2021 was a reading year for me. We were able to go back to our local library and then I discovered Libby sometime in July. I know that a physical book is best, but being able to search for, reserve and read books on the iPad is a real game changer. I also was able to focus our library visits on Hugo and the children’s department without having to stress about taking him to the quiet areas upstairs while I browsed. It was also so nice while traveling to be able to keep up with reading (and because it syncs with your phone, I even finished a few books while waiting places)
I checked out over 100 books since last summer! Not everything was read all of the way through, several things were returned early or I didn’t feel I needed to finish. And not everything was deep or educational. I got on a real kick with WW2 fiction for a while. Haha! My favorite thing over the past few months has been crawling back into bed on a Saturday morning with a hot cup of coffee and a good book to read while Josh entertains Hugo. It’s the best feeling in the world.
As I wrap up my year, here are my 5 favorite books of 2021. In no particular order. Just the ones that stood out to me, the ones that I still think about often and the ones that I loved and recommend the most.
Enjoy!
The Gospel Comes With a House Key by Dr. Rosaria Butterfield
Wow. Where to start?! This book wrecked me. I have always considered myself a pretty hospitable person, I love to feed people, but Dr. Butterfield’s personal testimony along with the ways that her family opens their doors daily, it convicted and inspired me at the same time. I cried several times while reading and came away with a fresh vision for hospitality.
The Gospel Comes With a House Key LINK
The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron
One of the best novels I read this year. WW2, set in Paris with couture designers who are also spies for the resistance, sign me up! I have enjoyed some of Kristy Cambron’s books and series, but this was so good that I had to slow myself down as I neared the end, because I didn’t want it to be over.
The Great Blue Hills of God by Kreis Beall
I’m not sure how this book popped up on my radar, but the title alone just made me feel something, so I jumped on the waiting list and when it was finally my turn, oh my goodness. Memoirs are one of my favorite genre, but the way that this woman tells the story of her life is something else. Kreis is one of the founders of Blackberry Farm and while I’m familiar with BF (I do live in Nashville) I had no idea of the history or story of this place. It is one of the most beautiful and raw stories I have ever read and I wept so hard through the second half of the book that I couldn’t see the pages. I couldn’t stop talking about it and immediately ordered a copy for my mom who also loved it. As someone who has also spent a lot of time between Fairhope, Alabama and Tennessee, I easily connected with her.
The Great Blue Hills of God LINK
Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan
This was probably the book that I was most impressed by this year. This novel is the love story of CS Lewis and his wife. The author pieced together the story using the letters that they wrote to each other over many years. It is a very complicated story and filled with complex characters, but was so well written that I came away from it with an even deeper appreciation of CS Lewis. Though fiction, it gave insight into a little known character. I have Patti Calahan’s latest book on my nightstand now (Once Upon a Wardrobe https://amzn.to/3rOCg4W) and can’t wait to dig into it!
There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Akeson McGurk
I’m a sucker for a good parenting book written from a foreign perspective. The title comes from the Scandinavian proverb “there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes” and a belief that everyone will be happier and healthier if they get outside. The author shares about her own childhood and then raising her daughters with this mindset. It convicted me as a mom who hates to be outside (I like outdoor dining and the beach) to really spend more time outside. I’m happy to report that as a result, we spent many hours at the pool, bought a membership to the botanical garden, started a nature journal and even planted a few veggies in our backyard. I’m not quite to the level of building mud pits in the backyard or playing outside while it’s sleeting, but this book gave me a serious shift in my thinking and improved my mothering.
There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather LINK
Book club discussion: Have you read any of my favorite for 2021? What was the best book you read in 2021? Thoughts?
I'd love to hear from you, leave a comment below!