All my 21’ reads
(Our first blogpost of 2022)
Hello everyone and welcome back or welcome if you’re new here! This is Nafeesa and today I will be talking about all my 2021 reads as well as my top 3.
Let’s get into it!
Before we begin I do want to say, 2021 was not the best year of reading for me because of many reasons. My goal was 15 books and I read about 9 (complete books) , hopefully we can reach (or pass) our 2022 goal!
If you would like to read detailed reviews and have a look at my ratings for ALL these books:
Now let’s start!
1. Hunger Games
Hunger games was my first read of 2021 (in march!)
2. Catching fire
Second in the Hunger games trilogy catching fire was also my second read of 2021.
3. Mockingjay
Last in the trilogy, Hunger games was my favourite read of 2021. (Review on Goodreads and detailed talk below =)
4. Red Queen
I started Red Queen and if I’m being honest I did get a bit bored in the beginning but I love the middle and end.
5. Glass Sword
Glass Sword is the second in the Red Queen series, I started it but then I got caught up with another book:(. I’ll definitely be taking this whole series with me in 2022 and will read all the books for sure!
6. Skid Kids
Skid Kids is a Dystopian novel written by Michael Franz. It was quite different from my usual reads however I really enjoyed reading it.
7. Shadow and Bone
Amid all the hype around Leigh Bardugo’s books I started Shadow and Bone with very high hopes, which weren’t met. However, at the time I think I may have been in a sort of reading stump so I’m considering giving the Shadow and Bone trilogy another go in 2022, and then rate it again. Who knows my opinions could change to the opposite.
8. Siege and Storm
Siege and Storm is the second book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy and I didn’t enjoy it more than the first book.
9. Ruin and Rising
Ruin and Rising is the last book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy. I read about half of it and then got bored BUT as I mentioned before I may have been judging the books wrongly due to a reading slump. So I will read all three again the 2022 and review them all again =)
10. Amal Unbound
Ok so, Amal Unbound was one of the books we were reading in school and I finished it the day our teacher shared the ebook with us (oops!) and I fell in love with it. Since I usually read fantasy, fiction and YA, Amal Unbound just opened the doors to a new world of books for me. I loved it so much, read my full review here:
8.
11. Other Words for home
After reading Amal Unbound I wanted to read more about young kids who are facing major day to day struggles. Other words for home is a book about a young girl who moves to America with her mother due to Syria’s war conditions. It talks about Jude’s struggles and all she gets through when she moves to America.
I think it’s safe to say that Jasmine Warga is now one of my most appreciated authors, I can’t wait to read more of her books in 2022.
12. How to Kill a Mockingbird
HTKAM was the second book we were reading for our school term and unlike Amal Unbound I didn’t finish it in one day. Firstly, HTKAM is a classic. Many of you may know I’m not the biggest fan of classic books which in a way did impact my opinion on this book. Did I still learn a bit regarding racism from this book? Yes. Is it my favourite classic I’ve ever read (out of like 5) no!
Aaaand those are my 2021 reads =)
Onto my top 3!
(Yes I included a picture of Spider-Man reading because I’m obsessed with the Spider man movies especially “No way Home,” don’t judge =)
Mockingjay
Mockingjay is my top read of 2021, the amount of tears I shed while reading this book are UNBELIEVABLE. Mockingjay has got to be the best dystopian I have ever read. Reading about Katniss’s story, all the loss and pain she went through really hit hard. I love how the author (Suzanne Collins) emphasised on most of the characters mental health and capacity. How she built the world around everyone. It truly made me feel like I was living the life of a towns person watching Katniss and everyone around her go through every single thing. When I turned to the last page I and read the last few sentences I just sat there and processed the whole series not wanting the thrill of reading this trilogy to ever end.
2. The Hunger Games
So I ranked Mockingjay my top read, what about Hunger games and Catching fire? I still love them both, just enjoyed Hunger games (book 1) a bit more 🤭. The reason is all the world building. Suzanne really gave so much attention to every single characters development along with the circumstances. I read this whole book in 1 sitting, I cried I screamed and I fell in love with the literature. There is so many details in this book, so much world building and so many emotions.
3. Other words for home
Last but definitely not least Other words for home. If it isn’t already evident I am a huge emotional reader. Other words for home is a book that captivates you in a way that you can’t even escape from the want of just reading it. Jasmine Warga (the author) manages to captivate her audience in such a way that you feel as if you yourself are experiencing everything Jude (the main character) is going through. I finished this book in about 1 hour and I felt so touched and I realised so much about all thats around me. One very big takeaway I got from this book was to be grateful for every single thing that I have ever been blessed with.
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