Best Books of 2021 Pt. II: 2021 Releases! (and two backlist titles I forgot!)

Today I'm excited to share with you all the second and final part of my favorites books of 2021 list! I have split this list up into 2021 debuts and 2021 releases from authors who are not debut authors (and apologies if any of the debut authors are not actually debut.. I tried my best to research and this is what I came back with). I'm also apparently a huge mess this year and thought two backlist books were actually 2021 releases so forgot to include them in my part one post... so you can find those at the bottom of this post! As with the previous post, these are listed in no particular order. I read some really fantastic books this year and also had a lot of fun putting this list together. Let me know if you've read any of these books and what you thought of them, as well as what some of your favorite 2021 releases were!

If you'd like to see part one of my favorite books, which includes backlist titles and two 2022 releases, you can check it out here. 

As mentioned before, my annual yearly stats post with all the fun stats about my reading (# of books, genres, sources, etc.) will be up in late January, so stay tuned!

2021 Debut Novels:

(in no particular order)

1. Malice by Heather Walter: I'm still surprised that I don't see this one around more because it was just so good. I love a villain origin story and this one delivered. It was deep, complex, and had a truly wonderful descent that I was fully understanding of. I was ecstatic to see that this will get a sequel this year! Review

2. The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec: This was even better than I could have hoped for! I adored Gornichec's depiction of Loki and Angrboda and htink she developed their relationship in such a gradual, beautiful, and deeply complex way. Absolutely loved this one and can't wait to see what's next from this author. Review

3. Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden: This was a completely unexpected and unpredictable favorite. I saw this on sale on Audible one day, thought it sounded interesting, and subsequently decided to try it out. I think it was a mixture of the characters, story, and narration that really made me love this book as much as I did. Review

4. Sistersong by Lucy Holland: This was a truly beautiful and rather heartbreaking story of three sisters and their experiences as they and their fellow people undergo some major changes. I didn't expect to be as taken in by this story as I was and really can't wait to read Lucy Holland's upcoming release. Review

5. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint: When I started this book, I really didn't expect it was going to end up a favorite, but as the story progressed I began to fall more and more in love with Saint's depiction of this myth and the characters involved. It really felt well done and was so tragic and captivating, it became an easy favorite. Review

2021 Releases (from established authors):

(in no particular order)

1. Sidewinders by Robert V.S. Redick: Was there really any risk of this sequel not being on my favorites list?? Sidewinders was probably one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it lived up to my hype and surpassed it. Redick is a master and if you haven't started this series yet, go check out Master Assassins and then pick up Sidewinders. Review

2. A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes: I finished reading this via audiobook in the last couple weeks of December, but I knew it was going to make it on this list by the time I was halfway through. I am floored by Haynes' depiction of these Greek women and I really feel like she did her research and has a strong level of personal interest and care towards creating them in an authentic and compelling way. This book was pretty heavy throughout and I always felt like I needed to take a deep breath before picking it up again, but it was absolutely gorgeous and so worth the read. 

3. Mother Pig by Travis M. Riddle: Mother Pig was another one of my most anticipated releases of this year and I'm so happy to say that it was even better than I hoped! I have been loving this trilogy from Travis Riddle and you should absolutely go check out Flesh Eater if you haven't started the trilogy yet (and the third book will be out soon!). These characters are absolutely the best and so well-written, and the world is so much fun to explore. Review

4. Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee: What an ending! I am so sad that The Green Bone Saga is now over, but I'm so satisfied (and a little devastated) with this ending and can do nothign but applaud Fonda Lee for writing such a truly incredible series. I would love to see this adapted one day, I think it would work really well on screen and I think would work to draw even more people to the books! Review

5. The Fall of Babel by Josiah Bancroft: Another outstanding series ender! This series felt like a real journey for me and it felt like one that I'd been on for a while, so I honestly felt a little sad for it to end. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think Bancroft ended this series perfectly and exactly how he should have (and still entirely unpredictably for me!). Review

6. The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart: I didn't honestly expect this to end up as a favorite simply because I didn't love the first book, but wow did this book blow me away! I had so much fun with it and am so glad I decided to give it a shot. I think I may need to re-read the first book again because maybe I was just in a bad mood or something when I read it?? Regardless, The Bone Shard Emperor was a fantastic sequel! Review

...and I sort of messed up and thought these were 2021 releases, but they actually came out in 2019/2020 and I still want to include them, so... here's two more backlist favorites!

