Everything I Read in 2021!

01/01/2022

Every year I do my literary round up and every year it sparks off lovely conversations - whether that be with fellow fans of similar books or those that use this list as a jumping off point for their next read. If you’re in the latter camp I’ve included some categorisation/genre information for each book which might make finding what you’re looking for a bit easier.

Confession time: This is the first year since I started setting GoodReads challenges that I didn’t quite hit the number. For the last few days of 2021 the thought of leaving that little progress bar hanging pained me to the degree that I sifted through my books to gauge what I might be able to speed through before the end of 2021, even downloading short stories on Kindle and picking up plays. I put the kibosh on that this morning though because, as much as I like to hit a target once I set it, I also never want to make reading something I do as a competition. It is first and foremost a pleasure and while, in the last two years, I’ve made a real effort to diversify my bookshelf and read outside of my comfort zone - which sometimes means the process can be more difficult and less natural - I don’t think that simply reading speedily to hit a pre-ordained number would have any actual benefits.

The number I set for this year was probably too high anyway, influenced by the unprecedented (that bloody word) amount of reading I got done in 2020 (for obvious reasons) and the Bookstagrammers who proudly advertise the 100+ books they’ve managed year on year. This is one of those situations where quality should come way above quantity and, if real life intervenes, you should always be prepared to put the book down and take part (not my forte).

Sorry, yes, I know. You’re waiting for the books.

PS. If any book takes your fancy just click on the image and you’ll be linked to my affiliate page on Bookshop.org!

NOVELS

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(fiction, metafiction, magical realism)

Baby’s first Rushdie! Seriously though I’ve wanted to read Salman Rushdie for many years and naturally I figured my first would be Midnight’s Children. However, as I’ve mentioned here before, my husband wanted to up his reading and we decided - particularly while we were locked up together at home 24/7 - that we’d have our own little book club. He’d just started Quichotte and was loving it so he bought a second copy and I tentatively started reading. I was surprised to really enjoy Rushdie’s writing. Due to his politically charged career I was expecting something really heavy, particularly because Quichotte was a reimagining of Don Quixote which I’ve only experienced as an unfeasibly long ballet. What I got instead was a metafictional rollicking ride with a narrator, a misguided love quest, an imaginary son, a talking cricket and a city overrun with dinosaurs. It critiques and satirises much of modern day life, with a particularly affecting scene about racism in America. It’s quite a strange book but I found it so intriguing, populated by interesting characters and bizarre storylines.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(multi-character, women’s stories, LGBTQ, racism, spans long time frame)

This is another one vying for the top spot in my books of the year! I put off reading Girl, Woman, Other for ages. I’d never read any Bernadine Evaristo before and was worried about how ‘experimental’ everyone said it was. When I finally picked it up for book club I loved it, almost from the off. It has everything I never knew I wanted in a book. There’s certainly a degree of experimentation there - Evaristo doesn’t use quotation marks for speech, each chapter is told from the point of view of a new character and it’s unclear if or how these all slot together until right at the end. However it’s actually a very easy read. Evaristo has a background in playwriting which felt immediately obvious to me, her characters jump off the page and the dialogue is crackling and alive. I know they’re making a TV adaptation (and maybe a stage one too?) and I really, really can’t wait. My only concern is that I can’t imagine it being better than the book!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(multi-cultural, British-Antiguan, racism in UK, homophobia within Carribean community, post-natal depression, humour)

After falling in love with Girl, Woman, Other I immediately declared myself an Evaristo fangirl and prepared to read everything she’d ever written. Mr Loverman was one I’d been intrigued by years earlier in the library so I was delighted when my Mum gifted me a three month subscription to Shelterbox Book Club and it was the first book. Particularly pleased too when I discovered Evaristo would be joining us for a Zoom chat. Mr Loverman immediately began vying with Girl, Woman, Other for my affections as it’s such a wonderfully written and moving story. Barrington Jedidiah Walker, a Septuagenarian British-Antiguan man, is unhappily married to Carmel with whom he has two adult daughters. He’s also secretly in a long term homosexual relationship with his childhood best friend Morris. When Morris gives him an ultimatum to finally leave Carmel and commit to their relationship, Barrington’s life is turned upside down. This book split readers in the book club as our allegiances were all over the place - we felt for Barry, but he was also awful in so many ways. Carmel was a pain but was also in pain. Evaristo’s talent for dialogue shone through once again and every character was fully realised and completely three dimensional.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Family saga, Judaism, LGBT, Civil Rights)

