Top Ten Books I Read in 2021 (In No Particular Order)

It’s probably no surprise to anyone who keeps track of my reading tastes that an N.K. Jemisin book would make the list this year. I loved this book. I thought it was weird and brilliant and like nothing I’ve ever read before. The whole idea of ordinary people becoming avatars for their city in a conflict against an interdimensional threat is one that’s hard to comprehend let alone execute. I love Jemisin’s interpretation of New York City and the characters she chose to represent each borough. It felt very real and grounded for a story that is very much speculative.

This collaboration between Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms contained everything I look for in a secondary world political fantasy: multiple POVs, expansive worldbuilding, cool magic systems, gorgeous dresses, and the intersection of high society with the social underbelly. I devoured this book and immediately preordered the second in the series. I thought it was really well-paced with enough twists and turns that I didn’t feel like the plot payoffs were too easy and there were some genuinely likable characters which doesn’t always happen in political intrigues.

Chilling and whimsical, All the Murmuring Bones weaves together individual fairy tales to create the narrative of a family’s history. At times uncomfortable and at times triumphant, this book is one I will likely read many times again. It did take a while to get into the plot, but once things got moving, I was hooked. A truly gorgeous gothic novel.

This book was adorable. There were some parts where I was smiling ear-to-ear while reading it because it was simply too precious. Reminiscent of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, The House in the Cerulean Sea tells a story of found family, defending difference, and finding oneself again. I loved each child and their unique abilities and how they were each endearing in their own way. I also quite enjoyed the love story woven throughout. I want to see more books like this in the genre of contemporary fantasy.

A military Sci-Fi like nothing I’ve ever read before. The worldbuilding was second-to-none and the premise of the technology felt almost like a magic system. I thought it was inventive and colorful in a genre that tends towards bloodbaths and hard science. It definitely had a steep learning curve, but once I just relaxed into the story and forgot about trying to make sense of things, I found the atmosphere and plot engaging. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

This book was just a whole lot of fun. I loved the structuring of the world of mercenary bands as though they were rock bands with promoters and managers and even arena gigs. I also liked the concept of bringing together a group of has-been warriors for one last hurrah, to me, it felt like a fresh take on sword and sorcery/grimdark while still leaning into some of my favorite tropes. If I were to pitch this book I’d say it’s like a Joe Abercrombie novel but written by Terry Pratchett.

This is the type of sci-fi I want to write: cozy, optimistic, quiet. The POV character’s motivation is simple, they want to find somewhere where they can hear crickets. Their quest drives them to leave their comfortable life in the city and become a tea monk (which besides writing is my dream job), traveling between small villages to brew tea and listen to the worries of the villagers. It’s a simple story about tea, robots, and nature and I wish so badly that I had written it.

This YA was INTENSE!!! There’s a content warning at the beginning and even still I wasn’t prepared for the sheer brutality of the first few chapters. If you struggle with depictions of child abuse, violence against women, and graphic descriptions of torture this book is not for you. That said, I’m so glad I read this book. I think it tells an important story about how the entire narrative of a culture can be twisted away from the truth by those who have taken power. I also loved how the main character was able to find her power by embracing the aspect of herself that society told her was monstrous. I think there’s a powerful message there.

The more I read of Morena-Garcia’s work the more rapidly she’s being cemented as one of my favorite authors. Gods of Jade and Shadow is set in 1920s Mexico and takes inspiration from Mexican folklore. It had a bit of an American Gods vibe to it without getting to the levels of weirdness that Gaiman sometimes reaches. The characters were vividly portrayed and complex. The plot was compelling and fast-paced and the conclusion was unexpected but infinitely satisfying. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

I read quite a few books about writing and craft this year and The Heroine’s Journey was hands-down my favorite. Most people are familiar with the basic concept of the Hero’s Journey, the Heroine’s Journey is another way of structuring plots that focuses more on networking and compromise than individuality and strength in isolation as is featured in the Hero’s Journey. I thought this book was a really useful tool to add to my toolbox and it really helped me in re-outlining a novel that I’m going to be reworking later this year. Highly recommended for anyone writing fiction.