1. Into the Jungle by Erica Ferencik: I was really excited for this book and hoped to love it, but it ended up being something very different from what I expected and I loved it far more than I expected to as well. It was so much more heartfelt and meaningful than I realized it would be and I think the journey of our main character was really something special. 

2. Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica: Whew, I still feel unsure what to say about this book. I am obsessed with how deeply uncomfortable it made me because it takes a lot to make me feel weird or eeked out by something, and this book did just that. I wouldn't say I loved this book in the same way I love other books, but it's one I think about more often than I'd like to and that I would still recommend all the time (with some very strong warnings!). This book was insane and horrible and I loved it so much. 

Have you read any of these books?? What were some of your favorite 2021 releases?

Anticipated December 2021 Releases!

December always tends to be one of the slowest months in publishing new releases, so this list is a bit smaller than previous months, but it still has some great books on it! I'm probably the most excited for The Liar's Knot because I absolutely adored The Mask of Mirrors last year and have been very anxiously awaiting this sequel. What are some December releases you're looking forward to?

Absynthe by Brendan Bellecourt || December 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Liar's Knot by M.A. Carrick || December 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw || December 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim || December 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Square³ by Mira Grant || December 31st -- Bookshop.org

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske || December 9th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Upper World by Femi Fadugba || December 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

No Beauties or Monsters by Tara Goedjen || December 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe by Matthew Gabriele, David M. Perry || December 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Escape from Atlantis by Kate O'Hearn || December 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Spanish Daughter by Lorena Hughes || December 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

What are your anticipated December releases?

Top 5 Tuesday: 2021 Releases I Still Need to Read

This week I decided to switch back over and participate in Top 5 Tuesday, originally hosted by BionicBookworm, now hosted by MeeghanReads!

This week's topic is: Top 5 books I haven’t read yet in 2021

This week's topic is all about those books we meant to read this year, but just haven't had a chance to get to for one reason or another. I've decided to split this topic up and share five 2021 standalone releases that I still haven't had a chance to read as well as five books in series that I still haven't read. I won't pretend that I'll manage to read these all by the end of the year, but I'd love to read at least a few.

The Betrayals by Bridget Collins

I really enjoyed Collins' The Binding, and have no doubt that this book will be just as incredibly written. I actually have a copy, but for some reason I still haven't gotten to it... I think winter might be a good season for it.

About:

"If everything in your life was based on a lie 

Would you risk it all to tell the truth? 

At Montverre, an exclusive academy tucked away in the mountains, the best and brightest are trained for excellence in the grand jeu: an arcane and mysterious contest. Léo Martin was once a student there, but lost his passion for the grand jeu following a violent tragedy. Now he returns in disgrace, exiled to his old place of learning with his political career in tatters. 

Montverre has changed since he studied there, even allowing a woman, Claire Dryden, to serve in the grand jeu’s highest office of Magister Ludi. When Léo first sees Claire he senses an odd connection with her, though he’s sure they have never met before. 

Both Léo and Claire have built their lives on lies. And as the legendary Midsummer Game, the climax of the year, draws closer, secrets are whispering in the walls…" Goodreads

The Splendor by Breeana Shields

This book checks so many boxes of things I love, I'm really hoping to prioritize this one for the next couple months. 

About:
"The Splendor isn’t just a glamorous hotel, it’s a magical experience that gives its guests the fantasy fulfillment of their dreams. But The Splendor didn’t make Juliette’s dreams come true. It ruined her life. 

After a weeklong stay, Juliette’s sister, Clare, returns from the hotel changed. Her connection to Juliette―the special bond they once shared―has vanished. In a moment of hurt and frustration, Juliette steals their meager savings and visits The Splendor herself. 

When she arrives, she’s taken in by the lush and sumptuous hotel. But as she delves more deeply into the mystery of the place, and how they make their illusions work, she grows more and more uneasy. The Splendor has a seedy underbelly, but every time she gets close to discovering something real, she seems to hit a wall. 

Meanwhile, Juliette meets Henri, an illusionist who lives and works at the hotel. Henri’s job is to provide Juliette with the same Signature Experience he gives all the guests―one tailored fantasy that will make her stay unforgettable. As he gets to know her, he realizes that not only is he ill-equipped to make her dreams come true, he’s the cause of her heartache." Goodreads 

Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

I can't get over how perfectly weird this sounds, and I absolutely need to read it. 