Easily one of my top reads of the year. I recommended it to so many women I know including my mum and my writing group, and I’ve yet to meet someone who didn’t love it too. It’s a sweeping family saga following two sisters - Jo and Beth - throughout their lives. I loved seeing both their perspectives, watching them grow up and into their identities. Weiner tackles a few key central issues in the novel, body image, familial pressure, Jewishness, racism and sexual identity. The personal stories of the sisters are set against a backdrop of the civil rights movement, lending an authenticity and context to their experiences. The characters are so fleshed out and fully realised that I almost wouldn’t be surprised if you told me they weren’t fictional after all. Just a perfect book. Full review HERE.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(power dynamics, consent, teacher-student relationship, abuse, #MeToo, depression)

I knew, before I even laid hands on this book that it was 100% for me and I was right. My Dark Vanessa is an incredibly well-written novel about sex, consent, power dynamics, trauma, coming-of-age and just so, so much more. I know some people really struggle with the Lolita-vibes in this book so it’s probably worth swerving if that might apply to you, but otherwise I cannot recommend this more. My full review is HERE.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(mental illness, humour, marriage breakdown, family, strong sisterly relationship)

Sorrow and Bliss was a huge hit in 2021 and I’m totally on board with the hype. The novel is written in the first person and follows Martha at a point where her marriage is breaking down. The story flips between past and present, unravelling Martha’s life from the moment ‘a little bomb exploded’ in her brain when she was 17. What follows is a nuanced and empathetic rendering of a life consumed by mental illness and its impact on both the sufferer and those around them. Though there are many humorous moments in the book, I found it extremely sad but relatable. I think it’s a book that will mean different things to different people and perhaps, to some, nothing at all but I loved it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(mental illness, death, family, relationships, LGBTQ, religion, mystery, humorous)

This 2021 release is in a similar vein to Bliss and Sorrow, although it’s also totally unique. Gilda is a twenty-seven year old woman struggling with life when she visits a church looking for free therapy and is instead mistakenly interviewed for a job as the Church receptionist. A few lies later (she claims she’s Catholic and conceals the fact she’s a lesbian) she’s offered the job, replacing the recently deceased Grace. Gilda’s life is messy: she’s lying at work, her family isn’t dealing with the fact that her brother is an addict, she can’t seem to commit to the girlfriend she clearly adores, she’s obsessed with death, is a hypochondriac attending A&E regularly and has got some mental issues that aren’t being addressed. She’s very frustrating and inconsistent but I couldn’t help but care for her. She is so deeply empathetic that, when a friend of Grace emails the receptionist account, she replies as Grace rather than tell an old woman that her friend is dead. It’s obvious that life is overwhelming for someone like Gilda and that, for many people, is a relatable sensation. Though the book covers quite a lot of ground, Gilda’s voice is unique and compelling throughout.

*thanks to netgalley for a free digital ARC

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(LGBTQ, trans experience, co-parenting, modern family, detransition)

There was A LOT of drama when Detransition, Baby made the Women’s Prize longlist last year. Some people were furious that a transgender woman would be included in that category. I wasn’t one of those people and it made me even more eager to read Detransition, Baby. Luckily for me, I was gifted a copy by Kate Leaver who bought a bunch from our joint local bookshop Queen’s Park Books to give away in protest at the backlash. There were a few moments early on in the book where I felt a bit at sea with it. My experience with trans friends has always been very much about their gender and what it’s like to live freely in the world. Torrey Peters delves right into a risque, sexual side that made me initially uncomfortable. It wasn’t that I thought any of it was wrong whatsoever, it was more that I feared it would give the anti-trans protestors fuel. However I want to be clear that my opinion changed. That element of the book is necessary to truly understand the characters and I thought Peters explored it in an incredibly effective way. The story revolves around a transwoman called Reece, her ex Ames (recently detransitioned) and Ame’s current girlfriend, a cis-woman called Katrina. When Katrina becomes pregnant, Ames panics about his ability to be a father so he contacts Reece, suggesting that they could perhaps raise the baby as a three. A complicated story follows as all three grapple with their gender, sexuality and feelings about parenthood. I’ve never read a fictional book from a trans perspective before and I found the insights completely eye-opening. I can only imagine how wonderful this book must be if Peters is speaking your own truth.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (racism, publishing industry, thriller)

I read this right at the top of the year and, as it’s a thriller, I can’t possibly remember every twist and turn now! This was a one of a kind novel and I particularly liked how Harris managed to genuinely critique the publishing industry while simultaneously weaving an intriguing fictional tale of threat and mystery. I felt like I was consistently entertained while also being educated on a world and situation I couldn’t ever personally experience in the same way myself. My full review is HERE.

