Looking for a good fiction or nonfiction book to read? Here are my 2021 one-word book reviews to help you choose your next novel, memoir, biography or historical non-fiction book for book club or to read on your own.
2021 book reviews – inspiration on the best novel or non-fiction book to read next
I planned to read 50 books in 2021 – and 12 of them classics. However, my priorities went toward hiking all 66 Minnesota state parks – and writing my own book, a local’s guide to MN state parks, and also reviewed and edited a friend’s novel. Oh, and I also got a new day job as a marketing communications manager/content writer.
So while I fell I short in my personal reading challenge with only 35 books in 2021, I did accomplish a lot. I read a total of 9,000+ pages and finally read Moby-Dick by Herman Melville, which has been on my #tbr list forever.
To help you decide on what book to read next from your tbr stack, I’ve shared one-word book reviews for books I read in 2021. I’ll soon create a new blog post on my 2022 reading challenge.
See related post: 2020 reading challenge.
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5-star one-word book reviews
One-word book review: Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
Call Us By What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
Book genre: Poetry
One-word book review: This: 5*
One-word book review: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Caste: The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Book genre: Non-fiction
One-word book review: Masterful: 5*
One-word book review: The Difference by C. D’Angelo
The Difference by C. D’Angelo
Book genre: Fiction
One-word book review: Tenacious: 5*
One-word book review: The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter Wohlleben
Book genre: Nonfiction
One-word book review: Magical: 5*
One-word book review: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Book genre: Fiction
One-word book review: Page-turner: 5*
One-word book review: Retire with Purpose: A Practical Guide to Planning a Flexible and Meaningful Retirement by Tricia Ryan Snow
Retire with Purpose: A Practical Guide to Planning a Flexible and Meaningful Retirement by Tricia Snow
Book genre: Nonfiction
One-word book review: Inspiring: 5*
One-word book review: Words that Proceed: 97 Right Now Devotions for Your Life Today by Wes Raley
Word that Proceed: 97 Right Now Devotions for Your Life Today by Wes Raley
Book genre: Spiritual
One-word book review: Inspirational: 5*
One-word book review: Under the Light of the Italian Moon by Jennifer Anton
Under the Light of the Italian Moon by Jennifer Anton
Book genre: Historical Fiction
One-word book review: Resilience: 5*
4-star one-word book reviews
One-word book review: The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
Book genre: Historical Fiction
One-word book review: Absorbing: 4*
One-word book review: The Boy Who was King by Erin McLuckie Moya
The Boy Who was King by Erin McLuckie Moya
Book genre: Parable-esque Fiction
One-word book review: Symbolic: 4*
Please note that I received an advanced reader’s copy of The Boy who was King in exchange for an honest review.
One-word book review: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Book genre: Historical Fiction
One-word book review: Stirring: 4*
One-word book review: The Guest List by Lucy Foley
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Book genre: Thriller Fiction
One-word book review: Suspensful: 4*
One-word book review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab
Book genre: Science Fiction
One-word book review: Equivocating: 4*
One-word book review: The Last Flight by Julie Clark
The Last Flight by Julie Clark
Book genre: Thriller Fiction
One-word book review: Engrossing: 4*
One-word book review: Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Book genre: Fiction
One-word book review: Poetic: 4*
One-word book review: The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
Book genre: Historical fiction
One-word book review: Insightful: 4*
One-word book review: The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan
The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan
Book genre: Beach Read Fiction
One-word book review: Seeking: 4*
One-word book review: Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Book genre: Essay
One-word book review: Reflective: 4*
One-word book review: We Should all Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Book genre: Essay / Opinion
One-word book review: Enlightening: 4*
One-word book review: When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O’Neal
When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O’Neal
Book genre: Beach Read Fiction
One-word book review: Escape: 4*
One-word book review: When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron
Book genre: Spiritual/ Self-Wellness
One-word book review: Mindfulness: 4*
3-star one-word book reviews
One-word book review: Celebrating Tradition, Building the Future by Jack El-Hai
Celebrating Tradition, Building the Future: Seventy-five years of Land O’Lakes by Jack El-Hai
Book genre: Non-fiction
One-word book review: Historical: 3*
One-word book review: The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe
The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe
Book genre: Horror/Supernatural/Thriller Fiction
One-word book review: Creepy: 3*
One-word book review: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Book genre: Beach Read Fiction
One-word book review: Light: 3*
One-word book review: The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe
The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe
Book genre: Horror
One-word book review: Horrifying: 3*
One-word book review: Men to Remember by Kenneth D. Ruble
Men to Remember: How 100,000 Neighbors Made History by Kenneth D. Ruble
Book genre: Non-fiction
One-word book review: Historical: 3*
One-word book review: 100 Selected Poems by e.e. cummings
100 Selected Poems by e.e. cummings
Book genre: Poetry
One-word book review: Ok: 3* (If this were anyone other than e.e. cummings, I would not have finished…disappointing.)
