I Love Reading - 2021

For me, reading is life.  In fact, this year I even read a really fabulous book about people like me, who LOVE to read called The Reading Life.  I know, I am hopeless, but it gives me joy and feeds my soul. I always have three or four books going at once: an ebook, a physical book that sits on my nightstand, and one or two (or sometimes three) audiobooks. I read almost every genre (except horror - I don't have time to terrify myself and have nightmares), and like to mix things up, never reading too much of one type back to back. And I love, love, love talking about books. Perhaps that is why I have to be a part of a book club no matter where I am, even if I have to start one.

For many, many years now, I have rated and reviewed every book I have read on Goodreads.com, which I love doing.  It lets me not only think about each book when I finish it, but allows me to recommend books to others knowing exactly why I did or didn't like a book. And starting in 2015, I began doing reading challenges through Goodreads each year. It was really fun to see how my numbers have fluctuated and changed, especially knowing what was going on in my life at the time, like 2018 when my husband was deployed and my book numbers were over 200.  Good times.

And so, like it has been my tradition for more years than I can count, here is the list of books I read this year.  And if you want to know my ratings and reviews, be sure to follow me on Goodreads.com. And if you want to know my favorites from this year, scroll to the bottom of the post.

*** - a book I read with Arthur

** - a book I read with Derek

^ - a reread, which means I loved the book enough the first time to read it again