About: "One day, the mother was a mother but then, one night, she was quite suddenly something else... 

At home full-time with her two-year-old son, an artist finds she is struggling. She is lonely and exhausted. She had imagined - what was it she had imagined? Her husband, always travelling for his work, calls her from faraway hotel rooms. One more toddler bedtime, and she fears she might lose her mind. 

Instead, quite suddenly, she starts gaining things, surprising things that happen one night when her child will not sleep. Sharper canines. Strange new patches of hair. New appetites, new instincts. And from deep within herself, a new voice... 

With its clear eyes on contemporary womanhood and sharp take on structures of power, Nightbitch is an outrageously original, joyfully subversive read that will make you want to howl in laughter and recognition. Addictive enough to be devoured in one sitting, this is an unforgettable novel from a blazing new talent." Goodreads

The Vines by Shelley Nolden

Everything about this one calls out to me, and I love how eerie it sounds. This is another one I actually have a copy of given to me as a gift, but why haven't I read it??

About:
"In the shadows of New York City lies forbidden North Brother Island, where the remains of a shuttered hospital hide the haunting memories of century-old quarantines and human experiments. The ruins conceal the scarred and beautiful Cora, imprisoned by contagions and the doctors who torment her. When Finn, a young urban explorer, arrives on the island and glimpses an enigmatic beauty through the foliage, intrigue turns to obsession as he seeks to uncover her past—and his own family’s dark secrets. By unraveling these mysteries, will he be able to save Cora? Will Cora meet the same tragic ending as the thousands who’ve already perished on the island? 

The Vines intertwines North Brother Island’s horrific and elusive history with a captivating tale of love, betrayal, survival, and loss." Goodreads

The Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

This one grabbed my eye before it came out, and I feel like lately all I've been hearing are people raving about it, which of course only makes me more intrigued. I think the library wait list for this one will be pretty long, but I also think it'll be worth the wait.

About:
"As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. Daunis dreams of studying medicine, but when her family is struck by tragedy, she puts her future on hold to care for her fragile mother. 

The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team. Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, certain details don’t add up and she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into the heart of a criminal investigation. 

Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, but secretly pursues her own investigation, tracking down the criminals with her knowledge of chemistry and traditional medicine. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. 

Now, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she'll go to protect her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known." Goodreads

And series that I've (temporarily) dropped the ball on!

Hunting By Stars (The Marrow Thieves #2) by Cherie Dimaline 

I absolutely loved The Marrow Thieves and was so excited to hear that Dimaline had not only another book coming out, but a sequel at that! I've also really enjoyed Dimaline's Empire of Wild and highly recommend her work.

About:
"Years ago, when plagues and natural disasters killed millions of people, much of the world stopped dreaming. Without dreams, people are haunted, sick, mad, unable to rebuild. The government soon finds that the Indigenous people of North America have retained their dreams, an ability rumored to be housed in the very marrow of their bones. Soon, residential schools pop up—or are re-opened—across the land to bring in the dreamers and harvest their dreams. 

Seventeen-year-old French lost his family to these schools and has spent the years since heading north with his new found family: a group of other dreamers, who, like him, are trying to build and thrive as a community. But then French wakes up in a pitch-black room, locked in and alone for the first time in years, and he knows immediately where he is—and what it will take to escape. 

Meanwhile, out in the world, his found family searches for him and dodges new dangers—school Recruiters, a blood cult, even the land itself. When their paths finally collide, French must decide how far he is willing to go—and how many loved ones is he willing to betray—in order to survive. This engrossing, action-packed, deftly-drawn novel expands on the world of Cherie Dimaline’s award-winning The Marrow Thieves, and it will haunt readers long after they’ve turned the final page." Goodreads

The Exiled Fleet by J.S. Dewes

Considering how much I loved The Last Watch, I'm really surprised at myself for not having read the sequel yet. I think it just came out so much sooner than I expected and I haven't seen it at my library, but hopefully soon!

About:
"J. S. Dewes continues her fast paced, science fiction action adventure with The Exiled Fleet, where The Expanse meets The Black Company--the survivors of The Last Watch refuse to die. 

The Sentinels narrowly escaped the collapsing edge of the Divide. 

