Hello, bookworms!

Happy new year to everyone and welcome to this updated version of my blog. If you have been following me for the past two years, you may have noticed I am not writing in Italian anymore. Since I mostly read in English, I thought it would be better to write my articles and reviews accordingly. So, welcome back if you are a long time subscriber and nice to meet you, if you have just found this blog. Just a quick note before we start: as you may have guessed, English is not my mother tongue, so I apologize for any mistakes I could make and I encourage you to comment, if you want to correct me, as I'd love to get better.

Now, without further ado, let me introduce the theme of today's article: the best 21 books I have read this past year; I will not be including my rereads, which were numerous (more on that in a later article), and not all of them will be 5 stars. I will be of course mentioning the rating of the book and explain a bit what it was that made me love the book so much. Also, I will be mentioning them in order of read date, from the oldest to the most recent, except for the top three, which will be at the end, in order from the third to the first. Let's start!

❤ With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo [4★]
One of the very first book I have read this year and my favourite by this author so far. I really loved reading about a teen mom, it is something that rarely is shown in books, but happens so often in real life, and I especially enjoyed the way Emoni was portrayed. She was such a strong and well-rounded main character, I couldn't help but love her. Another amazing thing about this book were all the food descriptions it had; I read the book while listening to the audiobook, because I really like the author's narration of her own books, and I could feel my mouth watering every few pages. I am a very picky eater, but I would try anything Emoni cooked for me. Overall, this was such a powerful and unique contemporary and I think it's one I am going to be rereading in a couple years.

❤ Captive Prince series by C.S. Pacat [5★]
To be completely honest, I read the first book of this series last year in november, but I feel like the whole series has had such a huge impact on my 2021 that I had to include it as a whole. I know it is not a series for everyone, but I really loved the depth the characters had and how every small interaction and relationship was constructed. I think some people tend to judge the series without having read it, as it is widely known to have some explicit and dark sexual content, but to me this series is so much more. From the worlbuilding to the plot, from the main characters to the side ones, from the writing styles to the themes, everything about this trilogy (plus the short stories collection) speaks to my soul, so of course I couldn't make a 2021 best of the year list without mentioning it.

❤ Bridge of Sould by Victoria Schwab [5★]
If you know me from anywhere (irl, Instagram, Twitter, this blog…) you probably know that I don't have the best of relationship with this author. However, the Cassidy Blake series is one of my favourite trilogies of all times and, luckily for me, this finale did not disappoint me. Admittedly, this was my least favourite books of the three, but that's not surprising; conclusions are rarely my favourite part of a series. Thankfully, even if I enjoyed this installment a little bit less than the previous ones, it was a satisfying conclusion and I am really sad that this series is officially over. I would pay a lot of money to have more books set in this universe, not necessarily following Cassidy as a main character.

❤ The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes [4★]
2021 was the year of YA mystery-thrillers for me, as you will see with many books on this list. I have always loved mystery as a genre, but mostly I used to read adult classics, such as Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. After reading Truly Devious, however, I have (re)discovered my love for YA mysteries and, with the excuse of buddy reading them with my friend Vitt, I have read quite a few. This one was such a fun read and I loved the atmosphere, which is very reminiscent of Knives Out. Even if I didn't like the second book in the series quite as much, I still felt like including The Inheritance Games on this list, since I am still curious to see how it will wrap up and because I enjoyed the characters so much.

❤ The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson [5★]
Okay, so. Picture this. Me, requesting an e-ARC of this title, thinking to receive no answer from the publisher. Me, a few days later, opening my inbox and seeing a mail from Edelweiss+. Me, clicking on it and realising it was the link to one of my most anticipated reads of the first half of 2021. Me, screaming. As I was saying before, Truly Devious is one of my favourite series ever and I was both excited and scared to read this sequel-companion, because I was afraid it wouldn't compare to the original trilogy. The change of setting (and time period of the cold case) was the right choice! I should have trusted my goddess Maureen without any reserve, I won't make the same mistake twice. Stevie is one of the best and most relatable main characters I have ever read and I can't wait to have book 5 in my hands.

