This year I fell back in love with reading and it’s been SO FUN. I always loved to read as a kid, then college made it feel boring and I stopped enjoying it besides the occasional funny celebrity memoir. You know how it goes.
Since January, I have been prioritizing reading as a form of self care and it’s really helped me cope with yet another anxiety-inducing year. I’m on book 72 now with no plans to stop anytime soon. Reading is my escape the way that shopping and booking airbnbs has been in the *kind of* past, but it’s much cheaper and honestly a lot more fulfilling. Especially when I use the Libby library app (thank you to my friends who convinced me to finally just use it!). Here are some of my very favorite books of 2021. Let me know if you’ve read any of them in the comments!
The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor – A stunning and powerful book that I declared my love for in this post.
What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer – A collection of feminist poems that made me cry a little and curse the patriarchy. I’m also currently reading I hope this finds you well. Kate Baer forever.
How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi – “…an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond an awareness of racism to the next stop: contributing to the formation of a truly just and equitable society.” -Source I listened to this book before recommending it to everyone I know. I have such a profound respect for Ibram X. Kendi and am so thankful for this book.
The One by John Marrs – A thrilling read that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Highly recommend it if you like a little suspense. (Oh, and don’t watch the Netflix show version of it… it is not good.)
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty – Enter my newfound love of fiction. I read all of Liane Moriarty’s books this year (an excellent recommendation by my SIL) and I will never stop. So good!!!
A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost – I laughed the entire time. Other favorite celebrity memoirs this year: Open Book by Jessica Simpson and How Ya’ll Doing by Leslie Jordan
Becoming by Michelle Obama – It seemed weird to loop the queen in with “other celebrity memoirs”… So she gets her own spot. A beautiful and inspiring book, just as I assumed it would be.
Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker – An eye-opening read whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just curious about the history and impacts of alcohol.
My Time Will Come by Ian Manuel – This one changed my life and I don’t quite have the words for it yet, so I’ll share Bryan Stevenson’s endorsement: “Ian is magic. His story is difficult and heartbreaking, but he takes us places we need to go to understand why we must do better. He survives by relying on a poetic spirit, an unrelenting desire to succeed, to recover, and to love. Ian’s story says something hopeful about our future.”
Cultish by Amanda Montell – Anybody else a little obsessed with learning about cults? This book is especially compelling for those of us who have ever stumbled upon cult-adjacent groups, if you know what I mean.
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller – Beautifully written and heartbreaking with a little bit of hope still. Loved it a lot.
What are the best books you’ve read this year? Check out our Instagram highlights for my monthly favorites.
