Get Your TBR Lists Ready: These Were Our 18 Favorite Books of 2021
Sometimes I like to measure years by the books I read — not how many, but which ones linger in my mind, which scenes I can't get out of my head, which genres I dipped my toe into and fell in love with. When you look back on your year of reading, what books became a part of you? Which ones sent you down a rabbit hole into an author's back catalog or into a new niche of #BookTok or #Bookstagram? I know a book has become a new favorite when I turn the last page and just need to sit there for a few minutes, letting the last words wash over me, gathering myself before I have to return to the real world.
As we turn the page on 2021 and gear up for a brand new year of books, our book-loving POPSUGAR editors reflected on what made their favorite 2021 releases so special. Spanning genres from memoir to romance to young-adult fantasy, these are the books we just have to recommend one last time before the clock strikes midnight. See if you can spot some of your own favorites, or add a few new titles to your TBR list for next year — some might just fit the 2022 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge — and find out if one of our picks will end up on your favorites list for next year.
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Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
"I didn't think TJ Klune could top his previous book and my personal favorite read of 2020, The House in the Cerulean Sea, but Under the Whispering Door left me just as breathless. His characters are warm and real (despite some of them being dead), and his approaches to heavy topics such as the afterlife, grief, and dealing with regret were delicate and thought-provoking. TJ's books are like cozy hugs; I can't recommend Under the Whispering Door enough." — Alessia Santoro, senior editor, SEO
Read the book: Under the Whispering Door ($24) by TJ Klune
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The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
"Even before it was officially released, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood was getting a lot of hype in the romance community, so I knew it would be good. What I wasn't prepared for was HOW good it is. There's a lot to love: a STEM academic setting, decent representation (including a heroine on the ACE spectrum), and fake dating and grumpy/sunshine tropes (two of my favorites). It's probably one of the most swoony books I've ever read, and Adam is now my No. 1 book boyfriend. Oh, also the steam is HOT." — Stephanie Nguyen
Read the book: The Love Hypothesis ($11) by Ali Hazelwood
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You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
"Laughter is absolutely healing: I laughed through You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey, which feels like a group about racism and microaggressions made for and by Black women. From dealing with stereotypes in the office to the racism Amber Ruffin and her sister experienced in small towns — and big cities — the book reminds Black women that they can count on each other to understand." — Jada Gomez, executive editor, Entertainment and Style
"You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism delivers some real talk about the state of racism in America through the lived experiences of sisters Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar. I listened to the audiobook for this one, and I highly recommend it to hear Amber and Lacey's banter as they honestly (and humorously) approach stories that are shocking, heartbreaking, relatable, and absurd. I promise you'll want to be best friends with these two by the last page!" — Tara Block, deputy editor
Read the book: You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey ($14) by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
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She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
"Shelley Parker-Chan's genre-bending debut novel follows Zhu, a young girl who escapes her famine-ridden village in 14th-century China and takes refuge in a monastery. She assumes the identity of her dead brother, determined to not only live, but make something great of herself in a brutal, war-ravaged world. There's so much to like about this novel: the epic plot, the sensuous romance, the exploration of gender and exploration — the fact that it's a queer, fantasy-tinged reimagining of the founding of the Ming dynasty . . . I was dazzled." — Maggie Ryan, assistant editor, Fitness
Read the book: She Who Became the Sun ($20) by Shelley Parker-Chan
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Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
"Anything written by Taylor Jenkins Reid can get me out of a reading rut! Her characters are so fun to follow, and I am guaranteed to be taken on an emotional roller coaster connecting with all the drama very quickly. Her latest book, Malibu Rising, took us to sunny California in the '80s with a family full of ups and downs. At the core it was about four siblings and a HUGE party, but weaved in with flashbacks of their parents' journey to fame and fortune, and what was left behind (or not) is just as interesting." — Lisa Sugar, founder and president
"As a huge fan of Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I was so happy that Taylor Jenkins Reid's latest novel, Malibu Rising, lived up to my very high expectations. TJR is a master of character development, and I found myself immediately sucked into the family drama and romantic entanglements of the Riva siblings. Between the iconic Malibu beach setting, the plot surprises we've all come to expect (but still not see coming!) from TJR, and the relatable family dynamics, this unputdownable novel is a joy to read." — Tara Block
Read the book: Malibu Rising ($17) by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
"Seven Days in June by Tia Williams is probably my favorite book of the year. It's an incredibly witty, slightly tear-inducing romance that gives a beautiful nod to the sometimes complicated relationships women can have with their mothers. Definitely a book that I was sad about finishing so quickly." — Ariel Baker, assistant editor, Beauty
Read the book: Seven Days in June ($20) by Tia Williams
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The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
"I love a good mystery that grabs me from the start. The Last Thing He Told Me hooked me early, and I read it at record speed. I didn't want it to end! Read it before it becomes a movie because the closing scene will be so satisfying on the big screen." — Lisa Sugar
Read the book: The Last Thing He Told Me ($31) by Laura Dave
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Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson
"Ms. Tyson's memoir debuted in late 2020, just days before her death. The New York City-born legend journeys readers through her incredibly storied life, from her start as an actor through her turmoiled relationship with the late jazz great Miles Davis." — Jada Gomez
