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Best Books We Read in 2021
It’s time again for our annual post of our favorite books of the year! It was tough, but after much thought and discussion, we narrowed down our list of the best books of 2021.
To make this list, the book had to be published in 2021 and it had to really stand out from the big stack of more than 180 books we’ve read this year. Whether it made us think or helped us escape, each book on the list exceeded whatever expectations we had of it. We hope you’ll pick some of them up to read and love them in the same way.
All the details of our favorites are below, or if you are short on time and want a preview until you can come back, you can see a slide show of 5 of our favorite books of 2021 here.
Our Favorite 2021 Books
The Best of the Best
The first two books on our list were our absolute favorites from 2021. While they are so different that you may think that we each picked a favorite book, that wasn't the case. We each read both, each gave them 5+ stars, and each declared them our personal favorites of the year.
The more we thought about it, the more we realized that two books do have some common threads. Both balance grief and strife with ample doses of heart. Whether that's an uncle learning to be a father-figure or an orphaned boy having his life changed through a chance encounter with a giraffe, at their core, both stories are about finding joy in hard times.
West with Giraffes
by Lynda Rutledge
SYNOPSIS:
West with Giraffes is a charming tale of adventure that takes you on the ride of a lifetime from the east coast of the US to the west, alongside a rowdy 17-year-old, a grumpy older man, and two giraffes.
The year is 1938 and no American zoo has successfully housed giraffes before, but the female zoo director of San Diego Zoo believes she can do it. The giraffes have just survived a hurricane en route to the east coast, and Riley Jones, the zoo’s curmudgeonly head keeper has been charged with safely transporting the giraffes from New York to San Diego.
America is still in the throes of the Great Depression, and the Dust Bowl conditions continue to ravage the drought-stricken Southern Plains states. A coast to coast trek with giant animals is no easy feat. Jones begrudgingly teams up with a starving teenager named Woody to help him make the journey. The adventures along the way include run-ins with circus con artists, being tailed by a female photographer looking for a big scoop, an emotional visit to Woody’s hometown, and so much more.
At its heart (and this book is filled with LOTS of heart) this is a coming of age story. Now, at the age of 105, Woody recounts his 12-day cross-country trip with Jones and the giraffes and how it shaped his life.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
We adored everything about this story and both rated it 5 stars! From the insights it gives to life across America in the late 30s to the growing relationships between characters, including the humans and the giraffes, we can’t recommend this book highly enough!
As an added bonus, as of the date of publishing this list, West With Giraffes is available free with Kindle Unlimited (both the ebook and the audiobook).
PS: We have a West with Giraffes book club guide with discussion questions, as well as a printable version available on Etsy that also includes bonus giraffe content, a custom bookmark, and more!
The Guncle
by Steven Rowley
SYNOPSIS:
The author of The Editor and Lily & the Octopus is back with a twist on a classic trope in this hilarious novel. When family tragedy strikes, uncle Patrick needs to take custody of his niece and nephew for the summer. GUP - Gay Uncle Patrick, is a former sitcom star and loves the kids, but is used to them going home after a weekend.
His career is stalled, and his lifestyle isn't exactly ideal for a 6 and 9-year-old. He quickly realizes that having the kids longer than a few days means he needs to be more of a parent figure, and that treats may not solve everything.
In order to help the kids, Patrick will also have to figure out how to help himself. This means facing some difficult memories for his past and deciding what his future will hold.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
Even though the family is recovering from grief and in the midst of another complicated situation, the Guncle is full of heartwarming moments and laugh-out-loud humor.
Patrick is the embodiment of what you hope for in a family member or friend. He steps way outside of his comfort zone, leads with open-hearted love, and does his best when in an unexpected difficult situation. The kids are equally fantastic characters, and reminded each of us of different fabulous kids in our own lives.
We both rated it 5 stars for making us laugh, cry, and feel everything in between along the way.
The book is also featured on our Best Summer Reads list.
Best Romantic Comedy
There's no denying that we love rom coms. They're often the perfect light escape between deeper historical or literary fiction. We read many of them and you can find a whole list of the best rom coms here, but one stood out this year!
It Had to Be You
by Georgia Clark
SYNOPSIS:
For twenty years, Liv has run a successful NYC wedding-planning business with her husband, Eliot. When he dies unexpectedly, Liv is shocked to learn that he's left his half of the business to his young girlfriend that Liv knew nothing about. Much to Liv's chagrin, perky Savannah shows up on her doorstep eager to be her partner and protégé.
