Well 2021 was a year wasn't it? Slight improvement on 2020 but not quite where we need to be. Through-out 2021 I had a lot of change, loss, gains, love and hurt. One thing that was consistent, however, was my books. Books have never let me down and last year was no different when I managed a wonderful 54 books. Here are all (23) of my five star rated books from 2021...
The woods by Vanessa Savage
"For Tess, her older sister Bella is her whole world.
She's smart and beautiful and popular - everything Tess isn't - and since the death of their mother it's just been them and their grieving father.
But now a new family has moved into the empty house on the edge of the woods, bringing with them a world of boys and alcohol, and Tess can feel her sister slipping away from her. Until the bodies of two local schoolgirls are found in the woods, and Tess is convinced that this new family has something to hide.
As events threaten to destroy everything they hold dear, Bella and Tess determine to bring the truth to light.
So the two girls go into the woods..."
(Picture from Amazon)
This book is great, it completely grabs you from page 1 and you will not be able to put it down! The story bounces between past and present which sometimes can be confusing but this book does it perfectly, it goes back to the past exactly when it needs to.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
"The animals at Manor Farm have had enough of Farmer Jones – he’s drunk, reckless and cares little for their welfare. When the boar, Old Major, shares his revolutionary plans, the animals are convinced they can thrive on their own once the despot Jones is overthrown. But as the pigs vie for power, they begin to bear an uncanny resemblance to the tyrants they have overthrown…"
(Picture from Amazon)
A classic book that most people read in school. I wasn't one of those and I'd being wanting to read it for so long! I borrowed it from my local library and loved it. It broke my heart, it made me angry, it made me sad but it was powerful and important and enjoyable. For a classic, I found it easy to read.
The Thursday murder club and The man who died twice by Richard Osman
"In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders.
But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case.
Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves."
"It's the following Thursday.
Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.
As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus?
But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can the Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?"
(Pictures from Amazon)
I am forever grateful to Richard Osman for deciding to write a book. The characters in this series are wonderful! I love them all and I'm sure everyone who has read them feels the same. A group of friends from a retirement home come together to solve a murder that happens at their home! In the second book, we are reunited with the same group of friends (yay!) and join them for the ride when they have to solve the mystery surrounding why Elizabeths ex-husband turned up.
The silent patient by Alex Michaelides
"Alicia Berenson lived a seemingly perfect life until one day six years ago.
When she shot her husband in the head five times.
Since then she hasn't spoken a single word.
It's time to find out why."
(Picture from Amazon)
This book absolutely blew my mind, I read this book in a matter of hours and it lived in my head for the next few months! The twist at the end is one of my favourite twists (next to The Murder of Roger Ackroyd) and when I started to realise where the story was going I got very excited and started to read even quicker. We follow a doctor as he works with a patient in a hospital who is in there for the murder of her husband, but she hasn't spoken a word since the night of the murder.
The five people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom
"The novel's protagonist is an elderly amusement park maintenance worker named Eddie who, while operating a ride called the 'Free Fall', dies while trying to save a young girl who gets in the way of a falling cart that hurtles to earth. Eddie goes to heaven, where he meets five people who were unexpectedly instrumental in some way in his life. While each guide takes him through heaven, Eddie learns a little bit more about what his time on earth meant, what he was supposed to have learned, and what his true purpose on earth was. Throughout there are dramatic flashbacks where we see scenes from his troubled childhood, his years in the army in the Philippines jungle, and with his first and only love, his wife Marguerite. "
(Picture from Amazon)
Oh Eddie. I instantly fell for Eddie and was excited to follow him on his journey in heaven. By saving a childs life, Eddie loses his own. On his way to heaven he meets with five people from his past that all played an important part. This book will move you in so many ways.
I'm a therapist and my patient is... series by Dr. Harper
"I'm a therapist, and I work with the most dangerous patients.
