Favorite Books of 2021

I started 2021 with a goal to read 100 books. I fell far short of the goal. I had a very hard time finding good books and managed to finish only 43.

Friends who know I love to read often ask me to recommend books, so I thought I’d add this post to my Journal to make it easier to share. I lean towards mysteries and historical novels. I can’t get through a book with a lot of foul language. I don’t care for romantic novels. So, from my conservative point of view here are my highest rated reads from 2021 in the order in which I read them:

• The Opposite of Fate by Amy Tan
• The Bone Code by by Kathy Riches
• The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
• Made for This Moment by Max Lucado
• The Judge’s List by John Grisham
• Nurse, Come You Here! by Mary J. MacLeod
• Call the Nurse by Mary J. MacLeod
• Sooley by John Grisham
• The Seamstress by Sara Tuvel Bernstein
• The Unanswered Letter by Faris Cassell

Yep. That’s it. As I said, it’s been a disappointing year for books.

Here are a few that were good but didn’t rate the highest marks:

• Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
• Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate
• The Cottingly Secret by Hazel Gaynor
• Camino Winds by John Grisham
• The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki

Sadly, these were books I started but could not finish because of bad language or because they were just boring:

• Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
• The Scam by Janet Evanovich
• The Girl from the Savoy by Hazel Gaynor
• The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie
• The 71/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (apparently I’m the only person on the planet that didn’t just absolutely love this book!) by Stuart Turton
• One by One by Ruth Ware
• Things I Never Told You by Kelly Rimmer (VERY disappointing. This is a pure propaganda piece for Planned Parenthood!)

I think for 2022 I’ll set my goal for 52 and see if I can find one good book a week. Please feel free to comment with your suggestions.