Favorite Reads of 2021

It's that time of year again! I love seeing everyone's favorites read of the year.

Some stats before we get to my favorites:

I read 109 books this year. It's definitely less than previous years, but I feel pretty good about it because I had a lot on my plate this year.

I gave 20 books 5-stars this year, which is pretty consistent with other years. The 5-stars reflect not only how objectively "good" I think a book is, but also how much I enjoyed it. Some books got 5-stars because they were a good time.

As in previous years, my consumption of audiobook is way up and reading with my eyes is way down. I listened to 87 audiobooks and only read 22 books with my eyes. A new full-time job is definitely a factor in those numbers. 

I read 66 YA and Middle-grade books. Those include the books I listened to with my kids this year, as they too have become big audiobook fans. The rest of the books I read were adult non-fiction and fiction. You'll see titles marketed to younger readers mixed with titles marketed to adults in my favorites. 

Generally I stick to 12 favorites books of the year, but this year I decided to throw in two extras and make it 14. It's my blog, and I can do what I want, and I didn't want to leave any of these books out even if they couldn't all be in the graphic. This year, all of my favorites are 2021 publications, except the book club books.

 And so, without further ado, here are my favorite reads of 2021 in a variety of categories.
 

Favorite YA Contemporary: In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

Cash and Delaney live in a small Appalachian town in Tennessee. It's the type of place that can trap you with its lack of opportunities. However, Delaney is smart and ambitious, and when she discovers a new algae with antibiotic properties, she secures a full ride scholarship to a prestigious boarding school in Connecticut for both herself and Cash. Another beautiful book from Jeff Zentner! This book is raw and beautiful and clever and full of poetic observations about the world.

 

Favorite Genre-Bender: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

This is a lovely nesting egg of a book. Historical, contemporary, and futuristic. In each timeline, the reader follows characters for whom a little-known Ancient Greek text called "Cloud Cuckoo Land" means a lot. Seeing the pieces come together was the most rewarding part of this book. As I got closer to the conclusion, more and more puzzle pieces started clicking into place, and it was so impressive how it all came together.

Favorite Pandemic Book: The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold

One of the best books I read in 2021. This book is so weird in all the right ways. Set in a world that is decimated by the fly flu, Nico has to leave the safety of the Farmhouse. I think it's best described as a mash-up between Station Eleven and Recursion, but I worry that even saying that is too much. It has beautiful writing and that contemplative tone that I am always searching for in a book.

Favorite Historical Fiction: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Believe it or not, this was the first book by Kristin Hannah that I've read. It's already not the last. This book was harrowing. The dust bowl scenes, especially. I was very into this book. I even looked up which of my friends had read it to see who I could talk to about it. And when that happens you know it needs to end up on the favorite list.

 

Favorite New Book in a Beloved Series: Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore

A favorite in a list of favorites. This new addition to the Graceling series is perfection. I love Queen Bitterblue most of all, and I'm so happy she got another story. The new land is fascinating, and the writing is exquisite. Also the cover is gorgeous. 

 

Favorite Nonfiction Book Club Book: They Called Me Number One by Bev Sellars

For a while I was in three book clubs this year, which made for a lot of options when it came to determining my favorite book club books of 2021. Rather than limit to just one, I decided to have a nonfiction and a fiction category. Bev Sellars was forced to attend the residential schools for Indigenous Americans in Canada. She writes of the legacy of trauma the schools wrought on her family members and community. An important read. 

 

Favorite Fiction Book Club Book: All the Little Live Things by Wallace Stegner

I'm so glad that book club brought this gem to my attention. It's the story of an old man and his neighbors. Behind this seemingly simple premise is a book full of deep philosophical questions about life and death. It is incredibly well written and made for an excellent discussion.

Series That Brought Me the Most Joy: The Simon Snow Series by Rainbow Rowell

No other series brought be quite as much pure joy and as many dopey smiles this year as this one did. It started with the publication of the last book in the series, Any Way the Wind Blows, which sent me down the Simon Snow rabbit hole. I reread all the books, included Fangirl, and just let myself lean into fangirling all over the series.

Favorite Retelling: Gilded by Marissa Meyer

This novels is a Rumpelstiltskin retelling mixed with the Erlking legend. Serilda was blessed by the god of lies. At least, that's what her father has always told her. She is a natural story teller, but her stories tend to get her into trouble. But nothing compares to the trouble she faces when her story catches the attention of the Erlking. This book is so magical. Full of stories and romance and danger and magic. 

Favorite YA Historical Fiction: Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Set in San Francisco in 1954, Lily Hu and Kathleen Miller are high school students who begin frequenting a lesbian bar called The Telegraph Club. This is great YA historical fiction. The setting was so well done, and the characters felt authentic to the time and place

 

Favorite Mental Health Rep: Yolk by Mary. H.K. Choi

Mary H.K. Choi is so good at writing damaged characters. This book features a set of sisters who are each damaged in their own ways. The sister relationship in this book is so good. Jayne and June both love and need each other and also drive each other mad. I don't want to give too much away, but both Jayne and June have health issues that they are not dealing with in the healthiest of ways. They are also struggling to negotiate the relationship they have with their immigrant parents and some lingering childhood trauma. As gritty and raw and fantastic as Mary H.K. Choi's other books. 