*thanks to netgalley for a free digital ARC

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(sequel, ice hockey, small town in Sweden, sexual assault, LGBTQ, mob mentality)

Oh my lovely lovely Frederik Backman. If you haven’t read the Beartown series I’d like you to start doing that right now. Yes it’s about ice hockey in a small, fictional Swedish town. Yes that does seem like it would be boring. But no, no it is not. Us Against You is the sequel to Beartown and it’s just as beautifully written. It cannot, for me, rank higher than the original which will always have my heart but it was an excellent sequel, picking up exactly where it left off and re-introducing us to the characters we loved. There’s a particularly clever depiction of a politician using the small town’s needs for personal gain, which was simultaneously funny and depressing plus some truly hair raising moments. I’m so happy to have been able to return to Beartown.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(romance, university, Ireland, depression, young adult life)

While everyone in the world was crushing on Rooney’s 2021 release, I was finally picking up Normal People. Since I’m strongly impacted by hype I have somehow avoided knowing very much about the book at all and I also banned my household from watching the TV Series back in 2020. Dramatic behaviour aside, this all paid off because I was pleasantly surprised by Normal People. I found it really easy reading and was always reaching for the book in any spare moment. I can’t say I fell in love with the characters, or that I think about the story regularly, but I can totally see why Rooney is popular and look forward to reading another of her books soon. My full review is HERE.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(dystopian, racism, family)

While I thought this book was a fantastic slow-burning dystopian thriller, I have to admit I really wish I hadn’t read it, particularly in the middle of a pandemic. I don’t want Alam to feel bad, but his book messed with my mind so thoroughly that it genuinely impacted my mental health. While this is a little alarming (though let’s be honest, many of us were due some kind of breakdown after the couple of years we’ve just had) I do also think it shows how deftly Alam wrote a book about the world we live in. The reason I struggled so much in the aftermath of reading it really is because of how plausible everything in the novel is. It starts with a white family settling into a swish Airbnb until they’re interrupted by an older black couple claiming to be the house’s owners, claiming that something has gone awry in the outside world and asking to stay. There’s no actual clarity on what’s happening so, for a while, the couple simply have to be either trusted or turfed out, either decision having potential blowback as well as revealing the inhabitants’ own biases. As the world around them begins to fall apart, the dependence we as humans have on technology is brought into sharp focus. I thought it was excellently executed and actually really enjoyed reading the novel. HERE, in fact, is the glowing review I wrote before I developed some sort of bookish PTSD.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Slow paced, poetic prose, community & nature)

The second book in our husband-wife reading club. This was my first Jon McGregor book and it took me a really long time to get into it. He writes in a very specific way, almost at a remove from the action and focuses on communities as a whole rather than individual characters. Even when dramatic events occur, the book takes a step back and simply comments on the collective response from afar. At first I found this frustrating, more used to plot-centric narratives and character lead stories. Slowly though, I was seduced by the gentle pace, by the intertwining of human life and nature and by the time I put the book down I was sad to leave the village I’d come to know so well.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(death, Egyptology, split timelines, alternative universes)

I know Picoult is a bit of a marmite writer but I’ve enjoyed almost everything I’ve ever read by her. The Book of Two Ways felt, in some ways, like a bit of a departure from her usual style although it still did the thing I love where she takes a taboo or ethically questionable topic and grapples aggressively with it. The topic in this book is death, with the central character of Dawn working in the field - first as an Egyptologist uncovering tombs and later as a death doula, helping with the admin and emotion of dying. I thought the topic was really well-explored and was fascinated by much of the Egyptian history featured. However my book club was split, with the biggest complaint being that it felt like Picoult wanted to show off her research of Egyptology. I agree actually as, though impressive, there were vast swathes of text that read like a textbook. Still, another good read from Picoult in my opinion.

