My Favorite Reads of 2021 So Far

It's July 1, 2021, which means we are halfway through the year! 

I have read 49 books so far... it is really killing me that I didn't make it to an even 50.

While I haven't been blogging about books or posting my reading material to social media, rest assured I am still reading.

In 2021, I have gone back to thrillers (I can handle them again now that 2020 is over) but I am still shying away from WWI and WWII historical fiction.

I have also enjoyed reading a ton of rom-coms. They may not make my "Best of" lists, but trust me when I say I have plenty of make-your-heart happy fun reads to recommend. Just ask! 

6 months down, 6 months to go!

My favorite 6 reads for the first 6 months of 2021

The House of the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

I cannot find the words to explain how much I loved this sweet, strange fantasy. I went into it without knowing anything about it and it delighted me chapter after chapter. 

I love it so much I spent a ridiculous amount of money on these corresponding pencils (profits benefit The Trevor Project).

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

Sue Monk Kidd, author of The Secret Life of Bees, is a wonderful storyteller. This is a historical fiction set in biblical times. It tells the fictional story of a woman who married Jesus Christ and what that would have looked like during the time.

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

Sally Hepworth is quickly becoming one of my favorite domestic thriller writers. They aren't too scary, and they have multi-faceted characters. Her latest is another winner that focuses on a pair of sisters who are a little too co-dependent.

The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner

I read a lot of memoirs (actually, I love to listen to memoirs). This one stands out because it is one that left quite an impression. When you read as much as I do, sometimes books start to blur together. This one will never blur and won't be forgotten. It is about a survivor of the polygamist Mormon LeBaron cult. It is a very rough read, but it shows how much strength and resilience Ruth has.

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

There is a reason this one ended up in Reese's Book Club, but it is NOT for the faint of heart. The first few sentences will make some ladies clutch their pearls in shock and horror. With that being said, it is a romance, unlike any romance I have read (aka not a rom-com). It is a tough read, and it gets dark fast. Even so, I could not stop reading it. I also really appreciated how it featured a character with chronic illness (migraines) in a realistic light. 

The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison Barr

My last pick is nonfiction. If you grew up in church and were taught why women shouldn't preach or wear spaghetti strap tank tops, this book explains where those ideas came from. Hint: not the Bible. I learned a lot as I read it, and I am glad I read it while my kids are still young enough to use my new knowledge to teach them.  

It's Halfway Through 2020. Here are 10 Books That Have Helped Me Survive.

2020 has been one wild, crappy ride. Between having major surgery, tornadoes, a pandemic, and a moment of racial reckoning, I have managed to read 44 books in the first half of the most tumultuous year my generation has ever born witness to.

That's why I chose books that wind up all over the place. I leaned heavy into fluff fiction and rom-coms, trashy memoirs, and ridiculous thrillers.

 

And I am not ashamed! Actually, given what I've learned this year, I am proud to recommend all of these books because there is a time when we just need to read for fun or read to escape.

 

Here are 10 books that have helped me survive the first half of 2020

(And because I don't think you need to read a full review to be enticed to read it yourself, these reviews are super short.)

Hollywood Park

by Mikel Jollett

If you want to feel very literary and hip, read this memoir by the lead of Airborne Toxic Event about his cult upbringing.

The Guest List

by Lucy Foley 

If you want an Agatha Christie whodunit that keeps you guessing until the very end, this is a fun one.

Such a Fun Age

by Kiley Reid

If you want to learn about racism through fiction, this is a quick read with a fab story that will leave you thinking.

A Witch in Time

by Constance Sayers

If you need a fantasy escape, this one you'll read like you did Twilight (in other words, super fast).

Station Eleven

by Emily St. John Mandel

If you want a literary escape from this current pandemic by reading about a worse pandemic, this one is for you. Plus, read it before you watch the HBO miniseries.

Beach Read

by Emily Henry

If you want a true rom-com beach read, then look no further than the aptly titled Beach Read.

The Wives

by Tarryn Fisher

If you want a can't-put-down over-the-top thriller (with polygamy), then The Wives will have you gasping and laughing at its absurdity.

Open Book

by Jessica Simpson

If you want the complete opposite of a literary memoir like Hollywood Park, then dive into Jessica Simpson's fun and scandalous memoir.

 

The Wedding Party

by Jasmine Guillory

If you haven't started the terrific rom-com series by Jasmine Guillory, what is wrong with you?

Be the Bridge

by Latasha Morrison

If you want to learn more about why racial reconciliation is so important, then this Christian perspective is a great starting point.