 

Most Killer Cliffhanger: The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

Can my review for this book just be "AHHHHH!"? That cliffhanger was so killer. I read A Deadly Education at the beginning of the year, pushed it hard on everyone I knew, and then waited on pins and needles for the sequel. I love everything about this series (expect maybe the killer cliffhangers). The characters, the world building. It's just all so much fun.

Favorite Series Finale: The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks by Mackenzi Lee

This book was such a delight. I loved being back with the Montague siblings, and it was so heartwarming to see them come together as a family. This book could have also claimed the "Favorite Mental Health Rep" slot as Adrian is both anxious and obsessive. It was tough at times to be inside someone who is suffering as much as Adrian is, but it is also truly gratifying to see Adrian come to accept and love himself and realize he doesn't have to be "fixed." As much as I adore Monty and Felicity, Adrian may be the most lovable of all the Montagues. 

 

Favorite YA Thriller: The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky

I enjoyed this YA thriller so much! Rachel is a new student at an elite New York prep school, and she's a bit lost. Then she discovers a secret club that loves horror movies and designs pranks to scare their classmates, and she thinks she's found her people. I want a sequel to this so badly.

Favorite Reads of 2020

It's my favorite time of the year for bookish content. Give me all the "Favorite Reads" and "Best Books" posts. 

I had a hard time selecting my favorites this year. 2020 made for a different kind of reading year for me. I did more rereading this year than I have done in probably a decade. Rereading was one thing that helped me manage the stress of 2020 and all that it entailed. I was thinking about creating a category for "Favorite Reread," and for pure, nostalgic enjoyment the winner would have been New Moon. But, because it was already so hard to narrow this list down to 12, I decided to not to include it after all. 

The other big reading trend for me this year is that I read a lot of historical fiction. I guess getting away from my own time and place sounded really nice in 2020. 7 of the 12 books on this list are historical fiction and 2 are history books, and honestly, it was hard to keep it to that. 

This year I'm back to favorites from all publishing years. 7 books on this list were published in 2020 and the other 5 were published prior to 2020.

Onto the categories.

Favorite Humor: My Calamity Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows 

Another fantastic and hilarious book by the Lady Janies. Listening to this book was so much fun. So many Annie Get Your Gun references. So many werewolves. This book is borderline ridiculous, but it made me laugh out loud. There aren't enough funny books out there. 

 

Favorite Pandemic Book: The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

Earlier this year I created this post all about the many, many plague and pandemic books I've read. Believe it or not, I could now add several more books to the list, so I decided to make it a favorite category. This eerily timely book is set in Ireland during the Spanish Flu Pandemic. The main character is a nurse in a maternity ward for flu patients. This book is really fantastic, and I've thought a lot about it as the year has gone on. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Call the Midwife, WWI historical fiction, and/or anyone who is drawn to pandemic/plague stories. If you, like me, check all three of these boxes, this book will make you very, very happy indeed.

 

Favorite YA History Book: 1789: Twelve Authors Explore a Year of Rebellion, Revolution, and Change edited by Marc Aronson and Susan Campbell Bartoletti

I read quite a few Young Adult and Middle Grade history books this year both on my own and with my boys. This one was my favorite. The twelve essays cover a wide range of topics from the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette's favorite portraitist to Sally Hemings' years in Paris with Thomas Jefferson to the Mutiny on the Bounty. It really was a fascinating look at a fascinating year, and I want to read the other book in the series, 1968, as well. 

Favorite Series: Scythe by Neil Shusterman

I listened to the three books in the Scythe series right in a row in February. I can't tell you how long it had been since I'd binged a series. Why didn't anyone tell me this series involved a sentient AI? I definitely would have picked it up sooner if I had know. If you too have a strange fascination with books with sentient AI, pick this series up ASAP. 

 

Favorite World War II Book: We Are Not Free by Traci Chee

As with most years, I read quite a few WWII books. I do host World War II Wednesday, after all. This year for my favorite of the WWII books, I'm selecting this story about teens in the United States' Japanese incarceration camps. I loved that Traci Chee told this story with 14 narrators. It allowed her to examine multiple perspectives and experiences in the camps and in the trenches. 

Favorite Nonfiction Book: So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

I highly recommend this book as a good introduction to issues concerning race and racism. It's very accessible, readable, and informative. Also, the audiobook is read by Bahni Turpin, and she's one of my favorite voice actors. 

 

Favorite Book Club Book: King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild 

In the so-called "Scramble for Africa" King Leopold's plunder of the Congo is one of the worst of many horrible atrocities. If you are at all interested in Africa, history, or desire to understand a bit better the legacy of colonialism, this is an excellent tome. It made for a great book club discussion, and I think we all felt a little more informed after having read it.

