YEAR IN REVIEW – Best of 2021 for Kids and Teens

Continuing my best of lists for 2021, here are the lists for books for kids and books for teens/young adults.

Best of 2021 – Books for Kids


The Hunger Heroes: Missed Meal Mayhem – If I could only pick one kids book from 2021 to highlight, it would be this one. I struggle to find early chapter books that I really love and am excited to share with kids, but this is one I literally handed to anyone and everyone in 2021. This graphic novel was a delight to read and to share. Don’t miss it! You can read my full review here.
The Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery – Book 2 in this fantastic series for kids 10 and up from the amazing Ally Carter was another favorite from 2021. You can read my full review here for book one and here for this second book in the series.
Bea Is for Blended – A lovely, powerful middle grade story that shouldn’t be missed. You can read my full review here.
What Comes Next – A stand alone story from the author of the Mr. Terupt series as well as the Perfect Score series. You can read the full review here.
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy – I don’t usually read a lot of nonfiction for kids, but I was intrigued by this kid-friendly version of the author’s show/book Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. This is for readers 10 and up. You can read my full review here.

 

Best of 2021 – Books for Teens/Young Adults


Amelia Unabridged – If I could only pick one “Best of 2021” book, regardless of audience, I would pick this one. This book rocked my world when I first read it, and it stuck with me all year. I’m looking forward to carving out some time for a re-read soon. You can read my full review here.
Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven – I have really enjoyed this graphic novel series. Yes, I wish the series had more depth to the characters, but once I accept the limitations of the format for digging deeper into character details, I just enjoy the story and characters for what they are – fun. You can read my full review of this book here and the whole series here.
Bookish Boyfriends: Get a Clue – This series has been a delight since book one. You can read my full review of this book here, and you can read more about the whole series here.
Counting Down with You – Loved this powerful YA novel this year! You can read my full review here.
The Hawthorne Legacy (♥♥♥♥♥) – Book 2 in the Hawthorne series by my favorite YA author, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, was a powerhouse, It delivered on all the things I thought were missing for the first book while not losing any of the parts I loved. I can’t wait to read book 3 later this year. You can read my full review of book 1 here.
Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche – After the delightful Netflix movie starring Enola Holmes, this book was a must read for me – and it did not disappoint! You can read my full review here.
Never Saw You Coming – I heard a lot about this book last year as I follow the author on social media. The book did not disappoint. Read my full review here.
You Have a Match – This was my second Emma Lord book and I loved it! You can read my full review here, and check out the author page here – she has a new book out that I will be reviewing soon.

YEAR IN REVIEW – Best of 2021 for Adults

2021 was a tough reading year for me. Between starting a new job, rediscovering an old hobby, and (waves vaguely at a world in chaos), I found it hard to stop doom scrolling and focus long enough to really engage with the sort of reading I usually do. But that doesn’t mean 2021 didn’t have some amazing books that I thoroughly enjoyed. Here are some of my favorites for adults from what I read in 2021:

Best of 2021 – Adult Fiction


Hunt the Stars (♥♥♥♥½)- These books aren’t necessarily in order, but if I had to pick a favorite adult fiction book from last year, I think Hunt the Stars would be the one. It helps that it was one of the last books I read in 2021. But I remember so clearly as I was reading being delighted by the whole story and the characters, and feeling such joy whenever I checked my progress and saw I had so much book still left to enjoy.  This one doesn’t release until this year, but the author is a favorite, so I prioritized this one over some others I probably should have read – and I was not disappointed. If you enjoyed The Consortium Rebellion series or you love romantic scifi, put this one on your list for February 2022. Stay tuned for my full review in February as well.
Capture the Crown – If you’ve read my coverage of the Crown of Shards series, my love of this spin off shouldn’t come as a surprise. You can read my full review here.
The List (♥♥♥♥♥)- My husband pulled me into the Orphan X series a couple summers ago. One of my favorite characters is Joey, who features as the main character in this short story. It was everything I wanted it to be. If the author would ever spin off a series starring Joey, I’d be first in line to pick it up.
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It – This mystery was quirky and different, and I loved it. You can read my full review here. And stay tuned for my review of the sequel, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, which releases February 1st.
To Fetch a Felon – First in a new cozy series from late 2020 with a talking corgi, this was a delight from start to finish. (My blog was even quoted in the “praise for book one” section of the second book!) You can read my full review of book one here and book two here. Cozy fans should NOT miss this series!

