Hello! Are you still there? One of my reading goals for 2022 is to read fewer books, so hopefully I’ll use some of that extra time this year to create more content here. Only time will tell…. For now, I wanted to share 10 of my absolute favorite books I read in 2021. Enjoy!
(Psst … if you purchase any books using my Bookshop.org or Libro.fm links in this post, you’ll be supporting me AND independent bookstores. Thanks in advance!)
Ghost Forest by Pik-Shuen Fung
Ghost Forest was my overall favorite novel of 2021. It is sparse and poetic and wildly beautiful. I first heard about this book from the author of one of my 2020 favorites (Bestiary by K-Ming Chang), and she did not steer me wrong. I’ve heard the audiobook is also very good, and I may re-visit this novel with my ears at some point.
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner
This memoir by the musician behind Japanese Breakfast showed up on a lot of year-end favorites lists, and for good reason! I listened to the audiobook narrated by Zauner herself, and it was exquisitely narrated (with many delicious food descriptions to boot).
Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness by Kristen Radtke
This work of graphic nonfiction was so good but so hard to read. There were some pages that punched me right in the gut. Usually I make quick work of graphic novels, but I had to split this one up over a few sittings because it could be so heartbreaking. Also available as an audiobook, though I encourage you to read the print version to absorb the illustrations if you can.
Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi
Butter Honey Pig Bread is the story of twin sisters from Nigeria who move to separate continents and have a semi-estranged relationship. It’s also largely about their mother and her mysterious past, plus it’s full of delicious food descriptions and cooking scenes. I love family drama and food, so this book was right up my alley! Also available as an audiobook.
The Arsonists’ City by Hala Alyan
If I know you in real life or interact with you on social media, I’ve probably recommended Hala Alyan’s debut novel Salt Houses to you at some point. So I was THRILLED when I saw Alyan was publishing another novel in 2021, but I was also anxious. What if it fell flat? I am pleased to report The Arsonists’ City was another beautifully written, engrossing family saga with complex characters and a strong sense of place. Hopefully she’ll write a third novel soon?…. Also available as an audiobook.
Spirits Abroad: Stories by Zen Cho
I set a personal challenge to read 365 short stories in the year 2021, so naturally, I read quite a few story collections. (Thirty-two, to be precise.) This reissued collection by Zen Cho was far and away one of my favorites. The stories in Spirits Abroad are divided into three settings (Malaysia, the United Kingdom and fantasy worlds), and I loved learning more about Malaysian folklore through the stories. Also available as an audiobook.
The Rock Eaters: Stories by Brenda Peynado
This was another short story collection I devoured in 2021. Written by a Dominican-American author, these stories are heavily influenced by the Latin American literary tradition of magical realism. Also available as an audiobook, partially narrated by fan favorite Frankie Corzo.
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
I very rarely re-read books, but I read this book twice this year. If that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is! The Space Between Worlds is a debut novel about multiverse travel, but even if you don’t usually read sci-fi, the story explores themes of social class, racism, privilege, immigration and identity in ways that will appeal to a broad swath of readers. Even the way it presents specific social issues including guns and sex work was brilliant, IMHO, and I really enjoyed discussing this one with my library book club. (Yes, I pushed it on all of them! Perks of librarianship, I guess.) Also available as an audiobook.
Names for Light: A Family History by Thirii Myo Kyaw Myint
I picked up Names for Light because it won the Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize and Graywolf has introduced me to so many great writers (e.g. Carmen Maria Machado, Claudia Rankine, Wayétu Moore), and it exceeded my expectations. As the subtitle indicates, this book is largely about the author’s family history in Myanmar, where she was born, and it also includes sections about her experience living in the U.S. and studying in Europe. The writing was absolutely stunning, and it made me want to pick up her fiction someday.
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
How High We Go in the Dark is a 2022 title (publishing January 18), but I already feel pretty confident it will be on my “best of 2022” list. It was that good. Told as a novel in stories, the book follows a large cast of characters in the near future following the worldwide outbreak of a mysterious new disease. Don’t worry—it doesn’t feel like COVID at all! So even if you’re not interested in pandemic fiction (I’m honestly not at this point), I still think you might love this book. I haven’t listened to the audiobook, but it has a full cast and looks amazing.
And there you have it! There are many books I loved this year, and if I made a favorite books of 2021 list on a different day, you might have gotten a few different titles. So, if you’re looking for even more reading recommendations, here are some other places you can find the best books I read in 2021:
All the Story Collections I Read in 2021: Ranked! (Bookshop.org list)
Favorite Books of 2021 (Instagram post)
Books I Read & Loved in 2021 (Bookshop.org list)
Books I Recommended in the First Half of 2021 on The Everygirl
Books I Recommended in the Second Half of 2021 on The Everygirl
Finally, if you want to know what books to read in 2022, I have a list for that, too!
Happy New Year and happy reading, friends.
Featured image: Arcadian Books & Prints used bookstore in New Orleans, Louisiana (December 2021)