Favorite Post-WWII Book: They Went Left by Monica Hesse

Narrowing my favorites down to one WWII book was impossible this year, so, although this category is a bit of a cheat, just roll with it. They Went Left is the story of Zofia, one of the 11 million people who were displaced due to WWII. She and her brother, Abek, were separated at Auschwitz-Birkenau, and, now that the war is over, she is looking for him. This book is so heartbreaking. It's both a very beautiful and very difficult read because Zofia's trauma is so visceral. I really loved it. The writing is excellent, and it conveys the pain and hope of Zofia's journey so well.

 

Favorite Historical Fiction: Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Set in the 1950s in New Orleans, Josie is the daughter of a brothel prostitute who is dreaming of getting away from the French Quarter and going to an elite college. Then she gets entangled in a murder mystery. I have read all of Ruta Septys's books, and I loved them all, but this one is my favorite.

 

Favorite Audiobook: The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron

This books is is based on the life of Stefania Podgorska. She was a teenager taking care of her six-year-old sister, Helena, and living in Przemsyl, Poland during World War II, and she hid thirteen Jews from the Nazis in her attic. This story is a nail biter. There are so many close calls. It's remarkable it turned out as well as it did. I highly recommend the audiobook. It's read by Beata Poźniak, a Polish actress who now works in LA. She knew Stefania and Max personally and that connection really added to the reading. 

 

Favorite NTTBF Book: A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti 

Before the world shut down, I went to Dallas for the third year in a row so that I could attend the North Texas Teen Book Fest with my Book BFF. In preparation for the event I read 30 books, so it seemed most fitting that I would have a NTTBF category this year. A Heart in a Body in the World is the very definition of a "hard-hitting contemporary," and it definitely explores some timely topics. The story weaves Annabelle's present, as she runs across the entire United States, with her past as traumatic memories resurface even when she'd prefer they stay buried. It's a beautiful and visceral and powerful read.

Favorite YA Contemporary: When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk

Y.O.E. You over everyone. Layla has been Cleo's best friend since she was twelve-years-old. They start sophomore year as close as ever but slowly their friendship implodes. By Christmas it's over. Ashley Woodfolk's sophomore novel is so excellent. Although, told from Cleo's perspective, it's clear that Cleo made some huge mistakes too. A friendship breakup can be so devastating, and I love that I ended When You Were Everything feeling like, although they went through a lot, both of these characters are going to be okay.

More Favorite Reads of 2019

It's been a couple years since I compiled a favorite reads post. It's been hard for me to read as much as I'd like to over the past few years and I'm excited to be feeling more like myself and to do more reading.

Here are some fun facts about these twelve books:

• 5 were discussed in one of my book groups
• 6 were audiobooks - I'm definitely reading more audiobooks than anything else these days
• 3 were ebooks
• 4 were debuts or new-to-me authors
• 5 were fantasy
• 2 were magical realism
• 2 were science fiction
• 1 was nonfiction

2019 was a good year for reading and I'm looking forward to 2020 being even better.

Favorite YA Contemporary: Again, but Better by Christine Riccio

This book combined several of my favorite things: American girls in Europe, parallel realities, and a main character who finds her voice. I read the book this summer when I was feeling so much wanderlust. I don't know if it helped or made it worse, but it was a great way to live vicariously. (featured here)

Favorite Setting: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

This book is magical realism at its finest and can we just talk for a minute about what a master storyteller Erin Morgenstern is? I loved the way everything in this book wove together with even the tiniest detail being integral to the story. I loved living in this world as I read and it's a setting that has stuck with me since I finished the book.

Favorite Sequel: Shadow & Flame by Mindee Arnett

I loved the medieval feel of Onyx & Ivory and was excited to revisit the world in this sequel. The first book was a slow burn, but Shadow & Flame caught me immediately and did not let go. It's a perfect fantasy filled with interesting magic and political intrigue and dragons. We can't forget the dragons. (series featured here)

Favorite Series Conclusion: Supernova by Marissa Meyer

I read this entire series this year and will admit that it took me a little time to get into, but each book is better than the last. Supernova was the best of them all. It tied up loose strings and created new ones. It dove into the ideas behind being a hero all while giving us a lovely romance.

Favorite Science Fiction Book: Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

The Illuminae Files series is science fiction at its best, so I was excited to see where Kaufman and Kristoff would take us next. They didn't disappoint with a new cast of distinct and interesting characters, a truly creepy monstrous problem, and the mystery surrounding the main character. I'm looking forward to the next installment. 

Favorite Re-read: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I first read this book in 2010 and loved it. When my book group decided to read it, I was excited to revisit it, and I still love it. The book has a lovely gothic feel and is shrouded in sadness and mystery. There were some details that stuck with me from 2010 to now but so many that I had forgotten, and I really enjoyed reading this story again. (featured here)

Favorite Audiobook: Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
Echo has a little bit of everything. It's a WWII novel with music, magic, and intertwined stories. I really loved the audiobook because the music mentioned in the book was played along with the story. I enjoyed the different narrators for each section and the magic that wove through the story. This is a lovely middle grade World War II novel.