One-word book review: 199 Things Every American Should Know by John A. Garraty
199 Things Every American Should Know by John A. Garraty
Book genre: Non-fiction
One-word book review: Average: 3*
One-word book review: The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent
The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent
Book genre: Thriller / Suspense
One-word book review: Suspenseful: 3* (endings make it break it for me and I was disappointed with this ending; if you’re looking for beach read, then I would rate this 4*)
One-word book review: Surmountable: How Citizens from Selma to Seoul Changed the World by Brian Gruber and Adam Monier Edwards
Surmountable: How Citizens from Selma to Seoul Changed the World by Brian Gruber and Adam Monier Edwards
Book genre: Non-fiction
One-word book review: Inspiring: 3* (but 4* for content)
One-word book review: Walking by Henry David Thoreau
Walking by Henry David Thoreau
Book genre: Essay / Opinion
One-word book review: Nourishing: 3*
One-word book review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Book genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
One-word book review: Average: 3*
Additional books in 2021 reading challenge
I also read a couple of other books in 2021 that I’m excluding from my one-word reviews. One was an advanced reader’s copy (ARC) and I did not enjoy it at all. For new authors, I do not give bad reviews so that’s why I did not include one here in this post. The other ARC I read (which I loved!) is one that is not quite ready to be publicized yet. But once it is, I will give it a 5* rating. It’s that good – and from a first-time novelist! Super excited to share more about this paranormal debut novel when the time comes.
I also read a popular book, People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, that I did not like. I gave it 2*. However, the current rating on Goodreads is 4.17 with 147,052 ratings. So I’m definitely in the minority. I just found the main character too self-absorbed who created her own chaos.
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I love your one word review posts! After life settles down a bit, I want to read more and check some of these out.
Thank you! I’m always wishing I had more time to read more books and share my one-word book reviews.
Great book recommendations. I love finding a good book.
Thank you so much! Love sharing my book reviews from my reading challenge.
I remember reading Moby Dick, one of the books in your one word book reviews. And, I seemed to watch the movie many times. I find that i’s an interesting description that your one word review is poetic.
I’ve never seen the movie Moby Dick, but would love to. I love the way Herman Melville writes and I just found his writing very poetic in how he described the whaling adventures and the characters.
Thanks for the list. I think I have heard of a couple, but none of them are on my reading list just yet!
Thank you and my pleasure! Always love sharing my one-word book reviews and ratings from my reading challenge.
I always love your one-word book reviews! I’m actually interested in reading When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron.
Thank you so much! I thought one-word book reviews of my reading challenge would be easier, but it’s actually a little difficult! We read When Things Fall Apart in our book club and had a really good discussion.
I’m definitely interested in the book by Jennifer Aniston. I’ve had trouble getting into a new book since I finished my last one. Hopefully, this one will be great.
I’m always looking for the next best book to add to my reading challenge. I hope you find a great read!
I love self help books. I would probably enjoy When Things Fall Apart.
I think you would love that book…we had a great discussion about When Things Fall Apart in our book club.