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Hello! I’m Sara Hildreth: a reader, writer, and lifelong learner dedicated to putting great books into the hands of great people.

 But around here, the reading life goes beyond books! So grab a cup of something cozy & find the resources, products, and recommendations you need to live your best literary life.

July 16, 2021

Book Lists

Best Books of 2021 (So Far) – Ranked

Every month I share a Ranked Reading Recap with my Patreon subscribers. It’s a solo podcast where I chat casually and candidly about the books I read that month and rank them from the worst to the best. Since we’re now halfway through 2021, I wanted to share my favorite reads of the year so far, ranking them in style of my Patreon podcast episodes.

2021 Releases

5. Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

Amazon | Bookshop

4. Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses

Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses

Amazon | Bookshop

3. Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann

Amazon | Bookshop

2. Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Amazon | Bookshop

1. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Amazon | Bookshop

Backlist Books

5. The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia

The Murmur of Bees by Sofia Segovia

Amazon | Bookshop

4. Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski

Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski

Amazon | Bookshop

3. This Must be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell

This-Must-be-the-Place-by-Maggie-OFarrell

Amazon | Bookshop

2. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Amazon | Bookshop

1. On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee

On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee

Amazon | Bookshop

Novel Pairings Podcast Reads

5. Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

Amazon | Bookshop

4. There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset

There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset

Amazon | Bookshop

3. In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

Amazon | Bookshop

2. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Amazon | Bookshop

1. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

Amazon | Bookshop

Share your favorite books of the year so far in the comments below, and, if you want more ranked book lists, be sure to check out the FictionMatters Patreon community for monthly reading recap podcast episodes.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission from any purchases made. Thanks for using these links to help support my passion for sharing books that matter!

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  1. Mina Widding says:

    So fun you liked The Summer Book, it’s a favourite of mine. Tove Jansson is so much more than the Moomins, and have such a authentic and honest take on human relations, a no nonsense approach. I just love how the grandmother and the child are equals.

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holiday

lifestyle

recommendations

book lists

Categories

Read With Me!

Search

Follow Along

Hello! I’m Sara Hildreth: a reader, writer, and lifelong learner dedicated to putting great books into the hands of great people.

 But around here, the reading life goes beyond books! So grab a cup of something cozy & find the resources, products, and recommendations you need to live your best literary life.