Oops… I stopped posting. For nearly a year, in fact. My last reading list was from January of 2021, so it’s been awhile. I want to catch y’all up on everything I’ve read, but it’s a long list of 32 books. I’ll put all the books here, but only include notes if there’s something I really want to say. Also, I’m not including January books in this list, because I made a post with my January 2021 reading list that you can read here. As usual, all of these books were borrowed from my local library with the help of the Libby app.
Without further ado, here’s what I read last year:
February 2021
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle (popular fiction, drama)
Lovely Wild by Megan Hart (literary fiction)
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (YA, LGBT+)
The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis (literary fiction) – do yourself a favor and watch the Netflix miniseries based on this novel! It’s a good book, but I think I Iiked the show even better. Anya Taylor-Joy absolutely kills it as the main character, Beth Harmon, and the show tweaks a few plot points and details for a more satisfying experience.
March 2021
Dune by Frank Herbert (science fiction)
April 2021
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (literary fiction, science fiction)
The Duke and I by Julia Queen (historical romance) – I’d read the Bridgerton novels forever ago (in high school) and decided to revisit them while watching the series on Netflix!
Wilde Child by Eloisa James (historical romance)
May 2021
The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec (literary fiction, fantasy/mythology) – fun fact, I am pretty sure I went to school with Genevieve Gornichec way back in the day. She’s a Cleveland native, and The Witch’s Heart is her first book. It’s a wildly creative novel based on Norse mythology that details what may have happened to Loki’s wife Angrboða.
Just Try Me by Jill Shalvis (Harlequin romance) – I realized that I had never read a category romance, so I did. For the record, I have no intention of doing so ever again. It was pretty bad.
Virgin River by Robyn Carr (romance, drama)
Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr (romance, drama)
Return to Virgin River by Robyn Carr (romance, drama)
June 2021
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (historical romance)
An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (historical romance)
The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers (science fiction)
Blue Ticket by Sophie Mackintosh (literary fiction, feminist) – I love a good feminist dystopia, and Mackintosh delivered with Blue Ticket.
Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (historical romance)
To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn (historical romance)
When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn (historical romance)
Body of Stars by Laura Maylene Walter (literary fiction, feminist) – A scathing take on rape culture, set in a world where women’s fates are written on their skin. It’s a fantastic book.
August 2021 (yes, I really did skip reading anything July!)
Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey (fantasy)
A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin (popular fiction, feminist)
The Princess Knight by G.A. Aiken (fantasy)
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin (YA, fantasy) – I picked this one up on a whim and then devoured this entire series. I think its technically YA, and it’s definitely easy reading, but it is dark and there are some sexy scenes, so I’m not sure it’d be very appropriate for younger teens. The sequels are Blood & Honey and Gods & Monsters.
Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin (YA, fantasy)
Woodwalker by Emily B. Martin (did not finish) (fantasy)
Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper (did not finish) (fantasy)
November 2021
Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin (YA, fantasy)
A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet (fantasy)
December 2021
Arrow’s Flight by Mercedes Lackey (fantasy)
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (fantasy)