This year I’ve noted the books I have read in my leisure time – 64 in total, so that’s just over one a week. This doesn’t include my research books for work, so I’m pleased with that kind of level. I’ve read quite a bit of non-fiction this year too. I’ve discovered I read quite a bit of fantasy and psychological mysteries and thrillers. Only one medieval historical in the top list, but then I don’t read many because it’s a busman’s holiday for me and I like accuracy of mindset. I’m more likely to read in other centuries.
I also scored the books when I was reading, and I’ve listed my 5 stars. I think I’ve been pretty lucky as there haven’t been any wallbangers this year. The breakdown looks like this.
5 star – 23 – which I’m going to list
4.5 stars – 12
4 stars – 20
3.5 stars – 6
3 stars – 3
My favourite read of the year, I initially marked at 4.5, but marked up a week later when I was still thinking about it while I went about my household tasks. It haunted me, I guess and although I have read 23 top ranked books (for me anyway, opinion is personal and everyone’s mileage varies), Piranesi by Susannah Clarke has stayed with me, whereas some others, while devoured at the time and loved, have not, and I think that it is so unusual and haunting, that it has to be my personal ‘book of the year.’ I read it early in the year, but notice that it has since won the Women’s prize for Fiction 2021.
Here then, are my 5 star reads of 2021, in general chronological order of when I read them, apart from Elizabeth is Missing, which I realised I’d missed when I had a count up, and I must have read circa September. They weren’t all published in 2021, but picked up at my whim from my TBR.
As well as everything else, he writes damned well! I was moved and enlightened.
A fast-paced thriller that I enjoyed very much.
An excellent psychological mystery/thriller. I wasn’t familiar with Lisa Jewell until this one.
I’d had this on my TBR for ages and ages and finally got around to reading it. A fantastic, evocative, beautifully realised novel set in Chaucer’s England.
A terrific, nuanced romantic adventure novel in the widest sense, well-written and absorbing.
Another I have had on my TBR for some time, but finally the moment struck. I love Neil Gaiman’s work for his ideas and use of language wrapped up in storytelling, and this was no exception.
A terrific home front WWII novel. Well written and dealing with the murky, criminal end of the Blitz as well as some wonderful moments of family glue. I was engrossed.
I received this free when I bought some clothes from a catalogue for my mother. It turned out to be a fantastic read, especially following on from A Ration Book Christmas. Hard-hitting, heart-warming, powerfully written.
A wonderfully written start to a faerie fantasy series. Complex characters that keep you guessing and some beautiful imagery.
One of my non-fiction leisure reads – very enlightening. I have turned my lifestyle around this year having been diagnosed early in 2021 as pre-diabetic. That no longer applies, and it’s because I set out to educate myself with works like this.
I’ve always enjoyed Simon Reeve’s documentaries, and this searingly honest, often amusing, often heartbreaking book ran Piranesi very close in the rankings. I suppose it’s my non-fiction choice of the year.
Another non-fiction story on my health journey. The story of how Labour politician Tom Watson got his health together and said goodbye to sugar.
My husband’s first every Terry Pratchett. I hadn’t read this particular one so joined him on the journey. As always, biting social commentary, wrapped up in an engrossing story.
Atmospheric, a little Gothic. An entertaining 18th century tale of everything not being as it seems.
Thorougly enjoyable series reminiscent of C.J. Sansom, but set in the 1660’s. Always a good read.
Stephen King novels are nearly always 5 star for me. Some are more twinkly 5 star than others such as The Green Mile, but even the run of the mill usually make the grade. This was definitely a page-turning read.
One I’d been meaning to read but never got around to. A children’s book that definitely crosses over. I could taste the ancient in the middle of the modern.
I jumped on the bandwagon with this one as it was being mentioned all over the place. A very moving, deeply engrossing read. I’m not sure I will go on to read the others this novel has spawned, but I am glad I read this one, and it deserves its 5 stars.
Another Pratchett – rather like Stephen King, it’s going to be inevitable for me that all of Pratchett’s will be 5 stars. Comedy, adventure, biting social commentary.
I’m already a fan of James O’Brien on LBC news and this book is wonderful. It skewers the follies of Brexit, political correctness, feminism, etc just by asking pertinent questions. It would be a really good book to read alongside Steve Peters’s The Chimp Paradox.
I am currently working my way through this one – highly readable – with the ease of good fiction although it’s non fiction, but scholarly and informative.
A mystery and a voyage into the world of a character suffering from dementia. I recognised so much of this from a distant relative, and it made some of the descriptions pin sharp.