2021 Year In Review!

2021 on Goodreads by Various




Unlike last year, I am bound and determined to actually complete my year-end review this year, so…

Here’s the good, the incredible, and the most promising new authors of 2021!!

🥇 5 Star Reads published in 2021 (in alphabetical order) :

Beautiful Country-this poignant memoir from Qian Julie Wang is probably the best and most engrossing I’ve ever read in the genre. Relatable, raw, and beautifully penned.
my review 🌎

Dark Horses-if you thought My Dark Vanessa was dark…this heart-wrenching and tragic work of literary fiction takes it to another level. A stunning debut from Susan Mihalic!
my review 🐴

Every Last Fear-this thrilling debut from Alex Finlay starts with the phrase “They found the bodies on a Tuesday.”…and doesn’t let up until the very last page! my review 🧵🪕

For Your Own Good-Samantha Downing wows again! Does the phrase Homicide High mean anything to you? It will once you finish this trip into dark academia–and make sure you finish your milk! my review 🥛

The Good Sister-The queen of domestic suspense strikes gold with this book about sisters…but is this a standard case of one good and one evil twin? Or could there be something more?? my review 👭

Rock Paper Scissors-is it any surprise an Alice Feeney book got 5 stars from me? This is a twisty tale of a marriage on the ‘rocks’ 😉that will knock your socks off! my review✂

You’d Be Home Now-my favorite YA read of the year, this one tackles the subject of the opioid epidemic and how it affects a brother and sister–a surprisingly emotional and well-researched read! my review 💊

🥇A late-to-the-party 5 star read published prior to 2021
Jar of Hearts-so glad I made time to finally pick up this scintillating tale about a serial killer, his friends, and the girl who ties them all together…and might be next to go! my review 🔪

🥇4.5 star reads published in 2021…just shy of 5 stars, but all fantastic!
Broken-Jenny Lawson’s third book was the winner of Goodreads 2021 book of the year awards in the humor category…and if you read it, you’ll see why! A seamless blend of mental health discussion and laugh-till-your-stomach hurts comedy from the Bloggess. my review 😂

Dark Roads-the long awaited next book from Chevy Stevens deals with the Lost Girls from a dangerous highway in fictional Cold Creek…this one has my favorite epilogue of the year (and possibly ever!) my review 👻

Fault Lines-this poignant and lyrically written literary fiction debut tells the story of Mizuki, a housewife wondering if her past is really behind her when a new stranger takes her out of her role as wife and mother…perhaps for good? my review 🌺

Instructions for Dancing-Nicola Yoon is back with a magical, lovely, and heartbreaking tale of two dance partners, one of whom has a very specific and interesting gift. my review 💃

No One Will Miss Her-another wowza of a debut, this time from Kat Rosenfield, where our protagonist Lizzie wants to tell you HER side of the story of her life…from beyond the grave. my review 🍁

The Perfect Family-Robyn Harding’s band of Crazy Characters kept me glued to the pages in this story of a family who ALL have secrets…and might all be in danger…even from one another! my review🏠

The Plot-my first from Jean Hanff Korelitz, a sneaky and page-turning story about the book that almost wasn’t…until a new author decides to ‘borrow’ and publish it…with disastrous consequences! my review 📕

The Wife Upstairs-my first intro to Rachel Hawkins, this new spin on Jane Eyre kept my mind reeling and the pages flipping! my review 🆙

🥈 A couple of honorable mentions:
Do No Harm-this book also tackles the opioid epidemic, but from a different angle: what would you do if they only way you could save your child was to become PART of the drug world? my review 💵

Wish You Were Here-the only COVID book I’ve read, and Picoult shows up with a trademark twist determined to toss everything you THOUGHT you knew out the window! my review 🌅

If you’re still with me…a huge THANK YOU to all of the amazing book friends I have made and get to chat with all year long! 2021 was a big year for me, becoming a mom and finally moving back to NY with my husband, and this community has been there for me through it all. The friendships I have made mean the world to me, and I cannot wait to keep chatting books and life with all of you! 😊

That being said, I’m also happy to announce I am finally starting my Bookstagram, Twitter, and book blog, Alternatively Titled Books, where I will post reviews and come up with punny and fun titles for the books I read (when the mood strikes!) and will be posting more bookish content there as well. If you’d like to follow along, here are my links!

Twitter: @alttitledbooks
Instagram: @alternativelytitledbooks
Blog: Blog

Happy Reading to all in 2022! Thanks for being the best book friends I could ask for! 🥂📚💕 ~Cat



View all my reviews

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