🎧 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(experimental, stream of consciousness, sexual assault)

I mulled over reading this for ages. It’s much more experimental literature than I usually enjoy but I loved the idea of following one woman’s thoughts throughout an entire day. In the end I quickly listened on audio because I managed to get last minute tickets for the stage adaptation at Hampstead Theatre and wanted to hear the text first. The book was interesting on audio, particularly as the author was narrating, so it felt like experiencing it as she meant it be received. The stage adaptation completely elevated it for me though and brought alive the humour, the despair and the storyline in a way that I loved. At some point I may also read the original text because it feels like the experience is hugely different depending on the medium.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Icelandic fiction, translated fiction, homophobia, women’s rights, ambition, sexuality, 1960s)

I bought this translated fiction novella for my sister as I thought it sounded quirky and, despite loving Iceland, neither of us had ever read anything by an Icelandic novelist. As soon as she read it she passed it onto me with instructions to read quickly so we could discuss it and I have done as ordered! Like nothing I’ve ever read, Ólafsdóttir’s writing style is at once totally readable and very strange. If I was discussing this book as a work in progress with my writing group there’s so much I would pinpoint as a problem. The protagonist, Hekla, holds us at arm’s length throughout the novel and relationships are often superficially explored. All the characters Hekla is close to, her friends, her boyfriend, her brother, are constantly depicted by way of their most extreme moments or emotions, one friend speaking almost exclusively in long, meandering monologues. Despite, or perhaps because of all of this I found myself gripped by Miss Iceland. Sixties Reykjavik is grim compared to the progressive, beautiful city we’ve visited, and the main focus of the novel is Hekla’s attempt to become a writer and an independent woman in a male dominated society. She’s a quietly determined woman, a staunch supporter of her much loved best friend Jon, who is sinking under the weight of the struggle of living as a gay man in a homophobic society. While Ólafsdóttir is seemingly talking endlessly about canapes and Ulysses and volcanoes and cats, we accompany Hekla on a moving journey as she and Jon attempt to find their places in a world that fights them at every turn.

⭐⭐⭐

(WWII, patriotism, women’s

Yours Cheerfully is the sequel to Dear Mrs Bird, a fantastic novel about Emmie, a wannabe war correspondent, who gets a job assisting the agony aunt at a women’s magazine during WWII. Yours Cheerfully catches up with Emmie on a brand new mission to use journalism to help better the lives of British women and help in the war effort. I loved Dear Mrs Bird and I remain a staunch fan of Emmie. However I found Yours Cheerfully to be a bit of a disappointing sequel. The pace felt very slow and the tone I’d loved so much the first time round jarred a little bit. However, though I found the first half of the novel a bit of a slog, it absolutely picked up after that and I finally felt Pearce had rediscovered the magic of her first novel.

*thanks to netgalley for a free digital ARC

⭐⭐⭐

(millennial, artist, adultery, sex, race, class)

Luster is a book about a Black 23 year old woman - Edie - who is living a pretty grim life. She doesn’t like her job, is having an affair with a rich White married man and lives in an overpriced, grotty apartment. When she loses her job and moves in with her lover’s family, things - naturally - get complicated. It’s an intriguing premise and I know that for many Luster was a highlight of their 2021 reading. I thought the prose was beautiful and appreciated the biting wit with which Leilani delved into the disparities for Edie at work and in her relationship. The book was very dark, quite sad and I spent a lot of it alternatively feeling depressed, dismissive and then guilty which probably means it did some good dislodging of internal biases and preconceptions. Ultimately I struggled with how bizarre the novel became as the story progressed. I couldn’t connect with the characters or the way everyone’s intentions and desires kept slipping out of reach, everyone was just very, very weird. It isn’t a book I’ve particularly remembered or recommended personally since reading it but I think it’s far to say that thousands of others absolutely have so, you know, art is subjective!

🎧 - ⭐⭐⭐

(sci-fi, futuristic, AI, sickness, love)

This was the first Ishiguro I’ve ever read and had high hopes since it was such a feted release. I listened to this on audio and I really wish I'd read it myself because the narration began well but became monotonous and was so slow that I increased the playback speed. I do feel that part of this was due to the fact that the book is written in the first person from the POV of an AI, so I understand it’s a natural choice for an actor to make. Klara and the Sun is a really interesting story, albeit one I can’t really flesh out here for fear of spoilers. There was something wonderful about seeing the world through a newcomer’s eyes and there was a touching exploration of illness and familial love that I enjoyed. It has a sort of sci-fi bent without being inaccessible which I also appreciated.

