It was impossible to put Sorcery of Thorns down. Not only were the characters incredible, but we have a female character who I found impossible to dislike. Everything about her made me want to unleash her into other fantasy worlds (not to mention we finally have a tall female protagonist, and this 6’1 author is here for it). We need more male MCs who will gladly step aside and let his woman do the stabbing.
House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1) by Sarah J Maas
Possibly still my favorite read of the year. Yes, it started slow. Yes, I almost didn’t finish. Yes, it was so worth the read. Bryce is so complicated and deep, and Maas does a wonderful job unveiling and peeling away those pieces of her slowly. It keeps you engaged and on the edge of your seat the entire time. And a woman who can hold her own and save the world without the reader feeling like it’s forced? OMG, sign me up for the rest of this series NOW.