Favorite Book Club Book: The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry
This book opened up such an interesting discussion about devotion and faith with my book club. Thanks to JoLee, I was able to talk a little about the Mystics during our discussion, and I think this book does a great job of highlighting this lesser known historical concept. It was certainly a book that got me thinking. (featured here and here)

Favorite Retelling: The Blood Spell by C.J. Redwine
This is C.J. Redwine's fourth Ravenspire novel, but it's the first one I read. I was so impressed I went on to read the rest of them. I love the high fantasy feel of the book and the beautiful world-building. My biggest pet peeve with a fairy tale retelling is when it is too on the nose, and this one walked that edge a bit, but the setting was so well established that I didn't bat an eye. (first book in the series featured here)

Favorite Non-Fiction Book: Most Dangerous by Steve Sheinkin
JoLee and I have often discussed how the Vietnam War is a black hole in our knowledge of American history. This book did a great job of illustrating the historical context surrounding the war and the mistakes made leading up to and through the conflict. It was enlightening to say the least and done with Steve Sheinkin's signature style of telling the story of history, not just the bullet points. (featured here)

Favorite Read of the Year: Circe by Madeline Miller
Greek mythology is another favorite thing of mine, and so it's no surprise that I loved Circe. I loved the character as reimagined by Madeline Miller, I loved the way all these seemingly separate myths were woven together into one cohesive narrative that will forever change the way we look at this villain from the Odyssey. (featured here)

Favorite Book by a Best-loved Author: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
I loved Laini Taylor's The Daughter of Smoke and Bone series and was really excited to read Strange the Dreamer. It did not disappoint. This is the kind of book you sink into slowly until you are completely submerged in the setting, the story, and the characters. An absolutely beautiful read. (featured here)

A Decade in Books: Favorites Books 2010-2019

I joined Goodreads in January of 2008. That means I now have a record of every book that I've read for the past twelve years. With the decade coming to a close, I thought it would be interesting to look back on my favorite books from these past ten years.

I selected two of my favorite books published in the specified year (although I didn't necessarily read them that year) and at least one favorite series that concluded in that same year. Looking back at the series especially, I can see the books that really were a big part of my life.

2010

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
Okay. So I'm kind of cheating right off the bat with this book. Technically it came out on December 29, 2009, but that is practically 2010, and I'm counting it. (featured here)

At Home by Bill Bryson
I could not stop talking about this book when I read it. I probably drove everyone bonkers with all the little tidbits I was learning. (featured here)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Can you believe that it's been a decade since the last book in The Hunger Games came out? I had dreams about that series; that's how ingrained it was in my psyche. And now, in 2020, we are getting another new addition to the world. (I try to define "dystopia")

2011 

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
This book is still one of my very favorites. Definitely in my top ten. Just superb in every way. (featured here)

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
I found this book so engrossing when I read it. The tone and atmosphere were just so magical. (more "circus" books here and here)

Beka Cooper by Tamora Pierce
The Beka Cooper series was the first series by Tamora Pierce that I read, and it set off a whole chain of events that involved me reading every one of her books over the next few years. I really could not leave a series that had such a huge impact on my reading life off this list. (Most Read Authors: Tamora Pierce post that you don't want to miss)

2012

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Still one of my absolute favorites. I loved Rachel Hartman's follow-up to this book too and very easily could have put it on the series side of the list. I chose not to because Seraphina has such a warm place in my heart. (Seraphina here and Shadow Scale here)

The Woman Who Died a Lot by Jasper Fforde
I love Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series. (I'm assuming he's going to write more, which is why it isn't on the series side of the list.) This book, especially, is such a kick. So fun. (Jasper Fforde makes the Favorites of the Year Post twice here)

The Montmaray Journals by Michelle Cooper
My sister and I both fell so hard for Michelle Cooper's Montmaray series. I still want someone to make this book series into a television mini-series. (series featured here)

The Graceling Realm by Kristin Cashore
Kristin Cashore really ignited in me a love of YA high fantasy, and I started picking up the genre a lot more. However, in recent years, I've come to realize that I am very picky when it comes it YA high fantasy but something that has the feel of Cashore's series will always be a winner for me. (Graceling here and Bitterblue here)

2013

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
I think this is my only YA contemporary on this list. I started out the decade not too into the YA contemporary genre, but I've read more and more of it every year thanks to gems like this one. (featured here)

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Fascinating nonfiction about the U.S. rowing team that won the Berlin Olympics in 1936.  Anyone interested in the Depression Era, World War II, or amateur sports needs to pick this one up. Also, I highly recommend the audio version read by the late great Edward Herrmann. (featured here)

For Darkness Shows the Stars Series by Diana Peterfreund
This series includes some of my favorite retellings of classic literature. The first book in the series is a dystopian retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion and the second is a retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel. (series featured here and here)

2014

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
I was slow to pick this one up, but it became one of my very favorites. Just exquisite. (featured here)

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Another popular book I was slow to pick up, but there's a good reason everyone was so enamored with it. (featured here kind of)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series by Laini Taylor
I love Laini Taylor's writing, and I could read her descriptions of the Chimera endlessly. No plot required. (series featured here, here, and here)

2015

Symphony for the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson
Reading this book was one of the best reading experiences of my life. I read it while listening to  Shostakovich's music, which made for a very enjoyable, emotional, and wonderfully aesthetic reading experience. (Goodreads review with music suggestions here. Featured on the blog here.)