❤ Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price [4★]
Don't tell me I didn't warn you. 2021 was the year of YA mystery-thrillers. This one was such a lovely Pride and Prejudice retelling. I think it was really well-crafted and "respectful" of the original work by Jane Austen. It felt like the author deeply loved the story and the writing style reflects this, but at the same time it was perfectly appropriate for the target audience. It was a clever mix of classic and YA and, even if it was a bit predictable (with you already knowing the characters and whatnot), I had a fun time while buddy reading it with my partner in crime Vitt. The next installment will be based on Sense and Sensibility and I need to read that before Sense and Second-Degree Murder comes out, because I want to be able to tell if the book is "respectful" of the original once again.

❤ An Unnatural Vice by K.J. Charles [5★]
Ever since I have discovered this author in 2020, she has become a favourite of mine and the fact that I only read this one book by her in 2021 is a crime. I will make up for it this year, I am telling you here and now, so hold me accountable. Anyways, this is the second installment in the Sins of the Cities series and I loved it even more than the first one. The relationship between the two main characters was top tier romance, in my opinion, and the plot was extremely engaging. The side characters were interesting as well and I really liked the way this one ended. Seeing as this is a companion series, I was curious to see how the third book would be linked, and I must say I am intrigued. This could be one of the very few cases where the third book is my favourite, but I don't want to jinx myself.

❤ Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson [5★]
After literal yearsof saying I would read something by this author other than her short stories in some anthologies (all of which I had loved) I did it and was not disappointed. This book was an emotional rollercoaster and it was definitely thrilling. Often, YA is marketed as thriller, when it is actually just a mystery and I hate that, since the two have different characteristics. This book is a proper thriller and I hadn't predicted a major plot twist, so I was both shocked and pleasanlty surprised. I will for sure be reading more by this author, since I really loved everything about this title: the characters, their relationships, the overall plot, the themes, the representation and the writing style, which is perfect for the genre.

❤ The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimmons [4.5★]
I love sports fiction, and this book did not disappoint! If it weren't for a pet peeve of mine (heavy talk about religion, which sometimes makes me uncomfortable), it would have been a five stars. The LGBT+ rep was immaculate — however, as always I encourage you to check out reviews by trans people — and I loved the main character so much. The plot was engaging, a perfect balance between the sports bits and the contemporary romance ones. If you want to read a great LGBT+ contemporary, you should definitely give this one a try, which I think flew a bit under the radar. I personally will never shut up about it and I cannot wait to buy myself a physical copy (I read an e-ARC of this), because not only is it really pretty on the inside, it also has a fantastic cover. And the title is literally everything!

❤ Vanitas no Carte, vol. 1-9 by Jun Mochizuki [4/5★]
I know I said I wouldn't include rereads, but I only technically reread volumes 1 to 4 and the others were "new" reads, so I decided to mention this manga series anyways. I had read the first volumes years ago, but since the anime adaptation came out, I decided to pick it up again and I couldn't be happier. I am now obsessed with this manga and I am following the monthly chapters. The sheer pain this makes me feel is unmatched by any other manga series and I need more ASAP. The art style is just perfection, the plot is extremely intricate and engaging, but I think Jun Mochizuki's specialty is character development. I have read some volumes of her previous series Pandora Hearts and the only thing I remember is how layered the characters were. I highly recommend you check VnC out, if you like steampunk, Paris and/or goodlooking vampires.