In addition to Liv and Savannah, we are introduced to many of the wedding vendors that they work with - the florists, caterer, servers, and musicians. In a Love Actually-style narrative, this book follows each of them as they navigate love and friendship, and we see their lives overlap at weddings throughout New York City.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
This book is everything a good rom com should be! Not only is it laugh-out loud funny and pure enjoyment, it's also especially lovely in its representation of so many different types of love stories!
We both love Love Actually, so we were immediately drawn to the concept of intertwining stories, but we initially worried that with five different storylines we'd be left feeling like we didn't get enough of any one couple. It turns out that our fears were unfounded because the characters were very well developed and the way that each couple was woven throughout the book left us feeling extremely satisfied!
Of course, we can all agree that the book is always better, but nonetheless, this is one book we'd love to see made into a movie, because we just can't get enough of it!
This book is also featured on our list of Best Romantic Comedy Books.
Best Historical Fiction
We've always enjoyed historical fiction, but completing our Decades Challenge the last two years has helped broaden our reading within the category. The books that made our list of favorites this year span from the 1790s all the way up to the 1970s. But of course, no list of historical fiction would be complete without one great book set in WW2!
The Four Winds
by Kristin Hannah
SYNOPSIS:
As the Dust Bowl drought gripped the Great Plains, millions were out of work, crops were failing, water was drying up, and farmers were fighting to keep their land. This is the story of Elsa Martinelli, who is forced to make an agonizing choice: fight for her land in Texas or move west, to California, in search of a better life. She, like so many of her neighbors, courageously faces the hardship and sacrifices that came to define an entire generation during the Great Depression as they fought for the American Dream.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
As you may have guessed from our Book Voyage and Decades Challenges, we love books that truly transport you to another time and place. No book did that quite as well as Four Winds this year. You feel the dirt and the direness that so many experienced during the dust bowl.
Beyond the great story, we learned about a facet of history that we previously only had surface-level knowledge of. We knew people from Oklahoma and Texas fled looking for a better life in California during the Dust Bowl years, but we didn't know how poorly they were treated and how much they were discriminated against when they arrived, no matter how hard they were willing to work. And that's only the start of the reasons we loved this one!
This book is also featured on our 1930s Reading List.
Letters Across the Sea
by Genevieve Graham
SYNOPSIS:
Spanning from 1933 to 1939, and from the streets of Toronto to the shores of Hong Kong, this Canadian historical fiction novel tells the story of a little-known chapter of WWII history.
With the Depression crippling Toronto, 18-year-old Molly puts aside her dreams of college and working in journalism to work any job she can to help her family get by.
As the summer of 1933 stretches on, the terrible wave of hate and anti-Semitism sweeping the globe reaches Toronto in the form of "Swastika Clubs" and "No Jews Allowed" signs. On a fateful night in August, tensions reach a boiling point between the local Irish and Jewish communities, and the resulting riot has devastating consequences for Molly's family and that of her best friend, Hannah.
Six years later, Molly is now working as a reporter for the local paper. She is trying to move on from the pain and loss of her past, while also sharing the continuing effects of war with her community. Just when she starts to feel settled, the past returns in an unexpected way.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
We choose this book for our North America list for the Book Voyage Challenge because we hadn't previously read about what was happening in Canada during World War 2.
When BGG readers started sharing how much they enjoyed learning totally new aspects of the war while reading, Melissa moved it to the top of her TBR list.
As always, the readers were right! While engrossed in the story of Molly and Max, the author continuously included rarely talked about historical events. Don't miss her exceptional author's note at the end of the book.
This book is also featured on both our Books Set in North America and Books Set in the 1930s lists.
The Lost Apothecary
by Sarah Penner
SYNOPSIS:
In present-day, Caroline arrives in London on what was supposed to be a 10th Anniversary trip with her husband. Just days before the trip, she discovers that her husband had been cheating on her, so she’s making the trip solo in hopes of sorting out what her future will hold.
Her passion for history - the career path she gave up when she married her husband - is unexpectedly reignited when she stumbles upon a small vial with an unusual etching. As she seeks to learn more about where the vial may have come from, she begins to unravel the story behind a string of “apothecary murders” dating back to the 1790s.
This dual timeline novel transports us back to 18th century London where we meet Nella, a female apothecary with a dark secret. As Nella’s story slowly unfolds in the 1791 timeline, Caroline gets closer to discovering Nella’s secret in the present. However, when their two stories collide it’s Caroline who may face some unexpected consequences.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
Angela initially hesitated to read this book after seeing some classify it as “fantasy,” which is not a genre she’s normally drawn to. But The Lost Apothecary is actually a historical fiction mystery with just a few elements of magical realism. All that to say that if you enjoy historical fiction with strong female characters, this book just might surprise you!
