Renee's Best Reads of 2021Like this list

8 items

• Mexican Gothic

  Moreno-Garcia, Silvia

  Add Mexican Gothic to your for later shelf

  This spine-chilling gothic horror was an absolute feast for the senses— filled with elements from body horror, historical fiction, and a compelling mystery, (not to mention a splash of eroticism). Set in 1950s Mexico, young socialite Noemi has been…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Red, White & Royal Blue

  McQuiston, Casey, 1991-

  Add Red, White & Royal Blue to your for later shelf

  A bit of a guilty pleasure pick for me, especially since I generally don't read romance fiction, this tongue-and-cheek rainbow romance was a pleasant surprise. Full of wit and acerbic barbs, it also captures a very human element of the 'price of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Silent Companions

  Purcell, Laura

  Add The Silent Companions to your for later shelf

  This thrilling page-turner sparked my enjoyment of gothic horror fiction! A wonderfully sinister and intriguing Victorian Gothic horror that utilises diary entries, and historical 'dummy boards' (google them if you haven't seen them— they're…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Daughter of the Salt King

  Thornton, A. S. (Alexandra S.)

  Add Daughter of the Salt King to your for later shelf

  The first in a series, this makes for a good read for fans of S.A. Chakraborty's Daevabad Trilogy. It doesn't pay to be one of the Salt King's many daughters— kept comfortable until they are married off, or are abandoned with nothing if they reach…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Blood and Circuses

  Greenwood, Kerry, 1954-2025

  Add Blood and Circuses to your for later shelf

  Another cosy crime palette-cleanser perfect for breaking up some of the heavier genres. The unflappable flapper Phryne goes undercover as a trick rider to investigate murder in a circus, and shows us more of her vulnerable side in this mystery. Also…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Lost Ones

  Frank, Anita

  Add The Lost Ones to your for later shelf

  Similar in premise to 'Mexican Gothic', this is a Gothic-light read with a gripping story that will appeal to horror and mystery fans alike. Stella ventures to a country manor to help her pregnant sister, who is plagued by sinister going-on in the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Glass House

  Chase, Eve

  Add The Glass House to your for later shelf

  A bit of a genre mesh, this saga/mystery was different from what I usually read— and made for a surprisingly good read! We go back and forth in time a bit, seeing the story from a few different perspectives. There's an abandoned baby, a dark secret,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• More Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops

  Campbell, Jen

  Add More Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops to your for later shelf

  If you like books, bookshops, or libraries, this will make for a hilarious and all too familiar read— especially if you happen to work in one of these places! A nice little light read for laugh.