Hello and welcome to the final day of #R3COMM3ND3D2021. Things are a little different today as I’m going to share three of my favourite reads of the year with you, rather than inviting a fellow book lover to share theirs! As it’s the fifth year of #R3COMM3ND3D (and possibly the last for a while 🙈) I thought I would take the plunge. I have also been asked (twice, I think! 🤣) why I don’t take part in #R3C. And I don’t have a good enough answer. There’s space for me to share my three #R3COMM3ND3D2021 picks this year, the three I’ve selected haven’t been chosen by anyone else but they definitely deserve to be at the top of everyone’s reading list. They’re incredible books. You need them in your life, without a doubt!

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 I recommend (three cracking 2021 debuts)…

Tall Bones by Anna Bailey
From the opening chapters this book had a hold over me and I savoured every moment I spent with it. It’s such a beautifully written piece of fiction which managed to completely entrance me. Tall Bones is a haunting, beautiful but ultimately dark read which I read with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. An astonishing debut.
My Review of Tall Bones

The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker
I devoured The First Day of Spring. When I wasn’t reading the book, I was thinking about the characters. Chrissie broke my heart time and time again. The author’s writing is immersive and totally believable which made Chrissie, Julia and Molly come to life before my very eyes. I don’t think I’ll be able or willing to forget The First Day of Spring. Haunting, compelling and utterly devastating.
My Review of The First Day of Spring

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird
Oh.My.Goodness! This book is incredible. Absolutely superb and frighteningly real. The End of Men is a must read for all. Intelligent, poignant, devastating and totally absorbing. The true definition a page turner. I couldn’t put this book down as I was desperate to find out what revelation the author was going to share with me next.
My Review of The End of Men

Well there you have it. Three incredible books I think you really should read. What do you think of my three choices? Have you read any of them? Will you be adding any of them to your TBR?

So that’s it for #R3COMM3ND3D2021. Look out for the after-show party coming to a screen near you in early January (if I can get myself organised, lol!). Please also make sure you look out for my top ten (sort of!) books of the year list on 31st December. If you’ve made it this far, it’s likely you may recognise one (or three!) of the books mentioned!

Whatever your plans are for the next few days, I hope you have a chance to relax and do what makes you happy. Thank you for your support over the last somewhat trying year. It really does mean the world to me. Merry Christmas everyone 💖