my 5-star reads of 2021.
Hello and Happy New Year to you all! I hope everyone had a safe, cozy, rejuvenating and relaxing holiday season full of friends, family, yummy treats and of course, time to read!
I am happy to report that I met my 2021 Book Goal of 75 books! I don’t think I’ve ever read this many books in one year of my life. It got a little dicey towards the end (I had 3 books to read as of the 20th, and finished my final book yesterday, the 30th!), but I did it! And what a great year of books it’s been! Earlier this year, you may recall, I posted 35 books on my 2021 reading list and I did read quite of few of those this year. I tracked all of my book reading goals through goodreads (link to mine at the top of this page) and finished the year with 21,125 pages under my belt! A personal best for one year, I’d say. I also posted the books I read and my reviews in real-time over on my bookstagram (@ohheyimreading). Feel free to follow along — it’s a fun little bookish gang growing over there!
Without further ado (and in no particular order), I present to you my top 11, 5-star reads, of 2021:
1.) Fighting Forward - Hannah Brencher
Written by one of my most favorite authors Hannah Brencher, Fighting Forward is amazing! It’s about helping us push past what’s holding us back - the lies, the fear, the doubt, the scarcity mindset. It’s about lacing up our shoes, and fighting forward. It’s about putting our blinders on, turning down the dial of what others think, and pressing in. Whatever you’re hoping to rebuild, restart or dive into this year, I hope you’ll read this book to help fuel that fire. I hope you’ll let it transform and renew your spirit to set aside the weight of what was, to trust the process and to begin right now, right where you are. I wrote more about it HERE from when I was on the book launch team for Hannah!♥
2.) Preach to Yourself - Hayley Morgan
This book is chalk full of so many good nuggets and it’s not a read you should try to finish in one sitting. It’s more of a guide with so many key truths to devour and digest and jot down and sit with and pray about. Hayley talks about our brains, the importance of taking our thoughts captive, how to turn off bad news feedback loops, what it looks like to replace lies with sound truths and the vital call we have to renew our minds and to renew them well. I savored many things from this book, but perhaps the most impactful one that stuck with me was around Romans 12:2 being an “if-then” statement. IF we renew our minds, THEN we WILL be transformed. That’s both an invitation and a promise in certainty that I’m grateful to be reminded of. “You renew; God transforms.” The surrender, the intentionality to renew our minds, the posture to take our thoughts captive and reset them with sound truths is wildly necessary and even more relevant in this time. If you’re looking for some tangible truths to boost your long-haul spiritual rhythms in the work of renewing your mind and walking in the beauty of obedience, this book is a great resource.
3.) When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi
Ah, this book is beautiful. It warmed my heart, it broke my heart — it touched me deeply. It’s written by Paul Kalanithi, a neurosurgery resident who found out he had aggressive lung cancer near the end of his residency and while writing this book. Ultimately he passes away, but the story he tells is worth reading. It’s full of hope and truth and dignity and honesty about dying and living and finding the meaning and the purpose in both. It’s raw and hard to read at times, and the epilogue, written by his wife, Lucy, made me cry my little eyes out. I hope you’ll read it — it’s a short, inspiring, gut-wrenching, powerful memoir. ♥
4.) Love Does - Bob Goff
This was my first Bob Goff read. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got it from the library, but this book holds many adventurous, heartfelt and whimsical stories from Bob Goff’s life. From sailboats to law school to stories about falling in love, his work in Uganda and many other bold and heartfelt quests along the way — it’s a captivating read to see a glimpse into his life, how he loves Jesus and tangibly extends that love to others. I actually read this book aloud to my family, a couple chapters here and there, and it was really fun to giggle and read them together. They’re short stories, always ending with a note tying it back to Jesus. I ended the book feeling the same way I feel when I watch a feel-good movie — lighter and happier and more mindful of the ways I can look for whimsy and opportunities to experience and show actionable love in my own life! 🎈
5.) The Baker’s Guide to Country Living - Louise Miller
I’ll be honest, I probably wouldn’t have ever picked this book based on its cover, so the old adage is true. My sweet friend Amy recommended it to me a couple of years ago and it made its way into my lap as one of my librarian’s picks for me! Start to finish, this book is cozy, sweet and heartfelt. The characters are endearing, the setting is right out of a hallmark movie, the food and baked goods imagery is drool worthy, and there’s one love scene, keeping it pretty PG-13 overall. I felt so invested in the outcome of this story and I truly enjoyed it through and through. Such a cute, cozy read! 🥧
6.) Meet Me in Paradise - Libby Hubscher
