Happy New Year! There are only a few hours left of 2021, so I hope that 2022 will be a good year for us all, filled with happiness and opportunities. Twenty-twenty-one has been a much better reading year for me than I initially thought it would be.
At the beginning of the year, I set a Goodreads goal of 21 books for myself. In the end, I managed to read a total of 40 books, which I am so happy about!
In this blog post, I will briefly be talking about my top 5 reads of 2021.
So, without further ado, let us get started on White Rose Stories’ last blog post of the year and look at my favourite reads of 2021!
(A little disclaimer, I am going to sort them according to my enjoyment, not so much because of the rating. I am also not entirely sure if my sorting will be accurate as I read these books quite some time ago. Nonetheless, these are the top books, that I enjoyed reading the most, out of everything I read in 2021.
5. Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
R A T I N G :
Chloe Gong did it again! I loved These Violent Delights so much last year that I counted down the months until I could have the second book in my hands. Our Violent Ends was just as perfect as the first book and I could not stop reading it, even though I knew what to expect at the end. My heart ached for Roma and Juliet and I loved their story so much. However, I am extremely excited to see what the author will release next!
4. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
R A T I N G :
After years of wanting to pick it up, I finally did so a few months ago. I did not really know anything about the book before reading it, so I did not know what to expect. However, my heart quickly went through so many different feelings and I ended up loving it so, so much – just as with every Taylor Jenkins Reid book I have read so far.
A part at the ending of the book that still gives me chills and makes my heart ache is:
“Doesn’t it bother you? […] That all anyone talks about when they talk about you are the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo?”
[…]
“No,” she told me. “Because they are just husbands. I am Evelyn Hugo. And anyway, I think once people know the truth, they will be much more interested in my wife.”
You can read my full review here.
3. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
R A T I N G :
I have been waiting for Nesta and Cassian’s story for so long and immediately had to get my hands on it when it was released. As with any Sarah J. Maas book, I was not able to stop reading as I love her writing. However, I feel like the book was a bit messy at times and that the ending should have been different.
Still really enjoyed it and I cannot wait for her new release this New Year!
2. Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
R A T I N G :
I finally decided to pick up the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy and let me tell you, I was obsessed with the books for weeks (I still am)! It has been a while since I fell in love with a mystery/thriller such as this one. I picked up the books in the middle of my exam season and even though I knew I needed to go study, I just could not stop until I binged them all. I think I read them all in 3 days? For a slow reader like me, that is extremely fast and I think I last binged a series that quickly back in 2018 when I read the Throne of Glass series.
I am still not over these books and to be honest, I enjoyed them so much that I was in a slight reading slump afterwards. Nothing could compare to this trilogy and I just could not get into anything else for a while. I loved the first book but I do think the second book is my favourite. The third one was also very well written but I feel like there should have been a different outcome/ending?
Overall, if you’re in the mood for a really well-written mystery/thriller series that you will be unable to put down, make sure to check out this trilogy!
You can find my full review for the trilogy here.
1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
R A T I N G :
To me, this book is absolute perfection. No other book that I read this year could compare to all the emotions this book made me feel. I was scared and happy, crying, smiling and laughing. If I could give the characters in this book a hug, I would.
This is such a beautifully heartbreaking book that has forever found a place in my heart. Dare I say, I think this book might just be my favourite book of all time? That is how much I loved and enjoyed it while reading it. I remember finishing it late at night, needing to get up early to do university work, and not being able to stop sobbing until a few hours after. My little sister and I watched the film together after I read the book and we cried so loudly at the ending.
I cannot believe it took my so long to read this book and that I ended up loving it as much as I did. It also completely slipped my mind to write a review for it as university has been keeping my really busy this year, but I guess you now have a mini review? Anyway, I think it is a book I will reread many times in the future and that I will recommend to everyone.
Keep reading, stay safe, and never stop telling stories.
White Rose Stories 
Hello Rose! Oh my God, these are all amazing books! Those I haven’t read, are in my TBR list, and you’ve just set my expectations even higher. I’m so happy to know you loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo -I cannot begin to describe how much I love that book. If you want to dive deeper into that Hollywood universe Jenkins Reid created, I suggest you to read Malibu Rising.
I really, really want to read Good Girl, Bad Blood. I think I read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder in a day and a half and given that I’m also a slow reader, that was pretty quick. I hope that you discover more amazing stories in this new year!
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