My 2021 Anticipated Releases: What I Thought

Last January, I published a list of 35 2021 releases I couldn’t wait to read. Twelve months later, I’ve read the majority of them–and now we’re looking back to see if they lived up to the hype! Read on for all of my thoughts, and then let me know in the comments what 2021 releases you especially enjoyed.

Fiction Books I Was Excited About

You Have A Match, Emma Lord (release date: January 5th; YA contemporary)

I LOVED this book! It’s essentially a Parent Trap retelling, with older characters who had more mature storylines, and it was so much fun. The ending had me squealing. Emma Lord is my fave.

Roman and Jewel, Dana L. Davis (release date: January 5th; YA contemporary)

Although this could’ve benefited from more scenes set at the theater and less scenes smoking weed, I really loved this musical theatre book!

The Lion of Mars, Jennifer L. Holm (release date: January 5th; MG)

This was an IMMEDIATE favorite. The concept captured my imagination, and the book made me both laugh and cry. Definitely pick this one up.

Written in Starlight, Isabella Ibanez (release date: January 26th; YA fantasy)

Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a disappointment for me. It wasn’t awful, but it definitely was not as good as the first book (Woven in Moonlight). The cover is so beautiful, though, and the jungle setting is lush and vivid.

A Vow So Bold and Deadly, Brigid Kemmerer (release date: January 26th; YA fantasy)

A solid, five-star conclusion to the Cursebreakers series!

Payback, Kristen Simmons (release date: February 2nd; YA contemporary drama/suspense)

The conclusion to the Vale Hall trilogy was REALLY, really good! So many twists and turns and revelations, I couldn’t keep up.

Everything that Burns, Gita Trelease (release date: February 2nd; YA historical fantasy)

I love Enchantee and I was so excited about this, but unfortunately the sequel did not do it for me. I don’t remember what exactly I didn’t like about it, but this was sadly a DNF.

Sing Me Forgotten, Jessica S. Olson (release date: March 9th; YA historical fantasy)

This genderbent Phantom of the Opera retelling was great! I loved how the book explored the connection between memory and music, and I related to Isda so much.

Kisses and Croissants, Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau (release date: April 6th; YA contemporary)

This was super cute! However, it definitely felt like a story I had read before, and the characters were a little flat.

Six Crimson Cranes, Elizabeth Lim (release date: July 6th; YA fantasy)

This was excellent–I highly recommend it!

Hearing Lies, Olivia Smit (release date: July 15th; YA contemporary)

Predictably, Olivia’s sequel to Seeing Voices was SO good! Vibrant, well-rounded, and memorable.

Ones I haven’t gotten around to reading yet: What’s Not to Love by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka (release date: April 20th; YA contemporary); Realm Breakers by Victoria Aveyard (release date: May 4th; YA fantasy)

Honorable Mention Fiction Books

The Gilded Ones, Namina Forna (release date: February 9th; YA fantasy)

This got a lot of hype, but unfortunately fell flat for me. I don’t fully remember why–I know I was struggling to focus on reading at the time because of brain fog. I’m also just not as into this type of fantasy; I prefer urban fantasy, or something that leans more sci-fi.

A Pho Love Story, Loan Le (release date: February 9th; YA contemporary)

This was cute, but nothing special.

Rule of Wolves, Leigh Bardugo (release date: March 30th; YA fantasy)

This was SO FREAKING GOOD and I did a lot of squealing about how perfectly this book connected all of the Grisha characters and books. There were a lot of funny parts and favorite characters that I didn’t expect to see, and I loved the way it ended.

Kate in Waiting, Becky Albertalli (release date: April 20th; YA contemporary)

This was a theatre book set in Georgia, so I was excited–but it fell flat for me. The plot felt shallow and I wasn’t into the profanity on every page.

Tokyo Ever After, Emiko Jean (release date: May 25th; YA contemporary)

Princess Diaries, but make it Japan, anyone? I absolutely loved this book and I can’t wait for the sequel!

Ones I haven’t gotten around to reading yet: Happily Ever Afters, Elise Bryant (release date: January 5th; YA contemporary); Wings of Ebony, J. Elle (release date: January 26th; YA fantasy); A Taste for Love, Jennifer Yen (release date: February 2nd; YA contemporary); The Stolen Kingdom, Jillian Boehme (release date: March 2nd; YA fantasy); Bones of a Saint, Grant Farley (release date: March 2nd; YA historical fiction); Once Upon a Quinceanera, Monica Gomez-Hira (release date: March 2nd; YA contemporary); The Secret Recipe for Moving On, Karen Bischer (release date: March 23rd; YA contemporary); Indivisible, Daniel Aleman (release date: May 2nd; YA); We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This, Rachel Lynn Solomon (release date: June 8th; YA contemporary); An Emotion of Great Delight, Tahereh Mafi (release date: June 1st; YA)

Nonfiction Books I Was Excited About

Fighting Forward: Your Nitty-Gritty Guide to Beating the Lies That Hold You Back, Hannah Brencher (release date: January 5th)

My main takeaway from this (excellent) book was the theme of showing up–both for your others, and for your own life.

Sensing God: Experiencing the Divine in Nature, Music, Food, and Beauty, Joel Clarkson (release date: January 12th)

I was SO excited about this book, and it did not disappoint. It’s a must-read for any creative and any Christian. The points Joel brought up blew my mind and helped me understand sacraments and the Incarnation in a new way.

That Sounds Fun: The Joys of Being an Amateur, The Power of Falling in Love, and Why You Need A Hobby, Annie F. Downs (release date: February 2nd)

I really enjoyed this book and took away a lot! Annie says that she thinks when we search for fun, we are really searching for Eden–for home. What we have lost is real, she explains, and we need a way to believe that what we have lost can be found.

The Whole Life: 52 Weeks of Biblical Self-Care, Esther Smith and Eliza Huie (release date: July 26th)

This is a great resource with actionable advice on how to steward every aspect of your life well.

Ones I haven’t gotten around to reading yet: Turn Your Season Around: How God Transforms Your Life, Darryl Strawberry (release date: January 12th); Walking Through Fire: A Memoir of Loss and Redemption, Vaneetha Rendall Risner (release date: January 19th); Growing Boldly: Dare to Build A Life You Love, Emily Ley (release date: February 9th); The Life You Long For: Learning to Love From A Heart of Rest, Christy Nockels (release date: February 16th)

And that’s what I thought of my 2021 anticipated releases! What were some of your most anticipated releases last year? What did you think about them? Stay tuned for a post coming soon on my most anticipated releases for 2022!