THIS BOOK. 🥺 Oh, this book is a dancing dream and I don’t exaggerate when I say it might be one of my favs of all time. The story is robust with the best characters, the whimsy of traveling, coupled with blooming love and unexpected loss. It’s got everything you want in a novel — it’s heartfelt and funny, yet whimsical and perfectly complex. This book made me laugh and cry and stay up late and wake up early because I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I’m not going to spoil anything about this story, but I hope you’ll read it and I hope you swoon as much as I did about it and the beautiful journey it takes you on. Most importantly, I hope it leaves you wanting to be bolder in love and adventure in your own life, too! ✨
7.) Ghosted - Rosie Walsh
Not surprisingly, I stayed up until MIDNIGHT finishing this book because I couldn’t stop reading it. Sarah and Eddie meet and have a whirlwind romance leaving them both head over heels in love. They are inseparable until they have to part ways for two trips. And then boom. Eddie leaves the chat. He ghosts her and Sarah is left on read — confused, shocked, heartbroken and defeated. Sarah knows there’s more to the story and works to unpack what’s happened, following any breadcrumb of hints she can find as she figures out what to do next. This book has twists, turns, great characters and sooo many relatable moments (especially if you’ve been ghosted in real life, heh 😅) and it’s SO GOOD. It’s a slight slow burn at the beginning, but then it takes off and you’re hooked and invested til the VERY last chapter. Full of vivid imagery and such sweet, emotional and captivating detail — you really feel the emotions along with the characters and I think that’s the best kind of fiction there is! 👻
8.) Beginner’s Pluck - Liz Forkin Bohannon
This book is a #keeper. Liz Forkin Bohannon is the founder of Sseko Designs, an ethical fashion brand that works to educate and empower women. This book was born out of her journey starting Sseko. It’s so good. It talks specifically about passions and purpose and how they’re not found — they’re built and forged out of the things we’re already doing, the life we’ve already lived, the things we’ve already experienced. It’s about the “joyful, gut-wrenching, love-giving and courageous work of becoming who you already are”, and uncovering a life of purpose and passion and impact by building momentum and taking steps in ANY direction. It’s about dreaming big dreams and moving towards your true north in tiny movements from WOW to HOW. I spent so much time writing some parts of this book down in my notebook because the words touched me deeply and renewed my spirit in the best way. I think you’d love this book, too! ♥ (p.s. This book inspired a blog post earlier this year which you can read HERE)
9.) Second First Impressions - Sally Thorne
My dear friend Rachel recommended this book to me and OH MY GOODNESS, I LOVED IT. I know some people hold Sally Thorne to her ‘The Hating Game’ debut standard and for me, this book was the bees knees just like that one was. It’s such a delightful read — it’s imaginative and funny with the right amounts of romance, predictability and charm to keep you reading! Without giving anything away, I think you’ll love Ruthie and her time working at a bougie retirement community and the friends and feelings (😉) she encounters along the way! 🐢 (p.s: there are some curse words and one love scene, but it’s pretty PG-13 overall!)
10.) The Box in the Woods - Maureen Johnson
Wow, I love the ‘Truly Devious’ series so much! Maureen Johnson really knows how to write ‘em. This is her latest release, book #4 in the Truly Devious series, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! If you haven’t already, start out by reading Truly Devious (book #1), and then The Vanishing Stair (book #2), and then, The Hand on the Wall (book #3) so that you’re ready to join Stevie again in this book! This series is the perfect combo of adventure and sleuthy mystery goodness with great characters (without all the gore and raunch and unnecessary fluff). The whole series is a wild delight and it’s truly one of my most fav YA series ever. I can’t wait for another one to come out.
11.) Everybody Always - Bob Goff
“Every time I wonder who I should love and for how long I should love them, God continues to whisper to me: Everybody, Always.”
I loved this book from start to finish! The stories in this book, regardless of how lofty or relatable they may be for some, without a doubt left me better than when they found me. They’re so moving and are a humbling reminder that loving the unlovable is both an honor and a necessary heart posture if we want to grow and be more like Jesus. Bob’s stories are funny and heartfelt and crazy and genuine and they show just how much God delights in showing up through people and offering grace and love beyond what we can even fathom. From loving family and friends, to our neighbors, some evil witch doctors in Uganda and anyone in between, Bob Goff is a remarkable role model of how to try and love everybody, always. 🎈
That’s it, folks! My top reads from 2021. I want to read some of them again! LOL.
What were some of your favorite 5-star reads from this year?! Have you read any of the ones posted above? I’ll be posting some of the books I’ve got queued up for 2022, but in the meantime, I’d love to know which books pulled at your bookish heart strings this year!
As we embark on a new year, my prayer and hope is that you continue to truly experience and know the love and goodness of God, no matter what comes! All the best!
-kaylee
