General Books / Top Ten Tuesday

#TopTenTuesday: Best Books I Read in 2021

Dini @ dinipandareads51 Comments

So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: Best Books I Read in 2021

I’m always terrible at answering prompts that ask for my “best” anything 😂 I know I’ve read some amazing books but it’s also been a very weird reading year? I’ve read a lot but I’ve had a hard time retaining much of what I’ve read but also, I’ve had a hard time focusing on reading, in general, this year! I’ve only had a few 5-star reads this year so it is a bit surprising that I’m having trouble picking a top 10… but in the end, I decided to not include series’ on the list and now, before I keep waffling on, let’s get to it!

JADE CITY

I wanted to clump Jade War with Jade City because they are undoubtedly two of my best reads in 2021 but this series has quickly risen to the top of my all-time favourite books and series so I decided to just leave it at Jade City. I’ll be reading the finale, Jade Legacy, next year so these books will definitely be mentioned again (multiple times lol).

THE GODDESS OF NOTHING AT ALL

Another fantastic indie fantasy debut that WRECKED me in the best way. If you love Norse Mythology, richly developed and unapologetically queer characters, you should 100% check this out.

Check out my review

THE HAND OF THE SUN KING

I still can’t believe this is a debut! This was an exquisitely written character-driven slow-burn fantasy and I think it deserves so much more recognition! I’m so glad this got on my radar.

Check out my review

THE ONES WE’RE MEANT TO FIND

Joan He’s imagination and ability to beautifully craft such a gripping climate science-fiction mystery with raw and realistically flawed characters is astounding. Plus, this is probs one of my favourite covers of 2021! 😍

Check out my review

SIX CRIMSON CRANES

I’m a big fan of Lim’s gorgeous world-building and East Asian inspired fantasies full of magic and folklore! This story is undoubtedly as stunning as its cover 😍

Check out my review

The DEATH OF VIVEK OJI

I can’t believe it took me until this year to read this book but I’m so glad I finally did. This had me twisted up in the worst and best ways and left me bawling like a baby by the end.

Check out my review

THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS

This is probably one of the most hyped books of 2021 and I’m so glad it lived up to the hype for me! Olive and Adam had me endlessly giggling like a silly goose and I loved every minute of it! 😂

Check out my review

Battle royal

This was another swoontastic nemesis to lovers romance full of cheeky banter and all the baked goods! Sylvie and Dom are *chefs kiss*. This deserves so much more hype!

take a hint, dani brown

Dani and Zaf quickly became one of my favourite romance couples ever! Zaf is also one of my top book boyfriends? They’re both so precious 😍

Check out my review

ever after always

I’m a huge fan of Liese’s inclusive romances—they never fail to make me swoon! I don’t normally read marriage-in-crisis romances but this one had me all up in my feels.

Check out my review

And here are some honourable mentions because I can’t not…? 😬

And those are some of my favourite reads of 2021, friends! Have you read any of these or are they on your TBR? What were some of your favourite reads this year? I’d happily take recs! 😃

51 thoughts on “#TopTenTuesday: Best Books I Read in 2021”

  1. Great list! Love seeing the praise for Battle Royal. 😍 Can’t wait for the next book! My list ended up being 21 books long. 😂 I guess it’s perfect for the year.

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  2. I clumped all of the Jade series with Jade Legacy! Definitely, one of the best series I’ve read! I saw Skin of the Sea and almost grabbed it at Barnes and Noble yesterday (half off hardcovers!) and I didn’t. I should have!! I’m so glad you had a great reading year, Dini!! I hope that 2022 is great too… many more buddy reads! ❤

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    • Aah, I can’t wait to read Jade Legacy. I’m defo gonna prioritise that in 2022! It might not be a Jan read but hopefully February! I know I’m not ready for it and that’s 99% why I want to keep pushing it off. LOL! Aah, you should’ve picked up Skin of the Sea (so jelly of the half-off sale btw!) but defo one to keep in mind for next time. I really enjoyed it 😍 And YES! I’m so ready for our buddy reads, Leslie!!!

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      • Well you can definitely message me your thoughts as you make your way through it. I’m here to support you through your read of Jade Legacy! 🙂 It’s tough but so worth it. I totally understand. I’ve pushed off the endings for books several times. One of them it’s been over a year but I’m going to prioritize it soon! I know, we got lucky! I wish they would do it on paperbacks! haha. I would be BROKE!!! I think Skin of the Sea is half off on amazon, I’ll get it off there right now! Yay, Can’t wait!!! 🙂 ❤

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  5. I LOVE seeing Liese’s and Hazelwood’s books on here! Those are two great reads. I bought my daughter Six Crimson Cranes (on your recommendation) for Christmas for my 13 year old and she already finished it. She LOVED IT. She’s a little upset she has to wait so long for the second book. Haha!

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    • I’m so looking forward to reading more romances by Hazelwood. If they’re anything as amazing as TLH then I know I’m gonna love love love them! 😍 And I love Liese, so it’s no surprise her book has made it on this list LOL. Aaaah, I’m SO GLAD that your daughter loved SCC! I’m upset we have to wait so long for the second book as well 😂 If she enjoyed SCC then I would rec Lim’s first duology. The world building is amazing!

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  8. I love the cover of The Ones We’re Meant To Find, too. I saw a Barnes & Noble-exclusive edition marked down to $4.50 in the store and was tempted to buy it just for the bargain, but I haven’t read it yet so I don’t know how important the bonus content would be for me. I hope someone who loves it as much as you bought it instead.

    I don’t know all of these, but I enjoyed reading your mini-blurbs and appreciate the links to full reviews as well. Great post.

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    • The cover of TOWMTF is definitely one of my faves. It’s so gorgeous 🥰 Ooh, I’m curious about the bonus content. I have a signed copy from a book box but I don’t think it has bonus content (now I’m gonna have to check it out cos I read the ARC)!

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  9. I love your list – so many I want to check out! Battle Royal and Take a Hint are some of my favorites from this year, too, and yes! totally in love with Zaf! (which, as my book club will tell you, is pronounced ZAAAAAAAAAAAAF, lol)

    Here’s to another great year of reading in 2022!

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    • OMG YES!!! I’m definitely up for a buddy read but February might work better for me, if that’s OK with you? My Jan is kinda drowning in tours 😂 I was gonna rec Hand of the Sun King to you but it’s a slower paced fantasy that I think you have to be in the right mood for lol

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  18. How is it that I haven’t read any of these??!! We always have books in common. Ha! I’m excited to finally pick up The Love Hypothesis, Take a Hint, and hopefully I can FINALLY get to the Bergman Brothers series. Happy reading in 2022! ❤

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  19. Some of these look super cute, which is always the kind of read I’m HERE for. Hoping I find some good ones in that type of genre next year. 🙂 Bunches of thanks for visiting Finding Wonderland, Dini. I appreciate this.

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  23. Oh, hai. You definitely got me with The Goddess of Nothing At All. I obviously need that book in my life. *flails* I haven’t read Skin of the Sea yet but I definitely want to! That synopsis! That cover! Ugh. Not surprised to see Klune in your honorable mentions, too. :3 That book was a lot of fun!

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