They have mustered a few other surviving Sentinels, but with no engines they have no way to leave the edge of the universe before they starve. 

Adequin Rake has gathered a team to find the materials they'll need to get everyone out. 

To do that they're going to need new allies and evade a ruthless enemy. Some of them will not survive." Goodreads

The Fall of Koli by M.R. Carey

I feel so bad for not having read this one yet–especially since the publisher sent me a copy!–but I just hadn't been in the mood for it for some reason. I'm hoping to get to it soon!

About:
"The Fall of Koli is the third and final novel in the breathtakingly original Rampart trilogy - set in a strange and deadly world of our own making. 

The world that is lost will come back to haunt us . . . 

Koli has come a long way since being exiled from his small village of Mythen Rood. In his search for the fabled tech of the old times, he knew he'd be battling strange, terrible beasts and trees that move as fast as whips. But he has already encountered so much more than he bargained for. 

Now that Koli and his companions have found the source of the signal they've been following - the mysterious "Sword of Albion" - there is hope that their perilous journey will finally be worth something. 

Until they unearth terrifying truths about an ancient war . . . and realise that it may have never ended." Goodreads

We Cry for Blood (The Reborn Empire #3) by Devin Madson

I also feel horrible for not having read this one, either. I read the first book as an author review request back when it was still self-published and hadn't bene picked up by Orbit yet and absolutely loved it. I also read the sequel right before it was picked up by Orbit, and then there was a bit of confusion on my part on whether or not I should re-read the first two books or not in case of changes, and then I just sort of let the confusion cause me to lose momentum and, well, here we are. Love this trilogy though, and hope to finish soon!

About:
"The empire has fallen and another rises in its place in the action-packed third book of Devin Madson's bold and bloody epic fantasy quartet. 

Ambition and schemes have left the Kisian Empire in ashes. Empress Miko Ts’ai will have to move fast if she hopes to secure a foothold in its ruins. However, the line between enemies and allies may not be as clear-cut as it first appeared. 

After failing to win back his Swords, former Captain Rah e’Torin finds shelter among the Levanti deserters. But his presence in the camp threatens to fracture the group, putting him on a collision course with their enigmatic leader. 

Assassin Cassandra Marius knows Leo Villius’s secret—one that could thwart his ambitions to conquer Kisia. But her time in Empress Hana’s body is running out and each attempt they make to exploit Leo’s weakness may be playing into his plans. 

And, as Leo’s control over the Levanti emperor grows, Dishiva e’Jaroven is caught in his web. To successfully challenge him, she’ll have to decide how many of her people are worth sacrificing in order to win." Goodreads

A Song of Flight (Warrior Bards #3) by Juliet Marillier

This has been such a beautiful trilogy, full of so much heartbreak and hope, and I'm really hoping this finale doesn't bring me even more heartbreak... but I still can't wait to read it!

About:
"Bard and fighter Liobhan is always ready for a challenge. So when news arrives at Swan Island that the prince of Dalriada has gone missing after an assault by both masked men and the sinister Crow Folk, she's eager to act. 

While Liobhan and her fellow Swan Island warriors seek answers to the prince's disappearance, the bard Brocc, Liobhan's brother, finds himself in dire trouble. His attempts to communicate with the Crow Folk have led him down a perilous path. When Liobhan and her comrades are sent to the rescue, it becomes clear the two missions are connected--and a great mystery unfolds. 

What brought the Crow Folk to Erin? And who seeks to use them in an unscrupulous bid for power? As Liobhan and Brocc investigate, it will take all their strength and will to continue pursuing the truth. With the safety of their loved ones in the balance, the risks they must take may cost them everything." Goodreads

Have you read any of these books? What are some 2021 releases you still want to read?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Liar's Knot (Rook & Rose #2) by M.A. Carrick & A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw

 

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

 

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

The Liar's Knot (Rook & Rose #2) by M.A. Carrick
Publication: December 7th, 2021

Orbit

Paperback. 672 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Trust is the thread that binds us . . . and the rope that hangs us. 

In Nadezra, peace is as tenuous as a single thread. The ruthless House Indestor has been destroyed, but darkness still weaves through the city’s filthy back alleys and jewel-bright gardens, seen by those who know where to look. 