❤ The Secret History by Donna Tartt [4★]
I have loved the dark academia aesthetic for years, and I have watched a lot of movies inspired by it. However, I kept procrastinating reading this book, because it intimidated me. Everyone said that it was hard to read and to follow, but upon reading it, I found it almost quick to read, despite its page count. The characters are so nuanced and bold at the same time, that I kept finding myself wanting to keep reading. I don't know why I did not give this book 5 stars, maybe because I thought it should have had shorter chapters, but thinking back on it, I think I should change the rating. I am still not sure, though, so we are gonna keep this a four, for now, but just know that I loved it so much and I want to reread it.

❤ Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire [5★]
I was not sure whether to include this book or not, because it was an ARC and it actually comes out this month, but it was one of the best books I have read in 2021, so I've decided to talk about it anyways. It is the seventh instalment in the Wayward Children Saga, which is one of my top series ever. I am never disappointed by the new books and this one wasn't an exception. I enjoyed the change of scenery and Cora as a main character was fantastic; the discussions brought up thanks to her were top notch. I cannot wait to read the next books planned in the series and I really hope one of the side character from this book is going to get her own novel in the future, because — as always — even if they were side characters, they were all super interesting and I want to know more.

❤ Jujutsu Kaisen, vol. 0-6 by Gege Akutami [4/4.5★]
Even if I am not caught up with it, the first volumes of this manga series had such an impact on my reading year, I just had to talk about them. I knew very little about them before starting the series and I admittedly still know very little about it, since I am on volume 6 of like 18 or something. However, I am already extremely invested in the story and the characters have so much potential, I have already fallen in love with them. The art style is creepy and weird and I very much enjoy it; the curses are drawn in such a peculiar way, I have to love them, even if they are disgusting to look at. I really want to know what the author was thinking when they came up with the idea for this series and the curses, because I want to experience what they have. I can't wait to continue on with the series, this year.

❤ A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske [5★]
Okay, listen. I love this subgenre of romance, which I like to call gay magicians in historical times dealing with curses. They are the reason why I am still alive and reading, I need to read them all, so if you have any recs, hit me up. Was this a perfect book? Probably not, but I don't care because it was perfect for me. I loved both the main characters, I adopted them from page one, and their dynamic is one of my favourite (grumpy/sunshine, dumb/genius). The plot was engaging and, even if the magic system was a bit basic and not super well explained, I actually don't care, because I don't read this kind of books for the worldbuilding, let's be honest. I am so happy this is going to be a trilogy, but I don't want to wait to read about my sons, so if the publisher wants to send me an ARC, I am definitely here for it.

❤ They Never Learn by Layne Fargo [5★]
Ever since first hearing about this book, I knew I was gonna love it, and I needed to read this one with Vitt. I mean, it is about a female serial killer who haunts down violent and abusive men, what more could I want from a thriller? This book was everything I wanted it to be and it made me hate men even more. I didn't really love the ending, but everything else was amazing, so I had to give it five stars. Also, someone on BookTube pitched it weirdly, maybe on purpose not to reveal too much, but I wasn't actually expecting the plot twist and I really liked it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, except those who think "not all men", because this book can pretty much be summed up with "yes, all men". I personally loved it, but I know some men are a bit too sensitive.

❤ Here's to Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera [5★]
I was so scared to start this book and I kept procrastinating reading it, even though I had an ARC. When I finally read it, I ended up loving it even more than the first one. I had given the first book 4 stars, but this one is totally a 5 stars and I am so happy I loved it as much as I did. If I had to pick a word to describe the first half of the book, it would be melancholic, and it was exactly what I needed when I read it. I was going through a big change in my life and I wasn't exactly in the best of headspaces, but I believe this book was the perfect thing to read, to cry a bit, laugh a bit and feel some kind of hope. If you have read the fist book and are still debating whether to pick this up or not, believe me, read it and you won't be disappointed. If you know me, I am often disappointed by sequels and don't give them 5 stars that easily, so you can trust me (more or less).

