Books that made my heart sing in 2021. 💗
Below, I finally get to squeal about the books that made my heart sing in 2021—and as you’ll see, it was a lot of them. It’s difficult for me to rank books, but I’ll just say that these novels meant a lot to me last year. They kept me company and gave me hope during the second year of a pandemic and intense creative burn-out. They traveled with me through camp-sites, and on road-trips, and to cozy couches in the Catskills and the Berkshires.
My gratitude for these stories is boundless — books are everything. But I know all of you get that. 💗
“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.” -Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
I carried this gorgeous book of (truly life-changing) essays with me all through our travels this summer, when I was spending a lot of time paying attention to tiny, dancing daisies and watching streams flow over smooth stones. This collection of indigenous wisdom exposes our natural world to be one of beautiful connections and joyous miracles. And it exposes the interconnectedness of humans with plants, animals and minerals and the deep responsibility we all have to share our gifts with the world and protect it all costs.
GREEDY by Jen Winston changed my life in the same way that BRAIDING SWEETGRASS did. As in, opened my eyes, made me feel seen, made me curious, made me passionate, had me weeping in understanding. I read this book of funny and affirming essays on bisexuality in essentially one sitting because it was the first time I'd ever seen my own thoughts, confusion and bi yearning reflected on the page. It not only made me feel seen, affirmed and validated in my own bisexuality and its many beautiful facets, these essays also scrutinize power, privilege and white supremacy -- and make the case for collective liberation and a world free of binary thinking.
I started 2021 by reading a sci-fi novella called THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR (by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone) and went around telling everyone it was the best book I’d ever read 😂 I read it practically in one sitting - from the set-up (two women fall in love through letters while on different sides of an epic battle through time), to the perfectly poetic prose, to the romance, the yearning, the imagery. Take this line, for example: “I want to meet you in every place I ever loved. Listen to me. I am your echo. I would rather break the world than lose you.”
*sighs happily for a million years*
BUT THAT’S NOT ALL (lol you thought I was done) 😉 Here are some more (non-romance) novels that shook me to my core: NINTH HOUSE by Leigh Bardugo (dark fantasy, magic, horror), MIDDLE-GAME by Seanan McGuire (an amazing fantasy novel I literally hugged after I finished reading it), THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES by Alix E. Harrow (a dazzling fantasy novel about sisterhood, rebellious women and magic), WE RIDE UPON STICKS by Quan Barry (it’s Heathers meets field hockey meets the witch trials.) THE UNSPOKEN NAME by A.K. Larkwood (a snarky, action-packed fantasy with queer characters and swords!) TINY, BEAUTIFUL THINGS by Cheryl Strayed (gorgeous essays that will wreck your heart), THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB’S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES by Grady Hendrix (creepy, OTT horror, gory, funny and legit kept me up at night) and THE ECHO WIFE by Sarah Gailey (a twisty, fast-paced thriller).
An ode to romance
I know this sounds a little funny because I, too, am a romance author but thank god for romance, y’all!! When I was in my deepest moments of burn-out and anxiety in 2021, you know what I reached for — those happily ever afters and stories of hope that made me feel cozy, tender, soft and just loved.
Some of the books that made me feel extra soft and tender:
Alyssa Cole’s THE LOYAL LEAGUE series, which are Civil War romances that also have an element of danger and intrigue. I also fell deep into Cat Sebastian’s backlist and THE SOLDIER’S SCOUNDREL is one of the best M/M historical romances I’ve ever read.
When I was deep in ON THE ROPES re-writes, exploring Sarah MacLean’s backlist and Nichola Davidson’s backlist meant the world to me (read both authors if you love incredible regency romance!) And then Joyce introduced us all to the brilliant Stacy Reid and her MY DARLING DUKE which knocked my literal socks off!
Adriana Herrera’s ONE WEEK TO CLAIM IT ALL was sexy, juicy, second-chance deliciousness. WRITTEN IN THE STARS by Alexandria Bellefleur was the dreamy, adorable F/F romance I’ve always wanted. LJ Evans’ CROSSED BY THE STARS was packed with angsty yearning, forced proximity and danger (!)
I ended the year, utterly obsessed with three audiobooks that brought such happy smiles to my face while walking Walter around Philly: MURDER MOST ACTUAL by Alexis Hall (an f/f, marriage-in-crisis, cozy mystery with Knives Out vibes!), Talia Hibbert’s WRAPPED UP IN YOU (a flirty, festive treat that made my heart shimmer) and Chloe Liese’s THE MISTLETOE MOTIVE (enemies-to-lovers holiday novella with You’ve Got Mail vibes plus a cozy bookstore!)
I cannot wait to see what books I love in 2022. Here’s to more love stories!