My Top 10 Books of 2021

I love looking back and picking out my favorite reads each year. Some years it feels like agony trying to narrow down the list (dramatic much? lol) and other times, it’s easy. This year, before I even sat down to make my list, I had a pretty good idea of which books would make it on there. If you follow me over on bookstagram, I bet you’d be able to guess some of my picks. Without further ado, let’s get into my list (books are in no particular order)!

Top 10

• Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters- I read this book back in February 2021 and I still think about it from time to time. The writing was so good and these characters were so flawed and nuanced and fascinating. (full review here)
• The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton- I’m still not over the fact that this book is not nonfiction! There is such a richness of detail in the story and these characters just jump off the page. (full review here)
• Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon- Yes, this book made me cry! Yoon just took my heart and smashed it to pieces in the best way possible. (full review here)
• Seven Days in June by Tia Williams- I loved this book so so much. So much. Just go read it, please! (full review here)
• The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang- This book was so emotional and heartfelt. I loved it the way Hoang treats her characters with such tenderness and care and allows them to be so vulnerable. (full review here)
• The Love Songs of W. E. B. Dubois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers- This was such an epic family saga and I thought the way that Jeffers wove this story together was masterful. (full review here)
• Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko- I am so here for YA fantasy where a Black girl gets to be the hero of the story and I just loved this book from start to finish. (full review here)
• Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray- This debut YA fantasy was one of my most highly anticipated 2021 releases and it truly delivered. Thank goodness the sequel is coming out this year because I need to know what happens next! (full review here)
• Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi- This is the first book that I’ve read by Choi and I thought her writing was beautiful. It was just so vivid, descriptive, and evocative, and I felt so much heartache while reading this book. (full review here)
• The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans- Evans can write, these stories are tight and sharp. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection that explored the topics of race, family, and relationships, among other things. (full review here)

Honorable Mentions

• Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron- This was one of my favorite romances that I read last year. It was such an enjoyable read full of food, family, and love. (full review here)
• The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin- I’m amazed at how Jemisin was able to craft this world and this story. This book requires some focus and I had to flex my reading muscles to get a grip on what was going on, which was intellectually stimulating! (full review here)
• Infinite Country by Patricia Engel- I read this beautifully written novel about immigration and the fantasy of the “American Dream” in one day. For a great pairing, read this novel and then follow it up with The Undocumented Americans. (full review here)
• Love in Color by Bolu Babalola- I’m such a romantic at heart. I love stories about love and I loved this collection. (full review here)
• Passing by Nella Larsen- I finally read this classic that had been on my TBR for years and it was excellent.  I loved the writing and the drama of this story and that ending had me shook! (full review here)

Have you read any of these or any of them on your TBR?

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