I love this tag because it’s fun to look back on what you’ve read so far in the year – and I can’t believe I’ve already completely forgotten about some of the books I’ve read. I’m going to try and not repeat books so many canhave the time to shine. And this is a great way to look back on some books I loved and hopefully get out of this slump I’ve been in since some work craziness has overtaken my time.
You can check out the previous times I did this tag in 2017, 2018, and 2020.
Before I talk about individual books, I wanted to share some stats!
Total Books Read so Far: 95
Most Read Genres: Romance, Contemporary, High Fantasy
Average Star Rating: 3.31 stars
You can click the book’s title to check out the Goodreads page, and the author’s name to check out my review for each book!
BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2021
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
This was heart warming, funny, whimsical, and earnest. It’s such an amazing book, and it’s no wonder so many people loved it last year!
BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2021
The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
I’ve read the entire From Blood and Ash series this year – and had the best time. It really reignited my love for paranormal romance and urban fantasy stories and I’ve been loving reading more this year! Concrete Rose was such an incredible story and I loved seeing where Maverick came from – I think I loved it even more than The Hate U Give.
NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO
A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth
That Way Madness Lies edited by Dahlia Adler
Like mentioned above, I’ve been craving urban fantasy stories and I’ve heard great things about A Dark and Hollow Star! I’ve been excited for That Way Madness Lies for probably 2 years – I love anthologies and reimaginings so it’s truly a perfect pairing for me.
MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
A Lesson in Vengeance sounds dark, twisty, atmospheric and perfect for fall. I am counting down the days. The Kiss Quotient series has some of my favorite romances, so of course I’m beyond excited for the newest installment coming out in August!
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Lore by Alexandra Bracken
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
I’m not including books I DNF’s on this list because I just don’t think it’s quite fair.
I’ve read a few of Alexandra Bracken’s books and while they’ve been okay, they haven’t wowed me. And I thought Lore was the best chance for her to do that because I am a sucker for all things Greek mythology, but sadly I really did not enjoy anything about Lore at all. I know so many people loved My Dark Vanessa, but I was just mostly bored while reading it. It did discuss important topic and complex characters, but it wasn’t engaging in any way for me.
BIGGEST SURPRISE
Midnight at the Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson
I don’t know if I’ll ever gravitate toward SciFi over other genres, and I’m still trying to find my niche in the genre, but I have to say, Midnight at the Electric was a beautiful story of family, legacy, and determination.
FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR (OR NEW TO YOU)
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
I’ve seen people talk about Wolfsong for years and I just haven’t picked it up, but after truly falling in love with the cast of characters in THITCS, I think I need to explore more of Klune’s backlist.
NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH
Alex from People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
I loved Alex with my whole heart – he is such a loveable and understanding character
NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER
Nina Riva from Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Nina is one of the most selfless and caring characters I’ve ever encountered. She is willing to go to the ends of the Earth for those she cares about and it was impossible not to love her.
BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
I think this was a surprise for me, because I wasn’t expecting to cry in a book for Nesta because she’s never been my favorite character, but SJM did it again and made me care about the characters and relationships in the story.
BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
If you are looking for a book to make you laugh, look no further. This book had me laughing out loud the entire time – it’s a charming and quick witted cozy mystery with family at it’s core.
MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR (OR RECEIVED)
House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
A Chorus Rises by Bethany C. Morrow
The Push by Ashley Audrain
The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He
We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire by Joy McCullough
Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo
WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?
Like last year, I’m going to direct you to my 2021 TBR post. I haven’t made much progress on it – I still need to read 13 of the books, but I’m hoping to make some serious progress this month.
What are some of your favorite reads so far? What are you looking forward to? Share below and happy reading!
Life of a Literary Nerd 
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