Hi and welcome to the reading world!
I am so excited to be talking all about the books I’ve read so far in 2021, and so I decided to create a mini series highlighting several books I especially loved in the first half of this year!
Mid Year Favorites is going to be a series of 3 posts covering my top books of the following categories: Contemporary/Literary Fiction, Sci Fi/Fantasy, and Thriller/Mystery/Horror.
These posts are going to highlight books I’ve read from January-June of this year, and you may end up seeing more of them on end of the year posts. For now, I’ll be sure to share some of the other posts they’re highlighted in and I would love to see your favorite reads in the comments!
Today’s category is contemporary and literary fiction! I love finding favorites in these genres and I’ve gotten to read some incredible ones so far this year. I use genre terminology pretty broadly, so you’ll find contemporary romance, historical literary fiction, and more on this list! Let’s get started.
Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn
Patsy is a story that spans generations and decades. It’s an incredible exploration of family, home, place, identity, immigration, and the impact our decisions can have on ourselves and others. You can find my full review of Patsy here.
The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan
This was the second novel by Amy Tan I’ve read, but definitely not my last! Intergenerational family sagas are a favorite theme of mine in contemporary and literary fiction especially, and this one focuses on the bond between a mother and daughter and their own histories.
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
This is a contemporary romance that is the sequel to The Kiss Quotient and my personal favorite of the two because the story revisits the characters of the first book but introduces us to another story that has romantic love but also incredible and dynamic character development. I am so excited to read the third book in the series later this year, but until then you can read my review here.
Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey
This read is one of the final additions into my mid-year favorites list, but I picked it up in June and thought it was such a thought provoking and interesting read. Under the Rainbow reads almost like a short story collection as every chapter is a different perspective of individuals in a town that has been declared the “Most Homophobic Town in America” and the site of a 2 year task force dedicated to promotion of LGBTQIA+ acceptance and equality. This is one I’ll be sharing a full review on soon because while it wasn’t a perfect story, it was one that I still think back on and will definitely be rereading!
So, welcome to the start of my mini series featuring my favorite reads thus far in 2021! What are some of your favorite picks from these genres? I’ve got a whole other half of the year to find some more favorites in!
Thank you for stopping by!
-Rae
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