At the six month mark I am taking stock of what I've been reading. 71 books thus far this year and with a goal to read 100 books in 2021 I am well on my way to surpassing, blowing away, that goal, and I am thrilled. As I was perusing all the new books and re-reads I have been enjoying, writing mini-reviews with each one, and rating each book using a 1-5 Star rating system, what is the norm in the good read world, books that I loved - and were memorable began catching my eye. Discarding re-reads, and only selecting those books that I haven't read before, that were new to me, I began compiling a list of my favorite books in a half a year of 71 books read.
I selected my 12 favorites - so far this year. I have noticed I have been a bit more strict in my rating of books. If there were too many things that annoyed me about a book, even though I overall may have loved the book, I would not give it 5 Stars. But, I might give it 5 Stars if what annoyed me was redeemed by, say, the ending. I also realized that I am being more true to myself rather than, maybe, following the crowds views on rating a book. Thus, if everyone likes a book but me, I'm okay with that.
Favorite book from January - June 2021, easily goes to Fredrick Backman's Anxious People. My book club read this for our February read and I loved it! It was laugh out loud funny as well as amazing conversation and discussion. Such a fan of Backman's writing!
I read Amor Towles', Rules of Civility, his backlist and first book, after I'd already read A Gentleman in Moscow last year for book club. Of the two, I would still pick A Gentleman in Moscow as my favorite of his, thus far, but Rules of Civility was dang good! I am anxiously anticipating his third book, out in October.
I finally read Taylor Jenkins Reid's critically-acclaimed, Daisy Jones and The Six and followed that up with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I adored both books, easily 5 Star reads, but with Evelyn Hugo inching by Daisy Jones in the running for a TJR favorite. I have Malibu Rising on my TBR and my bookshelf.
Surprisingly, a book I read for book club but also the Classic's Club, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, easily made my favorites list, and a 5 Star read!
Have you read any of these? Would they be on your favorites list?