My Favorite Books of 2021

Welp, the year is over. I am simultaneously relieved as this has been a difficult year for so many, myself included, but I am hesitant to start 2022. I desperately hope things get better.  The silver lining to this challenging year is the fact that I read so much. I read books to forget, I read to escape, I read to convalesce, I read to remember, I read to learn, and I read to relax. I read more this year than I have in the previous few years and I attribute it to stress. Reading is a great way to deal with stress and 2021 dealt me more than a few stressful moments. Who is with me? 

With that said, I am recapping some of my favorite books of 2021 and if you are interested, you can find my reviews of most of the books at my Review Archive, alphabetized by the author's last name.

Adult Fiction:

 
Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

 

 

 

 

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange

 

Beach Reads:

 

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey 

 

 

 

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley

Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand 

 

 

 

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland

 

 

Audio Books:

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner 

Before the Crown by Flora Harding

Historical Fiction:

Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

 

 

 

Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

 

 

 

Eternal by Lisa Scottoline

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

 

 

 

The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck

The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley

 

 

 

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles 

Romance:

The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George

Middle Grade/Young Adult:

Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman

 

 

Memoir:

 

No Cure for Being Human by Kate Bowler 

Backlist Fiction:

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand

 

 

Wonder by R.J. Palacio 

Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

 

 

Honorable Mention:

The War Widow by Tara Moss

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

 

What were some of your favorite books of the year? Did some of my picks make your list?  Let me know in the comments below!

Book Review: The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

Pages: 351

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: October 5, 2021

Publisher: G.P. Putnam

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

Goodreads says, "A feel-good, holiday-themed romantic comedy about identical twins who switch lives in the days leading up to Christmas--perfect for fans of Christina Lauren's In a Holidaze and Josie Silver's One Day in December.  All they want for Christmas is a different life.  When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.   With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician's assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?"

 

Charlie and Cass Goodwin are identical twins, but live very different lives.  Charlie brushes elbows with celebrities since she works on a reality baking show whereas Cass lives in their hometown, Starlight Peak, and helps to run their family's bakery.  Disaster strikes when Charlie gets hit in the head on the baking show and not only does she suffer a concussion, she also loses her ability to taste and smell, which is clearly a problem as a cooking show judge.  To top it off, she is fighting for a promotion and this blow to the head won't help matters.  Charlie convinces Cass to switch places with her for just a little while to help her keep her job and put her in line for the promotion above her awful co-host.  Cass agrees, because quite honestly, she could use an escape from Starlight Peak as well as her ex-boyfriend who just doesn't get that they are over.  While assuming the identify of each other, antics ensue including possible romances, work drama, and a slew of misunderstandings.  Maggie Knox's The Holiday Swap is a feel-good Christmas romance that fans of the Hallmark Channel will especially enjoy as well as fans of romantic comedies.

Charlie's life is the polar opposite of Cass's in The Holiday Swap.  Charlie is on a famous TV show, wears fancy clothing, has a make-up artist, and lives in bustling Los Angeles.  Cass lives a more quiet life in Starlight Peak where she runs her family's bakery and is always covered in flour.  Cass can't seem to get rid of her ex-boyfriend and she needs a break from small-town life.  So, she jumps at the chance to switch places with Charlie. At first, Cass doesn't know how to behave on a reality TV show. I mean who would?  The fact that Charlie just had a concussion sort of helps her when it comes to any missteps she makes, but her co-host is desperate for her to mess up.  It's a lot of pressure for Cass to assume her sister's role as it's not an ordinary job.  When Charlie heads back home as Cass, she realizes how much Cass was really in charge of at her parent's bakery and what a big job it is. While almost setting the kitchen on fire, Charlie meets local fireman, Jake, who catches her eye.  Each sister starts to form possible relationships and as time progresses, they realize that they either need to end it or come clean.  

The town of Starlight Peak is the perfect setting for a Christmas novel.  It reminded me a bit of Stars Hollow. I really loved the small town feel, the details of working at a local bakery, and the various quirky townspeople.  I definitely preferred this setting to the LA reality show.

While I didn't always find the events in The Holiday Swap to be entirely believable, it was still a heartwarming novel that's perfect to read over Christmas vacation. It was very reminiscent of a Hallmark Channel movie and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets picked up. Also, it should be noted that The Holiday Swap wasn't overly Christmas-y, so I think it could be enjoyed into the month of January as well, especially if you are a foodie.

So, did you read The Holiday Swap? Is it on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.

 

My Favorite Holiday Reads

There's nothing like curling up by the Christmas tree with a warm beverage and enjoying a good book. Today I'm sharing some of my favorite holiday reads that I read this year and from years past.  If you are interested in reading my thoughts on a particular book, you can find all of my reviews at my review archive. Let me know what you think!

 

 

My Favorite Holiday Reads for 2021:

 

1.  Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox 

 

2.  The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

 

 

3.  Christmas in Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey

 

My Favorite Backlist Holiday Reads:

 

1.  An Island Christmas by Nancy Thayer

 

 

2.  Let it Snow by Nancy Thayer

 

 

3.  Winter Street series by Elin Hilderbrand

 

 

4.  Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini

 

 

5.  In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren 

6.  One Day in December by Josie Silver

 

 

7.  10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

 

 

8.  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

 

 

Honorable Mention:

1.  Christmas in London by Anita Hughes

2.  The Christmas Wedding Guest by Susan Mallery

 

 

3.  Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa de la Cruz 

4.  Meet Me in London by Georgia Toffolo

On the TBR List:

I didn't get to these holiday books this year, but *maybe* I will read one over Christmas break. If not, these will be on next year's Holiday TBR list.

 

Christmas on the Island by Jenny Colgan

A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

 

 

Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

Celebration at Christmas Cove by Carrie Jansen

So, what are some of your favorite holiday reads that you read this year? Are any of these books are on your TBR list.  Let me know in the comments below.