My Favorite Reads of 2021

2021 has been an incredible year for our little family as we welcomed our first child, Noah, into the world in February. I expected my reading volume to completely plummet with an addition of a child. Somehow, in the midst of all the diaper changes, meetings and date nights, I found a way to have my biggest reading year yet. I'm working on the final 200 pages of my 100th book of 2021 and am determined to finish by midnight tomorrow night. I'm a firm believer that whether you read one book a year or two hundred you're a reader, but I've always wanted to hit triple digits and it's hard to believe I'm so close in a year I thought I'd only read three or four books post-February.

Me and nine of my favorite books of 2021.

My favorite books of the year are the ones I'm still thinking about - the ones with beautiful writing, deep and flawed characters, and storylines that stick with me long after I turn the last page, taking up residence in my head like friends I've made along the way. They're not all captured in this photo, but if I were to give each of these stunners a superlative, this is how they would be awarded.

My Favorite Overall: We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

Favorite Memoir: Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner

Favorite Young Adult: Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Best Debut & Writing: The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr.

The Short Stories I Wish Were Novels: My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson

The One that Had Me Totally Torn: Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

Favorite Setting: What Could Be Saved by Liese O'Halloran Schwarz

The Tome Worth the Read: Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

Most Unique Storytelling: The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

The Book I Wish Was a Series: When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McClain

The First in a Series I Can't Wait to Finish: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Most Unique Story: Matrix by Lauren Groff

Most Likely to Make You Laugh: Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

If you're reading this, I hope you've had a great reading year, too. Either way, here's to a 2022 full of health, happiness and good books.