2021 Yearly Review

First blog posts can be intimidating. You only get one shot to make a first impression, and obviously, I want it to be a good one. For Bookish Jaja, I’ve decided to begin at the end - a recap of my 2021 reading adventures.

Let’s begin with a list, shall we? Seeing as my total number of books for the year isn’t hundreds of books long, it’s easy enough to share them all here - alphabetically by title, of course.

• 56 Days | Catherine Ryan Howard

• Ariadne | Jennifer Saint

• Everything Beautiful in Its Time | Jenna Bush Hager

• Girl A | Abigail Dean

• Great Circle | Maggie Shipstead

• How Lucky | Will Leitch

• Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth | Ina May Gaskin

• Infinite Country | Patricia Engel

• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue | V E Schwab

• The Last Thing He Told Me | Laura Dave

• A Little Hope | Ethan Joella

• Lost and Wanted | Nell Freudenberger

• The Lost Apothecary | Sarah Penner

• Malibu Rising | Taylor Jenkins Reid

• Moms on Call - Basic Baby Care: 0-6 Months | Laura Hunter & Jennifer Walker

• Norse Mythology | Neil Gaiman

• The Office of Historical Corrections | Danielle Evans

• One Day You’ll Thank Me | Cameran Eubanks Wimberly

• Only Child | Rhiannon Navin

• Outlander | Diana Gabaldon

• The Perishing | Natashia Deón

• The Reason I Jump | Naoki Higashida

• Unbroken | Laura Hillenbrand

• What to Expect When You’re Expecting | Heidi Murkoff

• The White Princess | Philippa Gregory

Seeing as I doubt I’ll ever backtrack to review these books individually here on the blog, I figured a quick list at least provides an idea of what kind of books I like to read. As far as fiction goes, historical, literary, and contemporary are my sub-genres of choice making up the bulk of my reading choices. I don’t mind sprinkling in some thriller and suspense as well. I also enjoy non-fiction and gravitate towards memoirs, biographies, and a dash of self-help.

And now, for my favorite part of my yearly recap, I present my personal 2021 Book Awards!

2021 Book of the Year

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V E Schwab

I finished this book at the beginning of February, and I knew then that it would likely be my favorite book of the year. I fell in love with this story. The characters are wonderful, and the world-building is fantastic. The magical elements are superb. The thought and attention given to this story is plainly evident, and V E Schwab's creativity can't be lauded highly enough. Her story-telling is everything I could hope for in a book. I just really, really loved it. Simple as that.

Honorable Mentions

Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger

This book was my first of the year, and what a way to start! It had top notch character development, and the physics side of the story was not only digestible but also believable. The supernatural element was woven in seamlessly and was never gimmicky or overdone. It was just the right amount of mystery to move the story along and to keep the reader guessing. And the ending was perfectly imperfect.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

For starters, the cover is beautiful. And if you're one to judge a book by its cover, you're still in for a treat. This book is an A+ blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery. It has a fast-paced plot, but it still dives into our main characters providing enough development to keep us invested in their fates. And as a bonus, it has a splash of witchy vibes, which was perfect when I read it at the end of October.

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

This one provided me with an escape from reality. I read this book throughout the first half of November after giving birth to my daughter. I was able to find solitude in the pages of this story during a huge life change, and that solitude brought me great comfort. I'm forever grateful that I read this book when I did. It gave me everything I needed exactly when I needed it.

Non-Fiction Fave

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

I listened to the audiobook, and first of all, Edward Herrmann has the perfect voice for war novels. His narration was *chef's kiss* good. As for the book itself, it's something else. It's moving, inspiring, frustrating, and beautiful. The lives of some people are truly remarkable, and Louis Zamperini is one of those people. His was not an easy life, but it was endlessly incredible for better and worse. There are some graphic scenes in this one, but if you're into real life WWII, I think you'll love it. I know I need to get my hands on the movie ASAP.

Short Story Standout

The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans

I was skeptical about short stories at first, but I have been wholly converted to the short-and-sweet side thanks to this awesome collection from Danielle Evans. Her stories are so full despite their small size. I didn’t realize a short story could pack so much punch, but I’ll never doubt it again. A major bonus is that this book has also inspired me to continue my passion for writing; it feels like doors of possibilities have opened with the world of short stories, and I feel encouraged to explore.

The "I'm not crying someone's obviously chopping onions" Award

Only Child by Rhiannon Navin

Another highlight from this year, but it's one that I want to be cautious about recommending. The main plot focuses on the aftermath of a school shooting and a family in grief. It's a heavy subject matter to say the least. And the fact that it's told through the eyes of a child only adds to the raw and emotional qualities of the book. You'll want to prepare your heart before heading into this book, but I know it helped me put life into perspective. To see what's truly important. And yeah, I cried.

The "hilarious, but also like, someone was kidnapped" Award

How Lucky by Will Leitch

I can't tell you how many quotes I wrote down from this book, but it had to be around a dozen, and they're all laugh-out-loud funny. Our main character, Daniel, is simply fantastic. His personality and sense of humor are right up my alley. And the setting of Athens, Georgia - particularly on campus at the University of Georgia - is so close to home for me. I grew up on the Georgia coast, and I know way too many UGA fans for my own good. (Seriously, I know way too many. And also, go Vols!) The big bulk of this book felt like a warm hug. But, I mean, there's also a kidnapping, and Daniel has a terminal disability that has him in a wheelchair. But trust me, it works, and what we get is a heartwarming story that makes you think but also makes you laugh.

Biggest Disappointment

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

There. I said it. And I don’t care how unpopular this opinion may be because I did not like this book one bit. I know it’s loved by many - hell, it even has its own series on Starz - but I just didn’t see the magic. And don’t get me wrong. I wanted to love this book; I thought this would be my new long-haul series. But to me, it was boring. Most of the time nothing was really happening, and everything that did happen felt like problems that were mostly self-inflicted by the main characters. I just don’t get the appeal.

And there we have it!

As a whole, 2021 has been a great year of reading for me. I set a modest goal of 15 books at the start of the year, but I ended up reading 25 books and just under 9,000 pages. I also joined the Bookstagram community - that’s the book-devoted accounts of Instagram - this year, and it’s a big reason why I’m closing 2021 with so much reading success. I love talking books, and having a social space to do just that has lead to me reading more and discovering so many wonderful books that I can’t wait to read.

I’m looking forward to 2022. I have exciting goals that I’ll be sharing in a future post (stay tuned!) and a big stack of books that are begging to be read. I can’t wait to see what I manage by this time next year.

Cheers!