The new year just started, but that’s no reason to forget what I read last year and see how well my bookish choices fared: in my case, 2021 was indeed a very good year (to quote an old Sinatra song only an ancient crone like me remembers… 😀 ), with a preponderance of high ratings for the books I picked up.
Focusing on the best of the best – i.e. the 5-star ratings – I divided them between SF, Fantasy and New Discoveries, where I listed authors I read for the very first time and whose books I greatly enjoyed, prompting me to look for their other works in the future.
SCIENCE FICTION
FANTASY
BEST NEW DISCOVERIES
An amazing list, indeed… And that only for titles that earned a 5-star rating, because there are equally worthy ones in my 4- and 4,5-star reads, but in that case the list would have been far too long.
What about you? What were your best and most engaging reads last year?
Space and Sorcery 
Wonderful list! It was indeed a very good year for books. I plan to catch up with M.A. Carrick’s series this year so I’ll be ready for the next book😁
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Rook & Rose is a magnificent saga, both in story and in world-building: I have no doubt you will enjoy it 🙂
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It’s always fun seeing best of lists full of books I’ve yet to try because it gives me that much more to look forward to. There are certainly some here I’ll be reading one of these days. My favorites included The Pariah, The Poison Prince, Network Effect, and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
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The Pariah is high on my “wanted” list (i.e. the “antechamber” of my TBR) and I’m more than eager to try a work by Anthony Ryan: all the reviews I’ve read so far sounded very, very promising! 🙂
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Six of Crows is the only one on the list I’ve heard of. I tried listening to it on audio and could not get into it, but I’m going to try to actually read it instead. I really liked Shadow and Bone so hoping to like this one just as much. Day Zero looks great, definitely going to check that one out.
Ash @ Essentially Ash
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Both Day Zero and Sea of Rust (which was published first but works as a sequel to Day Zero) are intriguing post-apocalyptic novels that will keep you on the edge of your seat, so… happy reading! 🙂
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How many interesting books!!! I have read some of them, and almost all the other are on my TBR (and you and Tammy slit the guilt for them being there!!!)
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Ah, well, it’s good to know that I share with Tammy the burden of guilt for the increase of your TBR! It makes me feel slightly better… 😀 😀
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The Shadow of the Gods and Six of Crows are amazing books!
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Indeed! And anything John Gwynne writes is the kind of book I grab from the shelves sight unseen! 🙂
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Fantastic list – I’ve read nine of these and loved them too.
Lynn 😀
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Great books always find the way to our TBRs… 😉
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What an amazing list! I can’t wait to read Black Sun and The Mask of Mirrors, they both sound fantastic! 😀
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Oh, they are, they are! Happy reading!!! 🙂
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I am reading Shards of Earth right now and I am loving it. Great space opera!
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One of the best (if not THE best) Tchaikowski book I read so far…
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Yay, I’ve read many of these! And more that I still need to read, *cough* Abercrombie *cough* – I really have no excuse why I haven’t gotten to it yet!
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An overcrowded TBR and the lack of a time-dilation device are more than good excuses! 😉
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Great list, Maddalena! Here’s to an equally good – or even better list at the end of 2022! 😀
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For us both, indeed! 🙂
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A lovely list, Maddalena! I loved the Koli series and thought that final book was outstanding. And I’m going to be checking out the M.A. Carrick books sometime very soon!
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The Rook & Rose series is a very engrossing one, and I’m certain you will love it! 🙂
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I’ve made a note of it and I’m probably going to get the audiobook – thank you for the recommendation!
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You’re more than welcome! 🙂
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