Angela rated this novel 4.5 stars, and it made the cut for our best of the year list because it has just the right combination of historical mystery and modern-day drama, brought together with wonderfully atmospheric descriptions of London past and present.
Damnation Spring
by Ash Davidson
SYNOPSIS:
This novel, by debut author Ash Davidson, transports you back to 1977 in the Northern California logging town of Klamath.
Rich Gunderson comes from a long line of loggers. For generations, his family has made their living off of the Redwood trees, but now his way of life is threatened as the National Park Service is expanding to protect tens of thousands of acres of trees. Additionally, environmentalists are protesting the logging operations on the remaining private lands, raising concerns about water contamination. In an effort to secure his family’s future, Rich secretly spends their savings on a grove of ancient Redwoods that he hopes to harvest.
Rich’s wife, Colleen, is an amateur midwife who hopes for a second child of her own. She has suffered a long string of miscarriages and has begun to see a disturbing number of birth defects and fetal deaths throughout her small community. She begins to suspect that the herbicides used by the logging company that employs her husband might be to blame.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
Angela picked this book up immediately after returning from a family vacation to the Redwoods, so she was instantly drawn to the story about the towns she had just visited. But it was the dual perspectives of this story that ultimately earned it a spot on her list of favorite books of 2021. We see the story unfold from the point of view of both Rich and Colleen, as well as a few chapters from their eight-year-old son.
In a world where people often seem increasingly unwilling to listen to opposing viewpoints, the storytelling format of this environmental novel compassionately shines a light on all the shades of gray that exist for the families and communities caught in the middle.
This book is also featured on our list of Books Set in the 1970s.
Best Coming of Age
The joy of watching a character grow in their understanding of the world and themselves never gets old. But of all the coming of age novels available, one rose quickly to the top of our favorites list!
Mary Jane
by Jessica Anya Blau
SYNOPSIS:
Set in 1970s Baltimore, Mary Jane tells the story of two very different family lifestyles and the 14-year-old girl trying to decide who she really is. Mary Jane is a quiet, book-loving girl from a traditional, conservative family. When she is offered a job nannying for a local doctor, her mom assumes their home is equally tidy and respectable.
However, the house is a huge mess and it's about to get crazier. The doctor has welcomed a rock star and his wife to stay at the home while he tries to get sober. Mary Jane has a lot to teach them about tidiness and schedules, and they open her eyes to a wild world outside her bubble. By the end of the summer, she has a better understanding of who she wants to be.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
Melissa loved this one from the first chapter, and immediately missed Mary Jane, Izzy, and the rest of the characters as soon as the book was over. The author hit the perfect mix of innocence and having Mary Jane's eyes opened to different ways of life. Then on her own, Mary Jane figures out how her eyes should be open in other ways. It's everything a coming-of-age novel should be and a real gem!
This book is also featured on our list of Books Set in the 1970s.
Best Contemporary Fiction
Whether you're looking for a writer who accidentally gets involved in a hilarious murder for hire scheme, a lawyer who gets fed up with inappropriate comments and legal strategies, or a duo of neighbors who judge each other too harshly until they have to BE each other, this section is certain to entertain.
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It
by Elle Cosimano
SYNOPSIS:
Struggling novelist and divorced mom of two Finlay Donovan is BARELY holding things together. Each day has new challenges, like her ex-husband firing the nanny with no warning right before an important meeting.
Money is running out, and her next novel is way behind schedule. While meeting with her agent and attempting to buy more time, she receives a mysterious envelope with an offer of quick cash in exchange for a job.
Desperation and intrigue lead her to follow up with the number on the note, and before she knows what’s happening, she’s kind of agreed to be a contract killer for a woman with a truly terrible husband. Whoops.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
While the synopsis sounds pretty dramatic, this book is definitely witty and hilarious versus gory or scary. It’s filled with twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages and unable to put it down!
We’re both eagerly awaiting the sequel - Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, which is due out in February of 2022!
In the meantime, if you enjoy this style of book, you might want to check out Arsenic & Adobo and Dial A for Aunties - two similar 2021 reads that we both enjoyed.
The book is also featured on our list of Best Summer Reads.
The Seven Day Switch
by Kelly Harms
SYNOPSIS:
Neighbors Celeste and Wendy are both moms - but as far as they can tell, that’s the only thing they have in common - other than their mutual disdain for the other!
