The Best Books of 2021!

Monday, January 3, 2022



I read fifty-nine books in 2021, so it is incredibly hard for me to narrow it down this year! These are my (tentative) top five of 2021, and I'd love to know yours -- just leave a comment below.

In no particular order...

1. A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

I was so excited when I was able to get an ARC of this on Netgalley last year, and I can tell you that my hopes had never been higher for a book! It was a retelling of Dracula but from the POV of one of his "brides", and the writing was as luscious and dripping with menace as I could have hoped. A must-read for any vampire lover! Full review here.

2. Sistersong by Lucy Holland

One of my favorite fantasies I've read in years, Sistersong is an amazing retelling of a myth I wasn't familiar with, that of "The Twa Sisters". I highly recommend you don't research it before you read the book, because the twist at the end is as shocking as it is heart-rending. One of my favorite aspects of the novel was the way Holland was able to weave together myth history so seamlessly. Full review here.

3. The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

Even though I have a huge physical pile of books I need to read I couldn't help but snatch this one up when I spotted it in the bookstore. I mean look at that amazing cover (definitely my favorite of 2021)! An ode to Gothic literature by way of fantasy, I adored this complicated and beautiful book! Full review here.

4. The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

Walton's debut novel blew me away and kept me thinking about it months afterwards. Opal is probably one of my favorite characters ever -- she just jumps right off the page. Daisy Jones and the Six but punchier and punkier. Full review here

5. Fierce Dreamer by Linda Lafferty

This novel traces the very true and very shocking story of 17th-century painter Artemisia Gentileschi, who not only broke down boundaries by becoming the first woman admitted to the Accademia di Arte del Disegno, but by prosecuting her rapist in a court of law -- and winning. Her passion, her strength and her heart make this unputdownable. A word of warning: the rape scenes in the novel are of a quite graphic nature, so please be prepared for that. Full review here.

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