A year of favorites
The best reading experiences (for me) in 2021
For my Jan. 1 reading list, I thought I’d share my favorite reads from 2021. Happy New Year, and happy reading!
FAVORITE ESSAY COLLECTIONS
Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America by R. Eric Thomas — This hilarious, poignant memoir-in-essays was one of my first reads of 2021 and will always come to mind when I think “What were my favorite books in that reading year?”
The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater: Essays on Crafting by Alanna Okun — I’d like to give this relatable and beautifully written essay collection to every fellow millennial writer. I’m not a crafter, yet I found myself saying “yes, yes” to so many parts.
FAVORITE SCIENCE NONFICTION
Why Fish Don’t Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller — I didn’t expect to come out of last year recommending the science book that made me cry to everyone I know, but here we are.
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert — Kolbert balances on-the-ground research and lyrical writing in this account of the strange creatures who used to live on this planet and the ways one certain species is changing the world (not for the better). Alarming, but not without hope.
FAVORITE “BIG” BACKLIST FICTION
The Secret Place by Tana French — I’ve been slooooowly reading French’s Dublin Murder Squad series over the last year and a half because I don’t want it to end. This fifth installment, about a close friend group of boarding school girls whose secrets are too close to an unsolved crime, is now my second favorite of the series (next to fan favorite The Likeness, obviously).
I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella — This newsletter knows Kinsella is one of my favorite authors. If you haven’t read her and you’re intimidated to start with her nine-book Shopaholic series, this romantic comedy is a delightful standalone with Kinsella’s signature elements: a screwball plot, a heroine with a heart of gold who can’t seem to stay out of scrapes, and a satisfying finale. Bonus: Word on the street is that there’s a movie in the works starring Dakota Fanning, so you’ll get to say, “The book was better.”
FAVORITE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry — The other book I can’t stop recommending from last year.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid — The perfect beach book, Malibu Rising is just the right mix of old Hollywood glamour, modern family drama, and '80s references.
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix — Feminist horror is another genre I didn’t expect to love in 2021. If you’re a fan of classic horror movies, this twisty novel about a group of final girls who realize they’re in danger, again, might be a great fit for you.
The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta — This epic romance about an actress and a playboy pretending to be in love for the sake of the headlines was an underrated summer release. I kept itching to google the two leads, forgetting they’re not real.
FAVORITE HISTORICAL FICTION
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry — I’ve struggled to find my “in” with historical fiction; it all feels so far away. But this rich treatment of the Victorian era and its still-relevant conflict between science and belief held my attention. It’s a slow burn, with characters that feel not written so much as discovered. I didn’t want to turn the last page and leave them behind.
The Poison Thread by Laura Purcell — If you need to start a new year of reading with something you can’t put down, this twisty and gorgeously written gothic thriller might be your ticket.
The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor — Perfect for fans of Patti Callahan, The Cottingley Secret is a novelized version of the famous Cottingley fairies “hoax.”
FAVORITE YOUNG ADULT
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord — Pepper is the voice behind her family’s fast-food chain’s Twitter account. Jack works in his family’s deli. When they start a restaurant Twitter war over an allegedly stolen recipe, their exchange goes viral. Contemporary YA romance is one of my personal comfort genres, and this sharp, funny, entertaining rom com is a top-notch example of why YA also appeals to a wider audience.
FAVORITE CHICK LIT
Nine Women, One Dress by Jane L. Rosen — If I had to choose a “most charming” read in my 2021 list, this novel made up of nine women’s stories interconnected by the season’s hottest little black dress would be it.
FAVORITE MEMOIR
Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life by Sutton Foster — In 2021’s least shocking news, Broadway star Sutton Foster has written a delightfully focused, thoughtful and fascinating memoir about the knitting, painting and other crafting projects that kept her anchored through the ups and downs of her career.
FAVORITE LITERARY FICTION
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett — I don’t really need to say more about one of the biggest books of the last two years. The writing is stunning, and the characters will break your heart in the best way. Getting to see one of the great writers of our time honing her craft in her sophomore novel was a joy.
All’s Well by Mona Awad — The genre-defying author of Bunny, Awad writes somewhere between magical realism and horror, and somewhere between commercial and literary fiction. All’s Well is just as weird as Bunny, and I mean that as a very high compliment.
FAVORITE AUDIOBOOK
The Switch by Beth O’Leary — Trying this sweet, funny, thoughtful women’s fiction novel on audio was one of my most serendipitous impulse reading decisions last year. Both narrators are great, but I especially loved the Eileen voice/character.
FAVORITE “BOOKISH” BOOKS
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin — A broken-hearted bookstore owner’s life is turned upside-down when he receives an unexpected gift. Will he take the opportunity for a second chance? I don’t know how to categorize this novel other than to say that if you love books, it’s for you.
Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan — If you also longed for Narnia as a child (and in ways, still do), this fictionalized account of the creativity story behind The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will make you say, "What? You too? I thought I was the only one."