Top 10 Books I Read in 2021

My fave books I read in 2021 in no particular order, GO! 

1. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

American Dirt details the migration story of Lydia Quixano-Perez, a bookseller in Acapulco who has to flee her home with her son, Luca, after a violent drug cartel attacks a family party she's attending, killing her journalist husband who has been writing about the cartel. American Dirt was gripping and heart-wrenching, and I've recommended it to every single person I know since reading it. 

2. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Set in 1920's Mexico, the story details the life of Casiopea Tun growing up as a poor unwanted member of the family in her grandfather's home in the Mayan town, Uukumil. Casiopea discovers a chest in her grandfather's bedroom, which she opens, and unknowingly releases the spirit of the Mayan death god Hun-Kamé. Now, bound together, Casiopea and Hun-Kamé begin their quest in saving the Mayan underworld from Hun-Kamé's evil brother, Vucub-Kamé. It's an excellent read that blends supernatural/fantasy fiction with traditional Mayan myth.

3. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

The Vanishing Half is about the Vignes twin sisters, who grow up in a predominantly black southern town in the 1950s and endure much ridicule for being mixed children. Years later, after running away together at 16, the sisters live drastically different lives: one lives with her daughter in the same southern town she tried to escape, while the other passes for a white woman and hides her past from her white husband and white neighborhood. Though they are separated, their stories still weave together, particularly when their own children manage to find one another and uncover the truth of their familial ties. Literally so good, I think I read it in 48 hours. 

4. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 

The Song of Achilles is a beautiful retelling of Greek history and the story of the warrior Achilles, who is deemed 'the best of all the Greeks'. Patroclus is Achilles' best friend and lover, who is exiled from his homeland after killing a boy. When Helen of Troy is kidnapped, all of the soldiers of Greece are called to duty, including Achilles and Patroclus, but they don't realize that war will demand sacrifice. Don't worry if you don't know anything about Greek mythology, The Song of Achilles is written in a modern manner and is easy to follow along with. 

5. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

In France in the 1700s, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and be forgotten by everyone she meets. After 300 years of living like this, Addie stumbles across a young man in a bookstore who remembers her name. It was slow going at first, but once you get into it, the book flies by. One of the most interesting books I think I've ever read. 

6. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins-Reid

Aging Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the story of her life, and she chooses magazine reporter Monique Grant to do it. Monique has no idea why Evelyn has chosen her for this job, but she is determined to use it to jumpstart her career. As Evelyn tells her story, from making her way from New York to Hollywood in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the 1980s, and of course, her seven husbands along the way, Monique feels an undeniable connection to Evelyn, but little does she know that connection is tragic and harrowing. I read this book in one day. I also recommend this one to every single person I know. Go out and read it now. 

7. The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl

Dave Grohl talks about everything from his childhood in Virginia to his days with Nirvana and what it's like to be a father of three girls in his memoir. Grohl is an excellent storyteller, (he's earned the title of the book) and his memoir reads fluidly and with such candor and humor. Truly one of the best memoirs I've ever read, and a worthwhile read, even if you're not necessarily a fan of his music. 

8. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

I can't believe I had never read this book until this year. The novel follows the life and death of former soldier and ride mechanic Eddie, who dies in an accident at the amusement park where he works and is sent to heaven. While there, Eddie encounters five people who have had a significant impact on his life while he was alive, whether he knows it or not, and they help him make sense of what Eddie felt like was a meaningless existence. This is a relatively short read; it clocks in at about 200 pages and the book itself is made up of pages that are rather small. I read it in an afternoon, and I was in tears by the end. It's a book everyone should read. 

9. In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

In psychological thriller In a Dark, Dark Wood, Nora is invited to her high school best friend's bachelorette party. The only thing is, Nora hasn't seen Clare in ten years. Nora decides to go in an attempt to put her past behind her, and initially, the weekend seems like it's going to just be plain 'ol awkward. But then there's a murder, and it's up to Nora to piece together the truth. I quite literally could not put this book down. I would tell myself I would stop reading after this chapter, and then I would continue on anyway. It's a bit predictable, but it also feels like a true homage to crime-expert Agatha Christie. 

10. Circe by Madeline Miller

Yes, I know. That's two books by Madeline Miller on this list. She's a really good author. Circe tells the story of Circe who is born into the house of Helios. Circe is a strange child who is often not given the time of day by either of her parents, so in turn, she spends time with mortals. When Circle discovers that she's capable of witchcraft, she is banished to a deserted island by her father, who is threatened of her abilities. With so much time alone, Circe hones her craft and later crosses paths with some of the most famous figures in Greek mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his son Icarus, and Odysseus. Told from Circe's point of view, she finds herself at the wrath of mortals and gods, and is forced to choose what she wants to protect, the gods she was born from, or the mortals she loves. Another retelling of Greek mythology that is easy to understand and personifies the characters in ways they never have been before.