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
This book made me feel that swelling, tingling sensation that you get when you are reading something truly amazing. I loved the characters. I loved the mystery. I loved the strangeness. I loved the atmosphere and the mood of the book. And, most of all, I loved the writing. (featured here)

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Very few series gave me as much long-term joy as The Lunar Chronicles. I kept telling people that I didn't know what I was missing from my life was a cyborgian retelling of Cinderella, but, wow, was I ever. I loved every one of the books and fell pretty hard for these characters. (series featured here)

The Elemental Trilogy by Sherry Thomas
Oh. I have such fond feelings for this series. Titus and Iolanthe may always be my OTP. Titus and Iolanthe forever! (series featured here)

2016

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Martha Hall Kelly's debut novel is one that I've recommended to countless people. It's an exceptional World War II book in a world swimming in World War II books. (featured here)

The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry
The quiet perfection of this book really took me by surprise. This book is a fantastic work of historical fiction, made all the more enticing by the fact that it is set in a time and place that gets very little attention when it comes to fictional narratives. (featured here)

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater
This list would not be complete with a book by Maggie Stiefvater. She is one of my very favorite and most read authors. I think every book in The Ravens Cycle made a Favorites of the Year post. (series featured here)

2017

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
This is kind of a strange pick for a favorites of the decades list, but I love Neil Gaiman, and I was completely smitten by his retellings of Norse myths. (featured here)
 
The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan
This novel was such a joy to read. It also makes this list, in part, because it's one that I recommended (and gifted) left and right. (featured here)

Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan Stroud
Anyone that's been around the blog for a hot minute knows of my total and utter devotion to Lockwood and Co. This series lasted five glorious years, and I wouldn't have complained if it had lasted forever. (series featured here)

2018

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
I love how this book weaves together history, mythology, folktale, and science. This book is so transporting. (featured here)
 
Circe by Madeline Miller
Just absolutely as fantastic as everyone says it is. This book reminds you that Greek Mythology is just one big, complicated family drama. I also love the smooth, relaxing writing style.  

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
An absolutely glorious series from Laini Taylor. Muse of Nightmares, the second in the series, was my very favorite book of 2018. This series is the loveliest slow-burn fantasy with incredible world-building. (series featured here and here)

The Illuminae Files by Aime Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Every year the sequels in The Illuminae Files series topped my most-anticipated lists. I love how inventive the story telling is in this series, and I'm a little obsessed with AIDAN. (series featured here)

2019

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
A stunning debut novel. I was completely under its spell. (featured here)

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater
Such a satisfying homecoming. I loved everything about this book, but best of all it brought back that The Raven's Cycle tone that I love so much. (featured here)  

Renegades by Marissa Meyer
This series got better with every book. I was so happy with the series conclusion. (featured here and here)

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
I love this underrated gem of a fantasy trilogy. In fact, I love it so much that I reread books one and two before tackling book three this summer, and I'm not much of a rereader. (series featured here)

Favorite Reads of 2019

It's my favorite time of year for bookish content. I can never get enough of the best-of-the-year posts.

In 2019, I continued my trend of consuming ever more audiobooks. For the second year in a row I listened to more books than I read. Actually, I listened to more than 2x as many audiobooks as I read, with the audiobook count coming in at 115 and the read count coming in at 49.

I gave 21 books a 5-star rating this year, which is about the same as last year. I read and listened to some fantastic books, some of these will probably become all-time favorites.

In 2019 I had two big reading goals. I wanted to read more adult fiction, and I wanted to read at least one non-fiction book a month. Considering how little tracking I did with this goal, I did pretty well. I read at least two non-fiction books every month, except October, in which I read none, and I read 25 adult fiction books this year. The result is that this favorites list has a mix of YA and Adult titles, with six books from each age category.

I decided for my Favorites Of the Year post this year to only pick from the 2019 releases (with the exception of my favorite book club book because I only had 12 to chose from for that category). So, without further ado, here are my favorite reads of the year in a variety of categories.

(Favorites from other years here.)

Favorite Fantasy: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Sorcery of Thorns has an old-school fantasy feel to it that I really loved. I definitely got Howl's Moving Castle vibes, though this book is heavier and more action-packed than that classic. The world has an early 19th-century feel to it, so the book reminded me of several historical fantasies I've read as well. Also, how could I resist a magic library? 