Celeste is a stay-at-home mom who spends her days volunteering and creating a Pinterest-worthy life that makes other moms despise her. Wendy is a career-driven working mom who lives by her minute-to-minute schedule as she balances her business and keeps things afloat at home.
Celeste and Wendy despise one another, but after a bit too much sangria at a softball potluck, they wake up in each other’s bodies - Freaky Friday style. Soon everything they thought they knew about the other is turned upside down. Their messy lives are about to get a whole lot more complicated, but along the way they’ll discover they might not be so different after all.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
Both of us rated this book four stars, and while we didn’t love it quite as much as Kelly Harms’ 2019 The Overdue Life of Amy Byler (which still holds a spot on our all-time favorites list), this novel still earned a spot on our Best of 2021 list because it’s a book that will really stick with us.
It’s too easy, as women, for us to view ourselves as in competition with one another, or to judge each other based on the snapshots we see on social media. This book is a heartwarming reminder - presented in a laugh-out-loud funny package - that we’re all better off when we have each other’s backs!
This book is also featured on our list of Books About Friendship.
This book is currently available free with Kindle Unlimited.
The Apology Project
by Jeanette Escudero
SYNOPSIS:
Right before her 40th birthday, successful attorney Amelia Montgomery has quite a bad day at work. First, she's fired for refusing to compromise her morals in a prominent legal case. Then, upon hearing the news, one of the partners makes yet another misogynistic comment. Instead of letting it go, she very uncharacteristically punches him right in the nose.
Soon after, at her birthday party, she discovers how many people she's alienated over the years on the way to the top of her career. It's so bad that only ONE person shows up, John, a new associate from her ex-firm. After much champagne and a chat with John, Amelia decides it's time to make amends. She makes a list of those she's wronged and sets out to apologize to them one at a time, which doesn't always go so well.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
This book is a great blend of entertaining contemporary fiction and romance, where the lead female is well-rounded and interested in much more than just obsessing over a guy. In fact, Melissa says that although this is a pleasant light read, it can also inspire you to reflect on friendships in your own life.
Best Beach Reads
During the summer months, we gravitate toward fun and entertaining books set in warm locations. The two beach reads that made our best of list this year transported us from the Caribbean to Palm Springs. Both feature characters looking to put their lives back on track while finding a little romance along the way.
Float Plan
by Trish Doller
SYNOPSIS:
Float Plan takes you to the sunny Caribbean with Anna as she sets off on the boat that she inherited after the loss of her fiancé. While Anna initially begins her adventure alone, she quickly realizes that she’s in over her head. She hires Keane, a professional sailor who is dealing with his own struggles as he faces a future that looks much different than what he had planned.
This book is both an enjoyable summer romance, and ultimately an uplifting story about grief and second-chances. Anna originally intends to follow the exact sailing route that she and her fiancé had planned to take together, but along the way, she discovers that she’ll have to chart her own course - both aboard the boat and in her life. Likewise, Keane is navigating rough waters both aboard Anna’s boat and as he struggles to put his life back on the course he had mapped out for himself.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
We both love a good beach read, but this book really took Angela by surprise because it has so much more depth than she expected. Both main characters are authentic, flawed, and well-developed. Like most romance reads, the ending may be predictable, but the beauty of this story is definitely in the journey.
Additionally, as a travel-lover, Angela appreciated that Trish Doller painted vivid descriptions of the islands visited with attention paid to what makes each island unique, rather than just generalizing the entire region as nothing more than a tourist playground.
This book is also featured on our list of Books Set on an Island, as well as our Best Beach Reads list.
People We Meet on Vacation
by Emily Henry
SYNOPSIS:
Poppy and Alex became unexpected best friends on a car share ride home from college, despite their utter lack of things in common. Poppy is an extroverted wild child, while Alex is a pragmatic introvert. As the years go by, Poppy has a good life in New York City and Alex remains in their small hometown. But the duo has still reunited each summer for one glorious week of vacation together.
But two years ago, everything changed and they haven’t spoken since. Poppy has everything she could want in life, but remains discontent and knows the last time she was truly happy was her final trip with Alex. In a desperate attempt to find joy again, she contacts Alex hoping for one more trip to make everything right.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
We love a good chick-lit romance reminiscent of When Harry Met Sally, and we especially enjoyed the storytelling format of this book.
The timeline hops between present-day and past trips as you slowly gain insight into the friendship between Poppy and Alex and where it all went wrong.
