2021 Books I Loved
I just hit my reading goal for the year: 50 books!
Though there’s still a month left of 2021 reading, I know I have my top 3. Each of these books made my brain whirl, my heart stammer, and my belief in the power of the written word grow.
Fiction
Nightbitch is about an artist who becomes a mom, who no longer has time to create art, so she slowly turns into a dog.
When I read that concept, I knew I had to read Nightbitch. As a mother who struggles to find time to create herself, I knew I found a kindred spirit in Rachel Yoder before I read a single word.
Even better, the Fox Cities Book Festival brought author Rachel Yoder to speak virtually–and I got to interview her.
Rachel Yoder is the real deal and Nightbitch is the strike to the heart I didn’t realize I needed.
Quote: “How evil to praise women for giving up each and every dream.”
Nonfiction
Anne Helen Peterson wrote an article on millennials that went viral in 2019. It resonated so strongly with audiences that Anne got to work on, Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burn Out Generation.
The waitlist at my local library for Can’t Even was deep, but I knew it was another title that had the potential to unravel the world around me.
I was not disappointed. I encourage any millennial or their family members to read this summary of what an entire generation faces.
Quote: “Millennials became the first generation to fully conceptualize themselves as walking college resumes.”
Writing Book
In Write Naked, romance author Jennifer Probst set out tell share with writers the #1 thing she learned over her writing career–to write naked.
To create something real, you must create without looking back. Strip away any embarrassment, refuse to hold back, and write what’s meaningful to you.
This book came at just the right time in my life. I was weeks away from releasing It’s Over or It’s Eden. I was caught up in thoughts of what others would think. Jennifer helped me let go of those worries and appreciate that I wrote a story that was real to me. And because I did that, maybe it will be real to another.
Quote: “When a book ends, it no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the world. It’s a gift from you to the world, and it’s precious, but the world may not like your gift.”
I hope one of these books caught your attention. I recommend them unequivocally.
If you had a favorite book this year, tag me in your social media posts! I’d love to add them to my TBR shelf.