Favorite Debut: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
This book is a historical fantasy set in the United States of the early 1900s and a portal fantasy. It has a dual timelines and narratives and deals with identity, the magic of words, and familial love. It does a lot. And it does it all so, so well. One of the best books I read this year. 

Favorite First Book in a New Series: Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater
I'll admit I was a little wary about returning to such beloved characters as these, but I needn't have been. Maggie Stiefvater's Lynch brothers series is shaping up to be absolutely fantastic. I loved everything about this book, but best of all it brought back that Raven's Boys tone that I love so much. 

Favorite World War II Book: Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini
I decided it was about time I have a World War II category, I do host World War II Wednesday after all, which means I read quite a few World War II books every year (both fiction and nonfiction). This year my favorite of the bunch was Resistance Women which tells the stories of Mildred Fish Harnack, Greta Kuckoff, and Martha Dodd, real women who were involved in resistance efforts in Germany during the Nazi regime.

Favorite YA Contemporary: Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum
This summer I read several fictional 9/11 stories in preparation for a post centered on that theme. They were all excellent, but this one was my favorite. Hope and Other Punchlines is a beautiful, sad, poignant, funny, and hopeful read. I absolutely loved the relationship between Abbi and Noah. Their banter was so endearing. Julie Buxbaum's books always perfectly balance serious subjects with a bit of lightheartedness and a whole lot of humanity. (featured here)

Favorite Sequel: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
I didn't think The Handmaid's Tale needed or even should necessarily get a sequel, so I went into The Testaments with a lot of trepidation, and then was completely swayed. I was so into this book. I found it compelling and captivating, and I could not put it down. I also really liked the audiobook. It has multiple narrators and the format of this book works really well on audio.

Favorite Book Club Book: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson's book was our book club pick for August. It made for a great discussion. This book is fantastic, eye-opening, and hard to read. I listened to it very quickly so that I could just feel all the rage at once. The systemic racism in the criminal justice system is horrifying. We all need to be educating ourselves about these problems and supporting people like Stevenson who are fighting for change.

Favorite Series Finale: Supernova by Marissa Meyer
Marissa Meyer's superhero series got better with every book. Honestly, I was a bit unimpressed by the first book in the series, but then I rocketed through the second book. The third book in the series is best of all. It was a thrilling and exciting conclusion that really made me love the series as a whole even more. 

Favorite Historical Fiction: The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
This book is the story of Danny and his older sister Maeve, whose lives revolve around a large and somewhat quirky house that everyone calls The Dutch House. The book is really just the story of a life and a family, and, yet, it is also so much more. This might be my favorite of Ann Patchett's novels. She's such a master. 

Favorite Nonfiction Book: Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez
We all know that we live in a world designed by men for men. Invisible Women makes it clear that the situation is so much worse than we even realize. While listening to this book, I rage texted with a friend who had also read it. I highly recommend this strategy for your own sanity. I just hope that some men actually read this book, but, after reading the book, I feel like that might be too much to ask. 

Favorite Retelling: Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly
I didn't think I needed another Cinderella retelling, but this book is so good. I love Jennifer Donnelly's writing, so I was expecting it to be good, but it blew me away. The book stars Isabelle, one of Cinderella's stepsisters, who is really not all that wicked. She's cut away pieces of herself to try to fit the mold of the perfect girl, and now she must reassemble those pieces and heal her heart.

Favorite Audiobook: Lovely War by Julie Berry
This is one of my favorite books of the year and the book that I've probably recommended the most. It's set during World War I and revolves around the love stories of two couples. This is a book about love, music, ambition, and fear. It tackles race issues and women's contributions to the war effort. It's so deftly crafted and involves a really interesting framing device: The Greek gods take turns recounting the story. With a full cast, the audiobook is a work of art as well. (featured here)

 
P.S. Backlist titles I gave 5 stars to this year: Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak, Spinning Silver by Naomi Novak, Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram, and Circe by Madeline Miller

Favorite Reads of 2018

It's time for all the year-end, best-book wrap-ups. I love seeing all the favorite-books lists at the end of every year.

I read 153 books this year, which is just three books short of my all-time yearly high, and I'm almost embarrassed by that large number. Did I do anything but read in 2018?

But the real story of the year is that 89 of those 153 book were audiobooks. And no, I definitely did not listen to anything other than books this year. That new podcast? Nope, I haven't heard it. Your favorite new music? Definitely haven't listened to that either. If I can muster up the energy I might do A Few Thoughts post on my growing audiobook consumption as a companion to the post I did a couple of years ago about ebooks. 

I gave 20 books a 5-star rating this year and truly read (and listened to) some real gems. Also, I settled on presenting only 2018 releases with a special category for my favorite backlist title this time around.

So without further ado, here are the favorites in a variety of categories.

(You can check out mid-year favorites here.)

