My favourite reads of 2021. (ft. books I found solace in and books that destroyed me)

2021 was a year full of emotions…

And my reading definitely reflected that. I began the year with a 500+ page high fantasy book but slowly transitioned into reading more contemporary/romance because I just needed that ✨serotonin✨ or my brain was too tired to comprehend complex words and worlds (or maybe both) Nevertheless, I have no shame about that because I read what I felt and most importantly, enjoyed almost every single one of them!

It was very difficult to pick just 10 books to be my top reads of 2021, but after hours of contemplation, I’ve finally narrowed down the 10 best of the best ones from the total of 62 books that I read last year.

All of these hold a special place in my heart and I will not refrain from recommending these to anyone and everyone!

10. summer bird blue by akemi dawn bowman

After loving Starfish in 2020, I had to pick up Akemi Dawn Bowman’s other works and honestly, she is turning out to be one of my favourite voices in YA. Her writing style is so lyrical and gripping that you can’t help but fall in love.

So many emotions were explored through the pages of this book—grief, pain, emptiness and love. The way depression was portrayed was simply phenomenal. I really loved following Rumi’s journey of finding her way through these emotions, dealing with the loss of her little sister and coming in terms with her sexuality.

Overall, Summer Bird Blue is a beautiful tale of grief, family, friendship, identity, and more and I would highly recommend for you to pick it up!

“Grief is a monster – not everyone gets out alive, and those who do might only survive in pieces. But it’s a monster that can be conquered, with time.”

9. how we fall apart by katie zhao

How We Fall Apart gives great commentary on the extremely competitive nature of Asian-American students in the academic sphere. While reflecting on the pressure these children face from their immigrant parents to score highly and on how they are expected to be nothing less than perfect, it also takes us through the journey of them finding the culprit behind the murder of their classmate Jamie.

Apart from being a great fast-paced thriller, How We Fall Apart also holds a particularly special place in my heart because my name is in its acknowledges (!!)

“As if we, out of all people, didn’t know how to be careful. As if we hadn’t spent our entire existence crafting the careful, perfect lives our parents had mapped out for us”

8.she who became the sun by shelley parker-chan

She Who Became The Sun was one of my first reads of 2021 and I knew from the very first chapter that this book will end up as one of my all time favourites.

There is so much to unpack within this book; with themes of power, ambition, destiny and a ruthless MC, you are sure to be left in awe with all the greatness this book puts forward.

I also really enjoyed the world that Parker-Chan built and how much depth each of the characters had. Overall, She Who Became The Sun is a riveting, action-packed fantasy that is sure to pull you in with its poetic prose.

“She didn’t just want greatness. She wanted the world.”

7. the mountains sing by nguyễn phan quế mai

The Mountains Sing was honestly such a hauntingly beautiful book filled with so many raw emotions that it is sure to make you ponder and cry.

This book is a devastating depiction of suffering, hunger, and death, as well as the history of the Vietnamese people spanning over several decades. Despite the fact that this is a period marked by the misery of war, starvation, and a changing society, we also get to see sparks of hope, love, and pride in the people, making it a lot more powerful.

I cannot recommend this book enough, especially to people who don’t usually reach out for historical fiction because The Mountains Sing is sure to make you slowly fall in love with this genre!

“I realized that war was monstrous. If it didn’t kill those it touched, it took away a piece of their souls, so they could never be whole again.”

6. our violent ends by chloe gong

Once I finished Our Violent Ends, it felt like I was piece of glass that had been broken, not with a stone but with mere words. There is just something about Gong’s way with words that’ll give you chills down your spine or casually make you sob at 3AM.

I loved seeing all the characters being back together, and really enjoyed how much everyone grew in this book, especially Marshall and Benedikt (i’m soft for them 🥺) and of course our protagonists Roma and Juliette.

This is such an outstanding duology which is totally worth all the hype it gets, so definitely pick it up whenever you get a chance to!

“These violent delights have violent ends. You have always known this”

Also see: Mini reviews for These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends

5. made in korea by sarah suk

Made In Korea was such a cute book filled with serotonin and I was surprised at how much I was enjoying this book! The characters had such great chemistry and I really loved how the rivals-to-lovers trope was carried out.

