I somehow managed to read 62* books in 2021. It's 4 fewer than last year, but it's over my target of 50 books per year. [*I'm currently at 61, but the 62nd book is almost done and will surely be finished by the end of the day. Also, I edited 5 books, but I don't count those since I'm seeing them in their 'unfinished' form.]
So, since everyone seems to love year-end lists, here's mine of some notable books that I read during the past twelve months (in no particular order).
*
Exposure by Erin Vance
Look, all Joshua Deering wanted was to pass his final photography project. It should have been simple: find a subject, take some photos, get an A, and get his dad off his back. But that's not what happened.
This was one of the first books I read this year, so most of the details are fuzzy, except for the fact that I really enjoyed this book and would like another, please. I can be picky about the books I read, so I love it when an author creates a world that works so well with the characters - and when the author creates characters that are so damn endearing.
*
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, their lives will change forever.
My favourite book by Reid is still The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but this book has grabbed second place. Told over 24 hours, but also with flashbacks, this is a great story about family and the events that shape us.
*
Black Cat by Jed MacKay
The Black Cat is back! Felicia Hardy has a taste for the finer things in life and a certain set of skills that can get her into any mansion, vault or museum to...procure said finer things.
I didn't know much about Black Cat before this series, but I like MacKay's work, and I'm so glad I picked this up. It's a really fun series, Felicia is a great character, and there's a part in the second volume that literally made me laugh out loud.
*
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze -- the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years -- collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.
This book (and the rest of the trilogy) was recommended by a friend. At times it was hard to read, because a LOT of terrible things happen, but it's a really good story. It took me some time to fully 'drop' into the new world (it's got quite a rich history), but once I was in, I was hooked.
*
Mistress of Insight by Amanda Labonté
Adelia Dumont is the toast of the London stage, but a pariah in the drawing room. Not that she cares. A woman doesn’t have to be born a lady to be a valuable member of society and between her acting career and her undercover work on behalf of the Crown, she’s more than fulfilled.
The last person Adelia wants to work with is the notorious playboy Lord Fletcher - especially when she’s trying to keep a secret about her own strange abilities. But young women have gone missing and she’s in the unique position to help search for them.
I can be notoriously picky about books about actors, but when it's done well I really enjoy it. This book had the perfect amount of intrigue, mystery, romance, and theatre. It's the second book in the Daughters of Aether series, and I can't wait for book three.
*
Terror Nova by Mike Hickey (and more)
When four tourists set out on the Terror Nova bus from St. John's to hear spooky tales and visit strange locales, they had no idea who their mysterious tour guide Simon was, nor the horror that awaited them in the rocky inlets and winding roads.
The stories in this book encompass a wide range, including body horror, hauntings, and gruesome happenings, so you're never quite sure what kind of tale you're going to get. Nor are you quite sure what's happening in the main story, which keeps dropping breadcrumbs in between tales. Some stories left me wanting more, some I regretted reading before bedtime (I especially would like an apology from Lauralana Dunne), and some I wouldn’t be surprised if they were actually true.
*
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.
When I first picked up this 600+ page book from the library I thought I'd never finish it within the 3 week lending period. Turns out, it only took me 7 days. I really enjoyed reading about the codes, the lives of the three main characters, and how situations affected each of them. Plus, there's supplementary information about the actual women that these characters were loosely based on.
*
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow… Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town. Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.
This book was a surprise pick. I found it at a thrift store (shiny silver + dark blue = a cover that catches my eye), and the premise was enough to grab me. It didn't cost much, so I was prepared to take a chance. Turns out, I really enjoyed it and the town of Sparrow. It's not a perfect book, but the world created within hooked me and hasn't let go yet.
*
In 2022, I'll be hoping to read at least 50 books again, so if you have any recommendations from your own bookshelf, let me know!