We have reached the start of a new year so it's time for me to talk about my favorite books from last year (is that shade to everyone who posted their lists in late December? Maybe. Twice in recent years I've read one of my favorite books for that year in that WONDERFUL week between Christmas & New Years. I always want to leave room for that possibility!)
It was a really good reading year for me, my second highest, following 2017 (just like it was my second highest miles run, following 2017). This was helped by a few short books I read to Luke, maybe 4-5 that were under 100 pages. You know what though, it can be hard to find time to read to him (sometimes, depending) and takes some dedication to get those books done. Also, I read him more than one book that took us A MONTH to get through, each. I am perfectly fine counting some shorter books too. Even if I spent less time reading in 2021 (I think that is largely due to my Harry Potter reread that I did in 2020, those books take TIME to get through.)
Anyways, a great reading year for me, helps that the library was opened almost all year (I think we were just curbside pickup from Thanksgiving 2020 until February sometime 2021 but open to go in besides that) so I read very few e-books which I greatly appreciated. Some stats (I love seeing how this comes out):
- 180 books for the year
- 29 were rereads (16%)
- 22 were read to Luke (many of which were rereads) (12%)
- 28 are books we/I own (15.5%)
- 40 were non-fiction (22%)
Many of the books I reread with Luke were books I had read (or had read to me, maybe) as a kid and it's been really fun to share those with him as we mix in some newer books too. And most of the rereads that I didn't read with Luke are ones I read every single year, majority by Elin Hilderbrand. I do have a few on my lists for the coming months to reread more favorites too, I got out of the habit of much of that in 2021!
I don't have much else to say, I read a lot of good books, another 5-8 that could have easily been on this list instead of some others here. Just a good, solid year of reading!
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Float Plan by Trish Doller
When I starting thinking of this list, before looking at my Goodreads, this is one of the books that immediately came to mind. I read it mid-summer and it definitely felt like a summer book. I also have a very broad view of what constitutes a summer books (basically anything to do with non-freezing water or sea animals counts!). A woman takes a big sailing trip solo, after her partner (I think they were married) dies before they can do it together. She knows very little about sailing but decides it's something she needs to do. She makes friends (a romance??) along the way. This made sailing through the Caribbean sound both amazing and terrifying and a lot of work. I think it's an experience I am best off reading about but I really enjoyed that reading experience.
The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton
I hadn't read any of Chanel Cleeton's previous books although I was aware of her so I'm not sure what made me pick this one up. As I said back at the time, almost everything I know about Cuba I learned doing a presentation on the country in my "Economic History of Latin America" class in college (which was exactly as enthralling as it sounds). This follows three women's intersecting stories around Key West right before a giant hurricane wipes out those train tracks. It was engrossing, interesting, and I didn't figure out all the details of how the stories intersected until they were revealed.
Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park by Conor Knighton
National Parks are a national treasure and I'm sure glad my parents took us to so many when we were growing up (and we already have part of a trip booked to visit a new-to-us one this summer!). This author decides to tackle every single national park in the course of one calendar year, while also figuring out some stuff in his own life. I learned SO MUCH about the many different parks and also just random facts that I kept relating to Matt when I was reading this (about a rare fish that is only in one of the parks and dark skies and the best places to see stars). It made me want to visit more of the parks and take Matt & the boys the ones I went to when I was younger.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This is the book Matt gave me for my birthday (after I suggested and I'm pretty sure, ordered it) and I read it while we were on our Alabama trip (which was over my birthday). Taylor Jenkins Reid is pretty reliable for me and it made for a perfect reading experience for our trip. She weaves together multiple story lines told from multiple character's perspectives SO WELL and in a way that's very engrossing. This one takes place in Malibu in the 1980s, with the 4 adult children of some famous rock singer who is no longer in their lives. A fun, enjoyable read.
Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson
Historical fiction set during World War II, I know, I am getting close to overload on those BUT I am still constantly surprised at how many new aspects of the war, and the lives of people back home, I am learning about. This one is about a young Jewish woman whose father was friendly with a Catholic priest. The priest helps the woman find shelter with an Italian family by pretending the woman is the new (Catholic) wife of their son. Only the son knows the woman's true identity, the family unknowing accomplices in keeping her safe. The fake romance that might turn real and her needing to stay hidden and also a believable member of the family, completely engrossing. (I wrote about it here!)
Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes by Jessica Pan
This look was very relatable to me because I am very much an introvert who enjoys NOT going to things. Although, over the fall I told Matt that I am becoming more outgoing or at more able to talk to people or strike up conversations (sometimes). This book may have had something to do with that and recovering from COVID time at home probably too, I'm not sure but it IS nice to be social sometimes. It IS also VERY nice to be home a lot. This book probably helped me with that and keeps making me think of Gretchen Rubin's motto to "choose the bigger life". Staying home almost always feels good in the moment but in the overall scheme, I am usually happier when we are (selectively) out and about too. Although I do prefer to be early to things that make me uncomfortable, much easier than being late.
Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson
This was a book I bought, sight unread, at The Bookshelf in Thomasville,GA, which I SOMEHOW convinced Matt we should stop at on our, what turned into be, a 20.5 hour drive home (yeah...he would have been regretting that when it was 2am and we were still on the road except he was asleep and I was driving at that time). I had been thinking (too much?) about what books I should buy for weeks ahead of time and this is one of the ones I landed on. And I liked it! YA about teens on an unsanctioned adventure in NYC when one of them loses their phone and they get split up. Parts of the premise made me nervous and I would have been STRESSING OUT if this happened to me but as a book...it all seemed delightful and you knew they'd be ok in the end.
The Lieutenant's Nurse by Sara Ackerman
I went down a (small) rabbit hole of Sara Ackerman's books this year, reading all 4 of them and really liking them all. They are all set on the Hawaiian Islands (I believe all Oahu but not 100% sure) around the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The people who lived on the islands, especially those of Japanese descent, were really affected in the aftermath of the attacks which is something I hadn't thought much about (despite annual viewings of the movie, Pearl Harbor). This one was a nurse who fell for a patient BUT they were at war and this was 80 years ago so maybe fewer ethical implications than that happening now. I think I'd recommend any of her 4 books if you are interested in Hawaii and/or a different aspect of World War II.
101 Ways to go Zero Waste by Kathryn Kellogg
This book had QUITE an impact on the last part of our 2021. Not the first zero waste book I've read but one that really motivated me to make some changes to our lives. She made it seem doable and also that small changes really do help. We don't all have to make eyeliner out of burnt almonds to make a difference in the amount of trash we are throwing away. I am definitely more interested and trying harder to throw away less and make little tweaks to our days since reading this. It was also easy to read and she didn't try to guilt the reader into not doing more. Highly recommend for pretty much anyone.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
The THIRD book we (I) bought before I read it (and all from The Bookshelf!). I bought this because I really enjoyed Beach Read in 2020 and sometimes it is exciting to preorder books. This is about 2 former very close friends who used to take a vacation together every year. Then they got in some sort of tiff and haven't spoken in a couple years but for some reason end up on a trip together again. It flashes between the current trip and ones they've taken in the past. It was fun and light and just an enjoyable reading experience!
I would LOVE to hear what some of your favorite reads were for 2021! Really, there are few things I like discussing more than books! (Also, I might, selfishly, always be looking for more books to add to my to-read list.)
Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2020
Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2019
Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2018
Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2017
Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2016
Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2015
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