Hello and the warmest of welcomes to damppebbles. It’s Friday and day 43 of #R3COMM3ND3D2021. We’re approaching the end of this year’s series now but what an absolutely cracking year it’s been for books. I thought 2020 was good, couldn’t be beaten, but 2021 arrived and lifted the bar into the stratosphere. I wonder what 2022 holds for us bookworms…?

Joining me today is a fantastic blogger whose opinion, particularly on Nordic Noir, I really trust. It’s the brilliant Richard Fernandez from Cafethinking. If you don’t already subscribe to Richard’s blog then that must change. Head over there now and hit the subscribe button. But hurry back, you don’t want to miss Richard’s three #R3COMM3ND3D2021 picks!

So, what is #R3COMM3ND3D2021? It’s about sharing the book love. It’s a chance for authors, book bloggers and bookstagrammers to shout about three (yes, *only* three) books they love. They can be written by any author, in any genre and published in any way (traditionally, indie press or self-published). But there is a catch. All three books must have been published in 2021. To make things interesting there are a couple of teeny, tiny rules; 1) the book must have FIRST been published in 2021 and 2) special editions and reissues do not count. I like to keep you lovely people on your toes 😉

Here are the three books Richard recommends…

Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
This is a book that is absolutely of its time. It’s an extremely clever satire that works even if (as I was) you are not always up with its references. It skewers white denials of racism and questions whether you can be both ambitious and authentic. It seems now that it is also a satire of the WeWork company which spectacularly came unstuck earlier this year. Full-on, funny and serious.
Richard’s Review of Black Buck

Silenced by Solveig Pálsdóttir
A thriller that rips apart the hollowness of social media – but really it’s an exploration of power, coercion and the secrecy that arises from them. Crime fiction should stand up for those with no voice, and this is angry, righteous fiction that speaks up for the powerless.
Richard’s Review of Silenced

Fall by West Camel
If the other titles are up to the minute, Fall, while published this year, has an analog feel to it. It tackles timeless themes of truth, power, family and justice and gives us something complex, unique and beautiful. It is unlike anything I have read in a long time: dreamy and mystic even, set in what these days many people would dismiss as a concrete eyesore. My book of the year.
Richard’s Review of Fall

Thanks so much, Richard. Three fantastic choices which I will be adding to my wish list!

About Richard Fernandez:
I fell into writing book reviews on the back of the Nordic Noir boom a few years ago. I love being part of the blogging community and have met some brilliant people and found books that I would never have come across – all three of my choices have that in common. What a fabulous hobby this has turned out to be!

Richard’s Blog and Social Media Links:
| Cafethinking | Twitter @r_m_fernandez |

Sadly submissions for #R3COMM3D3D2021 are now closed (posts will be running until just before Christmas so we’re not quite done yet). Shortly after the last post I will be inviting you all to attend the virtual after-show party, which should be a giggle, where we can cast our eyes over the marvellous and majestic beauty of 2021’s books. We will also crown 2021’s winner (or joint winners, if that’s the case). So I expect it to be a jolly good ol’ knees up! Until then stay tuned as we have lots more bookish loveliness heading your way ❤