# - an audio book

1. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ by Joseph Smith Jr. (Translator) (531)^
2. Doctrine and Covenants by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  (295)
3. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (128)***^
4. Jacob T. Marley R. William Bennett(202)#
5. The Santa Suit Mary Kay Andrews (224)#
6. A Boy Called Christmas Matt Haig (240)#
7. Where Treetops Glisten: Three Stories of Heartwarming Courage and Christmas Romance During World War II Tricia Goyer (352)
8. A Redbird Christmas Fannie Flagg (193)#^
9. The Spirit of Revelation David A. Bednar (160)#
10. The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden Karina Yan Glaser (336)#
11. Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell M.C. Beaton (256)#
12. The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street Karen White (374)#
13. Meet Me Under the Kissing Bough Josi S. Kilpack (268)#
14. Frederica Georgette Heyer (437)#^
15. The Story of Diva and Flea Mo Willems (80)
16. Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President Candice Millard (339)#
17. Born This Happy Morning John Bytheway (128)#
18. All Hearts Come Home for Christmas Sarah M. Eden (304)#
19. Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks Annie Spence (244)#
20. News of the World Paulette Jiles (240)#Finlay Donovan Is Killing It Elle Cosiman (355)
21. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It Elle Cosimano (355)
22. Anxiously Engaged: A Biography of M. Russell Ballard Susan Easton Black (416)#
23. Heart in the Highlands Heidi Kimball (273)#
24. A Castaway in Cornwall Julie Klassen (400)
25. The Attic on Queen Street Karen White (384)#
26. Plot Twist Bethany Turner (321)
27. Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam M.C. Beaton (197)#
28. The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict Trenton Lee Stewart (470)#
29. Crosstalk Connie Willis (480)#
30. A Place to Hang the Moon Kate Albus (309)#
31. Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster Jonathan Auxie (368)
32. Charming Artemis Sarah M. Eden (340)#
33. I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives Caitlin Alifirenka (392)#
34. Beyond the Shade of the Mango Tree: Reflections on What God Sees in Us Edward Dube (157)#
35. A Solitude of Wolverines Alice Henderson (320)#
36. The Switch Beth O'Leary (336)#
37. Ender's Game Orson Scott Card (324)#^
38. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages Trenton Lee Stewart (391)#
39. This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live Melody Warnick (308)#
40. Lovers and Madmen Nichole Van (164)
41. An Inconvenient Beauty Kristi Ann Hunter (373)#
42. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma Trenton Lee Stewart (391)#
43. The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart Nancy Campbell Allen (336)#
44. Remembering Jamie Nichole Van (382)
45. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey Trenton Lee Stewart (440)#
46. Ungifted Gordon Korman (280)
47. The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers Maxwell King (416)#
48. Flying Magic Stephanie Burgis (17)
49. How Do I Know If I Know? John Bytheway (144)#
50. Moroni's Guide to Surviving Turbulent Times John Bytheway (159)#
51. Regency Gold Marion Chesney (196)#
52. Best Friends Shannon Hale (250)
53. A Heart So Fierce and Broken Brigid Kemmerer (464)
54. Brown Girl Dreaming Jacqueline Woodson (337)
55. A Curious Beginning Deanna Raybourn (352)
56. Some Kind of Courage Dan Gemeinhart (234)#
57. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue V.E. Schwab (444)#
58. Seek This Jesus Neill Marriott (112)#
59. Real Friends Shannon Hale (224)
60. Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden M.C. Beaton (196)#
61. House of Many Ways Diana Wynne Jones (404)#
62. The Merchant and the Rogue Sarah M. Eden (368)#
63. Courting Magic Stephanie Burgis (105)
64. The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart Stephanie Burgis (247)#
65. Glitch Laura Martin (384)
66. Powder and Patch Georgette Heyer (208)
67. The Bookshop on the Corner Jenny Colgan (368)#
68. Fish in a Tree Lynda Mullaly Hunt (288)
69. Loving Lieutenant Lancaster Sarah M. Eden (256)#
70. It Started in Budapest Julie Daines (176)#
71. The Gospel at 30,000 Feet Dieter F. Uchtdorf (128)#
72. Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham M.C. Beaton (196)#
73. Castle in the Air Diana Wynne Jones (298)#
74. The Wife Upstairs Rachel Hawkins (290)#
75. Howl’s Moving Castle Diana Wynne Jones (329)#^
76. The Off Limits Rule Sarah Adams (291)#
77. The Invention of Wings Sue Monk Kidd (384)#
78. The Second Coming of the Lord Gerald N. Lund (462)#
79. Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death M.C. Beaton (184)#
80. Secrets of a Charmed Life Susan Meissner (386)#
81. Stolen Magic Stephanie Burgis (400)
82. Renegade Magic Stephanie Burgis (338)
83. Louisiana's Way Home Kate DiCamillo (240)
84. Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist M.C. Beaton (212)#
85. Emma Jane Austen (474)#^
86. The Education of Bet Lauren Baratz-Logsted (192)
87. Marilla of Green Gables Sarah McCoy (320)#
88. Savvy Ingrid La (342)#^
89. Minor Adjustments Rachael Renee Anderson (217)
90. Beach Music Pat Conroy (800)#
91. A Curse So Dark and Lonely Brigid Kemmerer (507)
92. A Silent Ocean Away: Colette's Dominion DeVa Gantt (416)
93. Isabelle and Alexander Rebecca Anderson (324)
94. Kat, Incorrigible Stephanie Burgis (295)
95. Love Your Life Sophie Kinsella (432)#
96. Frankenstein Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (352)#
97. A Madness Most Discreet Nichole Van (397)#
98. I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life Anne Bogel (156)#
99. Unwind Neal Shusterman (337)#
100. Lightning Struck Nichole Van (330)#
101. The Dreadful Debutante Marion Chesney (199)#
102. Target Acquired Don Bentley (480)#
103. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Charlie Mackesy(128)
104. Righteous Warriors: Lessons from the War Chapters in the Book of Mormon John Bytheway (128)#^
105. The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Stuart Turton (482)#
106. Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage M.C. Beaton(196)#
107. The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation Anna Malaika Tubbs (261)#
108. Love's Shadow Nichole Van (369)#
109. Now That You Mention It Kristan Higgins (416)#
110. East of Eden John Steinbeck (600)
111. Candy Experiments Loralee Leavitt (160)
112. The Beekeeper's Promise Fiona Valpy (306)#
113. A Conjuring of Assassins Cate Glass (475)#
114. Manor for Sale, Baron Included Esther Hatch (247)
115. A Foreign Crown Jen Geigle Johnson (240)#
116. Women and the Priesthood: What One Latter-day Saint Woman Believes Sheri Dew (224)#
117. The Dark Unwinding Sharon Cameron (318)#
118. Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley M.C. Beaton (192)#
119. An Illusion of Thieves Cate Glass (352)#
120. The Persian Pickle Club Sandra Dallas (196)#
121. Bellewether Susanna Kearsley (448)
122. Delirium Lauren Oliver (441)#
123. In the Shadow of Vesuvius Tasha Alexander (304)
124. The Things We Cannot Say Kelly Rimmer (448)
125. Mirage Clive Cussler (401)#
126. The Caller Juliet Marillier (480)#
127. Dragonflight Anne McCaffrey (299)#
128. Silver Dollar Duke Sally Britton (320)
129. The Cater Street Hangman Anne Perry (287)#
130. The Breadwinner Deborah Ellis (171)
131. The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl Stacy McAnulty (294)#
132. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier (407)
133. In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks by Richard E. Turley Jr. ()#
134. Double Fudge by Judy Blume (224)***
135. Lakeshire Park by Megan Walker (320)#
136. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (243)
137. The Consequences of Fear (Maisie Dobbs #16) by Jacqueline Winspear (352)#
138. Raven Flight (Shadowfell #2) by Juliet Marillier (416)#
139. Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume (176)***
140. Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener by M.C. Beaton (256)#
141. Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright (336)#
142. The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz (406)
143. The Jungle by Clive Cussler (406)#
144. She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell (402)
145. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (288)#
146. Mariana by Susanna Kearsley (395)#
147. Reaching for the Savior by Reyna I. Aburto ()#
148. Making the Marquess (Brotherhood of the Black Tartan #4) by Nichole Van (351)
149. The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner (309)#
150. Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier (410)#
151. The Guest List by Lucy Foley (330)#
152. Transformed: The Perils of the Frog Prince by Megan Morrison (373)
153. Forever Phoebe by Chalon Linton (224)#
154. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny — Detectives Extraordinaire! by Polly Horvath (248)
155. Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet by M.C. Beaton (244)#
156. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (439)#
157. Loving a Lady by Nichole Van (366)
158. Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl (261)#
159. Lady Knight (Protector of the Small #4) by Tamora Pierce (416)#
160. Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella by Megan Morrison (416)#
161. The Quiche of Death (Agatha Raisin #1) by M.C. Beaton (246)#
162. Rules of Murder by Julianna Deering (336)
163. Superfudge by Judy Blume (192)***
164. The Cerulean Queen by Sarah Kozloff (495)#
165. Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison (384)
166. The Best-Laid Plans by Sarah M. Eden (134)#
167. Winter Town by Stephen Emond (336)
168. Chaos Rising (Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy #1) by Timothy Zahn (336)#
169. The Unexpected Deliverer by David Butler, Emily Belle Freeman (96)#
170. American Royals by Katharine McGee (448)#
171. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (341)#
172. The Foundling Georgette Heyer (406)
173. Misleading Miss Verity by Carolyn Miller (352)
174. A Broken Queen (The Nine Realms #3) by Sarah Kozloff (419)#
175. The Enemy Between Us by Melinda Sue Sanchez (288)#
176. Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin (226)
177. Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (464)#
178. The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate (388)#
179. Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950s by Jennifer Worth (340)#
180. Well-Mannered Assassin by Aline, Countess of Romanones (336)#
181. Crossing the Tracks by Barbara Stuber (272)
182. The Bride of Ivy Green by Julie Klassen (448)#
183. Close to You by Kara Isaac (384)
184. Be Not Troubled by Ronald Rasband (112)#
185. The Light We Share by Harriet R. Uchtdorf (48)
186. The Gentleman and the Thief by Sarah M. Eden (284)
187. Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive #4) by Brandon Sanderson (1232)#
188. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume (144)***^
189. Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick (192)**
190. A Christmas Courting by Jennifer Moore (240)

