My book club thought it would be fun for everyone to share their five favorite books from 2021 at our next meeting. I finally whittled my list down to five. Here they are:
I devoured this psychological thriller. My friend Adrian picked it for our book club during the first half of 2021, and we were still talking about it in December. If I ever make a list of books that are perfect for book clubs, this will be at the top of it.
2. Anxious People: A Novel by Fredrik Backman.
J’aime Fredrik Bakman. I would read his shopping list. As I write this post, Anxious People is the #1 Dark Humor book on Amazon but this is not simply a funny book. Backman’s characters and stories have a lot of depth, and this one is no exception.
3. The Book of Longings: A Novel by Sue Monk Kidd.
What if Jesus had a wife? What would her story be? As a former Catholic school girl, I was immediately hooked by this premise, and the book did not disappoint. I am now really interested in the stories of forgotten women of history.
4. How to Raise An Adult by Julie-Lythcott-Haims.
Damn, I wish I could make How to Raise An Adult mandatory reading for every parent. Or really, every human being – even if you don’t have kids, you will eventually become an adult! Oh my god, if you are at all intrigued by the subtitle, please read this book immediately if not sooner.
5. The Once and Favorite Witches, by Alix Harrow.
This was my absolute favorite book of 2021 – and I’m not just saying that because I picked it for my book club’s October read. Witches! Suffragists! Folklore! It’s the Mists of Avalon for the Salem witches but better.
I listened to the audiobooks for all of my picks, but the audio version of The Once and Future Witches gets an A+++. It involves music that really enhances the story. I hope whoever produced it wins a lot of awards.