Derossi Vargo has always known. He has sacrificed more than anyone imagines to carve himself a position of power and influence among the nobility, hiding a will of steel behind a velvet smile. He'll be damned if he lets anyone threaten what he's built. 

Grey Serrado knows all too well. Bent under the yoke of too many burdens, he fights to protect the city’s most vulnerable. Sooner or later, that fight will demand more than he can give. 

And Ren, daughter of no clan, knows best of all. Caught in a knot of lies, torn between her heritage and her aristocratic masquerade, she relies on her gift for reading pattern to survive. And it shows her the web of darkness that traps her city. 

But all three have yet to discover just how far that web stretches. And in the end, it will take more than knives to cut themselves free..."

I absolutely loved The Mask of Mirrors when I read it last year and have been eagerly anticipated this sequel ever since. I can't wait to finally get my hands on a copy of this! This book/series needs more love because it absolutely deserves it so far. 

and...

A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw

Publication: December 7th, 2021

Atria Books

Hardcover. 368 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"The New York Times bestselling author of The Wicked Deep weaves a richly atmospheric adult debut following three residents of a secluded, seemingly peaceful commune as they investigate the disappearances of two outsiders. 

Travis Wren has an unusual talent for locating missing people. Hired by families as a last resort, he requires only a single object to find the person who has vanished. When he takes on the case of Maggie St. James—a well-known author of dark, macabre children’s books—he’s led to a place many believed to be only a legend. 

Called Pastoral, this reclusive community was founded in the 1970s by like-minded people searching for a simpler way of life. By all accounts, the commune shouldn’t exist anymore and soon after Travis stumbles upon it…he disappears. Just like Maggie St. James. 

Years later, Theo, a lifelong member of Pastoral, discovers Travis’s abandoned truck beyond the border of the community. No one is allowed in or out, not when there’s a risk of bringing a disease—rot—into Pastoral. Unraveling the mystery of what happened reveals secrets that Theo, his wife, Calla, and her sister, Bee, keep from one another. Secrets that prove their perfect, isolated world isn’t as safe as they believed—and that darkness takes many forms. 

Hauntingly beautiful, hypnotic, and bewitching, A History of Wild Places is a story about fairy tales, our fear of the dark, and losing yourself within the wilderness of your mind."

I haven't read any books from Shea Ernshaw yet and I'm very intrigued by the premise of this one. I'm always down some reclusive communities with some weird characters!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Anticipated November 2021 Releases!

 

November has a lot of amazing releases, but it also feels like one of the slightly slower months volume-wise (certainly not content-wise!). I have already read and loved The Fall of Babel (my review will be up very soon!), which was absolutely one of my most anticipated releases. I've been holding onto an ARC of Jade Legacy for a while as well and I'm hoping to finally dive into that in the beginning of November! There's a lot of YA fantasy coming out in November, it seems, and although I've sort of been shying away from it lately, there are still some that sounds promising, so I had to include them here on this list. Let me know what books you're excited for–and which ones I've left out, because I know I definitely have forgotten some. 

The Fall of Babel (The Books of Babel #4) by Josiah Bancroft || November 9th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Jade Legacy (The Green Bone Saga #3) by Fonda Lee || November 30th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky || November 16th -- Amazon | IndieBound

The Bone Shard Emperor (The Drowning Empire #2) by Andrea Stewart || November 23rd -- Amazon | IndieBound

Gilded by Marissa Meyer || November 2nd -- Amazon | IndieBound

Noor by Nnedi Okorafor || November 9th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson || November 16th -- Amazon | IndieBound

The City of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon || November 23rd -- Amazon | IndieBound

Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier || November 9th -- Amazon | IndieBound

The Anomaly by Hervé Le Tellier,  Adriana Hunter (trans.) || November th -- Amazon | IndieBound

The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath || November 2nd -- Amazon | IndieBound

The Cartographer's Secret by Tea Cooper || November 16th -- Amazon IndieBound

All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman || November 9th -- Amazon | IndieBound

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske || November 2nd -- Amazon | IndieBound

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen || November 2nd -- Amazon | IndieBound

A Rush of Wings by Laura E. Weymouth || November 16th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Briar Girls by Rebecca Kim Wells || November 16th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross || November 2nd -- Amazon | IndieBound

The Forgotten Memories of Vera Glass by Anna Priemaza || November 9th -- Amazon | IndieBound

What are your anticipated November releases?