⭐⭐⭐

(Colombian, war veterans, poverty)

And the third and final book in our husband/wife reading club! This is the first Marquez book I’ve ever finished and I have quite mixed feelings about it. It’s quite compelling, reeling you into this strange tale where a veteran colonel waits and waits (for 15 years at this point) for the letter that will change his life and pay out his military pension, and it had some fantastic imagery. I can still see the old man trying to make his coffee out of the dregs and carefully carrying around a rooster while his wife struggles with asthma. Truthfully though I wasn’t sad to finish it and felt somewhat lost by the end. Reading about the context of the period of time Marquez was writing about, particularly the experience of living under martial law in Colombia, made me understand much more about the story but without doing that research I wouldn’t say I would have gleaned the same appreciation of the text. I have plans to read more Marquez but I’m not confident it’s going to be for me.

⭐⭐

(family drama, cruise ship, mental illness, trauma)

This was one of my least favourite books of the year. I love a family drama and I was sure this’d be a win for me, particularly as it was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and in general I’ve loved a lot of her choices. Although there were definite high points: I thought the structure - following a cruise ship’s itinerary - was fantastic, the general depiction of cruise ship life was also both spot on and gently satirical and there was lots to like about the complicated characters that made up the family. Ultimately however I really struggled to engage with the story or care enough about the outcome. There were an astonishing number of serious issues crammed into a pretty funny, light reading novel and it just didn’t all come together for me.

*thanks to netgalley for a free digital ARC

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Lighter read, romance, friends-to-lovers, multi-country)

Two books down and I can probably call myself an Emily Henry fan, albeit one waiting impatiently for her next Book Lovers to be released. Both You and Me on Vacation and her earlier novel Beach Reads are intelligent, playful romances with compelling characters, messy backstories and just the right amount of steam. Beach Reads was easily my number one - it had such an interesting central premise of two authors (and love interests) swapping genres as a writing challenge, and I’m hoping for more literary love in Book Lovers. I missed that aspect in You and Me on Vacation but it was still well-written, heartfelt and had an excellent amount of will-they-won’t-they drama right at the end.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(humorous, reality TV satire, anti-romance)

If you peer through my list you’ll have noticed that in 2021 I turned to light-hearted fiction (chick-lit, romance, up-lit etc.) more than usual because of, well, everything! I really enjoyed this break from heavier reads and found a few that I particularly enjoyed. The Shelf by Helly Acton was right up there - a cool premise well-executed. Amy gets dumped live onscreen as part of a reality TV show where women compete to be crowned ‘The Keeper’. I was delighted to find it perfectly balanced silliness with taking a proper pop at reality TV and the standards women are held up to in society and in relationships (including those we unnecessarily hold ourselves up to). It took me a while to properly warm to the central character of Amy as she didn’t seemed quite plain in comparison with the characters around her, but slowly she came into her own. An easy, delightful read.

⭐⭐⭐

(best friends, relationships, betrayals)

I’ve read all of Lucy Vine’s books as I find her delightful. Her debut, Hot Mess, is still my favourite both of her books and also maybe of the genre in particular. Bad Choices follows best friends and birthday twins Natalie and Zoe over a number of years as their friendship evolves. There’s a lot going on in this book which elevates it above a simple light read, and Lucy is fantastic at building a whole world that these girls (and then women) live in together. Sometimes the book feels a bit chock full with all the topics it seeks to address but, ultimately, it always comes back to the relationship between Natalie and Zoe which I really like. Lucy Vine’s books always celebrate friendship over romantic relationships and that makes them such refreshing reads.

⭐⭐⭐

(romance, New York, new beginnings, very steamy)

I picked this up for an end of year read as it looked like festive fun. It actually wasn’t very festive at all, despite being set at Christmas, but what it was was extremely steamy! Look at that innocent, sweet book cover! Though I found the interplay between the sweetness and the raw sexuality of the lead character a little jarring, I thought this was a well-written romance with a difference. Stella is fresh out of prison and trying to get her life back on track when she meets Aiden as they’re both peering into the display window outside upmarket store Vivant. Stella, an aspiring window dresser, applies for the job Vivant is advertising and soon discovers that her potential new boss is Aiden. I sped through this and really enjoyed all the characters and the will-they-won’t-they between Stella and Aiden. The ex-prisoner narrative worked well and made for a change from the usual backstories in these sorts of novels.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(festive romance, Chanukkah themed, Judaism, NYC)

