So as this year draws to an end, its time for the round-up. For this write-up to be in time, I am including books read till early December. This year, I returned to doing what I love the most – reading – after a long long while. I was in need of utilizing my spare time doing something for myself that would be a means of relaxation & happiness. Casually browsing the Amazon store, I stumbled upon Dale Carnegie’s “How To Stop Worrying And Start Living” – a life changer of sorts. As I was looking to overcome the worry factor, it still surprises me how this book popped up out of nowhere to catch my eye! As I got into the reading mode, feeling more and more at home with it, I relished the sense of relaxation & calm that reading lent to me once again. I found some very loveable reads that 2021 offered from a wide spectrum of different styles & genres. It just amazes me, the amount of good writing that is happening around. Obviously, no one can expect to read everything, neither is it meant to be so. We read only what matches our preferred genre of interest. And in doing so, my kindle intimates me that I have read 29 titles this year. So here’s taking a look back at the year gone by.
This year made for some excellent reading with books from some of the big names, as well as some debutants making a big mark in their very first go. A few books managed to leave a mark in my memory which I shall mention here. One of the first reads of 2021 for me was “Stuck On You” by Portia MacIntosh. A light-hearted, funny & witty story which made for a fun read. The premise of the book was what worked for the book along with MacIntosh’s narration & humor.
That was followed by John Grisham’s Sooley. My first from Grisham, Sooley is a book that I hold dearly close to my heart. Something about it just clicks with me. Sooley to me symbolizes an aura… a stardom… sensationalism. The euphoria that Grisham managed to create in this book – a larger than life persona – it was as good as watching a live basket ball game with a star NBA player in full form slamming dunks. The sensational twist in the later part of the story in concurrence with this euphoria was just the zing it needed to keep it spiced up. And not to forget, the other side of the story that focused upon the civil war – it all adds up to make for a classic read.
Moving along, I read many other works from various authors – The Vault Of Vishnu, The Last Thing He Told Me, The Island Of Missing Trees, Small Pleasures & Rock Paper Scissors, Falling, A Gambling Man and Klara And The Sun to mention a few. While these were passable (a couple of them just about!), I did not find them quite up there in the top league. They all however still made for fair one time reads to occupy your time with.
So amongst the more sorted ones, a book that I hold in high esteem came from Andy Weir, Project Hail Mary. Just as Sooley, this is a book that I fell in complete love with. Had it not been the length of the book, I think this was one of the finest works of 2021. For a science buff like myself, this book is a treat. The intelligent use of real scientific theory & principles to back a completely fictional phenomenon makes that latter absolutely real and believable. The creative terms & names that the author comes up for such fictional phenomenon is another remarkable aspect of this book.
My all time favorite author, Sir Jeffrey Archer had two releases in 2021. The William Warwick Series continued ahead with Turn A Blind Eye and Over My Dead Body. Both the books showcase the exhilarating cat & mouse chase between Warwick and Faulkner with flawless finesse. There never is a dull moment in these books. Jeffrey Archer’s books are never devoid of excitement. Reading these two books, I couldn’t help myself from reading the previous book in this series Hidden In Plain Sight – which I had earlier missed out on.
If Archer showed his typical story telling skills, John Grisham came with an absolute winner towards the year end with The Judges List – a thriller of a book! It sent chills reading some of the sequences in this crime thriller. Grisham creates such fear at certain points in the story that leave you scared and excited at the same time.
Talking of the scary stuff, it brings me to Alex Michaelides who was back with his second book The Maidens which was an equally spine chilling experience. Wonderful writing with some nerve wracking sequences and a suspense that I couldn’t preempt right till it’s disclosure. The author’s style of writing exhibits his natural knack of frightening the reader with small little detail deliberately dropped around from time to time in the book that is indicative of something about to happen.
Moving from the scary stuff, I was lucky enough to chance upon some beautiful, heart warming light reads. Alison Sherlock’s The Village Shop For Lonely Hearts won my heart with it’s uplifting, cheerful and pleasant feel. The serene setting in a quiet, peaceful village, The Cranbridge Store’s revival, unexpected discovery of friendship, love & belonging – this is a book that deserves far more accolades than it probably received. Though officially released in 2020, I include it in this year’s roundup as this is a book worth mentioning. However, it’s sequels The Village Of Lost And Found and The Village Inn Of Secret Dreams, both of which came this year were equally enjoyable reads, much on the same lines. I am looking forward to the next sequel that is slated to release in March next year.
A Town Called Solace – Mary Lawson’s book that was longlisted for the Booker Prize – this was a heart warming story of second chances in life. The austere & peaceful setting of this book almost makes for a dream world. The innocent yet resolute little girl Clara was disarming & lovable. A very well thought of, and wonderfully written book.
One of the late reads of the year, I was lucky to have picked Madeline Martin’s The Last Bookshop In London just by chance, having been on the look out for something new & good to read. This book would easily compete for the best of 2021. A hear-wrenching story of grit, hope, love and compassion. Set during the second World War, Martin is flawless in her uplifting story in difficult times. This is a book you can always revert to when in need of some inspiration to lift up your spirits.
Saving the best for the last, I cannot end my post without any mention of The Lost Apothecary – a runaway success – from debut novelist Sarah Penner. This is a lovable book. Beautiful characterizations of the main characters Nella & Elisa; laced with loads of intriguing elements – poisons, tinctures, vials, preparation of mixtures – a fascinating world of fantasy. The constant to-and-fro between past and present lends a very unique writing style to the book. This is a book that sets a benchmark for times to come as far as imagination & fantasizing goes. It has also made me realize my love for historical fiction. A book that shall be one of my all time favorites sure thing!
This has been an amazing year for reading & book lovers. It has shown me once again how dependable a friend books are. I always find refuge in them. They are my sanctuary to disengage worry. As I read somewhere, I am never solitary when reading or writing. And on that note, I close this summarization looking forward to lots of good reading ahead.