My Complete 2021 Reading List: Every Book I Read in 2021
Rachel from Booklistqueen asked this question last year - How many books does a book blogger read in a year?
In terms of reading, I would say this year was fabulous for me. I thought I’d put up a tough challenge for myself by setting my goal of 100 books in the year. Because I’ve never before read that many books in a year. My highest number every year being around the 50s. But credit to my planning and execution (not boasting) I surpassed that and completed 124 books. Great right? And 50 of these books became my 5 star reads of the year.
So now are you wondering what I read?
Here today I’ve got my complete 2021 Reading List for you. I loved making this post as I got to go over all my reading through the year along with all the hits and misses.
I’m just going to list the titles here, if you’re interested in my review and rating, please click on the title and read the info.
Inspiration for this layout and format was all from Booklistqueen! Thank you for inspiring so many of us.
Let’s begin, So I read – 124 books
- Pages - 32586
- Genres covered – Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Mystery/Thriller, Non-fiction, Romance, Humor-and-comedy, psychological thriller.
- Formats covered – Paperbacks, Hardbacks, Ebooks, Audiobooks
- Average rating – 4.3
- Average Book length – 258 pages
- Shortest Book – 9 daily habits of warren buffett
- Longest Book – Crooked Kingdom
*As an amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases
Unique Book Recommendations to help you find your next read
Fiction
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Twin black sisters on different paths and their very unique stories.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The novel that raises a morbidly shattering world where women are imprisoned for pregnancy.
The Boy called Ambi by Srividhya Venkatesan Gayathri Venkatesan
Sweet life story of boy in small town India.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Life after death POV, where you get to choose a way of life you did not opt for in your real life.
Anxious People by Fredrick Backman
Kindness, it’s an important quality in this unique crime gone wrong story.
These Hills Called Homes by Temsula Ao
Living in North East India before they became independent and peaceful states governed by the central government.
Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbag
The perils faced by a middle class family of becoming wealthy overnight.
That Long Silence by Shashi Deshpande
What does a woman who gave up everything for her husband do after she realizes her husband is a fraud?
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
It’s okay to be different.
Manto’s selected short stories by Sadat Hasan Manto
Bold, raw and very well written and characterized stories from pre-independence era.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
A woman’s descent into madness.
Articleship Diaries by Akhil Manuel
A student’s journey from being a student to being a professional.
Kim Ji Young, Born 1982 by Cho Nam Joo
A woman in Korean narrates very vividly what it is to be a woman in Korea.
Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto
The narrator’s quest to find what led to his mother’s madness and deteriorating mental health.
Roads to Mussoorie Ruskin Bond
Ruskin Bond reminisces about his favorite city and its famed streets.
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Stories of people living away from their motherland, their difficulties and adjustments.
Bayan by Pramudith Rupasinghe
An old man reminiscing his life in Soviet Russia and discussing his bond with his favorite instrument with a stranger.
The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
A dystopian world where things disappear and people lose all memory of it.
Intimacies by Lucy Caldwell
Fascinating and brilliant Stories about women, relating to pregnancy and motherhood.
Romance
Our Love Story by Rohit Sharma
Typical Bollywood Rom-Com, stuff of the movies.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Enemies turned lovers, sons of the first family in the US and the royal prince of the UK. Steamy is an understatement.
The Audacity of Sara Grayson by Joani Elliott
A buddy writer finds herself in a fix when her deceased mother writes in her will for her daughter to write the final book of her bestselling series.
Lifeline by Chetan Maheshwari
The seeds of a business in India growing amidst a love story waiting to happen.
The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara
A betrayed woman falls for the taxi driver her ex was travelling in, only over text messages they exchange. Sounds impossible but feels very real.
Kari by Amruta Patil
India’s exemplary graphic novel of two girls in a lesbian relationship.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
A quadriplegic and his helper’s last ditch efforts to save him from taking his own life, leading to a wonderful light lovable story.
