I love books. Ever since I was a small child, I have loved to lose myself in the world of books. Fantasy books, especially, have always sucked me in and held me captive, staying up into the wee hours of the morning chanting, just one more chapter. There’s something magical about completely losing yourself in another person’s world and their problems that really helps me sort out (and sometimes, admittedly, avoid) my own problems. I kid you not, growing up I didn’t mind getting grounded, because it meant I got uninterrupted reading time (which, in a house with 3 older siblings, wasn’t easy to come by). So, when I say I’ve always used books to cope with the big and scary world, I’m not exaggerating. In preparing for this blog post, I thought I’d invite you all into the past year of reading. I should warn you–since the beginning of the pandemic, I’ve found myself gravitating towards a genre that I have never explored before–romantic comedies (I have a feeling I’m not the only one who needed a guaranteed happy ending these past few years). Below you’ll find some of my favorite books of 2021 which made me feel all the feelings…

a therapist’s list of the top 8 books of 2021

this close to okay by leesa cross-smith

My first read of 2021 (thanks to Book of the Month, you know, the club that all the cool kids are a member of) was This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith. I’m going to be honest, this is not one of the romcoms I mentioned. The book opens with Tallie, a therapist, stopping on a bridge to talk Emmett from jumping off of the bridge and ending his life. She intuitively creates a safe space for him to help him process the horrors she doesn’t yet know he’s survived. I felt all of the feelings when I read this book–sad, rage, grief. Tallie holds space for Emmett in a way that (although crossing some serious boundaries) was so powerful. The book is beautifully written and tells a tragically beautiful story. 

the midnight library by matt haig

Next up, I serve you The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Have you ever played that game where you look back on your life and think hmm, I wonder what my life would have been like if I did that thing or if I didn’t pick that major or if I talked to that person that one time at the bar? Well, The Midnight Library, a place between life and death, has infinite books where each book holds another version of your possible reality. The book is lovely and heartwarming, and it hugs you like a warm mug of tea. 

one last stop by casey mcquiston

One of my most recommended books of 2021 is absolutely One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston. She serves me queer love, she serves me fantasy, she serves me a perfectly quirky group of friends-turned-chosen family. She makes me feel warm and fuzzy like it’s 2009 and I’m making another playlist for my crush that I will absolutely not send to them, okay?! This book, more than anything, made me feel magic and hope (which is a kind of magic, isn’t it?).

people we meet on vacation by emily henry

And on that RomCom kick, I give you People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry. Emily Henry is an automatic buy for me. I find that every one of her books is the kind of book that leaves me promising myself just one more chapter until whoops it’s 5 am and the book is done and I’m feeling that warm and fuzzy and slightly heartbroken feeling that happens when you finish a good book. Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. Two gorgeous characters who I feel I know so well I wouldn’t be surprised if I walked into a cafe and ran into them. This book carries my favorite trope (friends to lovers, don’t come at me, it’s the best one, okay?) to a new level, and touches topics like loss, perfectionism, and being a parentified child. And the banter is absolutely legendary. 

just last night by mhairi mcfarlane

Next, we’ve got, Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane. Mhairi McFarlane is absolutely among my favorite rom-com authors. Don’t give up on me, hear me out. What surprised me most about diving into the world of romance novels is how many of them deal with very real struggles and pain. Did you think you’d be sitting in a whole lot of grief reading a romcom? I didn’t! But somehow, it’s still also heartwarming and witty and wholesome. AND you still get a happy ending. I’ve read all of Mhairi McFarlane’s books, and this is the only one that had me sobbing… but in a good way. This book invites you to take a deeper look at the important people in your life and make sure you’re seeing them for who they truly are, not who they were when you first met, and not who you wish they were. 

the guncle by steven rowley

Another story of grief that somehow had me alternately laughing and crying was The Guncle by Steven Rowley. He stole my heart (and tear ducts) with Lilly and The Octopus and absolutely did it again with The Guncle. Patrick aka Gay Uncle Pat aka GUP (for short) finds himself taking in his niece and nephew after their mother tragically passes away and their father (Pat’s brother) needs to take care of his own resulting mental health crisis. The Guncle is a story of loss and grief and letting yourself feel what you need to feel, and most of all, it’s a story about love and connection and the messiness of living in this wild world. 

honey girl by morgan rogers

Yes, yes, another rom-com, Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers (another Book of the Month gem) also features a gorgeous queer romance and another gorgeous chosen family moment. Honey Girl brings us back in and reminds us that it’s okay to let go of other people’s expectations of us and just be who we are. It reminds us that: 

mental health is integral, especially for marginalized folx and folx holding multiple marginalized identities in a world that isn’t forgiving.

Things don’t always go the way we planned them to go, and that’s a beautiful thing about life, not a setback.

under the whispering door by t.j. klune

And I leave you here, with one of the books I stayed up all night reading during my holiday break (and another frequently recommended read because OhMyGoshSeriouslyItsSoGood), Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune. This book opens with a funeral, from the perspective of the deceased, who is absolutely not happy with the fact that he has died because really, it’s so inconvenient, he has work to do. He’s taken by his reaper, instead of to the afterlife, to a tea shop in a small village run by the wonderful lovely ball of empathy, Hugo. At this magic in-between tea shop, Wallace learns (somewhat ironically) more about living life and loving life and all of the things that you miss when all you do is workworkworkworkwork (Rihanna work pig aside). I don’t want to say any more because I truly hate spoilers, but let me tell you, this book had me laughing and crying and doing the thing where you hug a book to your chest and sigh dramatically because it’s honestly just that beautiful. 

Whether it’s by losing yourself in a book or a movie or a good snuggle with a cute pet, I hope you can invite yourself to feel your feelings in whatever way you need this year, because however you feel is valid and you deserve to take care of you.

Courtney Rago is an empath, a critical thinker, a creative, and a questioner. They help creative individuals to get to know and celebrate all parts of themselves and their talents. They are passionate about supporting families and partners to build healthy relationships and feel more nourished by their intimate connections. Courtney firmly believes that we have the power to rewrite who society tells us we “should” be, challenging the status quo, and radically celebrating ourselves as an act of resistance. At heart, Courtney is a Jersey kid who talks fast, walks fast, drinks too much coffee, and reallyyyy misses Yankee games and NY bagels.

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