Top Nine Children's and Young Adult Books

There were so many wonderful stories, from the heart wrenching to the fun and quirky, and I loved them all.

*A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

*Crossing the Tracks by Barbara Stuber

*Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster

*Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

*Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart

*Stolen Magic by Stephanie Burgis

*The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

*Best Friends by Shannon Hale

*A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Bridgette Kemmerer

 

Top Ten Adult Fiction Books

 

There was everything from heavy and emotional, to historical fiction, to delightful and fun. Note: some of these books were conclusions to or part of a series, so be sure to read the other books in the series first .

 

*Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

*The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

*Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

*The Foundljng by Georgette Heyer

*The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

*Making the Marquess by Nichole Van

*The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

*Remembering Jamie by Nichole Van

*Close to You by Kara Isaac

*Courting Magic by Stephanie Burgess

 

Top Ten Nonfiction Books

 

Once again, there was a little bit of everything, from spiritual and uplifting, to eye-opening history, to fascinating, to just plain fun - like the book about people like me who love to read .

 

*I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel

*The Spirit of Revelation by David A. Bednar

*Get Well Soon: History’s Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright (written pre-Covid)

*In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks by Richard E. Turley Jr.

*This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live by Melody Warnick

*Anxiously Engaged: A Biography of M. Russell Ballard by Susan Easton Black

*Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950’s by Jennifer Worth

*Women and the Priesthood: What One Latter-day Saint Woman Believes by Sheri Dew

*Beyond the Shade of the Mango Tree: Reflections on What God Sees in Us by Edward Dube

*The Second Coming of the Lord by Gerald Lund