I read 53 books in 2021!
2021 was the year that I truly fell back in love with reading again. Although I wouldn’t say I ever fully fell out of love with the hobby, it had been a long time since I felt truly passionate and excited about it, the way I did as a child. I’m not sure what exactly it was about this year that changed; possibly my introduction to the r/52books forum, my discovery of the Libby app, just a conscious choice to prioritize reading again, or a combination of the three.
Whatever the reason, I read more books in 2021 than the previous 3 years combined. It was a pretty insane increase, and I was able to average about 1 book per week like I had planned.
However, after looking back at some of my reading statistics for the year, I’m a bit disappointed in the lack of diversity for reading material, author, and content. It’s one of the reasons I made reading bingo spread for 2022 – it’s a great motivator to widen your reading variety!
Here are some quick review of my favorite reads from the year, as well as some of my reading statistics from the year.
Reading Statistics
Race of Author
So, I read mostly white authors this year (37 books). However, I think I still ended up reading way more BIPOC authors this year than I have in the past, partly because I just read more book in general. As a mixed race individual myself, I’m a little bit ashamed of this particular statistic.
Birthplace of Author
Again, not a TON of variety here; certainly not as much as I would like. Most of the authors I read were born in the United States. However, there were more countries on here than I expected, even though I didn’t really read many per country.
Gender of Author
I was really sad to realize that I didn’t read any transgender or non-binary authors this year. I made sure to prioritize those two kinds of voices for the start of 2022, and included some of those reads in my January Reading Round-up and February Reading Round-up.
Genres Read
This particular statistic is a little misleading. I don’t typically read a ton of Science Fiction, but I read the entirety of The Expanse series on audiobook last year, and that bumped the numbers up for that genre significantly. Other than that, I didn’t stray too far from my typical genres. Lots of memoirs & auto-biographies! No shock there.
Other Statistics
Most of what I read this year I rented from the library, primarily in digital format, either e-book or audiobook. I read more fiction than non-fiction, and listened to about 1/3rd of the total books on audio. This was my first year really listening to audiobooks, but it’s a habit I will definitely continue for a longtime.
Favorite Non-Fiction Books from 2021
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
I can’t put into words how touching and heart-breaking this memoir was. After watching a loved one of my own slowly die in 2021, Zauner was able to verbalize difficult and complex thoughts and emotions I had felt and continue to feel about the situation, which is honestly so freeing. It’s certainly not a light or easy read, but it is nevertheless an important story of family, culture, food, and unending love.
The Choice by Edith Eger
Part memoir and part self-help book, Edith Eger combines her personal experiences of surviving persecution during the Holocaust with her professional experience of being a psychologist to weave a tragic yet uplifting story about perseverance, self-reflection, and healing. While I thought some of the case study examples were slightly unnecessary, or not particularly well integrated to the larger story, this was overall a fantastic and moving read. It’s a palatable book that could be helpful for anyone recovering from traumatic experiences of their own.
It's Ok That You're Not Ok by Megan Devine
This is a heavy book that I had to read in small chunks, as I read it a few weeks after my grandmother passed away. It has so much good information and important insights into grief that were helpful for me as I navigated deep grief for the first time. It is a very validating and therapeutic book.
Much like Edith Eger, Megan Devine, a psychotherapist, also combines her professional experience in psychotherapy with her personal experience of losing her life partner suddenly and tragically. This is the first book I recommend to anyone experiencing any sort of grief.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
This book was pleasantly profound. A lot of self-help books or memoirs written by upper class white women tend to run together, but I think Doyle provided a lot of deep and meaningful insight into some tough topics like religion, trauma, healing, and the overall process of imagining, reimagining, deconstructing, and rebuilding what you think your life should look like.
I especially love and relate to the way she talks about God; how God is not something you find in church or a set of doctrines or dictations from other humans, but something you find in the deepest and truest part of yourself. I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook of this, which Doyle herself narrates.
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Another heavy but deeply important book in which van der Kolk provides explanation and analyses of how trauma, at any stage in our lives (but particularly in childhood) can literally alter our physiology for years to come. It examines symptoms of trauma and PTSD, and analyzes common treatment methods and their efficacy, among other information.
I think this book is a great resource for anyone who is dealing with their own trauma or who regularly deals with someone/people who have experienced deep trauma.
Favorite Fiction Books from 2021
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
The plot reads more like a memoir than typical fiction. The main character Gifty’s non-linear recollection of her past is meant to help her make sense of her and her family’s trauma as much as she can.
I felt such a deep connection to this book that’s hard to verbalize. As the daughter of an immigrant, someone who has struggled with organized religion, and the loved one of someone who struggles with substance abuse and addiction, so many parts of this story resonate. This book is now a top contender for my favorite book of all time.
Circe by Madeline Miller
The hype for this book is absolutely justified. Madeline Miller, the queen of poetic metaphors, takes parts of stories from Greek mythology and weaves together an empowering and moving coming-of-age story of Circe. Although Circe is a demi-God witch, she much prefers the comforts and company of the human world to that of her family of dieties.
Madeline Miller’s ability to create such a beautiful and unique story out of material that most of us will remember from high school English class is remarkable. I’m very much looking forward to reading The Song of Achilles soon, as I have also heard excellent things about that novel.
Parable of the Talents (Earthseed #2) by Octavia Butler
This is one of the rare instances in which I like a sequel more than the original; however, both Parable of the Talents and Parable of the Sower are remarkable books. After the main character Lauren’s childhood compound, a haven against a post-apocalyptic society, is destroyed, she sets out with a group of friends to establish a new community called Earthseed.
While Parable of the Sower details Lauren’s journey to the new community and sets up her character and beliefs, Parable of the Talents provides an in depth look at that society and the challenges it faces, as well as the bonds that hold it together. On top of being a riveting story with an endearing main character, I really love and relate to Lauren’s philosophical and religious ideas. Both books in these series led to a lot of introspection, and I enjoyed them both immensely.
Tiamat's Wrath (Expanse #8) by James S.A. Corey
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Although I’m not usually into science fiction, I absolutely gobbled up the entirety of The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey on audiobook last year. Even though I watched the show first, I enjoyed all of the books, and the wide cast of characters that the core crew of the Rocinante meet and engage with as they embark amongst the stars.
However, Tiamat’s Wrath, the penultimate book in the series, takes the cake as my favorite. While most of the books have some spots where the pace slows, every character perspective and plot point in this story was highly engaging, and kept me on the edge of my seat. I won’t give any spoilers away, but I will say this: Like a fuckin’ Valkyrie. *sobbing ensues*
Call Your Daughter Home by Deb Spera
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This book wasn’t really on my radar before I listened to it on audio, but I ended up really enjoying both the story and the audiobook performance. Call Your Daughter Home is a historical fiction novel from the perspective for three different women in the Deep South, just before the Dust Bowl.
Although all of the mothers differ in socio-economic status and race, they have many similarities in both demeanor and drive, and are fiercely loyal to those they love. The way that each of their stories eventually weave together was touching and tragic.
How many books did you end up reading in 2021? Which one was your favorite?
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