Favorite Fantasy: Muse of Nightmare by Laini Taylor
The sequel to Strange the Dreamer was everything I wanted and more. I love Laini Taylor's writing. I love this Ancient Near Eastern-inspired world. I love the mind-blowing connection to her earlier series. This book just might be my very favorite read of the year. (series featured here)

Favorite Sequel: A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir
This the second time Sabaa Tahir's fantastic fantasy series has won "Favorite Sequel." This addition to the series was so intense, so emotional, and quite a nail-biter. Sabaa Tahir is not afraid to be brutal to her characters. (series featured here and here)

Favorite Retelling: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White
2018 was the bicentennial of the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and, for me, it was also the year of Frankenstein-inspired books. (There are two on this list!) It was also the year that solidified my fangirl status for Kiersten White, who also published a smashing finish to the And I Darken Trilogy this year. (featured here)

Favorite Series Finale: The Delphi Revolution by Rysa Walker
The final book in the Delphi Trilogy was so fantastic. The finale is loaded with lots of suspense and a few big surprises. I was amazed at how quickly I sped through this rather lengthy book. (series featured here and here)

Favorite Illustrated Novel: Mary's Monster by Lita Judge
The second Frankenstein-inspired book on this list. I really enjoyed this beautifully illustrated verse novel about the life of Mary Shelley. It is so, so pretty and a compelling way to learn about the life of Mary Shelley. (featured here)

Favorite Book Club Book: Educated by Tara Westover
This book is still the one I had the most conversations about this year. We read it for my book club over the summer, talked about the book for four hours, and probably could have held a second book club and filled four more hours. (featured here)

Favorite Backlist Title: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
I hadn't read this YA classic until this year, and I found it so delightful in large part because of the nostalgia factor. YA fantasy is just not written this way anymore, and the overall style really brought me back to my younger years. 

Favorite Historical Fiction/ Short Story Collection: Fatal Throne
I think this is the first time I've given 5-stars to a short story collection. This book is a collection of stories by seven authors about the wives of Henry VIII, and I honestly loved them all. Jennifer Donnelly's story about Anne of Cleves still haunts me. (featured here)

Favorite New Book by a Beloved Author: Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
I was utterly captivated by Diane Setterfield's new novel. I love how it weaves together history, mythology, folktale, and science. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Juliet Stevenson, and it was so transporting.

Favorite Novel in Verse/ Diverse book: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
I made an effort to read more books that would fit into the "We Need Diverse Books" category this year, and I loved so many of them. This verse novel, by slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo, is a tour de force. It won the National Book Award in YA fiction, and I highly recommend the audiobook, which is read by the author.

Favorite Nonfiction Book: Fly Girls by P. O'Connell Pearson
Fly Girls is the story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) that flew for the United States during World War II. Patricia O'Connell Pearson's book is an engrossing and comprehensive look at the work of the WASPs. I really enjoy learning about how women contributed during the war years, and I'd strongly recommend this book to anyone who shares that interest. (featured here)

Favorite Series that Ended in 2018: The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
For the past couple of years the sequels to Illuminae have been at the very top of my most-anticipated lists. There's something so satisfying about reading a highly-anticipated book that surpasses your every expectation, and that's exactly what these books did. It's hard to say goodbye to this series.(featured here)

Favorite Reads of 2018 (The Halfway Mark)

Every summer we like to give you a little sneak peak into our favorite reads of the year. Sticking to five each is not easy, but I can personally vouch for all of Paige's picks because, for the first time ever, I've also read every single one of her picks.

JoLee's Top Five

A Solitary Blue by Cynthia Voigt:
This year I finally started the Tillerman Cycle after many years of friends telling me to read it. This third book in the series is so heartbreaking and beautiful and healing all at once. I really love how I have a connection to the setting in this series. This book takes place in Baltimore, Charleston, and on the Eastern Shore. I will be the first to admit that that personal connection is making this series even more wonderful to me.

Educated by Tara Westover:
I had to put this one on the list for the shear number of conversations I've had about it. While reading it I kept texting my friends who had already finished it. Another friend finished it and promptly texted me saying, "We have to talk about this book!" If you read it, find some friends to read along. This is a book that demands conversation.

The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller:
This alternate World War I era novel full of magic and feminism is both incredibly entertaining and thought-provoking. I'm thrilled that there's going to be a sequel. (featured here)

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaimon:
I am not nearly as well-versed in Norse Mythology as I am in Greek Mythology, but lately I've had a lot of reasons to learn more. Neil Gaiman's storytelling is both entertaining and informative. I definitely feel like I can hold my own a little more in the Norse Myth world.

Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein:
I loved this addition to the Young Pilots Series. The 1930s Ethiopian setting is so vibrant and the writing so rich. I loved learning about this moment in history through the eyes of these beautiful characters. (featured here)

Paige's Top Five

Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger:
I rocketed through this entire series earlier this year. It's great on audio, has a great steampunk/ paranormal world, and well, you can read all the reasons I love it here.

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff:
An exceptional finale for an exceptional series. It's fabulous when a series closes as strongly as this one did. Read about all the reasons we love the series here.