Read the book: Just As I Am ($17) by Cicely Tyson
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I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness by Claire Vaye Watkins
"This portrait of an imperfect parent on her own (very) bumpy road to self-discovery stuck with me. It's a funny, brutal, and deeply southwestern story I'm already itching to give a re-read." — Lisa Peterson, director, Social
Read the book: I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness ($20) by Claire Vaye Watkins
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Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
"This is Rogers's debut novel, and she really made a phenomenal story. It follows a very straight-laced, by-the-book Black astronomer from Portland who goes to Las Vegas to celebrate her birthday and ends up getting drunkenly married to a Japanese radio show host from New York. After their nuptials, though, they part ways to their sides of the country. However, in an attempt to run away from her fears (and the cloud of 'What am I doing?' that sits over our late 20s), the astronomer spends the summer in NY with her new wife. The story is perfect for sappy love-story lovers and tackles imposter syndrome, self-actualization, mental health for people of color, and more. It's definitely a coming-of-age story for the 20- and 30-somethings that's relatable, deep, funny, and written beautifully. I loved it, and I need more people to read it and gush over its pages with me." — Moná Thomas, editor, Living, and content strategist, Brandshop
Read the book: Honey Girl ($12) by Morgan Rogers
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No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
"Patricia Lockwood's first novel, No One Is Talking About This, isn't what it first seems. It begins with the main character spending her days pinging around 'the portal,' a stand-in for social media platforms, where she's gained some fame for blasting out half-formed thoughts about Chuck E. Cheese and parroting internet-approved joke formulas. The book pulls a sharp U-turn partway through when tragedy rips the protagonist out from the safe meaninglessness of the portal and back into the 'real' world. Unlike some cautionary tales that take an overly simplistic view of social media use as inherently 'bad' or narcissistic, Lockwood grapples with its nuances from the viewpoint of someone who deeply understands its specific language and community, teasing out the bizarre nature of a life performed on Twitter with comedy and startling incisiveness." — Lisa Peterson
Read the book: No One Is Talking About This ($18) by Patricia Lockwood
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Love at First by Kate Clayborn
"Love at First by Kate Clayborn is majorly underrated in my opinion and remains one of the best books I've read this year. It's not a 'flashy' plot in the sense that there's not a whole lot of conflict or action — just two people who fall in love in a quiet, tender way as they spend more time together. I love Kate Clayborn's way with words and find this story incredibly romantic." — Stephanie Nguyen
Read the book: Love at First ($10) by Kate Clayborn
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Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat
"As a fan of C.S. Pacat's Captive Prince trilogy, I went into her first YA book a little worried that it couldn't possibly live up to my expectations. And it didn't — it blew them away. This stunning fantasy follows a young man, Will Kempen, who is plunged into a world of ancient magic and powerful, warrior-like Stewards after the death of his mother. Told he's the only one who can stop a reawakening evil, Will begins to realize he's not who everyone thinks he is. The world-building is sweeping and precise, the plot full of twists and turns, the budding romance full of chemistry, and Pacat turns just about every fantasy trope on its head. The last lines left me breathless and counting down the days to the sequel's release." — Maggie Ryan
Read the book: Dark Rise ($15) by C.S. Pacat
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Fault Lines by Emily Itami
"In Fault Lines, debut novelist Emily Itami has crafted a complicated romance with immense empathy for all its characters and their flaws. Following the lead of a sharp and charming protagonist, Mizuki, readers absorb a wonderfully nuanced take on Tokyo life; the whimsical sweet shops, the jabs of judgment from the other effortlessly perfect parents, the enduring romance of cherry blossoms (even for locals), the draining and ultra-competitive work culture awaiting every aspiring Japanese businessman . . . Fault Lines is a romantic story full of wit and charm, lovingly exposing the cracks in each of its characters' facades." — Lisa Peterson
Read the book: Fault Lines ($14) by Emily Itami
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Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
"I'll admit that I didn't know what to make of Anthony Doerr's latest release for the first few pages. You're quickly introduced to five different characters in five wildly different timelines, from a 13-year-old girl in 15th-century Constantinople to an elderly man directing a children's play in an Idaho library in 2020. The magic of Cloud Cuckoo Land is how the author weaves every storyline together, bit by bit, turning each story's separate thread into one beautiful tableau. I was spellbound by the end of the book." — Annalise Mantz Lowenstein, editor, Branded Content
Read the book: Cloud Cuckoo Land ($29) by Anthony Doerr
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Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
"Detransition, Baby is so good I want to shove it into the hands of everyone I know. It's the kind of book that shakes up the reader's mind like a snowglobe (in the best way!) and changes your worldview forever." — Lisa Peterson
Read the book: Detransition, Baby ($20) by Torrey Peters
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Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson
"I grew up in New York City, so I found this fun escape to Manhattan a real treat. I couldn't put it down! With two polar-opposite best friends — one a consistent rule follower, the other a free spirit — Take Me Home Tonight feels like a fun spin on Ferris Bueller's Day Off." — Jada Gomez
Read the book: Take Me Home Tonight ($13) by Morgan Matson
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With Teeth by Kristen Arnett
"With Teeth is a decidedly Floridian tale about family, and the stories — true or not — we tell ourselves about where we fit into our family unit and the world at large. Through alternating laughs and audible gasps of horror, readers will come away from Arnett's darkly comic story with a new appreciation for the mysteries and puzzling perspectives each person we cross paths with holds inside." — Lisa Peterson
Read the book: With Teeth ($24) by Kristen Arnett
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