2021 End of Year Reading Survey

Okay, maybe it’s a cop-out to pick one of the most enduring classics of the gothic genre as the best book I read this year. Oh well, here I am. I’ll probably be repeating a lot of what I said in my Goodreads review, so apologies if you’ve read that already. Long story short, when I read Frankenstein for the first time in 2019, I was expecting a scary monster story. For me, the melancholy philosophy of it all was a pleasant surprise. During my second read, I gained a newfound appreciation for the many layers of foreshadowing and character development present throughout the novel. Between its gorgeous writing and brilliant characters, it’s no wonder that Frankenstein has become a new forever-favorite.

Despite not being my lowest-rated book of the year, The Binding probably wins the award for most disappointing. The reason why is, simply put, its execution did not live up to the potential of its premise. The non-chronological plot only distracts from the original ideas at the story’s heart. Non-chronological storytelling isn’t always bad, of course. It hurt my enjoyment of this book simply because it seemed unnecessary. The events described in The Binding are intriguing, emotional, and tragic in their own right. Unfortunately, as I note in my Goodreads review, my reading experience was an emotional rollecoaster — for all the wrong reasons.

Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that a book written by a Nobel Prize winner would end up being one of my favorites this year, but here we are. I expected to like this book, sure, but I didn’t expect it to affect me the way it did. Saramago’s unconventional prose and matter-of-fact writing style, combined with his dry, ironic sense of humor, created a truly one-of-a-kind reading experience. It was a heavy, brutal read at times, but it was also profoundly relevant. Since reading Blindness, I learned that José Saramago also wrote the book that inspired one of my favorite indie films: Denis Villeneuve’s Enemy (2013). Now I can’t wait to read The Double and get lost in that story all over again.

The Only Good Indians is the first book by Stephen Graham Jones that I’ve ever read, but it sure as heck won’t be the last. The Only Good Indians was not only a thrilling and unnerving horror story; it was a touching tale about family, culture, tradition, and intergenerational trauma. I already have SGJ’s follow-up, My Heart is a Chainsaw, on my shelf, which I can’t wait to start. And that’s not even mentioning that the audiobook is narrated by Cara Gee, the light of my life. So yeah, you could say I’m excited.

Despite my long-time fascination with Russian and Cold War history, reading long non-fiction books on the topic is still something I’m new to. Gessen takes a multidisciplinary approach to their exploration of Russia’s decades-long struggle for (and against) democracy. The book analyzes both personal and universal accounts of the many regime changes in Russia through the lenses of history, psychology, and sociology. While dense, it was never incomprehensible, and it’s only inspired me to keep exploring more “intimidating” non-fiction tomes.

Black Sun is Rebecca Roanhorse’s 2020 fantasy novel inspired by pre-Columbian indigenous cultures in North America. The cultural basis alone makes Black Sun pretty unique in the fantasy genre. It also has several layers of interconnected political intrigue, warring cult factions, and morally ambiguous contractors, all determined to see each of their individual and opposing goals accomplished, no matter the cost. Black Sun opens with a woman performing a cultic ceremony with her son. The ritual involves carving a symbol into his flesh, blinding him, and telling him he’s destined to become a god. She does all of this before throwing herself out a window. When all that happens in Chapter One, you know the book is going to be one hell of a ride.

Real quick: honorable mention to Black Sun, which I am only not listing under this question because I just talked about it. I’m so in love with that cover that I actually selected it for the “book on your TBR with the prettiest cover” prompt of my 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge. But, folks, how gorgeous is this cover, too?! I just can’t stop looking at it. And the story inside is quite lovely too. The Beautiful Ones is a great modern take on a Jane Austen-esque novel of manners with a historical fantasy / magical realism twist.

Yes, I will gush a little bit more about Frankenstein; thank you very much. MWS’s writing in Frankenstein is simply magical to me. It is both hopeful and foreboding; romantic and heartbreaking; above all, it is a profoundly human story. There are so many quotes I could provide as an example of this brilliance. However, knowing that Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in the wake of a terrible loss — that of her baby daughter — really paints the following passage in a new, tragic light.

To call The Body Is Not an Apology life-changing is no exaggeration. It spoke right to my soul about, as the title suggests, the power of radical self-love. As I mentioned in my February 2021 Wrap-Up, this book is part feminist manifesto, part social justice call-to-arms, and part self-help manual. The Body Is Not an Apology provides actionable steps for loving ourself — and others — on a deeper, truer, level.

I know, I know, I’m a terrible fantasy fan! I’ve already given myself plenty of wrist-slaps for loving Middle Earth as much as I do despite having never read the books until this year. For waht it’s worth, I now know how much I’ve missed out on. And I will be remedying my other two errors (The Two Towers and The Return of the King) very soon.

This is another book that spoke to my soul this year. I have written a (messy) full-length review of Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race. Feel free to read that at your own risk. In the review, I mention that one of my favorite sections of the book was “The Feminism Question.” And though the following passage mentions specific social justice issues by name, I believe it beautifully summarizes everything a modern, intersectional social justice movement should be about.

Okay, y’all. When I say this book shocked me, I do not mean that in a good way. I am shocked — and appalled — that The Guest List won the 2020 Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery & Thriller. I rant quite a bit about my problems with this book in my Goodreads review, so I’ll try to keep my criticisms here brief. Essesntially, my two biggest complaints with The Guest List are these: first, way too many characters had way too specific of a motive to commit the murder at the center of this novel; and, second, the author implicitly equates one character’s choice to get an abortion with a completely different character’s choice to — I shit you not — publish revenge porn of their ex. Foley villainizes these decisions as if they are on the same level of “evil.” And that is just not it.

