10 Books I am Reading in 2021

2021 is the year I want to start reading more. Reading is something that I love to do, but I find that I become easily drawn to other activities and ultimately break the habit. I recently purchased quite a few second hand books, 7 to be exact, and I received a book as a Christmas present from my boyfriend.

I set-up a Goodreads account with a small target of 10 books, not wanting to give myself an unachievable goal. I see some people reading over 100 books a year, like HOW? Is that the only thing they do? I’m just jealous tbh, I wish I had the time…and motivation to smash a target like that.

My favourite genre of books has to be crime fiction or anything thrilling. I’ve never been into love story or fantasy novels, but it’s about time I branched out a little bit. To be fair, the majority of the books on my list are crime fiction, so if this is your prefered genre then you’re going to love this post.

1. The Hunting Party

I started this book at the end of 2020 and finished it on 4 January 2021. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley is the perfect crime novel. Set in the beautiful Scottish highlands, a group of old friends venture to a stunning remote hunting lodge to celebrate New Years Eve together. However, on New Years Day, one of them is dead! A classic who-done-it novel, featuring lots of twists, it’s definitely worth a read, I found myself struggling to put it down!

2. The Turn of the Key

This is my second book of 2021. I’m just a few pages in and I am already hooked! The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware follows Rowan, who stumbles across an advert online for a live-in nanny position, with an amazing salary, she had found her dream job.

“What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare – one that will end with a child dead and her in a cell, awaiting trial for murder”

When I spotted The Turn of the Key in Waterstones, this quote from the blurb instantly piqued my interest and I really wanted to get my hands on it. My boyfriend remembered how drawn to it I was and gave me it as a Christmas present!

3. My Lemon Grove Summer

I picked this up in a second hand book store at the end of 2020 (5 books for £5, what a bargain). My Lemon Grove Summer by Jo Thomas isn’t the sort of book I would normally reach for, but as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I want to broaden my horizons a little.

Zelda’s impulsive nature has got her precisely nowhere up until now. A fresh start in a beautiful hilltop town in Sicily looking for new residents, together with her best friend Lennie, could this be just what she needs? And who better to settle down with than the person who knows her best?

I can already tell I’m going to have the holiday blues whilst reading this book!

4. The Polish Detective

Another crime novel, who would have guessed?? The Polish Detective is the first book in the Dania Gorska series written by Hania Allen. Set in Dundee (side note – why are all crime books set in Scotland??), Dania is sent to investigate three murders, each body is posed in a different way, one being dressed and staged as a scarecrow (how creepy!!).

If I like this book, I might look into the other books in the series too.

5. The Devil You Know

When an intruder breaks into Rosa Fishers home, they both soon discover that it isn’t Rosa he is looking for, but someone else! The Devil You Know by Emma Kavanagh is a psychological thriller that I just cannot wait to read. It’s a book I defintely love the sound of, I’m hoping it’s a real page turner!

6. Death in Springtime

I picked this up in a quaint little book shop in Looe, Cornwall. After doing a little research, I’ve discovered it’s actually the 3rd book in the series by Magdalen Nabb, however it does not appear to link in with the others besides having the same detective. The story follows detective Marshal Guarnaccia after two foreign girls are abducted from a Florance piazza in broad daylight.

7. Death in Autumn

This is the fourth book in the same series by Magdalen Nabb. Death in Autumn was published in 1985 so it’s quite an old book.

“The body of a woman, clad only in a fur coat and jewelry, is found floating in the Arno at dawn. Marshal Guarnaccia of the Florentine carabinieri identifies her as a missing hotel guest. But how and why did she die? Was it a bizarre suicide? Or murder?”

8. The Holiday

The Holiday written by T.M. Logan follows a group of families enjoying a week in the glorious sunshine in the south of France. Kate suspects her husband of cheating on her, with one of her best friends! This trip could be the perfect opportunity for Kate to find the proof she needs.

“Seven Days. Three Families. One Killer”

I’m super intrigued to see where this book takes me. A cheating scandal and a murder, I think I’m in for a bumpy ride with this book.

9. Only Child

When I found the Only Child by Rhiannon Navin in the store, I instantly knew I needed to pick it up. On the front cover, it was described along the lines of “fans of Room will love this book”. The Room is one of my favourite books and due to its similarites I couldn’t just leave it sitting on a shelf. Narrated by a 6 year old boy, Zach Taylor is squeezed into a closet with his teachers and classmates as gunshots ring through his school. A gunman has taken 19 lives, Zach’s mum goes on a quest for justice, holding the shooters parents responsible for their sons actions. Zach retreats to his hideout and loses himself in books and art.

10. The Humans

Out of all the books on my list, The Humans by Matt Haig is one that I have wanted to read for such a long time. Matt Haig is one of my favourite authors at the moment. The reason for The Humans being at the bottom of my list is because I’m yet to get my hands on it. It’s a lot different to the stories I usually read, but that’s what has caught my attention. The main protagonist Andrew Martin, wakes up one day be repulsed by his wife and son, even food makes him feel nauseous. He hates everyone on the planet, except his dog, Newton.

There you have it, 10 books I hope to read in 2021. I have a few others in mind that I’d like to read, however my Goodreads target is set to 10 (which I’m hoping I beat) so I don’t want to overwhelm myself too early on. I would love to know if you have read any of the books I’ve mentioned, or if you have recommendations for me!

Until Another Day x