Best of the Best
31 December 2021 
Every year I make a list of my ten favourite books for the year. This is never an easy list to make because I want more than ten so, as a result, I will be posting another list (probably tomorrow) about all the other books that I’ve loved this year and want to highlight.
Here for now are the ten books that immediately stand out for me as being most excellent and highly recommended. *These books are not necessarily releases from 2021.*.
This year I read over 100 books and for the most part I’m happy to say I had some amazing reads. My blog and book reviews are mostly positive because I don’t read or review books if I’m not enjoying them (that’s a personal thing as I find if I make myself continue to read a book I’m not enjoying then everything kind of grinds to a halt). Also, life is too short to read books you’re not enjoying.
This list is in no way intended to be insulting or derogatory to the other books and authors I’ve read during the year – these are the immediate books that really leap out at me when I revisit my list (this top ten also clearly demonstrates my love of fantasy, with a little bit of something different mixed in for good measure).
These are listed in no particular order. All reviews are linked and covers are included at the bottom.
- The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
- The Ladies of the Secret Service by Constance Sayers
- The Girl and the Mountain by Mark Lawrence
- The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
- The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
- Priest of Gallows by Peter McLean
- Come With Me by Ronald Malfi
- The Bone Ship’s Wake by RJ Barker
- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- The Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley
Books and travelling with Lynn 
We share quite a few in common, and I’m so glad to see Come With Me on your list. Also, the arrangement of covers is lovely, I like the way you grouped the colors together😁
I loved Come With Me and in fact bought one of Malfi’s earlier books based on how much I liked that one – I need to read it soon.
Lynn 😀
You read all of the books that are still on my TBR! I read just 1 of the books on this list. It’s good to know the remaining books are worth reading, too!
It’s just so difficult to keep up with all the books isn’t it! I hope you get a chance to pick some of these next year. Happy 2022.
Lynn 😀
That’s a great list! I am still kicking myself I never got to start this latest Mark Lawrence series.
Well, the first one wasn’t my favourite book of his and I know others weren’t as keen on it but I thought book 2 was really good and I’m looking forward to No.3 very much, particularly how this may (or may not) tie the world ML has created, together.
Lynn 😀
Your list’s highlights are indeed a series’ ender (The Bone Ship’s Wake) and a series’ starter (The Shadow of the Gods), together with a surprising Buehlman, which I also loved, and an Abercrombie novel, which never disappoints 🙂
I loved these books – the buehlman was such a wonderful surprise.
Lynn 😀
Ooh, this is a great list! I still need to finish the Bone Ships series but it’s been fun watching all my friends break down in the last book, haha!
Oh, you have such a fantastic read ahead of you. Enjoy.
Lynn 😀
Love seeing this list! I haven’t read any of them, but The Shadow of the Gods is very high on my TBR!
I loved that book – well, it’s on my list so obviously! but, hope you get to it soon.
Lynn 😀
[…] I made a list of ten books that I absolutely loved in 2021. You can find it here. I also decided to post some of my other great books because there were plenty (I tried to keep […]
I haven’t read any of these, but may have to add them to my TBR pile.
I thought I was the last person left in the world who hadn’t read First Law by Abercrombie – I really enjoyed it. Hope you get a chance to give it a shot.
Lynn 😀
[…] Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley (#1 Ashes of the Unhewn Thrown). This was already on my ‘best of‘ list but I couldn’t help using it for this particular prompt because it has a slew of […]
I’ve got to read The Last House on Needless Street! I’ve heard amazing things about it.
It’s a very unusual book. Keeps you guessing all the way through. Quite unexpected.
Lynn 😀
[…] I’ve already highlighted a couple of lists with my favourite reads of 2021 with my ‘best of the best‘ list and ‘Some More Goodies‘. Now all that remains is to choose a book cover […]
Nice list! I have seen your first one on several lists, I need to check it out.
Here are my recap posts, scroll down to see the 3 of them: https://wordsandpeace.com/tag/year-of-reading/
Yes, the Last House is a very unusual book that worked very well for me. I hope you get a chance to check it out.
Lynn 😀
I attempted Blacktongue Thief last year, but it was at the wrong time. My plan is to try again this year. I was liking it but was slumpy.
[…] Ruin by Brian Staveley (#1 Ashes of the Unhewn Thrown). Which was a fantastic read and on my ‘best of‘ list and likewise the book I’ve chosen this year was also one of my favourite reads of […]