❤ Mister Impossible by Maggie Stiefvater [5★]
Another title which probably didn't deserve five stars, but I am too attached to the characters and the plot to care. I really had an amazing time while reading this book, it really flew by and I wanted to keep reading, even if I had to wait for Juls, since we buddy read this one. I really love the fact that all the Lynch brothers have a relevant role in the story, as I am a fan of all of them. One of the critiques to this book I have read online, is that people wanted more of Adam; while I love Adam and I would always want more of him, being the plot what it is, I felt he was present the perfect amount of time. I can't wait to read the third book, but I am not ready to finish this series and be done with this universe.

❤ Dead Voices by Katherine Arden [5★]
The last 5 stars read of the year! I love this middle grade horror series and I really think it is monstrously (haha, get it?) underrated. I don't usually read horror, because I find it boring, but I am beginning to think that middle grade horror is something I would enjoy in general, because when I was younger I really enjoyed some titles. This series in particular, is amazing: it has solid characters, engaging plots, but most of all perfect atmosphere. Each instalment is based off a season, and this one is set in winter. I read it in December and I think they are perfect to read when they are set, because the experience is even more immersive. I love this story and these characters so much and I can't wait to read the next book.

Now, five honorable mentions before we reveal my top three (which, to some of you, will be pretty obvious); I am just going to mention titles and authors, without getting into details, but I really enjoyed all of these books: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, My Son Is Probably Gay, vol. 1-3 by Okura. The Apothecary Diaries, vol. 1-4 by Nekokurage et al., Fence, vol. 4 and Fence: Striking Distance by C.S. Pacat, Johanna The Mad and Sarah Rees Brennan and Blue Flag, vol. 1 by Kaito.

❤ 3. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Series by Holly Jackson [4/5★]
If you were wondering where Pippa Fitz-Amobi went, here she is! I have decided to include the whole series in this list, because even if the third book was my favourite, the whole series was such a huge part of the year. It is the first book I have read with Vitt for our mystery buddy reads, and it was the start of the strengthening of our friendship, I feel like. Moreover, Pip is a super relatable character for me and I really loved the individual and overall plots of all the books and even the prequel novella. I also enjoyed the romance, which is rare for me when reading mysteries, so of course this had to stand on my 2021 podium of best books. I will never shut up about this series and I really hope Holly Jackson will write something else soon, because I think she is really good at writing mysteries.

❤ 2. Ace of Spades by Faridah Ábíké-Íyímídé [5★]
I was lucky enough to read an e-ARC of this book months ago, and I haven't shut up about it ever since. I really recommend this one to anyone, because I think it is such an important book, it doesn't matter what target or genre you usually read, this is a must read. I really loved the discussions brought up by the author (as always, please, check out own voices reviews of this title) and the plot was extremely engaging from page one. I couldn't stop reading it and I finished it at night, because I needed to know. I also think that both the main characters were really well crafted and I loved both of them; also, they were both queer, and I obviously enjoyed that aspect as well. There's literally nothing about this book I would change and I can't believe it was a debut, because it felt like it was written by some experienced author. I guess some people are just born to write, and this author is one of them.

❤ 1. If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio [5★]
Quick, everyone, act surprised! If you follow me literally anywhere, you know how obsessed with this book I have been in the last months. I had had it on my TBR for the longest time, but finally picked it up to buddy read with Juls and Syl and we all loved it. It's very rare that we all give the same rating to the books we read, but this one got 5 stars from all of us. I loved the characters and their relationship, it was quintessential dark academia, which — as I said — is one of my favourite aesthetic. I loved the toxicity of everything and even if the "mystery" was pretty obvious from the start, I don't think that was the main focus of the book, so I don't really care. I also really enjoyed all the shakespearian influences in the book, it really made me miss the good ol' days when I studied literature at uni.

And finally, that's it for this neverending list! I am really sorry about the length of this article, but I wanted to make every book justice, because they were all amazing. In the next few days I will be posting the 21 worst books of 2021, I will try to keep it shorter, I promise. 

Thanks so much for reading, have a lovely day or night, wherever you are!

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