At the end of 2020, I found myself coming to a sad realization–I didn’t read for pleasure anymore. Sure, I read every day: for work, for growth, for social media captions, but gone were the days of sitting in my favorite corner of the couch getting engrossed in a story for fun. So with the new year just around the corner, I decided it was the perfect time to challenge myself and fall back in love with a hobby I missed. Luckily, my husband felt the same, so we decided to do it together. 

In 2021, I challenged myself to read 30 books that were new to me. I ended the year having read 32 books and walked away with a fresh appreciation for a hobby I let slip out of my life for so long. So, if you’re in the same situation and looking for some recommendations, these are some of my favorite books I read in 2021:

East of Eden by John Steinbeck


This book is a classic for a reason. I went into it with a mindset that it would be boring but worth reading just for the sake of saying I had, and this book wrecked me. It’s not only the best book I read in 2021 but also one of the best books I’ve read, period. John Steinbeck takes you on a journey as you watch two families intertwine and generationally repeat the fall of Adam and Eve, as well as the sibling rivalry between Cain and Abel. Set in the early farmlands of California, East of Eden tackles the complexities of man and our most primal relational struggles.

 

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss


This book also took me by surprise during my reading journey. My husband read it before me and raved about it nonstop until I decided to pick it up myself. In the first installment of this fantasy journey, you’re listening to a man named Kvothe tell the story of his life and how he set out to master the magic of this world and learn the name of the wind. The world-building in this book is unmatched, and the writing style will make any reader remember why they love to read in the first place.

 

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr


This book goes beyond your typical World War II novel and adds in a mysterious jewel, a devoted father-daughter relationship, and an inevitable meeting between two unlikely people. I’ll be the first to admit that the market is often oversaturated with books revolving around World War II, but this one is worth picking up because it’s just that good. Readers will follow the life of a blind French girl, Marie-Laure, and orphan, Werner Pfennig. The tension of their building storylines adds richness and suspense to their life-changing meeting point as they navigate the world changing around them during the war.

 

I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak 


Ed Kennedy is an average guy living an average life until he finds himself stopping a bank robbery one day. Ed is then sent an ace card in the mail, which sends him on to help others around the city, but the big question is: who is sending him to these people? In this book, you’ll get a hefty dose of humor, a mystery, and even a little romance, all wrapped up in Marcus Zusak’s famous writing style. A must-read, especially for those who were fans of The Book Thief!