This book is also featured on our Best Beach Reads list.
Best Non-Fiction / Memoir
The only thing better than a beautiful crafted novel, is a beautifully crafted memoir. One non-fiction book made the list as a stand-out this year because it transports you right to South America and makes you realized how wildly different your life could be with one different decision.
The Puma Years
by Laura Coleman
SYNOPSIS:
In her early twenties, Laura lacked direction and decided to quit her job to embark on a backpacking trip in Bolivia. She found herself at a wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Amazon jungle filled with over a hundred lost and hurt animals, and an equally complex cast of employees and volunteers. Laura was assigned to work with a puma named Wayra.
Set against the backdrop of deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and forest fires, this memoir explores what happens when two creatures in need of rescue find one another.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
Melissa chose The Puma Years for her South America selection in the Book Voyage Challenge and was surprised at how hard it was to put down. Soon, she found herself looking for more chores around the house so she could keep listening.
Laura arrived in Bolivia as an extremely relatable city girl, not someone knowledgeable about animals or used to roughing it without indoor plumbing. Above all, her memoir feels honest - about her first impressions, about how she was changed, and about the positives and negatives of both this sanctuary and life in the region.
This book is also featured on our South America reading list.
Unexpected Favorites
You know those books you pick up in a moment of time even though they aren't what you'd normally gravitate towards? The next two books in our list are great examples of why we're willing to read a variety of genres.
Razorblade Tears
by S. A. Cosby
SYNOPSIS:
Randolph and Buddy Lee are both ex-cons, but have very different lives. Randolph left his past behind and started a successful lawn care business. He has a loving wife and owns a nice small home. Buddy Lee is a barely functioning alcoholic, living in a run-down trailer.
Besides both being ex-cons, the only thing they have in common is that their sons married each other and both dads handled that poorly.
When both sons are brutally murdered, the men meet because of their shared goal - finding out what really happened to their boys.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
Melissa normally avoids any books with graphic violence, and regularly chooses rom coms over crime novels. But when a book isn't in one of your preferred genres and the author writes their way into your heart anyway, the book deserves recognition.
Every chapter is easy to visualize in detail, but you won't just see the characters, you'll experience their emotions throughout the compelling story. Amid the page-turning tale, there are also great reminders about life and the importance of choosing to love your family while you can.
That said, if you're sensitive to violence or lots of rough language, consider skipping this one. The downside of being able to picture every scene is that the excellent descriptive writing includes the violent scenes.
The book is also featured on our Books Set in the 2010s list.
Black Buck
by Mateo Askariupour
SYNOPSIS:
When you read Black Buck, you'll be compelled to check time and time again if it's fiction or if Buck is a real person. The talented author weaves a realistic tale of extraordinary circumstances with a dark edge.
Twenty-two year old Darren works in a coffee shop despite being valedictorian of a prestigious high school - Bronx Science. So, when one of his customers convinces him to come work in sales at a tech startup, his entire life changes. Will the higher income solve his problems, or bring him more?
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
While we both rated Black Buck as 4 stars, it makes the list because it was undeniably unique and written by one of the most talented and creative new authors we've read. Whether we were thinking a chapter was brilliant or wondering what we were reading, we thought about the book well beyond the time we read it.
This book is featured on our list of Books with a Color in the Title.
Best 2021 Christmas Book
One of our guilty pleasures each December is to immerse ourselves in as many Christmas books as possible while we decorate, wrap presents, and prepare for the holidays. One 2021 holiday release really stood out to us this year.
The Santa Suit
by Mary Kay Andrews
SYNOPSIS:
Ivy Perkins is recently divorced and is looking to make a big change in her life. That change comes in the form of an old farmhouse she purchased sight unseen. She knows it will be a labor of love... but it might be more labor than she counted on.
As she sorts through all the junk that the prior owners left behind, she comes across a beautiful, decades-old Santa suit. Tucked in the pocket is a handwritten note from a little girl whose Christmas wish was for her father to return home from the war. Ivy’s desire to learn more about the note's author quickly draws her into her new community, and unraveling the story may even result in a second chance at love.
WHY IT MADE OUR BEST BOOK LIST:
This was the perfect feel-good story that we were both looking for this Christmas season. It’s a short read filled with small town charm and Christmas cheer, while also hitting the perfect balance of friendship and romance. We especially appreciated that this book celebrates the spirit of joy and giving rather than the material aspects of the holiday season.
This book is also featured on our list of Best Christmas Books for Adults.