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two writers, stuck with their next book and broke, decide to switch genres and write each other’s books and bet on who sells their book first.
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
Enemies to Lovers trope with a Spanish family backdrop, and an American boy.
Mystery/Thriller
AN EYE FOR AN EYE by Carol Wyer
Classic story of revenge and murder solved by DI Kate Young.
Graveyard Fields by Steven Tingle
A victim in hiding trying to run away from his attackers.
Into The Water by Paula Hawkins
When an elder sister does not answer her little sister’s call, little does she know that it could be her last one.
Silence in the Library by Katharine Schellman
Accidentally caught up in a murder mystery, the characters in this book portray the perfect combination of old world British charm and whodunit vibe.
The Stalker by Sarah Alderson
So a couple is celebrating their honeymoon on a remote island with no way contact or travel accept by boat. And then they realize they aren’t alone on the island.
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
Rich people problems. A retelling of Jane Eyre.
A Cut for a Cut by Carol Wyer
Another compelling DI Kate young mystery.
Sadie by Courtney Summers
A teenage girl in search of her missing sister lands up in all the wrong places.
We Were Liars by E.Lockhart
A wealthy family hiding a secret so dark that it will destroy everyone.
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
Gothic atmosphere with a sanatorium turned resort with a horrific past.
Faith and Beloved by Shibu
Mafia style thriller with plenty of blood, sex and gore.
The Perfect Murder by Ruskin Bond
Classic case of murder gone awry.
When Things Get Dark: Stories inspired by Shirley Jackson
Collection of horror stories by authors inspired by Shirley Jackson.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
A young wife haunted by her wealthy husband’s first wife.
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
A chance reading of a letter, that was never meant to be read, turns catastrophic.
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
A gang of senior citizens playing detective and doing a great job at it along with having some fun.
The Village of Eight Graves by Seishi Yokomizo
Japanese myths and legends in their full gore and glory.
Historical Fiction
The Nightingale Kristin Hannah
How did women brave the World War II? Did they stay at home taking care of the kids or did they fight alongside men, leaving them astonished?
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The epic Indian story of the Mahabharata through the mind of the woman most important to it – Draupadi aka Panchali.
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Young orphan girls in Japan sold for entertainment to their highest bidders, look for something forbidden – loveWhere The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
A little girl abandoned, by her mother and then her entire family learns to live alone in the swamps and marshes, but as she grows up her mystery attracts many and then all is doomed.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Black maids, white mistresses and a very good story of being brave and just.
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
A little girl left alone to mother a child born through her father’s abuse.
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Two sides to a war and two sides to truth. A blind girl seeking her father but finding something else.
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
An apothecary selling poisonous potions to women who want to get rid of their lying cheating husbands.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The story of a dysfunctional family whose secrets bubble to the surface and threaten to destroy their clan.
Fantasy
The Descent of the Drowned by Ana Lal Din
An impossible love between warring castes and social hierarchies.
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
A school for the magically gifted and its rules, ways and students. Also the school is trying to kill its students.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
A magical heist of the century where bad guys play for a good deed.
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Continuation of the heist this time to rescue their aide.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune
A feel good book. A house with magical children who are threatened with abolishment.
House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
Three sisters disappear one day only to come back to parents who believe their girls are not the same.
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Folk tales about Odin, Thor and Loki.
Saga Volume 1 and 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
The horned world and the winged worlds are at war. A love struck copule from these worlds is trying to escape the death sentence against them.
Valmiki's Women by Anand Neelkantan
Unknown stories about Shanta, Bhoomija, Manthara and Meenakshi and Tataka.
Classics
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Ageless story of the classic romance between an independent woman and the most eligible bachelor.
Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh
Shocking Story set in the era of partition between India and Pakistan.
Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand
A touching story of a Dalit who wanted to have a good day doing his menial job honestly.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A visitor from another planet, sharing lessons of loneliness, meaning and love.