I love a Christmas romance but I was delighted this year to come across this Chanukkah one! Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a Rabbi’s daughter and used to being a pillar of the Jewish community. She has a shameful secret though: not only does she love Christmas but she’s actually a very successful Christmas romance novelist under a pseudonym. When her publisher demands a Chanukkah themed book as part of their diversity drive, Rachel doesn’t know how to make Chanukkah as magical as Christmas. Then her old summer school flame Jacob comes back to town to throw the city’s first major Chanukkah party, The Matzah Ball, and Rachel realises she needs to do anything to get her hands on a ticket. I was so happy to find this novel and really enjoyed it. The author, Jean Meltzer, is actually an ex-rabbinical student so I loved how educational the book was about many aspects of Judaism. Both the author and the lead character suffer from ME, a chronic illness, and the representation of that in the book was fantastic. My mother (who has Crohn’s/ME) she said it was the first time she’d ever really seen herself represented in a novel. The actual romance element was a little disappointing, I didn’t particularly root for the characters and nor did the attraction build much throughout the book. That aside, totally recommend for a fun though insightful read.

⭐⭐⭐

(light, easy-reading, revenge drama)

If you read my yearly roundups you’ll probably have noted that there’s almost always a Jane Fallon book in there. Essentially if she’s written one that year, I’ve read it. I love Fallon’s books because they’re easy reads, sort of chick-lit meets revenge fantasy, with loads of twists and turns. With a background in TV she’s just excellent at plot - fast-paced, something’s always happening types of plot. However it’s worth noting that having now read so many of her novels the formula is now familiar to me and I find myself correctly predicting the twists earlier and earlier. I highly recommend her first few books - particularly Foursome and Getting Rid of Matthew - where it’s all very fresh. Still I did love the premise of Worst Idea Ever - a hit children’s author attempts to encourage her less successful best friend by creating a fake fan profile on social media. When her friend starts telling the anonymous account secrets about the author’s own husband however, the fake profile becomes essential in getting to the truth. Twisty, turny and lots of fun.

THRILLERS/MYSTERIES

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(academia, thriller, twisty)

Ironically this book by Korelitz about a writer who steals a plot so incredible from his own deceased writing student has, itself, a plot twist that I saw coming far earlier than I think I was supposed to. That aside I loved this novel. One of my literary fetishes is definitely US academic settings, so this story about a struggling writer (Jake) teaching ambitious creative writing students was perfect for me. When Jake becomes a star thanks to his newest novel featuring the stolen plot, he’s delighted. Then he starts receiving communications from an anonymous someone who knows his secret. Excellent fun.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(mother/daughter, mystery solving, kidnapping, murder, obsession)

OK yes, so this is the Lisa Jewell novel I would recommend out of the two I read this year. When 17 year old Talullah and her boyfriend disappear after a night out, leaving behind their infant son, Talullah’s mother Kim refuses to stop searching for them. Two years pass and the case is closed, until Sophie, a mystery writer, moves to the area and becomes obsessed with it. Teaming up with Kim they unravel the story and discover new evidence. Such a well-written thriller with a great mix of intrigue, horror and hope.

*thanks to netgalley for a free digital ARC

⭐⭐⭐ (thriller, murder mystery, prison system)

I previously read How to Disappear by Gillian McAllister which I thought was excellent, with a superb final twist! I’m always in the market for a good thriller and so I popped to the library to pick up one of her earlier novels. The Evidence Against You was also very good. It centres around Izzy, head chef at her family restaurant, and begins when her father comes out of prison after 17 years for murdering his wife, Izzy’s mother. There’s a great sense of place, I was kept guessing until the end (which I always love) and I particularly liked how McAllister showed how ill prepared for life people are when released into the world after a long prison sentence. A good thriller, but How to Disappear definitely my top choice still!

⭐⭐⭐

(thriller, adoption, long-lost family, secrets)

I was really looking forward to this and it was, as usual for Jewell, a well-written thriller with a unique bent. However, though I enjoyed reading it, I didn’t love it and it’s not one I would re-read. I thought Jewell’s most recent release, The Night She Disappeared, was far superior.

⭐⭐⭐

(true crime, murder mystery, experimental storytelling format)

My full review of this book is HERE. However, if you’re planning to read True Crime Story yourself I don’t recommend reading my review because it’s too hard a book to discuss without spoilers! In short, although I like true crime, thrillers and books set in places I know well (Manchester in this case) I neither loved nor hated this book. The first third was compulsively readable, the structure and storytelling (particularly using emails, news stories and interview transcripts) were really cool and I absolutely needed to know what had happened. However by the ending I felt that the style overshadowed the story and I began to lose interest.

