I read lots of great book this year and it was a struggle to narrow it down to just five. But after much deliberation I managed it.
At the start of the year, I finished The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black. I loved this series and the prequal is beautifully illustrated in color on nearly every page. The characters were complex and grew and changed throughout the series. My favorite character was easily Carden.
The next book that made it to the top five is Good Omens by Terry Prachet and Neil Gaiman Good Omens is witty and is the funniest story I have ever read about an apocalypse. I wondered if it would be jarring as it is co-authored, but Pratchett and Gaiman’s writing blend seamlessly. My favorite part of Good Omens was the interactions between the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale – I laughed out loud many times.
The next two books on my list are Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. I love all of the Grishaverse books, but these two are my favorites. Shadow and Bone immersed me in the series and I instantly felt a connection to Alina. I loved the story from beginning to end. I also really enjoyed reading a letter from one character to another that was added at the end of the book. Six of Crows is told from the point of view of six criminals preparing for a heist. I thought the characters in Six of Crows were amazing. They were realistic, and definitely had some flaws.
My top book for 2021 is The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H. G. Parry. This was different to any book I’ve read before and is easily one of the best books I’ve ever read. The main character’s younger brother Charley has the ability to bring fictional characters into the real world. The problem is he can’t always control when they come out. It was a joy to see famous characters like Frankenstein, Mr. Darcy and Dorian Grey running around.
I'm looking forward to discovering my top books of 2022.
