Another great year of reading if I do say so myself but some books were definitely better than others. Here are the books I would consider the best reads of 2021. Each I rated either 4 or 5 stars! These are the books I read in 2021, not books necessarily published in 2021 though there are a number of new ones on this list. I hope you find your next great read after perusing. Here’s to making a must-read list for 2022!

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The Wreckage of My Presence

Published Date: May 2021

Genre: Comedic Personal Essays

I laughed out loud listening to this audiobook. Casey Wilson is a hoot. If you enjoyed the show Happy Endings or have ever watched The Real Housewives you will like this.

Circe

Published Date: April 2020

Genre: Mythology

Give this book a couple of chapters and you might find yourself really enjoying following the life of Circe (daughter of Helios). You’ll likely recognize a few of the stories and characters even if you haven’t read any mythology since high school (like me!).

Moloka’i

Published Date: October 2004

Genre: Historical Fiction

Follow a girl’s life into womanhood while living in a leper colony on a Hawaii island separated from her family.

The Four Winds

Published Date: February 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

I’ll warn you, this one is depressing but very good. A family suffers on their Texas farm during the Dust Bowl. Eventually, a decision needs to be made whether the family should try to survive in Texas or migrate west in search of jobs.

The War That Saved My Life

Published Date: January 2015

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

A young girl and her brother from London escape to the country during WWII. The siblings end up living with a woman who wasn’t interested in housing them but each grows in many ways over their time together.

License to Parent

Published Date: June 2021

Genre: Parenting Advice

Two former CIA agents are married to each other raising five kids. The couple takes skills they learned in the CIA and apply them to parenting their children. I actually thought a number of these ideas were very smart!

The Girl in the Mirror

Published Date: October 2020

Genre: Thriller

Two adult identical twin sisters are sailing a yacht but one ends up drowning. The surviving twin has always been envious of her sister. Is this her chance for a new life? Many twists and turns!

American Royals/Majesty

Published Date: May 2020

Genre: YA Romance

I could not put these books down. Sometimes you need a little mindless young adult romance to lift your spirits. It’s also interesting to think about how our country would have turned out if we hadn’t become a democracy. I just found out the third book is coming out in spring, thank goodness!

The Last Thing He Told Me

Published Date: May 2021

Genre: Mystery

A husband disappears when the company he works for starts being investigated. His wife and daughter try to figure out what happened to him and discover many secrets along the way.

The Midnight Libary

Published Date: September 2020

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

A woman in between life and death gets the option to try out different paths her life could have taken if she had made different choices during her life (career, boyfriends, etc).

28 Summers

Published Date: February 2021

Genre: Romance

A man and woman decide they can’t be together but agree to meet for one romantic weekend every year. Through jobs, marriage, and children this secret relationship continues for decades.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Published Date: May 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

The book centers around the New York Public Library and jumps back and forth between two generations. The current follows a young woman working for the Library when book thefts occur. The past showcases the family who lived at the Library in 1913. The stories intertwine to discover truths about the family and the stolen books.

Never Have I Ever

Published Date: July 2019

Genre: Thriller

A new neighbor causes a lot of problems for a woman who does not want her past revealed to her current friends and family. Blackmail is the name of the game. But whose secrets will eventually cause their demise?

The Last Flight

Published Date: June 2020

Genre: Thriller

A woman trying to escape her well-known husband takes over a different woman’s life but it might end up causing more problems than she bargained for.

Wilde Wagers

Published Date: April 2021

Genre: Historical Romantic Comedy

My talented aunt wrote this delightful story about friends placing a bet about a common actress fooling the wealthy class into believing she’s one of them during a country weekend. Set in Victorian England, the group of friends gets into funny situations throughout the book.

His Only Wife

Published Date: September 2020

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

A woman in Ghana marries a wealthy man from her small town but he isn’t even present at the wedding. He is in love with another woman but this marriage will keep his family happy. Will his new wife be able to turn his heart?

Actual Parenting

Published Date: September 2020

Genre: Parenting Advice

I’m a huge fan of Busy Toddler (I even use her homeschool preschool curriculum) and this is an enjoyable parenting book full of great advice. Much of it I already knew but I still liked reading this book and came away with some good tidbits to put into practice. Plus, it includes many of her awesome toddler/preschooler activities.

If you enjoyed this list make sure to check out my Best Reads of 2020!