2021 Faves & More

I feel like we read too much this year to contain the list to just Top 5 of 2021 overall, so for those who are interested, checkout our Top 5 for the first half of 2021 here. The Top 5’s below are from what we read in the second half of the year.

1. The Liar’s Knot (Rook & Rose #2) by M.A. Carrick - Oh man, I got sucked right into the masquerade in book two. Who was wearing what face, when? Who knows about which mask? How and when will it all come together? It was just the most delightful tension that kept me turning pages. Throw in the escalating politics, friendships old and new and flirting galore.

2. Kingdom of the Cursed (Kingdom of the Wicked #2) by Kerri Maniscalco - I am a huge sucker for witch and demon pairings, so I was hooked in Kingdom of the Wicked, but book two kicks everything up a notch when Emilia heads to hell. Give me all the Lucifer and Dante vibes as she greets sin and seduction first hand.

3. A Shadow in the Ember (Flesh & Fire #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout - I honestly thought that the Blood and Ash world couldn’t get any better after Crown of Gilded Bones in March, but JLA hold my beer’d herself with the epic start to the prequel series. Nyktos just has me sitting over here going, Casteel who?

4. Neon Gods (Dark Olympus #1) by Katee Robert - my first Katee Robert book and it did not disappoint. I’ve read at least 5 Hades & Persephone retellings this year and this was by far my favorite. It’s funny, because it’s a retelling that’s much more ‘modern mob’ vibes instead of magic of the gods, but it totally works.

5. Lakesedge (World at the Lake’s Edge #1) by Lyndall Clipstone - I loved the gothic magic of this world. It was beautiful and terrifying and I just wanted to drink it in. Monstrous boy, selfless heroine, sparks fly and gods meddle, maybe more than meddle.