2021 Must-Read List

With the New Year upon us, 2021 is already giving us plenty to look forward to. I’m excited for a new crop of books to be inspired by, and to propel me forward in the discovery of new ideas and a deeper understanding of the world around me. And also travel. Lots, and lots of travel (when safe to). Bien sûr.

To kick 2021 off with a bang, here are my favorite picks for the new year. 2021 presents a slew of debuts, new arrivals and picks from familiar authors that guarantee you to find your next story. I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly finding my next bedtime reads! 

Without further ado, let’s jump in. And be sure to let me know: what caught your eye—what will be on your reading list this new year?

 The Suburban Mom Exposé

Girls With Bright Futures – Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman 

Release Date: February 2, 2021

This one has serious Big Little Lies vibes. If you missed reading the book before Reese Witherspoon’s masterpiece came out in series form, here’s your chance to relive a modern day suburban thriller about extraordinarily privileged moms who will do anything to ensure their kids’ success. In the post-college scandal era, it promises to be both an entertaining and thought-provoking read on the admiration we give top ranked schools and the people who go to them. 

 

 

The Seriously-Funny Corporate Commentary

Black Buck – Mateo Askaripour

Release Date: January 5, 2021

Debut authors of color are having a moment in 2021. Mateo Askaripour comes to us with a fascinating read, giving us a rare look into the mind of an unambitious, contented Gen Z Black man who suddenly finds himself the star of one of New York’s hottest startups by way of the Starbucks across the street. Transformed into “Buck” and nearly unrecognizable to his friends and family, he excels until a personal trouble causes him to become determined to stick it to the system and recruit more young people of color to infiltrate America’s sales force. What ensues is a hilarious array of irreversible ripple effects. A humorous exploration into race and ambition’s place in the American dream, this one is sure to strike home for readers.

The Fantasy I Didn’t Know I Needed

The Gilded Ones (Deathless, #1) – Namina Forna

Release Date: February 9, 2021

My younger self would have killed to see this! A fantasy series with a Black protagonist based in Africa? Yes please! The Gilded Ones promises to be one of the most compelling young adult fantasies of the coming year, tackling tough issues like racism, xenophobia, inequality, trauma and many others. Engaging and action-packed, it tells story of Deka, a disgraced 16-year old gold-blooded village girl recruited to join an army of near-immortals to save her empire’s greatest enemy. After years of yearning for acceptance, her journey to the capital for training might be the toughest battle she’s yet had to face. Will she make it through? 

 

The Brontë Reboot

The Wife Upstairs – Rachel Hawkins

Release Date: January 5, 2021

Confession—I’m a huge Jane Eyre fan. In fact, this blog was almost called “Dear Reader” after Jane’s famous declaration upon marrying Mr. Rochester: “Dear Reader, I married him.” All musings aside, this refreshing Southern gothic noire looks to be a modern, American retelling of the classic ill-advised romance. 

Will the brooding moors and melancholic prose of Brontë’s masterpiece find its way into 21st century Alabama? I’m looking forward to finding out.

 

The Go-to Laugh 

Dial A for Aunties –Jesse Q. Sutanto

Release Date: April 27, 2021

Not even out yet and already holding a competitive Netflix deal, Dial A for Aunties is looking to be a big hit. If you’re looking for a sure laugh and an entertaining story about an accidental death and the wedding planning family trying to cover it up—while still pulling off the most magical wedding of the year—this one’s for you. Even better, the Singaporean author, who grew up between Jakarta and Singapore, embodies the spirit of locality and diverse identities we celebrate around here. Vive la diversité !

For anyone with a huge extended family full of well-meaning aunties, this one is sure to keep you laughing all week long.

The Captivating Non-Fiction

The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos –Judy Batalion

Release Date: April 6, 2021

Fans of historical fiction have a gem waiting for them. The Light of Days sheds light on the true story of female Jewish resistance fighters in Poland, stopping at nothing to free themselves and save their people. Relying on feminine charms and quick wit, these women outsmarted Gespato soldiers, planned risky escapes from brutal Nazi camps and traversed Poland by foot and train to ensure freedom. 

The best part? Reads like a novel, but entirely non-fiction.

 

The Sharp Societal Commentary

Good Neighbors – Sarah Langan

Release date: February 2, 2021

If you loved Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere and Big Little Lies, author Sarah Langan is your new favorite cup of tea. Her fourth novel examines the creeping crevices of affluent suburban life in a tiny corner of Long Island, and how much we really think we know about our neighbors—the people we exchange tiny smiles and friendly waves with everyday.

What happens when you say too much, and later have that information used against you to support a crime you didn’t commit? 

 

The Psychological Thriller 

The Push – Ashley Audrain

Release Date: January 5, 2021

A cerebral and psychological drama about new motherhood, Canadian author Audrain showcases the dark side of a mother’s relationship with her new child through the story of Blythe, a new mother convinced there’s something wrong with her baby girl. When her second child ushers in the warm, inexplicable connection she anticipated feeling with her girl, and her relationship with her eldest becomes increasingly fraught, Blythe’s forced to confront her fears, her own sanity and what happens when women are not believed. 

You’ll read this one all in one go.

The Hometown Glory Read

The Kindest Lie – Nancy Johnson 

Release Date: February 2, 2021

New author Nancy Johnson’s debut novel is already one of the most anticipated books of the new year. Filled with complexity and profound reflections of Black and White American communities, race, and socioeconomic class, The Kindest Lie details the story of a successful, married Chicago transplant who navigates a return to her Indiana hometown during the rise of financial crisis in 2008. Brimming with hope, she wrestles with the disappointment and guilt of finding her Indiana hometown plagued in despair and unemployment, and encounters a young white boy that changes all her paradigms of what starting a family means. 

This one is bound to stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

The Essence of Locality

Bride of the Sea – Eman Quotah 

Release Date: January 26, 2021

Based in both Saudi Arabia and Cleveland, Ohio, this epic tells the story of Muneer and Saeedah, a young married couple that immigrates to Cleveland for college. As they await their first child, Muneer abruptly divorces Saeedah and returns to Saudi, leaving a pregnant Saeedah behind. Saeedah makes the difficult choice to disappear with her daughter Hanadi to ensure her husband’s family won’t separate them. When a 20-something Hanadi discovers the truth, she finds herself trying to bridge the gap between the life she knows, the family across the ocean and how to exist between two families and two countries. A story all about locality? Embracing the idea of being local to two places at once? A look into what being Arab-American post 9/11 looks like? This one will have a lot to teach.