16 Books I Enjoyed Last Year

As with any list of books, I found it difficult to narrow down to just 16, but these are the books I most enjoyed last year.

Non-Fiction

Tales of a Country Parish A vicar’s diary through the pandemic, including purpose, human contact, nature writing, faith and philosophy about the human condition.

A Fine Romance One woman’s love of all things English and her trip across the ocean to visit England.

The Christmas Chronicles A celebration of winter and many recipes for the season.

Historical Fiction

The Last Garden in England Three different women’s stories woven around a particular garden at different periods of history – designing the garden, owning the garden, and restoring the garden,.

Nineteen Steps The author uses her grandmother’s experience as inspiration for this story about love, loss, and a tragic incident during World War 2.

The Kitchen Front Four women in very different circumstances vie to host a BBC radio show to help listeners make meals out of limited resources during the severe rationing in England in the second world war.

All Creatures Great and Small A multi-times re-read for me – humous and warm tales of a country vet, his clients and their animals. Set in Yorkshire before WW2.

Classics

Little Women The story of the March sisters as they grow up experiencing love and loss during the American civil war, and challenging or accepting what is expected of them by the society at the time.

Sense and Sensibility The Dashwood sisters and their mother have to leave the family home after the death of Mr. Dashwood. New friendships and love interest plots twist and turn before resolving.

Fantasy

The House in the Cerulean Sea A book about respecting those different from us, and what unconditional love can foster. The residential school systems that terribly affected the First Nations of Canada is what inspired the author to write this fantasy novel.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches A witch who has been taught that all witches should hide their magic and never meet together takes a job teaching three small girls in need of help controlling their magic. This is a book about belonging and of family that isn’t blood.

Mystery

The Bunburry Murder Mystery Series Alfie inherits his aunt’s house in the Cotswolds, and together with his late aunt’s two best friends, solves local mysteries. I couldn’t choose just one of these books as I loved the whole series and read all 17 this year. This is a cozy mystery series.

A World of Curiosities Armond Gamache is back in Three Pines for the latest in this series and has to solve mysteries within riddles to do with a mysterious painting. I love how Louise Penny has developed the characters and has allowed them to grow throughout the book series. This series of books looks into the human spirit and what lifts it or breaks it.

Literary Fiction

That Festive Feeling A cheerful Christmas tale with friendship, romance and a well-dressed dachshund.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Eleanor is socially awkward, traumatized, making new friends and transforming. Funny, sad, wonderful.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper A retired gentleman shakes up his life by undertaking a quest after finding a gold bracelet upon the death of his wife.