My 2021 Reading List

My goal in 2021 is to read 50 books. Last year, my goal was to read 100 books, and I didn’t even come close. Now I’m taking that knowledge, creating a more realistic goal for myself, and even making a list of books I’d like to read.

Right now, I’m reading The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo, and How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. I’m about halfway done with The Hate U Give and just getting started with the other two.

Next up to bat is The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian. I watched the HBOMax show and I’m now hooked on this storyline, so I can’t wait to read the book. I’ve heard they’re very different, so I can’t wait to take a look at it myself.

I’m sure some (many) of these will be swapped with different ones, but as of now, this is my plan.

Books on My Shelf

I’m also working on reading so many books I’ve had on my shelf for so long but just haven’t read. Those include:

- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

- Little Fires Everywhere Celeste Ng

- The Testaments by Margaret Atwood (while I’m at it, I’ll probably reread the Handmaid’s Tale)

- Small Great Things Jodi Picoult

- Find Me by André Aciman

- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

- The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

- Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall

- A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green

- Know My Name by Chanel Miller

- I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai

- All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg

- Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

- Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

- What is Not Yours is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi

- Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman

- Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

- Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

As you can see, I’m really bad about buying books, placing them on my shelves, and letting them sit there. Hopefully this year I can start making my way through them!

I’m also diving back into books that I started, got sidetracked, and never finished. Those include:

- Disassembly Required by Beverly Willett

- Becoming by Michelle Obama (I was listening to the audiobook, and I’ll probably continue it there.)

- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

- Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton (I started listening to the audiobook, but I think I’ll continue this reread with a physical book.)

I absolutely loved these books, but I started reading each of them in a very hectic time in my life and just didn’t get through them.

Some books I bought recently but haven't read yet:

- You're the Only One I've Told by Dr. Meera Shah

- Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood

- In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Up Next

Books I’ve been meaning to read but haven’t picked up yet:

- Educated by Tara Westover

- The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio G. Iturbe

- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

- Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

- Beach Read by Emily Henry

- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Book of the Month Club Reads

Books I ordered in my January Book of the Month box:

- Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

- The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.

- The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré

I’m also looking to read all the books I’ve ordered from Book of the Month club, but haven’t read yet. Those are:

- The Guest List by Lucy Foley

- Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

- Leave the World Behind Rumaan Alam

- A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

- Topics of Conversation by Miranda Popkey

Forthcoming Reads

I’m really excited to read these books coming out this year. There are so many incredible books coming out and it was hard to pick, but these are the top four I think I’m most excited to read:

- Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion is set to be released January 26, 2021, and I can’t freaking wait.

- No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood February 16th 2021

- Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia March 30, 2021

- Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid May 25th 2021

If you’d like to follow along with my reading in 2021 and beyond, you can follow me on Goodreads and follow me on Instagram at @JaciReads.