I've seen it all... A boy who planned to be the next school shooter. A patient with OCD whose loved ones really did suffer every time he missed a ritual. A choir boy who claimed he was being molested -- not by a priest -- but by God Himself. A patient with PTSD who gave me nightmares. A husband and wife who accused each other of abuse, and only one of them was telling the truth.
And how could I ever forget, Patient #220.
The problem is, my patients have a habit of dying. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the common denominator. Or maybe that's just the cost of taking on exceptionally broken clients.
Either way, I'll never stop trying to help."
"I've counseled the most chilling criminals... A young inmate who fell in love with a pedophile. A man who intentionally infected strangers with HIV. A patient with an extremely unusual addiction. A sociopath who wanted to have a conscience. A conspiracy theorist who harassed victims of a terrorist attack.
And the patient who still haunts my dreams: A boy sold into human trafficking.
In these files, you'll learn about the the psychology behind the world's most dangerous criminals.
But you'll also learn about me -- and the worst thing I've ever done."
"I'm a therapist, and I've worked with the wildest internet celebrities… A vigilante who treated humans as factory farm animals. A germaphobe who warned of the next major plague. My own best friend. A rapist who got cancelled online — and in real life. A psychic medium with a disturbing prediction.
And the last patient I ever worked with: The one who asked me to take them off life support.
It all started with a big social media festival on a little island. We were promised endless days of sunshine, beach bonfires under the stars, and a chance to party with the world's most renowned influencers.
Instead, we were lucky if we made it out in one piece."
(Pictures from Amazon)
I really don't know what I expected from these books...but I love what they are! These are novels, fiction, made up and just for fun. They are quite short and read in chapters that are patient files with some explaining before and after that builds the story. I got very invested in the doctor and his life, although quite silly, some of the patient files were very intriguing and they're all well written.
Charlottes web by E.B White
"Wilbur the pig's life has already been saved by Fern, but when he is sold to her uncle, he realises his life is in even more danger. Enter Charlotte A. Cavatica, a beautiful large grey spider. Charlotte is determined to keep Wilbur from the chopping block, and comes up with an ingenious way to do just that."
(Picture from Amazon)
Another classic that most people read in school, which I did! I also read it outside of school and re-read it last year. I loved it just as much. It's a story of love, friendship, trust and heartbreak. Bonus points for talking animals. A less horrific version of animal farm!
The confession by Jo Spain
"Late one night a man walks into the luxurious home of disgraced banker Harry McNamara and his wife Julie. The man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry as a horror-struck Julie watches, frozen by fear. It looks like Harry's many sins - corruption, greed, betrayal - have finally caught up with him.
An hour later the intruder, JP Carney, hands himself in, confessing to the assault. The police have a victim, a suspect in custody and an eye-witness account, but Julie remains troubled.
Has Carney's surrender really been driven by a guilty conscience or is this confession the first calculated move in a deadly game?"
(Picture from Amazon)
I really enjoyed this book, I was gripped instantly. It's not often a murder mystery starts with the murderer coming forwards! Great time with this book, I remember the only downfall being there was some subtle fat shamming which ruined the story slightly.
The murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
"Roger Ackroyd knew too much. He knew that the woman he loved had poisoned her brutal first husband. He suspected also that someone had been blackmailing her. Now, tragically, came the news that she had taken her own life with a drug overdose.
But the evening post brought Roger one last fatal scrap of information. Unfortunately, before he could finish the letter, he was stabbed to death…"
(Picture from Amazon)
I am a big Agatha Christie fan and this book absolutely blew my mind. This was the book that shone light on Christie and it's not hard to see why. It's so clever, especially for it's time. There is a massive twist right at the end which I was not expecting. This will be one of my favourite Christies' forever.
The couple next door by Shari Lapena
"PEOPLE ARE CAPABLE OF ALMOST ANYTHING.
You never know what's happening on the other side of the wall.
Your neighbour told you that she didn't want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. Nothing personal, she just couldn't stand her crying.
Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you only live next door. You'll have the baby monitor and you'll take it in turns to go back every half hour.
Your daughter was sleeping when you checked on her last. But now, as you race up the stairs in your deathly quiet house, your worst fears are realized. She's gone.
You've never had to call the police before. But now they're in your home, and who knows what they'll find there.
What would you be capable of, when pushed past your limit?"
(Picture from Amazon)
When I read the blurb for this book it gave me straight up Madeline McCann vibes and I was not excited, that story has been told and re-told so many times. However, it was nothing like that! I was gripped from the start and invested in the familys' story. The twist at the end was un-expected and shocked me. I really could not put this book down, despite other luke-warm reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Heartstopper, Volume 3 and 4 by Alice Oseman
"Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Nick's even found the courage to come out to his mum.
But coming out isn't just something that happens once - there's Nick's older brother, and a school trip to Paris, not to mention all the other friends and family - and life can be hard, even with someone who loves you by your side. As their feelings get more serious, Charlie and Nick will need each other more than ever before."
"Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Charlie's beginning to feel ready to say those three little words: I love you.
Nick's been feeling the same, but he's got a lot on his mind - not least coming out to his dad, and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.
As summer turns to autumn and a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick are about to learn a lot about what love means."
(Pictures from Amazon)
This series was my first graphic novel and I love it. The illustrations and characters are beautiful and the story touches on so many important topics. It's queer, it's beautiful, it's kind and it's necessary.
The postscript murders by Elly Griffiths
"PS: thanks for the murders.
The death of a ninety-year-old woman with a heart condition should absolutely not be suspicious. DS Harbinder Kaur certainly sees nothing to concern her in carer Natalka's account of Peggy Smith's death.
But when Natalka reveals that Peggy lied about her heart condition and that she had been sure someone was following her...
And that Peggy Smith had been a 'murder consultant' who plotted deaths for authors, and knew more about murder than anyone has any right to...
And when clearing out Peggy's flat ends in Natalka being held at gunpoint by a masked figure...
Well then DS Harbinder Kaur thinks that maybe there is no such thing as an unsuspicious death after all.
From the sleepy seaside town of Shoreham to the granite streets of Aberdeen, The Postscript Murders is a literary mystery for fans of Anthony Horowitz, Agatha Christie and anyone who's ever wondered just how authors think up such realistic crimes...
PS: Trust no one."
(Picture from Amazon)
I love Elly Griffiths and I feel that everything she writes is a masterpiece. This book featured a lovely old lady who caused havoc when she died in her home, all because of a little book. Kaur is not my favourite character Elly has written, I can't lie, she annoys me slightly but it doesn't have a negative effect on the story or my enjoyment.
The fault in our stars by John Green
"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once.
Despite the tumour-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis.
But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten."
(Picture from Amazon)
A lovely story with a horrific, sad, un-expected twist. I really enjoyed this book, it was easy to read but utterly heartbreaking. Even though this book is heartbreaking and made me cry and made me angry, I gave it 5 stars because I enjoyed the journey.
Normal people by Sally Rooney
"Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in the west of Ireland, but the similarities end there. In school, Connell is popular and well-liked, while Marianne is a loner. But when the two strike up a conversation - awkward but electrifying - something life-changing begins.
Normal People is a story of mutual fascination, friendship and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find they can't."
(Picture from Amazon)
This lived in my head rent free for months after I finished it.The story follows the two main characters over a period of time which I love! I get so invested in their lives and it was no different for this book. There isn't really a plot or a reason to this story but that's what makes it so enjoyable. I just. 5 stars no doubt.
Unsolved murders by Emily G. Thompson
"Discover the stories behind the most infamous unsolved murders of the last century, including the notorious Black Dahlia murder, the shootings of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, and the terrifying murders committed in San Francisco by the Zodiac Killer.
Accessible and authoritative entries clearly set out the key details of each case, revealing the evidence, suspects and essential clues.