Alice’s adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll
The word Fantasy was probably invented from this classic.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Story of a friendship with an end so poignant your heart will melt.
Mother of 1084 by Mahasweta Devi
A mother’s struggle for her son’s body after he was killed. He was reduced to a number his corpse was give – 1084.
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
A man wakes living a nightmare, he has turned into a giant bug and his family cannot stand the sight of him.
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
How did Gautama Buddha become what he is today?
Malgudi Days by R.K.Narayan
Short stories about a fictional town called Malgudi that are light, easy and thoroughly entertaining.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
A story of sisters looking out for each other that can never get old.
The Chronicle of Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A man’s murder is inevitable. Everyone knows the place, the murderer and the victim, except the victim. And no one is able to stop it from happening.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
A shockingly accurate account of bureaucracy and how politics works in the simple to understand story of animals living on a farm.
Non-Fiction – Self Help
Life Unknown – A Passage through India by Kartikeya Ladha
Karthikeya Ladha’s journey through Dharamshala and his lessons and travelogues.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
Human species and their birth and growth demystified through story formLetters from a Father to his daughter by Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Nehru’s letters to his daughter Indira teaching her about life, the planet and so many more things.
Zen – The Art of Simple Living by Shunmyo Masuno
100 ways to live a simpler fuller filling and restive life.
Think Again by Adam Grant
Rethinking and its importance.
The Good Girls: An Ordinary Killing by Sonia Faleiro
True crime story that happened in Up India, where two young girls were found hanging on tree.
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
What is the formula to wealth, happiness and success? Find out in this brilliant book.
Dear Stranger, I Know How You Feel by Ashish Bagrecha
Instagram poet, a social media sensation came out with his first book of lyrics.
We Should All be Feminists By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
What does it mean to be a feminist?
Richest Man in Babylon by George Calson
Timeless advice for creating wealth.
9 habits of warren Buffet by Isaac Fox
What do billionaires do differently?
Unlimited Memory by Kevin Horsley
Unlike common perception that people are born with photographic memory, Horsley insists that it is an art that can be mastered through discipline and dedication and techniques he offers.
Non-Fiction – Memoirs
The Punished: Stories of Death Row Prisoners in India by Janhavi Misra
True stories of criminals, some honestly confess and have no remorse, while some believe they will be freed any moment.
Karukku by Bama translated by Lakshmi Holstrom
The true story of a Dalit Christian girl from Kerala who decided to make a breakthrough in the world through education.
To The Survivors by Robert Uttaro
Stories by rape survivors, their fears, their healing process and their first step to a new life.
Three Thousand Stitches by Sudha Murty
Sudha Murthy’s real life memories and pivotal moments in life through simple and easy to read stories.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
A doctor’s journey to being a patient. Heart-breaking read.
Educated by Tara Westover
My Story by Kamala Das
A bold woman and her bold choices in a patriarchal Indian society.
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
A memoir based in war torn Iran, a coming of age story of young girl Marjane.
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E.Frankl
What was the reason behind Viktor Frankl’s survival through the Holocaust, one of humanities darkest times? His search for meaning.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Victim of physical abuse, Miller is such a powerful writer that her victim impact statement got millions of views in a few hours after its upload.
Night by Elie Wiesel
Another holocaust memoir by a Jewish boy who never saw his mother and sister again and lost his father to the brutal camps.
My Days: A Memoir by R.K.Narayan
Twin black sisters on different paths and their very unique stories.
YA
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Friendship, gender-recognition, loneliness, anxiety, this story addresses some important issues the youth face, beautifully.
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell
A delightful edible story between two friends looking for a good time.
Poetry
Soft Glimmers and Shining Stars by Niki A.
Simple poems on a variety of themes.
Etchings of the First Quarter of 2020 by Sabarna Roy
Snippets of conversations and storiesBooks I did not Finish (DNF)
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