2021 is about to close in a few days, and I could say that it has been a good reading year for me. Even though I had a busy schedule that would often make me want to just sleep and do nothing instead of reading, I still managed to discover amazing books that now hold a very special place in my heart (and book shelves).
Out of the 116 books I was able to finish this year, it was so hard to narrow it down to my top 10 favorites, but I succeeded! Now presenting, the top 10 favorite books of 2021! I also have a list for my 2020 favorites, if you want to check it out.
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
The Sword of Kaigen absolutely blew my body, brain, and soul, and until now I still get depressed and find myself in a corner crying just thinking about it. This book has been a high recommendation to me by a dear friend, and I was so glad that I trusted any of her book recommendations for years because this has to be the best one yet. Ever since finishing this book months ago, I’ve been on e a propaganda for making sure that everyone in the book community reads and loves this wonderful piece of literature. This book is just one of the many self-published works that deserves all the same amount of attention that traditionally published books receive.
Jade War & Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee
Jade City made it to my 2020 favorites last year, so it was no surprise that the remaining books in this epic trilogy. I read Jade War last May, and it was so amazing that I wasn’t sure if the third book will live up to its name. Yet, as soon as Jade Legacy was released last month, I immediately grabbed hold of it and didn’t let go – and it left me in tiny pieces. Everything about this trilogy was just pure enjoyment and torture to the readers’ emotions, but somehow it will leave you satisfied. I almost thought about putting Jade Legacy as my top 1 book of 2021, because it had the same emotional impact that I got from The Sword of Kaigen – and maybe even more. I would not stop singing praises about The Green Bone Saga and will join the group in spreading the word of the Kauls.
Check out my reviews of Jade War and Jade Legacy here.
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
Any book with the word “vampire” on it will immediately grab my attention. Vampires have always been my most favorite paranormal creatures, so I tend to look for this often in books. Hence, that’s why A Dowry of Blood is one of my most anticipated reads of 2021, and I was so happy that it was not a disappointment. This queer polyamorous version of Dracula’s brides was just captivating from start to finish, and that it was more than just a romance story. It was poetic, beautiful, gory, and vicious in all the perfect ways.
Check out my review here!
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
She Who Became the Sun is another one of my most anticipated books of 2021. The entire premise of this book held so much promise, and once I finally got into it, it was able to provide so much more than what I expected. It was beautifully written, with a lot of character depth and intense moments woven into its story. I also did not expect that this book would be heavy on historical information, which made the reading experience not only enjoyable, but also very informative. Everything about this book was just so emotional and action-packed, and it wasn’t surprising that I flew through it quickly.
Check out my review here!
Neon Gods by Katee Robert
There was one point in the year that got me in a huge reading slump, and no book was sticking to me regardless of what genre it was in. I decided to go to a genre that I haven’t dabbled in recently during that time, which was Erotic Romance, and one of the first recommendations I got was Neon Gods. This modern reimagining of Hades and Persephone hooked me in from page one, and eventually got me out of that dreaded reading slump. It was just so sexy, addicting, and tasteful, and still held on a strong story despite the prevalence of steamy scenes.
Check out my review here!
Mistborn Era 2 by Brandon Sanderson
2022 was my continuation year for reading the rest of the Cosmere books written by Brandon Sanderson that I haven’t managed to squeeze in last 2020, and I started it with Mistborn Era 2. While it was set in the same universe with the same magic system as in Mistborn Era 1, Era 2 was proof that fantasy stories that span generations should adapt to the world changes it has going on so that it wouldn’t go stagnant. I also really enjoyed the character work in these books so much more, but I am still deeply attached to my beloved characters from ra 1. November 2022 can’t come faster enough for the last book in this series!
Check out my series review here!
The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick
The Mask of Mirrors has been persistently recommended to be by a book friend that I’ve been putting off until I finally gave in last month – and I absolutely loved it. This is probably one of the most beautiful and highly atmospheric books I read this year, and with a very intricate plot to match. The Mask of Mirrors started off slow, but once it finally picked up, there was no turning back anymore. I can’t wait to read the second book – The Liar’s Knot – which was just released last month hopefully next year.
Check out my review here!
I Hate You More by Lucy Gilmore
I was extremely fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this romance novel, and the main reason I wanted to get my hands on it was because of the dog featured in the story. I’m a huge sucker for books with dogs in them (being the dog lover that I am), and moreover if the dog stars in it. I Hate You More was a super enjoyable rom-com featuring a dog that will make you sigh a lot. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook too, because it made everything 100% funnier!
Check out my review here!
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
I’ll be honest that I was drew in this book because of its magnificent eye-catching cover. Black Sun was also my first introduction to the author’s works, and now I’m looking forward to it if she writes like this! This book was just jam-packed with a lot of things that I love about in fantasy novels, and had its own twists and spins to it. This book was nothing but pure enjoyment and a lot of nail-biting moments that will keep any reader on their guard. I’m also planning to reread this book again before The Fevered Star is released next year!
Check out my review here!
Take A Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
I was able to read all of the Brown Sisters books this year, and out of all of them, Take a Hint, Dani Brown is my most favorite. While all the books were absolutely delightful, sexy, and funny in many different ways, Dani’s character was the one I could easily relate to and could imagine myself in her shoes. Her entire personality and aspirations clearly matched my own, hence I loved her immediately from the very first page. I would also recommend reading all the books in this series on audiobooks, because everything was so much funnier and I flew through them easily in a couple of days.
Check out my review here!
Honorable Mentions
I also just want to briefly mention a few other books that I highly enjoyed, yet have not made it to my top 10 list by a hair’s breath.
What books made it on your 2021 favorites list?
angele reads books 
All of these sound amazing! Most of these are on my TBR so now I’m even more excited to read them, especially Jade City and Take A Hint, Dani Brown. I hope the next year brings you many more great reads!
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Please let me know whenever you’re able to get to them! I would love to hear your thoughts on them, and I really hope that you’ll love it!
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Curious about the ‘Jade War Legacy’. But I’m still bad with series so…
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Friend, start mo na please!
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You’ve put into words exactly how I feel about the Green Bone Saga; it’s the best series I read in 2021 and am so happy to hear that you loved it too. Sword of Kaigen and She who Became the Sun is on my TBR this year and can’t wait to read it. Wishing you have an amazing reading year ahead.
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Hands down to GBS for really being such a highlight! I can’t wait for you to finally start The Sword of Kaigen and She Who Became the Sun – especially TSK!
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