Ideal for True Crime fans looking for a new case to take a stab at, get ready for an unforgettable read."
(Picture from Amazon)
True crime. Need I say more?! I am really interested by true crime and the way this book is layed out, case by case, short and sweet, made it so easy to read! Even though it is non-fiction which is a genre I never read, I enjoyed it so much I read it in one sitting.
Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly
"In an ancient city by the sea, three sisters - a maiden, a mother, and a crone - are drawing maps by candlelight. Sombre, with piercing grey eyes, they are the three Fates, and every map is a human life . . .
Stepsister takes up where Cinderella's tale ends. We meet Isabelle, the younger of Cinderella's two stepsisters. Ella is considered beautiful; stepsister Isabelle is not. Isabelle is fearless, brave, and strong-willed. She fences better than any boy, and takes her stallion over jumps that grown men fear to attempt. It doesn't matter, though; these qualities are not valued in a girl. Others have determined what is beautiful, and Isabelle does not fit their definition. Isabelle must face down the demons that drove her cruel treatment of Ella, challenge her own fate and maybe even redefine the very notion of beauty . . .
Cinderella is about a girl who was bullied; Stepsister is about the bully. We all root for the victims, we want to see them triumph. But what about the bullies? Is there hope for them? Can a mean girl change? Can she find her own happily ever after?"
(Picture from Amazon)
Cinderella but from the stepsisters POV. I love books like this, where a classic story we all know well is twisted and flipped. I became very emotionally invested in this sisters story and loved to follow on her story. It's a long book which really intimidated me and I put it off for so long which was a mistake!
Where the crawdads sing by Delia Owens
"For years, rumors of the 'Marsh Girl' have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life - until the unthinkable happens."
(Picture from Amazon)
One of my top favourite books, ever. This book is so painful, so beautiful, so heartbreaking that you will not put it down. Written by someone who has experience in conservation and animal work makes the book so detailed that it grips you. The descriptions of the marshes, the animals and the feathers is stunning. I cannot stress how much I love this book and how much I want everyone to read it. It's a murder mystery, coming of age, long spanning, heartbreaking and love finding book.
Murder on the ballarat train and Blood and circuses by Kerry Greenwood
"When Phryne Fisher arranges to go to Ballarat for a week, she eschews the excitement of her Hispano-Suiza for the sedate safety of the train. But as the passengers sleep, they are all overcome by chloroform poisoning.
In the morning Phryne is left to piece together all the clues: a young girl suffering from amnesia, the body of an old woman missing her emerald rings and rumours of white slavery and black magic... the last thing Phryne was expecting of this train journey was that she will have to use her trusty Beretta .32 to save lives!"
"The Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher is feeling dull. But is she bored enough to leave her identity, her home and family behind and join Farrell's Circus and Wild Beast Show?
There have been strange things happening at the circus. And when Phryne is asked by her friends - Samson the Strong Man, Alan the carousel operator and Doreen the Snake Woman - to help them, curiosity gets the better of her. Peeling off her wealth and privilege, Phryne takes a job as a trickhorse-rider, wearing hand-me-down clothes and a new name. Someone seems determined to see the circus fail and Phryne must find out who that might be and why they want it badly enough to resort to poison, assault and murder.
Diving into the dangerous underworld of 1920s Melbourne and the wild, eccentric life under the big top, Phryne proves her courage and ingenuity yet again, aided only by her quick intelligence, an oddly attractive clown, and a stout and helpful bear..."
(Pictures from Amazon)
Books 3 and 4 in the wonderful Miss Fisher mysteries. I really enjoyed the TV series and was so excited to find out it was based on a book series! These two really stood out for me as enjoyable, clever and full of gripping moments. I can't wait to read more of this series.
How many of these book are on your TBR? Have you read some of these? What did you think! Let me know!!
As always, drop a comment down below, message me or DM me on instagram @bilbo.h :)
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