After reading a bunch of great books in 2021, I decided to put together my first ever Top 5 Books of the Year. To be considered, the book had to be published in 2021 and read by me, so this list is limited and highly subjective.

A few more caveats: first, obviously, I only scratched the surface of all the great novels that came out last year, so there are many more (some of which I’ll probably read in 2022) that should be included. For a more thorough evaluation, consult a proper “best-of” list. Second, because I couldn't narrow the list down to just 5, I permitted myself the cheat of most “top X lists,” and included some ties—nudging this top 5 to seven titles, plus two honorable mentions. Third, an actual ranking of books is almost impossible, so I’ve grouped these by different categories as follows.

For fans of literary fiction:

Both these books are by authors I admire immensely, so I was eagerly awaiting the release of their new novels. If you enjoy artfully crafted and immersive stories, these are for you.

CLOUD CUCKOO LAND by Anthony Doerr

This was the last book I read in 2021. At 622 pages, it required every minute of extra time I had during that week of vacation between Christmas and New Years. But it was well worth it. Following a similar structure as Doerr's previous novel (and one of my all-time favorites), ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE, this novel truly defies explanation. Doerr somehow weaves a compelling story that alternates between a 15th-century siege of Constantinople, a terrorist plot at a library in contemporary Idaho, and a futuristic interstellar space voyage—all improbably connected through a fanciful ancient Greek legend. You have to read it to understand it. It is an ode to the power of literature to inspire hope, humanity, and love.

THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by Amor Towles

After reading A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW (2016) earlier last year, I couldn’t wait for this highly-anticipated work of historical fiction. Although a completely different time, country, and premise, the perfectly rendered prose of Towles is unmistakable. Abandoned by his mother, orphaned by his father, and their family farm foreclosed upon by bankers, recently paroled Emmett and his eight-year old brother embark from 1950s Nebraska to start new lives in California, but get seriously sidetracked along the way. Mixing unreliable narrators, complex characters, and different narrative voices, THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY is a testament to the power of great storytelling.

For aspiring authors:

Part of what I loved about these next two novels was their embedded commentary on the craft of writing.

A CALLING FOR CHARLIE BARNES by Joshua Ferris

Another book by a writer whose previous work (THEN WE CAME TO THE END) I thoroughly enjoyed, this latest novel by Joshua Ferris is nothing short of brilliant—maybe my favorite this year. It starts out as what seems like a heart-felt tribute to a fractured family, but then evolves into a self-effacing quasi-memoir, full of childhood revelations of a parental shortcomings. But the big payoff is at the end when it transforms yet again to a meta-commentary about how we want to curate our own portrayals and the power of controlling the narrative. There’s just so much going on here, so artfully rendered, I wanted to read it again immediately after finishing it.

THE PLOT by Jean Hanff Korelitz

This was just such an engaging novel (that I just as easily could have put in the next category of Fans of Thrillers), but with a literary sensibility that makes it entirely unique. As a writer, I absolutely loved this book. It’s a story, within a story, within a story—all perfectly aligned and intertwined in a delicious gem of a novel. When once-promising novelist Jacob Bonner steals the plot of one of his now-deceased MFA students, he finally achieves best-selling literary success. But, as he’s enjoying his fame and fortune, an anonymous accuser begins to reveal his appropriation of the story. With an amazing twist at the end, this story raises such interesting questions about the creative process and how we derive inspiration.

For fans of thrillers:

Thrillers are my genre of choice for my own writing, and this one was my favorite this year (I’d cross-reference THE PLOT here as well).

THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME by Laura Dave

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel set in contemporary San Francisco Bay Area. This story grabs you from the beginning and is probably the closest thing I’ve read to what I’m trying to accomplish in my debut novel, BIT FLIP. When her new husband suddenly disappears to escape fraud at his tech company, Hannah is compelled by a note that says only, “Protect her” to help his sixteen-year-old daughter from a prior marriage, Bailey. Struggling in their new relationship as stepmother and daughter, they set out to discover the truth of her husband’s disappearance, ultimately forging an unexpected bond. This book has the pace and suspense of the best beach-read thriller, but stands out with a depth of sincerity and self-discovery unique in the genre.

For fans of social commentary:

Something I always aspire to in my work is to offer a broader cultural critique, and these two novels expertly achieved this.

THE EVERY by Dave Eggers

A loose sequel to Eggers’ 2013 novel (and movie), THE CIRCLE, this timely novel punches you between the eyes. Although it shares some characters with the previous book, THE EVERY can be read independently and primarily shares the message of the first book—a cautionary social commentary on the power of Big Tech. Based on a hypothetical Facebook-Amazon mash-up company called the Every, the story features Delaney, a tech skeptic who conspires to destroy the company from the inside as a new hire. As she proposes increasingly outrageous ideas conceived to expose the Every’s proclivity for violating privacy and decency, each is met with unwavering enthusiasm by a public who seems blissfully unaware of and unconcerned about what they are giving up. With a blend of satire and social commentary, this story resonated with me because it explores similar themes in a similar style as my own work. Eggers brilliantly weaves a credible tale of how the most noble, often progressive, intentions, when combined with ubiquitous technology and surveillance, are destroying our civil liberties, individual freedom, and possibly even our will to live. A must read for anyone working within a tech company who has drunk the Kool-Aid.

ANIMAL by Lisa Taddeo

I’m not sure I expected to enjoy this book as much as I did. But it’s such a unique narrative voice that I was captivated from the beginning and read it through in just a couple days. It definitely has dark moments, but I was immediately engaged by Joan, the compulsive protagonist and unreliable narrator. Escaping a series of dysfunctional relationships that culminate in a traumatic act of violence, Joan moves from New York City to Los Angeles to try to understand the horrible events of her past. I love characters who are both the protagonist and antagonist, often at the same time, even within the same sentence. Taddeo masterfully captures a rare and captivating female voice in Joan, who teeters between justifiable rage and self-destructive tendencies—transforming “from prey into predator,” in the words of the book’s summary—while dropping a broader social commentary on misogyny in our culture and the contradictory expectations placed on women.

Finally, two more exceptional books that I couldn’t include or this list (or it would have become a Top 10!), but I have to give an honorary mention to GOLD DIGGERS by Sanjena Sathian and KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro. Both novels are incredibly unique, thought-provoking, and well-written.

What books are you looking forward to in 2022? Connect with me on Goodreads and let me know what you recommend.

My Top 5 Books of 2021