Like 2020, 2021 provided a wonderful year of reading. If you are curious what my top five favourite reads of 2021 were - click here, but as those reads were not all published in 2021, I felt it an injustice to not write a more extensive post about the fabulous novels published in 2021 that are absolutely worth your time reading in 2022.
The list below is based on what I read in 2021 and is no doubt missing certain 2021 releases that deserve to be on this list but alas, I cannot read all the novels so this list is limited but that is okay as a smaller list means you could read all of these in 2022! From all the novels I have read in 2021, here are 12 fantastic novels from 2021 to read in 2022.
1 - The People We Keep
Genuinely one of my favourite novels published in 2021, as we can see from my top five favourite reads of 2021 list, is The People We Keep by Allison Larkin. This is a beautifully written work of fiction tackling a young teenager's journey to find herself away from the town she grew up in.
April Sawicki is the main character whose life has not been easy; currently sixteen and a high school drop out, April seeks a life filled with more and after an inspiring open mic-night and a horrendous fight with her father, she decides to leave and start a journey of her own, without her past or location defining her. The People We Keep is a heartwarming coming-of-age story that is a fantastic novel worth your time in 2022.
Find the review | HERE | for The People We Keep
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2 - Klara and the Sun
Klara is an Artificial Friend. She watches from within the store those that come to browse, she is an AF programmed for observation and one who hopes to be chosen. From this brief prompt, you would think Klara and the Sun revolves around a lifeless AI robot but Klara is so much more complex than just a "robot" making Klara and the Sun more powerful and compelling than you could guess. Kazuo Ishiguro stuns in this 2021 release as he created something of splendour within these pages and the story itself revolves around an intense question - what does it mean to love?
And by golly, is that question unravelled and then re-ravelled and continuously shifting in the story leaving you with an array of emotions that at the end, transform into one emotion of contentment at having read such a great novel. Klara and the Sun is a must-read for anybody that appreciates contemplative novels, especially ones that tackle how technology will evolve and be incorporated into our futures.
Find the review | HERE | for Klara and the Sun
3 - The Box in the Woods
The Box in the Woods is a solid standalone in the Truly Devious world. There is not much to elaborate on regarding this novel, if you liked Stevie Bell and friends in the trilogy, then you'll like them here and therefore this novel. Stevie is still her intuitive self and though there are plot moments that may have benefitted from a touch more elaboration, it really didn't matter because for me and I think for many readers, the purpose of the fourth instalment was to enjoy Stevie's world again.
This was a fun read and, if you have not read the Truly Devious series - go for it! They are also fantastic reads but are not necessary to have completed if you want to read this as a standalone. Of course, I recommend reading them first but if you don't have time for a trilogy and want something light, this is a solid choice.
Find the review | HERE | for The Box in the Woods
4 - The Dead and the Dark
A 2021 debut, The Dead and the Dark is about the secluded town of Snakebite, where nothing is as it seems. Following Logan Ortiz-Woodley and Ashely Barton, a fast-paced paranormal journey is embarked upon to uncover why Snakebite has been experiencing calamities and who is the 'Dark,' whom seems to be behind it all.
The Dead and the Dark is a strong debut novel by Courtney Gould with properly written character and relationship development, secret evils, and realistic teenage angst making it an overall intriguing read. Gould is an author to look out for in 2022 and beyond as The Dead and the Dark proves there is a high possibility we will receive other engaging novels by her.
Find the review | HERE | for The Dead and the Dark
5 - Everyone in this Room Will Someday Be Dead
Everyone in this Room Will Someday Be Dead presents relatability through the protagonist in a comical and likeable way. The protagonist is depressed, poor at communicating with her partner, and randomly hired as a secretary at a church despite being an atheist and having sought out the church for therapy, not an interview.
With such a unique premise and relatable protagonist, Everyone in this Room Will Someday Be Dead tackles hard subjects of life in a realistic but enjoyable way and is why if you want reality interspersed with implausibility in your next 2022 read, this is the novel for you.
6 - White Smoke
White Smoke is fun. Marigold is running from the ghosts of her past and when the opportunity to move to a new home arises, it seems like the perfect chance to start again. Except, when they arrive their new home is anything but pleasant. The lights are turning off on their own, there is a foul smell only Marigold notices, and things are disappearing. The scariest thing of all is that her stepsister will not stop talking about her new friend that wants Marigold gone but, running from ghosts is only a metaphor - right?