*thanks to netgalley for a free digital ARC

⭐⭐⭐

(thriller, London based, twisty)

Louise Candlish has never written a bad thriller, I’m pretty sure I can say that with absolute conviction. This one is set on London’s waterways, with debt-ridden, twenty-something, aspiring actor Kit meeting the older Jamie on their daily riverboat commute to work. The two begin an unlikely friendship, along with their partners Clare and Melia. The novel begins with Kit going missing and Jamie approached by police as a suspect, with the story flipping back in time to reveal the foursome’s relationship as complex, messy and deceitful. Weird story, unlikable characters, unreliable narrator = lots of fun to read. I think it’s probably not my number one pick of her books - that’d probably go to Our House - but still a good, solid thriller.

⭐⭐.5

(dark, thriller, dopplegangers, switched lives, murder)

This was a bit of a disappointment for me. It started off well with a woman meeting her doppleganger whilst on holiday and agreeing, at the latter’s request and a little bit of manipulation, to switch lives for a month. Grappling to hide her true identity while dealing with her new and alarmingly strange son, there were lots of cool scenes where I couldn’t wait to see how she got herself out of each mess. Then there’s a dark turn and the justification for it falls firmly into a trope in thrillers that I just cannot get on board with because I think it’s lazy and irresponsible. I’m sure others may have a different opinion but it wasn’t for me.

*thanks to netgalley for a free digital ARC

YOUNG ADULT

🎧 - ⭐⭐.5

(hoarding, compulsive shopping, PTSD, romance, bookish)

I should clarify that this is a YA novel, something I don’t read much of anymore, and that was a book club choice. It felt far too juvenile for me and I probably wouldn’t have finished it usually, so I don’t think it’s necessarily fair for me to properly review it. It follows 17 year old Darcey Wells, who strives to escape her complicated real life by disappearing into books. She works at a bookstore, lives with her hoarder mother and is falling for Asher - a teenager living with the trauma of surviving an accident. It’s a good premise that has a lot of payoff, but I felt that there were so many issues that it became quite chaotic. It’s a long time since I was a teenager though and I read some gushing reviews from younger readers before I wrote this which suggests it’s potentially exactly what some of them are looking for.

NON-FICTION/MEMOIR

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Epistolary, true story, literary themes)

Helene Hanff is my favourite discovery of the year, and probably the author that I have recommended the most. Many people will be aware of 84 Charing Cross Road due to the movie adaptation of the book featuring Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft. I, however, knew next to nothing about it when I picked up the slim volume in a second hand store in Whitstable that was closing down earlier this summer. This method of purchasing actually made the book have even more meaning to me, as it’s about the relationship between an American woman and a British bookshop book buyer as he sources her good second hand copies of English literature books. It’s a true story and entirely written in letters and it’s genuinely just an absolute delight.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(sequel, true story, diary entries)

The follow up to 84 Charing Cross Road, this is Hanff’s diary of when she finally visits London after selling the film rights to the book. Just as delightful!

🎧 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(memoir, essays, disability education, accessibility,critical thinking)

This is an incredible set of essays about disability that I would recommend to every single person. As soon as I put it down I started trying to explain each point Taussig had made to my parents, though ultimately I just suggested they read the book themselves. I listened on audio which was fantastic as Taussig narrates and is so obviously connected to her subject. I do however also plan to purchase a physical copy of the book because I think I could re-read sections over and over again to better understand. I’m not sure I can explain better than the author does why I found this book so groundbreaking but it genuinely really altered how I understand disability and accessibility. Big recommend from me!

🎧 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(memoir, historical, colonialism, race, working class)

I don’t know how Akala manages to constantly evolve like some kind of super human, but he does. His career from rapper to social activist to comic book artist, is so multi-faceted I cannot keep up. He’s also so good at understanding Black British history and communicating it in a clear cut and consistently interesting manner. Natives is a look at the intersection of race and class in the UK. He talks about British Colonialism, racism, the divide between white and black children in the education system, the sexual objectification of black athletes plus much more. Akala combines historical fact with memoir, giving a personal touch to the information which keeps it engaging. I listened to this on audio and, though I love his voice, I feel that reading it would have been more useful for me, allowing me to highlight passages and flip back and forth while reading. Without that option it feels very much like I haven’t retained enough of the information as the book was pretty densely populated with ideas and I might have to re-read in the future.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(memoir, autism, mother/daughter)

Ah such an incredible memoir. Anna Wilson’s mother was diagnosed with autism very late in life, too late for it really to be of any help to her personally. However after her death it helped Wilson understand so much about her childhood and her relationship with her mother. This memoir was so honest I found it painful to read at times, yet also completely compulsive reading. My full review is HERE.