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman:
I absolutely adore Rachel Hartman's Seraphina books, and I was so excited to read another book set in the same world. Tess is a bit more psychological and a bit more philosophical, but it's very bit as good. (series featured here and here)

Far from the Tree by Robin Benway:
Robin Benway really knows how to bring on the feels. This book about three adopted siblings meeting for the first time is so touching. (featured here)

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows:
The authors of My Lady Jane are at it again. This time the Lady Janies take on Jane Eyre, and their version is quite a bit funnier than the original.  

J's Favorite Books of 2017

The end of the year is my absolute favorite time to be a book blogger. I don't think I could ever get tired of reading year-end favorites and best-of's posts.

I read 118 books this year, and I gave 18 books 5-stars. It was so hard to pick my favorites this year. The historical fiction category was particularly difficult, but I persevered for all of you.

Without further ado, presenting the best of my bests in a variety of fun categories.

Favorites from mid-year here.

Favorite Series that Ended in 2017: Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan Stroud
For the last several years I've had this lovely tradition of reading the newest Lockwood & Co. for Halloween. This year, with the final book coming out, I reread the entire series. I cannot recommend a series more enthusiastically. If I could have my way, the series would go on forever so that I could continue my favorite Halloween tradition. (featured here)

Favorite Fantasy: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
I loved Graceling and Fire, the first two books in Kristin Cashore's Graceling Realm trilogy, and I finally read the third book in the series this year. So many fantasies are about overthrowing a horrible regime, and I really loved how Bitterblue thinks about what comes next. Bitterblue made me so nostalgic for the types of fantasies that were being written circa 2008. 

Favorite First Book in a New Series: Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray 
I love Claudia Gray's books. Defy the Stars is so entertaining. I can't seem to get enough of the the sentient AI motif, and Gray's book is a great addition to this subgenre. I also love that Ms Gray handled religion and the idea of souls with so much respect and honesty. (featured here)

Favorite Audiobook: Sleeping Giants & Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel
I've been telling everyone that Sleeping Giants is like the adult version of Illuminae. If you loved one, read the other. The story is told through a series of interviews and journal entries, so it is well-suited to the audio format. Plus, it has a full cast of voice actors. It's very entertaining.

Favorite Book Club Book: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
The beautiful, poignant, sad, and celebratory book about a neurosurgeon who learns he has terminal cancer was such a perfect book club pick. I listened to When Breath Becomes Air in one day. Maybe even in one sitting.  

Favorite New Book by a Beloved Author: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone series is one of my favorite trilogies, and I've been eagerly anticipating her next book ever since I finished it. Strange the Dreamer is gorgeous and fascinating. Laini Taylor writes the loveliest slow-burn fantasy. (featured here)

Favorite Middle-Grade Book: Speed of Life by Carol Weston
There was just something so sweet about this book. So many things change for Sofia over the course of the book. Carol Weston's book reminded me of Goodbye, Stranger by Rebecca Stead, another middle-grade coming-of-age story that I adore. Beyond the similar setting, they both have a similar tone.  

Favorite Multi-Perspective Narrative: The Arsonist by Stephanie Oaks
Oh my, The Arsonist is such a strange and wonderful book. I really loved it. Told in a series of letters and journal entries written by the three main characters, the masterfully constructed story that unfolds reveals secrets, lies, and family tragedies. I also love the layers of symbolism in this book. (featured here)

Favorite "I Should Have Read this Forever Ago" Book: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
I had wanted to read Station Eleven for years but was slightly intimidated by it for some reason. When I finally got the audio book from the library, and I listened to almost the entire book in one day. It's that good. What I really loved about this book is the way that art is so essential to human existence even when individuals are fighting just to survive.  

Favorite Series Finale: Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
Aah. This series is pure fluff, but I guarantee it'll make you smile. A couple of things that I absolutely love about this series. First off, Lara Jean's family is great. I love her dad and sisters, especially Kitty. Secondly, I really like how this book handles the transition to college. Finally, what makes this book truly marvelous to me is just how normal Lara Jean is. I find her so relatable. 

Favorite Sequel: Now I Rise by Kiersten White
Definitely read this book if you are in the mood to feel raw and heartsick. Kiersten White has written some of the best and most emotional depictions of war and conquest that I've ever read. There are betrayals upon betrayals in this book, and all of the characters do such terrible things. Ms. White handles subtleties and complications so well.  

Favorite Historical Fiction: The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry
This book is a fantastic work of historical fiction, made all the more enticing by the fact that it is set in a time and place that gets very little attention when it comes to fictional narratives--the 13th century in southern France. 

Favorite "Fits in Multiple Categories" Book: A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielson
A Night Divided is on par with books like The War that Saved My Life. This novel is emotional and gripping, and I wanted so badly for it to end well, but I was so afraid that it wouldn't. Jennifer A. Nielsen did a spectacular job conveying the tense atmosphere of the German Democratic Republic.  (featured here)