Wrong! Or is it? You'll have to read White Smoke to find out and all you can expect from this novel is fun. This is a horror story that will take your mind away from your own reality for a couple of hours and sometimes that is all you want, a fun and easy read and that is what White Smoke is.
Find the review | HERE | for White Smoke
7 - Malibu Rising
Um, yes. Malibu Rising received a high amount of praise in 2021 and let me assure you, it is worthy of the hype. Revolving around a party and the Riva siblings, you are taken on a journey of four siblings finding themselves and the history surrounding them including why they are famous and what the party means to them and those around them.
With multiple viewpoints, the narrative is easy to follow allowing you as a reader to flow with the heartbreak, pain, and joy from all the character shifts within and if you want an impressively written fiction novel, this is for you. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a wonderful journey-based story (like The People We Keep) with family as its core and a novel worth reading in 2022.
Find the review | HERE | for Malibu Rising
8 - The Ivies
The Ivies is a standard high school mystery novel that should be read in 2022 as it is simple to follow, easy to digest, and intriguing due to the protagonist's relationship to the murdered. Being part of an Ivy means power and for five girls at Claflin Academy, they will do anything to obtain that power - even murder. But the question is, who murdered who and what does it mean to the Ivies?
There are instances in the novel that dilute its intensity orienting the read towards more drama-esque YA instead of murder YA but who cares, it is a fun and easy read and that is sometimes all you want. If you are a fan of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder or One of Us Is Lying, The Ivies is the novel for you.
Find The Ivies review | HERE
9 - A Dark and Starless Forest
Like The Ivies, A Dark and Starless Forest is a simple read that will captivate you in 2022. What will captivate you is the protagonist, Derry, and the many layers of human nature she represents. She is a strong protagonist whose decision-making leads the novel which when combined with magic, makes the whole story insane - in a good way of course.
The novel also contains a different take on magic then typically presented in YA novels that I enjoyed. It took the essence of magic and showed a new part of what it could be and that ending, it's a doozy. With a phenomenal protagonist to lead the story, A Dark and Starless Forest is a magical publication from 2021 absolutely worth a read.
Find the review | HERE | for A Dark and Starless Forest
10 - Sorrowland
Another magical publication from 2021 is Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon. This specific recommendation may be out of left field as I understand quite a few readers did not enjoy Sorrowland but the novel resonated so heavily with me that it would be an injustice to who I am as a reader to not recommend this as a 2022 read.
A seven-month pregnant Vern escapes into the woods from her religious compound and within, gives birth to a beautiful pair of twins; twins she is determined to raise far away from her home but in the woods, danger lurks near and their safety is continuously threatened and when Vern is forced to fight, she does.
What captivated me in Sorrowland was the nature. I love nature, especially fungi, and this novel contained vibrant descriptions of earth making it so so easy to see the world Solomons created which made me fall in love with it. And including Vern's metamorphosis throughout the novel, this read combined all my favourite elements from nature, fantasy, science fiction, and growth, it is why I stand by it being a great choice for 2022, especially if you adore beautiful visuals and a novel with layers if you care to look.
Find the review | HERE | for Sorrowland
11 - House of Hollow
House of Hollow, one of the creepiest and loveliest books published in 2021. With horned men, dead bodies, and disgustingly beautiful memories resurfacing, House of Hollow combines magic and horror into a compelling story of Iris and her sibling's journey to find their missing eldest sister. Their journey requires the untangling of the mystery behind their disappearance years ago and as they get closer to the truth, the discovery that their dearly loved sister has been keeping a terrible secret since their return. Like Sorrowland, the descriptive writing is superb and the novel as a whole is superb, a piece of literature you cannot put down and one of my favourite books published in 2021 that is a must-read in 2022.
Find the review | HERE | for House of Hollow
12 - The Rose Code
Kate Quinn brings the punch again with her 2021 publication of The Rose Code, a punch that will wreck you. This historical fiction novel revolves around three women who answer the Bletchley Park call and the toll war and secrets can have on an individual. Told from two time periods, 1940 and 1947, The Rose Code is sublime in the flow of its storytelling between these time periods to create a truly compelling book with one last secret begging to be cracked.
I mention this novel often on Aster's Book Hour because I fell in love with this story as the characters and storyline were so dynamic; I want you to feel the same joy I experienced when I read (listened) to this novel in 2022.
Find the review | HERE | for The Rose Code