*thanks to netgalley for a free digital ARC

🎧 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(critical thinking, anti-semitism, leftist politics, blind spots)

As a half-Jewish person with an ever evolving understanding and appreciation of my religion, I found Jews Don’t Count to be a really interesting look an anti-semitism in the UK. Though I’ve grown up understanding that anti-semitism exists, it’s only recently that I’ve really been aware of how present it still is and the way in which it is triggered and grows as a result of political unrest and other current events. Baddiel’s book focuses on the problems we have in the UK with the progressive left’s handling of anti-semitism in comparison with how seriously Islamophobia, racism and homophobia are taken. I don’t agree 100% with everything but it’s a great introduction to critical thinking on the issue. I think it’s particularly good as a starter book - it’s short, easy to read and Baddiel’s tone is very engaging - so definitely one to recommend to people dabbling into understanding more but not ready to commit to a larger tome.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(chronic illness, crohns disease, humour, personal experience)

As I get older it’s occurred to me that I have never really understood what Crohn’s disease is. This is somewhat shameful because my mother has it but, because I’m so poor at dealing with illness, I’ve never really sought out information. Kathleen Nicholl’s book was a great introduction. A sort of guide between an intro to Crohn’s, a bit of a memoir and advice to other sufferers it’s surprisingly very funny while being informative.

⭐⭐⭐

(memoir, sexuality, sex after divorce, motherly guilt)

My full review of Available is HERE so I won’t harp on too much about it. Available is a memoir by a first time writer about rediscovering her sexuality post-divorce. It explores her sexual exploits first and foremost but also touches on family life, the pain of divorce, the guilt of being a mother who also wants to be her own person and quite a bit more. It’s an interesting read and Williams is generously honest with us, her readers. For me personally it was a little crazy to be reading about someone’s own private experiences in such graphic detail and the book as a whole felt a bit lacking in focus and patchy - long sections about her ex-husband suddenly gave way to depictions of one night stands, leaving me unsure what exactly the point was. Still, I imagine it’s a memoir that will speak to a lot of women in the same position as Williams and I hope it gets the readership it deserves.

*thanks to netgalley for a free digital ARC

🎧 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(etymology, cults, use of language as control)

Delighted to have discovered Amanda Montell this year. I’m absolutely fascinated by cults and conspiracies, as well as loving etymology, so this was right up my alley. Montell talks about the language used to create and maintain communities and cults, covering everything from MLM Marketing to Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple. I was particularly intrigued by an example she gives of two scientologists having a conversation where their language is so modified that it’s impossible, as an outsider, to understand what they’re discussing. The fact that she utilises the idea of cult-like behaviour in general (hence coining the word ‘Cultish’) gives the reader a clearer understanding of how language can impact everyday communication and how to recognise that ourselves. Really interesting.

PLAYS

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(cinema, movies, depression, love triangle, low-wage work, ambition, disappointment)

My final read of the year was this play by Annie Baker that I’ve had on my shelf for years. Reading plays is a strange pursuit because you only get part of the experience without actors, direction and more. However that means you can approach it critically, considering the different options in how it could be interpreted, particularly if you’re a theatremaker yourself. I liked The Flick. The characters were really interesting and there was a subtle, slow pace to the unfolding of their personal stories. I generally prefers plays with quite big climatic moments and this, in contrast, felt muted and gentle on the page. Still, it was an interesting story that kept me reading, intrigued to find out what each character really wanted and how their opportunities would pan out. I’d love to see this on stage.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Scottish, poverty, neglect, art, storytelling)

I didn’t read a lot of plays this year but this was one I’d missed every time I tried to see it on stage. Since theatres were mostly closed last year I decided I was unlikely to get the chance for a while at least! It’s such a fantastic play and I can see why it was such a hit. Centered around two characters - Libby and Declan - from totally different backgrounds, the play follows their relationship after they meet late at night on the Salisbury Crags in Edinburgh. Declan is an artist, Libby a writer - both are struggling for different reasons. Though initially the intention is for them to help one another, it soon becomes clear that what Libby needs is simply Declan’s story. What follows is an incisive exploration of what a story is, who is belongs to and who has the right to tell it. It felt deeply relevant in today’s culture where allyship can slip uncomfortably into appropriation. The structure of the play mirrors the telling of a the story, becoming a little more meta by the end in a very affecting way. Still can’t wait to see this on stage.