Not only did the main characters show great growth within a mere 350 pages, Made In Korea had some of the most fleshed-out characters I’ve ever seen in a contemporary novel. While this book was pretty romance heavy, it did not refrain from touching on more complex subjects like business rivalry, friendships and my personal favourite, the relationship between Valerie and her grandmother.

If you are looking for a quick and fun read full of teenage love and school businesses, Made In Korea is the one for you!

“When you choose the path of an artist, nothing is promised, but everything is possible.”

Also see: In conversation with Sarah Suk, the author of Made In Korea

4. the red palace by june hur

I don’t think that I can ever get enough of The Red Palace because as I’ve said earlier, and will say again, it is a masterpiece. To summarize, here are some things you’ll be treated with in The Red Palace:

• Backdrop of 1758 Korea under the Joseon dynasty
• Police Inspector X Palace Nurse romance
• Friends-to-lovers
• Tension-packed murder mystery
• Palace intrigue
• Strong female friendships
• Inspiration from the story of Crown Prince Sado

If this doesn’t convince you to read this book, I don’t know what will. Trust me, The Red Palace is totally worth all of your time and money!

“Palace secrets must never get out, or else there inevitably there will be blood”

Also see: My review of The Red Palace and an author interview with June Hur

3. darius the great is not okay by adib khorram

Darius the Great is not Okay is such a simple yet unflinchingly gorgeous and powerful book. I have so much love and gratitude towards this book because it was a huge source of comfort during some of the hardest days of 2021.

This book had some of the best platonic friendships I’ve ever seen. It had incredible depression rep and I loved how Khorram tried to normalize taking medication for one’s mental health, even with all the stigma surrounding it. I also really enjoyed following Darius on his first trip to Iran and how he slowly discovered his identity as a biracial teen throughout the book.

Overall, Darius the Great is not Okay holds a special place in my heart and I love every character wholeheartedly!

“Sometimes I can’t help crying. Okay? Sometimes bad shit happens. Sometimes people are mean to me and I cry. Sorry for being such a target. Sorry for disappointing you. Again.”

Also see: 5 reasons to read Darius the Great is Not Okay

2. heartstopper volume 4 by alice oseman

Even though I’d love to add every single volume of Heartstopper here, I’m going to settle for volume 4 as it was the one that stood out the most to me.

I just wanna give these characters and the author a hug. This book gave me so much joy which I’ll always be grateful for. Though this book focused more on Charlie’s mental health and recovery, it kept making me sob seeing how supportive Nick, and everyone around him was. I cannot wait for the next volume and the TV adaptation to be out because that’ll just give me an excuse to re-indulge myself into this wonderful, wonderful world.

I read Heartstopper two times last year and honestly, I’ll probably keep re-reading these books whenever I can because they just make me so happy.

“I love Nick. I love Nick so, so much. But what I’ve realised through all of this is that we need other people too. Siblings. Parents. Friends. More friends. A therapist. Even teachers, sometimes. That doesn’t mean our relationship isn’t strong. If anything… I think we’re stronger now.”

1. the burning god by r.f kuang

I don’t think this is a surprise to anyone because, how could I not place a book that still keeps me up at night first?

The Burning God was my first read of 2021 and frankly, this was such a brilliant conclusion to my beloved Poppy War trilogy and yes, that ending will haunt you forever. It will make you realize how well thought-out and purely genius this trilogy was and I’m glad it was left as an open one that actually made sense.

I loved how Kuang depicts the real cruelties of war and blends in real parts of history with fiction, not shying away from showing the truth.

Overall, I’d highly recommend you pick up The Poppy War trilogy if you think you’re in the right place for it and buckle-up to go on an adventure like none other. Trust me, you aren’t ready for what this series has to offer.

“She was a goddess. She was a monster. She‘d nearly destroyed this country. And then she‘d given it one last, gasping chance to live.”

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What were your favourite reads of 2021? Spot any favs on this list? Chat with me in the comments!