The Most Compelling Books of 2021

Reprinted from auburnpub.com:

It’s that time of year for a list of the Most Compelling Books I read this year. It was difficult to whittle the list down to only ten because I read so many great books in 2021. These are the books I still think about, some long after I read them.

Lauren Willig’s Band of Sisters tells the fictionalized story of the all-female Smith College alumni who traveled to France during WWI to aid villagers displaced by war. Willig based her novel on letters written by the real women who risked their lives to help others, and it is a riveting tale of bravery and friendship. (My full review here)

Nancy Johnson’s debut novel, The Kindest Lie, is set just after the 2008 election of Barack Obama. Ruth Tuttle, a Yale-educated Black engineer in Chicago, returns to her small hometown to discover what happened to the baby she secretly gave birth to the summer before she went away to college. It’s a poignant tale of race, family, secrets, and class. (My full review here) 

Patry Francis’ novel All The Children Are Home begins in 1959, and centers on Louie and Dahlia and the foster children they take in and adopt. Dahlia is an unforgettable character, and this story of what it means to be a family is heartwarming, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful. (My full review here) 

Julietta Henderson’s The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman is a road trip tale about 12 year-old Norman’s quest to perform standup comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to honor his best friend Jax who died. Norman and his mom Sadie set out on a journey and meet some kind people who help them along the way. This lovely story will restore your faith in humanity. (My full review here) 

Amor Towles’ The Lincoln Highway is also a road trip story. Set in 1954, Emmett returns home to Nebraska to his eight year-old brother after a stay in a juvenile facility. He wants to move to California but is waylaid after two young men escape from the facility and convince him to drive them to New York. It’s an epic tale filled with many fascinating characters. (More on the book here) 

Damhnait Monaghan’s delightful debut novel, New Girl in Little Cove takes place in a small town in Newfoundland after Rachel leaves Toronto to teach there. The characters in this town take her in and make her feel like one of their own. If you like a good small town story, this one will make you smile. (My full review here) 

Another wonderful small town story is Katherine Heiny’s Early Morning Riser. When young second grade teacher Jane locks herself out of her house, she meets and falls in love with Duncan, the locksmith who comes to her rescue. Jane becomes involved with Duncan’s formidable ex-wife Aggie, Aggie’s quirky new husband Gary, and Jimmy, a young man who works for Duncan. The story moves from 2002-2018 as we see how a tragedy brings all these people together as a family. It’s such a lovely story. (More on the book here) 

Louise Erdrich’s new novel, The Sentence is about Tookie, an Indigenous woman who finds a job in an independent bookstore after her release from prison. Tookie is being haunted at the bookstore by Flora, a customer who died on All Souls Day. The story is set in Minneapolis from 2019-2020 and also deals with the pandemic and the fallout of George Floyd’s murder, which took place nearby. It is a thought-provoking, elegantly written story that will appeal to book lovers. 

There are two nonfiction books on my list this year.  Eleanor Henderson’s Everything I Have Is Yours shares the story of her marriage to a man who suffers from a severely painful chronic condition that may or may not be psychological in nature. Henderson holds down a full-time job, cares for her two young sons and her husband, and maneuvers the maze that is healthcare in this country. This brilliantly written book illuminates what it means to be committed to your marriage and love so deeply. 

Amber and Lacey Ruffin’s You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey describes the many situations that Lacey deals with on a daily basis as a Black woman in Omaha. I shook my head in disbelief as they share with humor and dismay the things people say and do to Lacey, not realizing or perhaps not caring how hurtful or harmful it can be. It’s an eye-opener of a book. (More on the book here) 

I hope you read many great books this year as well. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!