2021 has been marked by several major events, not the least of which being the pandemic and the capitol riots. But through all of this, books have helped many of us to escape and distract ourselves. Let's look at the most popular best sellers of 2021 that have helped many to unwind and escape throughout the past year -- and could even help us through the months to come!
I've chosen these books based on their popularity over the past year -- most of them even occupied a place on the New York Times Best Sellers list! They are in no particular order of importance since all of them are equally gripping and compelling in their own unique way.
I only hope you enjoy these titles as much as other readers did throughout 2021.
10 Best Sellers of 2021 That You Should Add to Your Reading List
1. The Midnight Library
By: Matt Haig
Where would I be if I had taken a different path -- the ultimate question that most of us ask at one point or another. And this novel does an impressive job of taking us down these many rabbit holes, as it unfolds the story of a young woman who feels stuck. She visits a place called the Midnight Library, where she can venture into any of the many "what ifs" of her life -- and learn more about herself in the process.
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2. Where the Crawdads Sing
By: Delia Owens
Where the Crawdads Sing is a murder mystery that centers around one woman. Growing up the child of an abusive alcoholic and isolated from her community, Kya struggles to find her own path. Along the way, a young man in the community dies under suspicious circumstances -- a young man whom she was seeing regularly up until his death. Did she kill him? This tale will have you asking that question throughout.
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3. The Stranger in the Lifeboat
By: Mitch Albom
This best-selling novel follows a group of passengers whose ship went down in an explosion. After a few days drift at sea, they rescue a man who they find floating in the water. He calls himself "The Lord" and says he will save them if they only believe in him. As the empty lifeboat washes ashore on an island, empty except for a single notebook, it falls to the chief inspector of the island to figure out what happened.
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4. The Lincoln Highway
By: Amor Towles
This coming-of-age novel follows the adventure of Emmett Watson, recently released from a juvenile detention center, along with his younger brother and two other inmates. In the span of ten days, we get the opportunity to follow this mismatched crew as they travel cross-country in search of something better.
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5. The Judge's List
By: John Grisham
The Judge's List is another in a long line of legal thrillers that we've come to expect from John Grisham. This particular novel follows a young woman whose father was murdered two decades before, but still unsolved. As the story unravels around new clues and exciting discoveries, we find our main character fixating on one main suspect in hopes of bringing them to justice.
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6. The State of Terror
By: Hillary Rodham Clinton & Louise Penny
The State of Terror is a political suspense thriller that centers around one female secretary of state in a race against time as she combats the efforts of terrorists and home-grown traitors. This novel is replete with mystery, as well as thrilling twists and turns.
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7. The Wish
By: Nicholas Sparks
We all need a little romance in our life -- and Nicholas Sparks definitely delivers with his latest novel. The Wish is the story of a young girl sent to live with her aunt at the age of 16. There, she falls in love with a young man who also gives her the gift of photography. Years later, as a full-grown woman who has become a professional photographer, we follow as she reminisces about those young years and how they irrevocably shaped the rest of her life.
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8. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
This fictional novel provides a glimpse of the life of a famous American actress as she gives the final interview of her career at the age of 79. Through this email, we get a glimpse of her life, replete with more love and loss than anyone would have imagined.
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9. All the Light We Cannot See
By: Anthony Doerr
Set in France during World War II, All the Light We Cannot See traces the lives of two young people during the war. The first is a young blind girl who is forced to flee her home in Paris and go to the citadel of Saint-Maulo. The second is an orphan who is drafted into the academy for Hitler Youth. The war eventually brings their two paths together in a moving and hypnotic tale.
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10. Call Us What We Carry
By: Amanda Gorman
This collection of poems comes from this past year's youngest-ever inaugural poet, who wrote "The Hill We Climb." Throughout this debut collection, Gorman writes on such resonating and unforgettable themes as identity and history.
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So there you have it -- as 2021 draws to a close, these are the titles that have thrilled and gripped readers. May they do the same for you in the coming year!
What do you think of these best sellers of 2021 -- do you agree with these picks? Let us know in the comments below -- as well as what your personal best sellers list would include!