I read some really great books this year, and here are my top 10 favorite books from 2021:

10. Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

This is an East-Asian-inspired retelling of The Six Swans fairytale about a princess who has to try to save her brothers that were turned into cranes by their stepmother using forbidden magic. I really enjoyed this book because I liked that there was always something interesting happening. If you’re a more character-driven reader, though, I wouldn’t necessarily say this is for you, as there isn’t as much focus on the characters themselves. I also feel like it didn’t live up to the immense hype surrounding it, but I did think that the setting was really neat, and I liked the premise of a Grimm retelling. This was a quick and lovely story that I had fun with!

9. We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

We Hunt the Flame is an adventurous fantasy book set in Arawiya, a kingdom inspired by Arabia, following Zafira, who has to hide that she is the Hunter feeding her misogynistic caliphate in a Mulan-ish way, and Nasir, the crown prince of Arawiya whose father, the Sultan, has turned into an assassin. I loved how there was a good mix of an interesting plot as well as a focus on the characters and that aspect of the story. At times, especially towards the end, I did zone out a bit and things did start to drag, but other than that I highly enjoyed it and thought that it was super entertaining. The enemies-to-lovers romance in this book was also very sweet and I was rooting for them throughout the entire story!

8. Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

Wicked Fox is a fantasy romance story set in Seoul, Korea, inspired by Korean mythology. Our main character, Miyoung, is a gumiho – a nine-tailed fox – who has lost her fox bead, the object that basically keeps her alive, to save a human boy, Jihoon, and we follow her trying to help him while simultaneously trying to reunify with her fox bead. I find that mythology is something that has been reemerging as very popular lately, although a lot of it is just Greek mythology. I liked how this told a completely different story with a different basis and ideas, while still having that aspect of being able to learn about another culture and their beliefs. There were a couple of instances where I felt like yelling at the characters about their choices, but if you look at it from less of a technical standpoint, it’s a sweet story. This is a book that I haven’t heard very many people talk about, and I highly recommend it! 

7. Thorn

Thorn is another book that I feel really deserves more attention and hype. It’s also yet another retelling, this time of Goose Girl by the Grimm brothers. We follow Princess Alyrra from Adania who’s been betrothed to Prince Kestrin of Menaiya. On the way to the kingdom, her body gets switched with her maid, so she takes up the role of the goose girl in Menaiya, but things start to go wrong and her choices can save or destroy the kingdom. I really loved both of the main characters and I was on the edge of my seat the entire way through the book – I think I read it in one sitting and I could not put it down! I strongly recommend this to anyone and everyone, this book was amazing.

6. Sisters of the Snake by Sarena and Sasha Nanua

Sisters of the Snake is a delightful book written by twins set in India following Princess Ria and Rani, a street urchin, who find out that they look the same and must switch places in order for both of them to get what they need. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives- if one side got a little bit draggy, it would soon switch to the other person and I would get reinvested in the story. I will admit that I am very much biased towards this book, seeing as I’m an Indian girl who has a twin sister, but I do think overall this is an enjoyable fast-paced book that anybody can get interested in, and I definitely suggest you pick it up if you’re looking for a light fantasy book with an interesting plot and lovable characters.

5. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

These Violent Delights is a wonderful book that I adored so very much. It’s another retelling – this time of Romeo and Juliet – set in 1920s Shanghai. We follow Roma and Juliette, both from two opposing gangs that are constantly vying for control of the city. The Romeo and Juliet retelling might not seem appealing, but the political intrigue and the quick plot really balance out the story and I would argue that they are just as important as the romance. I loved everything about this book, and there wasn’t a single moment where I felt bored or uninterested. I would highly highly recommend this book – an easy 5/5 stars!

4. Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

This book was so unlike any other that I’d read this year, but it was outstanding. Ace of Spades is a thriller following the only two Black kids in their private school where they are getting targeted by an anonymous person who is texting their secrets and private information to everyone in the school. This story goes deep into systemic racism and how that affects so many people in an entertaining and unputdownable novel. The entire way through I was super intrigued and I will never stop recommending this book. It has a unique premise with important topics discussed, and it combines everything I love in novels.

3. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I could gush about Six of Crows forever. If you like reading, you’ve almost certainly heard of this book, with the Netflix adaptation of this series and its companion series, Shadow and Bone, coming out this year, but I do believe that it really deserves the hype. I treasured these characters so very much and I was utterly invested in their stories and what they were doing. Six of Crows follows six people (never would have guessed that!) who are trying to pull off a heist in the buzzing city of Ketterdam. The reason I think this appeals to such a wide variety of people is that there is something in it for everyone- lovable characters, a complicated plot, a touch of romance, trickery, the list goes on. Read this- you won’t regret it! 

2. If These Wings Could Fly by Kyrie McCauley

If These Wings Could Fly stole my heart. This is a debut contemporary novel about domestic violence and sisterly bonds, and I felt every emotion possible while reading this book. We follow Leighton, who’s a struggling senior trying to protect her sisters from her harmful father while also trying to balance her own dreams and life. The writing in this was so poetic and the storytelling was magical. It talked about something that I haven’t seen represented in books very much, and I felt so much for the main characters in this story. I can’t recommend this enough- everyone needs to read this story. 

1. Lovely War by Julie Berry

This book made my heart happy. Lovely War is a historical fiction story about two romances during World War I told from the perspective of Greek Gods. I loved how multi-layered this book was, and I was rooting for every single one of the main characters throughout. It also had a perfect balance of emotions that gave me all the feels. Once you start reading, you can’t put it down. The writing style made it so that you could easily flow through the book and the lyrical prose sprinkled throughout added an extra touch of magic to this already amazing book. I adored this with my whole heart, and I really hope you pick it up and love it as much as I do!

These are my top ten books of 2021, and I highly highly recommend you check them out if you’re looking for some good books to read this year.