Don’t worry; I’m not talking about Frankenstein again. Between his knockout debut, The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and this incredible sophomore outing, Stu Turton has quickly become an auto-buy author for me. Here, Turton blends historical fiction, supernatural horror, and classic murder-mystery vibes, all to excellent result. I spent mostof my reading experience alternating between trying to solve the mystery and trying to figure out the secrets of the demon that may or may not be haunting the characters of The Devil and the Dark Water. Honestly, this was probably one of the most fun reading experiences I had this year.

Speaking of books that were just fun to read, this was a blast. Becky Chambers just has a knack for writing characters in a way that makes you instantly want to be friends with them and/or to protect them at all costs. As I wrote in what is probably the shortest Goodreads review I’ll ever write: this book is just 400 pages of pure warm fuzzies.

Full disclosure: this book could have been an answer to so many questions on this survey. It is definitely a top-five read this year. The writing is stunning; the cover is gorgeous; the premise is original. I now want to read everything Marlon James has ever written. I’m trying my best not to repeat answers, though, so I’ve limited myself to just mentioning it here. Black Leopard, Red Wolf is an African-inspired adult fantasy whose world feels as rich and lived-in as the cultures that give the story its basis. I cannot recommend this book enough. That said, make sure to look up content and trigger warnings (or shoot me a message!) if you’re concerned about any sort of graphic violence. This is a beautiful book — but it’s also quite brutal.

This is another one that could have fit under several categories. The Hobbit is action-packed and thrilling. It’s fantastically quotable. I’m definitely kicking myself for waiting this long to pick it up. And I was surprised that I ended up loving it as much as I did. I knew I would like it well enough — I mean, it’s Middle Earth, of course I’d like it. However, given that The Hobbit was written for younger readers (namely Tolkien’s own children), I expected to find it a bit juvenile. Much to my pleasant surprise, while light-hearted and not as complex as the main Lord of the Rings stories, I thoroughly enjoyed following a lovable cast of characters through this monster-of-the-week storytelling style, featuring Tolkien’s signature splash of humor.

It takes a lot for a book to make me cry, and what is War and Peace, if not a lot? I was always much more invested in the “peace” parts than the “war” parts throughout my read. Both halves were incredibly well written, of course. It is Tolstoy after all. And if you’re into military strategy, I can totally see how the “war” parts would be riveting. For me, though, the most moving part of the story was the final interaction between Natasha and Andrei. The two of them just make me melt. Also, honorable mention here for The Only Good Indians. That ending was honestly incredible.

This is probably the newest release I read this year, so I’m not sure if it’s been out long enough to be classified as a “hidden gem.” Nevertheless, I’m going with it. Son of the Storm is another African-inspired fantasy, although it is much different and significantly less brutal than Black Leopard, Red Wolf. Danso is a fantastic protagonist; he’s likable, admirable, and sometimes a little dumb — but only in ways that prove he’s not flawless. Esheme is a brilliant antagonist as well, a hardass fantasy #GirlBoss if I’ve ever seen one. My only complaint about Son of the Storm is that I have to wait for the sequel!

Okay, I know I said I was trying not to repeat answers, but I can’t not reiterate how unique this book is. The pre-Columbian North America-inspired setting brought a much-needed refresh to a genre that seems obsessed with medieval, western (white) cultures. Simultaneously, though, it also felt familiar to me, as I have grown up learning about and surrounded by North American indigenous cultures. So that balance of fresh and familiar, combined with an incredibly unique world and story, created a wonderful reading experience.

The Secret History is a highly controversial book. It seems people either love it or hate it. So to say that my hating this book is an unpopular opinion is probably not accurate. But, friends, hate it I did. I wasn’t disappointed with this book because I had no expectations for it. I went into The Secret History with an open mind, I swear. However, I quickly grew frustrated with the characters, Tartt’s inconsistent writing, and the sheer circlejerkiness (yes, that’s a word now) of the text in general. The only good thing that came from my reading this is that I now have several points of evidence to use when discussing why this book was, to put it bluntly, not good.

Folks, I have the biggest case of FOMO from not having read this series yet. I have all three books on my shelf as we speak, and they haunt me every day they remain unopened. The past year has been filled with refreshing and culturally diverse fantasy stories. Despite that, I have yet to read a fantasy story inspired by southeast Asia. I plan to rectify that with this series and a few other books on my 2022 reading list. Here’s hoping I get to it soon!

I was instantly intrigued by this book when I saw that beautiful dragon staring out at me from the Sci-Fi and Fantasy aisle at my local Barnes & Noble. Then I learned that this is the first in a new series by the author of a different, apparently-beloved fantasy series: The Faithful and the Fallen. I don’t know how that series flew under my radar for so long, given that it has excellent ratings. I’m excited to check out John Gwynne’s latest release, and, if all goes well, I’ll have a new series to add to my TBR.

So I’m not sure if this question is asking about a book coming out next year that’s also the author’s debut novel. Regardless, I’m choosing a book that is the author’s debut, despite being released in 2015. The Traitor Baru Cormorant is another book that has been on my TBR for some time, and I’m excited to finally get to it. It’s fantasy, it’s political, it’s sapphic, and my body is ready.

If you’ve made it this far into the post, I don’t have to repeat how much I loved Black Leopard, Red Wolf. This book, its sequel, is set to recount many of the same events of Black Leopard, Red Wolf from a different character’s perspective. That character, Sogolon, a several-hundred-year-old moon witch, was one of my favorite characters in the last book. She’s witty, wise, mysterious, and very selfish. She also knows many things the characters in Black Leopard, Red Wolf don’t learn until late in their journies. The book comes out in mid-February, and I can’t wait to dive back into this world!