Best of 2021 – Adult Nonfiction


All of the Marvels – Again, these aren’t listed in any particular order, but if I had to pick just one favorite nonfiction book from this year, it would be this one. I didn’t expect to love this like I did – the writing is fantastic, and the comics history and stories are fascinating. You can read my full review here.
Reading While Black (♥♥♥♥♥) – I read this one for me, rather than for a blog post, so there’s no review here on the blog. But I will tell you this was FANTASTIC. It was challenging in all the best ways. The writing is engaging and conversational. This is a resource I highly recommend.
The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up – I didn’t read much nonfiction in 2021, and the bulk of what I did read was Enneagram related. You can read my full review of this resource here.
The Enneagram Goes to Church – Another great Enneagram resource from 2021, you can read my full review here.
The Story of You – This was my final review of 2021, so this one might be more familiar to you. You can read the full review again here.

BOOK NEWS: January 4, 2022

In honor of a new year, and fresh starts, I am taking a new approach to Book News.

I don’t have the same amount of research and writing time as I did when I worked from home, freelancing. So for 2022, Book News will focus on the books I am MOST excited about releasing in a particular week. So you will see fewer titles from week to week. And some of your series favorites might be missing. But what you will see are the books on my wish lists and in my shopping carts and on my TBR piles. Nothing posted out of a sense of obligation, but only the books I am talking about, looking for, and reading this week.

So, here are those books that are releasing tomorrow, January 4th, 2022.

Books for Kids


Hawkeye – This Little Golden Book from Marvel showcases Hawkeye, a perfect choice after the Disney+ program this past Christmas season.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


Hide and Geek – A famous toymaker left one final puzzle to solve after her death, and a group of friends are determined to solve it before the toymaker’s factory closes and their families move away. I adore stories like this. This is on my review list.
Operation Sisterhood – A blended family living in one brownstone in New York can feel overwhelming at times. But the four new sisters might just find something to love about their new circumstances.
The Unforgettable Logan Foster – Just as Logan starts to wonder if he will ever find foster parents who “get” him. And when he does finally get some who could be a good fit, he discovers they are secret superheroes being hunted by villains and the fate of the world hanging in the balance. A foster care story with superheroes? Sounds like my favorite parts of Shazam, and I am here for this one! This is also on my review list.
How to Fight Racism (Young Reader’s Edition) – A young reader’s edition of the book How to Fight Racism by Jemar Tisby.
Serendipity – Ten common romance tropes are flipped into new configurations in this short story collection.
Spin Me Right Round – Luis is sent back in time to his parents’ days in high school by a hit to the head. And he sees it as his chance to save a closeted boy whose 1985 experiences mean that today Luis can’t go to prom with his boyfriend. But Luis is quickly in over his head as he learns things about his parents as teenagers while also encountering the homophobia in this conservative high school.
When You Get the Chance – When Millie starts wondering if her dreams to be a Broadway star and find people who get her for who she is will ever come true, she decides to go looking for her mom. This sounds so fun! And there is no way I am passing up a new book by Emma Lord! This is also on my review list.

 

Books for Adults


Be More Loki: Alternative Thinking from the God of Mischief (Hardcover gift book) – A little gift book of images and advice from Loki of Asgard. Absolutely going to be picking this one up!
Rise: An Authentic Lenten Devotional (Paperback) – A devotional for Lent from John Pavlovitz.