New Release Books I Read Recently in December 2021


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December you might say was slower or milder compared to my other reading months where I read 10 books or more. But I am still glad because although I read only 7 books, they were all 2021 releases. And two of them was also a winner of the Goodreads Choice Awards for 2021 and one of them came in close second.

 Not that the other books weren’t great, I loved them too and sometimes I think awards are over rated because readers who haven’t read a book might end up voting for one only if they know the author or due to some hearsay. Which frankly doesn’t count towards how the book was written.

I plan to continue reading 2021 releases into January 2022 too. So do check out my 2022 hopefuls at the end of this post. By the way a hit a century this year by reading more than 100 hundred books in 2021.

In fact I read 126 books in 2021

Also linking by other book list posts I created during the month of December.





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Murder Mysteries Read in December 2021




Genre: Mystery Thriller

My rating: 4.5 stars

First Published in 2021

Pages: 306

The Last Thing He told Me by Laura Dave

“Protect her”, that’s the last thing Owen Michaels (a coder) told Hannah (his second wife) about Bailey (his teenage daughter) before he disappeared one evening without a trace.

And then the news breaks out that the company’s CEO that Owen worked for has been arrested for fraud. Hannah realizes that her husband hasn’t been entirely truthful to her and she decides to find the truth on her own, or with her step-daughter, who wants nothing to do with her.

All the makings of a perfect thriller. Could not have been better.




Genre: Mystery/Thriller

My rating: 4 stars

First Published in 2021

Pages: 320

The Village of Eight Graves by Seishi Yokomizo

The title of the book was enough to give me the creeps and pick it right away. I was aware of the success of The Honjin Murders and The Inugami Curse by the same author, and that is why I decided to pick this book immediately when I saw it on NetGalley.

I was not disappointed. Terrible myths, curses, murders, madmen, fugitives, the prodigal son, a picturesque village, and a hidden treasure. Combined with brilliant story-telling and ingenious plot twists. And I was unable to put this book down. It was an absolutely thrilling and nerve-tingling ride. I enjoyed the mystery immensely and could never have imagined by whom and why the multiple murders were committed.


Rom-Coms Read in December 2021




Genre: Romantic Comedy

My rating: 4 stars

First Published in 2020

Pages: 361

Delightful. The perfect recipe for a perfect romantic comedy. Plus the characters, especially January was given much more depth with her complexity of emotions and was shown to have a very realistic thought process in all the matters. I felt this was more than any other romantic comedies I’d read had to offer, where the characters were always superfluous and only bubbly and joyful.




Genre: Romantic Comedy

My rating: 5 stars

First Published in 2021

Pages: 487

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

One weekend, especially Christmas weekend, curled up in a blanket with a bowl of soup. That is all it took me to read this no fluff, simple but delightful story. I loved that it did not having unnecessary and complicated twists that simply make the readers too anxious.

It had the right dose of everything.

The Spanish Love Deception is an enemy’s-to-lovers, (office colleagues), fake-dating turned to romance kind of romantic comedy.


Indian Mythology Read in December 2021




Genre: Indian Mythology

My rating: 4 stars

First Published in 2021

Pages: 234

Valmiki’s Women by Anand Neelkantan

If you've read the Ramayana or plan to read it soon, you must read this book to understand the perspective of these very influential women to the epic.

I absolutely admire, appreciate and salute the representation of women in this book. This book comprises of five chapters portraying five influential women, Bhoomija, Shanta, Manthara, Meenakshi, and Tataka who you could say in a way were responsible for the epic.



Historical Fiction Read in December 2021




Genre: Historical  Fiction

My rating: 5 stars

First Published in 2021

Pages: 301

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

In The Lost Apothecary, we are taken through double timelines. First through the 1970s where we have Nella, an apothecary who brews poison for troubled wives to give to their husbands, and Eliza a twelve-year-old, who is doing the bidding of her mistress. Then we have the second timeline set in the present day where Caroline is in London alone trying to run away from her cheating husband and trying to find peace. But she finds a blue vial instead belonging to an apothecary, probably two hundred years old.

I loved, loved the writing. It was engaging and so dark and mysterious with unexpected twists happening in every few chapters. I was so disappointed when the story ended. Simply because I wanted more.

This was Sarah Penner’s debut book and I am definitely coming back if she offers more stories.




Genre: Historical Fiction

My rating: 4 stars

First Published in 2021

Pages: 365

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit are the Riva siblings living in Malibu. And they are having the party of the year at Nina’s place. Little do they know that by the end of the night their family will have all its secrets out and the house will be engulfed in flames?

This was my first book by the author and I now understand why readers love her characters. I will remember Nina Riva for a long time.

A memorable book about dysfunctional families. Highly recommended.  


To-Be-Read List for January 2022

January is going to be exciting as I plan all my reading and blogging for the coming year. I have decided to diversify my reading, by reading more books from India and other countries in Asia and around the world.

But these my some ARCs and some hopeful books I most definitely look forward to reading in the next month. 

So stay tuned and keep reading. 

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