Hello my fellow bookworms! Today, I am taking part in this week’s TTT topic, which is: Best Books I Read In 2021. After another difficult year, where we have continued to need the wonderful escape of books, here are the books I have enjoyed reading the most, in the order I read them:
⭐ The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick (2016) – A stunning historical-fiction by a new-to-me author, which was an emotional and exciting read, with a dash of the supernatural for good measure, too! When I was reading this I forgot the world, which was just what I needed! (review)
⭐ The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (2020) – The debut, cosy crime caper by TV presenter Richard Osman, which I thought I was wonderfully eccentric and quintessentially British murder mystery, with a cool group of septuagenarians! (review)
⭐ Madam, Will You Talk? by Mary Stewart (1955) – The first of one of my favourite author’s romantic suspense novels, a brilliantly gripping read, that transported me from dull, lockdown Britain to the warmth, freedom and adventure of 1950’s Southern France. (review)
⭐ A Room With a View by E.M. Forster (1908) – Another wonderful Edwardian classic from Forster, that transported my tired mind back to a time of lacy white gowns, societal niceties and grand tours of classical Italy. (review)
⭐ The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places by Neil Oliver (2018) – An absolutely fascinating non-fiction by my favourite long-haired Scotsman, that took me on an amazing journey through the kaleidoscopic history of a land with a story like no other. (review)
⭐ Justice Hall by Laurie R. King (2002) – The sixth wonderfully nostalgic Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes mystery and by far my favourite of the series, as it has just the right amount of everything I love: big house, ominous clues, daring journeys, and clever disguises! (review)
⭐ The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis (1960) – A Christian non-fiction, by the celebrated scholar and theologian, and favourite author of mine, which was an insightful and comforting exploration of the nature of love from a Christian perspective. (review)
⭐ Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (1908) – A short children’s classic, that I have meant to read forever, which I found to be an utterly charming coming-of-age tale and a wonderful portrait of family, farming life, and the amazing transformative power of love. (review)
⭐ The Count of the Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1846) – A weighty tome which took me over three months to read, but it was well worth it! This was an epic, sweeping tale of love, loyalty, betrayal, patience, hope and revenge!
⭐ The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman (2021) – The second cosy crime caper which is a brand new outing for our intrepid group of septuagenarian sleuths, which I loved just as much, if not a little more than the first!
Honorary mentions must also go to Thunder on the Right by Mary Stewart (review) and The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle (review); as well as my wonderful re-reads of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (review), Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott (review), The Birds & Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier (review) and The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (review).
Have you read any of my choices? What have been your best books of 2021? Please let me know in the comments and also leave a link for your own TTT post if you have joined in, too.
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I have read Anne of Green Gables and The Count of Monte Cristo and I would really like to read A Room With A View.
Lynn 😀
I hope you will have chance to read A Room With a View soon, Lynn 🤞🙂
I must admit I’ve not read much this year, although I have been listening to audiobooks. I’m currently listening to Bob Mortimer’s autobiography.
I keep meaning to pick up The Thursday Murder Club as I’ve heard great things about it. Neil Oliver’s bok also sounds like one I would enjoy.
With 2021 being another difficult year, I think it is completely understandable that you have not read a lot and have sought comfort in audiobooks instead, Nikki. I hope you are enjoying listening to Bob Mortimer’s autobiography – My dad got a copy for Christmas which he has already started reading! 😃
I also highly recommend checking out The Thursday Murder Club, which is great fund, and Neil Oliver’s book, which I think you’ll really like with your love of visiting historical places. 😊
I love your picks!! I’ve wanted to read the phantom tree for ages (now I’ll have to haha) and Thursday murder club is SO GOOOOD. Have a good new year! Here’s my top books of 2021 for ttt 🙂 https://hundredsandthousandsofbooks.blog/2021/12/28/ttt-28-12-21-top-21-books-from-2021/
I am so pleased you enjoyed my picks so much! 😊 Also great to hear you loved The Thursday Murder Club too and I hope you will have the chance to read The Phantom Tree soon! 🤞
I haven’t read any of them but Neil Oliver is always on my TBR. I recently bought his newest book!
Great to hear Neil Oliver is always on your TBR and that you have got a copy of his newest book to look forward to, Stephanie. I really must read more of his books! 😁
A Room with a View and Anne of Green Gables are longtime favorites. I enjoyed Madam, Will You Talk? when on a Mary Stewart binge some years ago. I keep meaning to read The Count of Monte Cristo since so many bloggers have loved it!
Great to hear two of these are two of your long-time favourites, Lory! I hope you will able to read The Count of Monte Cristo in the near future, too, as I think it is well worth it! 😃
Great list. Anne of Green Gables is one of my all time faves. I also love Room With A View, and I liked The Phantom Tree too.
My list https://franlaniado.wordpress.com/2021/12/28/top-ten-tuesday-best-books-of-2021/
Fran, great to hear you liked my list so much and that you have enjoyed a couple of my list, too. 🙂
And Montgomery – swoon! 😀 haha!
Great list! The Count of Monte Cristo is a classic I’d love to conquer.
Jess, I hope you will be able to conquer The Count of Monte Cristo in the near future! 🤞 Definitely worth it! 😃
What a great list! I have a MASSIVE list I just put up! I started Laurie King’s series and I’ve enjoyed a couple…so excited that Justice Hall is good. I was REALLY enjoying The Thursday Murder Club, but something in the ending bothered me, so I ended up being disappointed. I know SO many friends on Booktube who really enjoyed it! The Phantom Tree sounds amazing and I already have the Neil Oliver book on my TBR from you. 🙂 I really loved The Moonspinners from Stewart this year, so I may try the one you mentioned, as Stewart is hit or miss for me. 🙂 I love Northanger Abbey. 🙂
Sounds like we have a lot of similar reads and reading plans, Amy. 🙂 I really hope you will continue to enjoy reading King’s Mary Russell Mysteries; that you will love Neil Oliver’s wonderful book as me; and that you will have a chance to check out The Phantom Tree. Sorry to hear the ending of The Thursday Murder Club disappointed you though! Maybe you like the second book more! 😉
As for Mary Stewart, The Moonspinners is was of my all time favourites, and I don’t think I loved Madam, Will You Talk? quite as much. If it helps though, my other absolute favourites are Wildfire at Midnight and The Gabriel Hounds. 😁
That’s a great list, Jessica! I have read and loved some of those too, particularly The Count of Monte Cristo, Madam, Will You Talk? and The Phantom Tree. I also got the Neil Oliver book as a Christmas present and am looking forward to reading it.
Great to hear your have enjoyed many of these books too, Helen! I also really hope you will enjoy Neil Oliver’s wonderful book – I bought a copy for a friend for Christmas. 😃
I was so glad you enjoyed The Phantom Tree since I had recommended it highly! And, of course, anything by Mary Stewart!
Thank you so much for the recommendation, Kelly and I hope to read more by Nicola Cornick this year. 😃