As the pandemic raged on in 2021, I found myself turning to books as an escape. In addition to contemporary romance, I read a variety of other genres: historical romance, historical fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and women’s fiction. While the first half of the year produced some lackluster reading experiences, the latter half made up for it. Here are some of my favorite books both read and published in 2021, in no particular order.

I’ve frequently complained that I have too many books and not enough time to read them. When the  global pandemic struck and we went into lockdown due to COVID-19, I found myself with more free time than ever. Ironically, I couldn’t concentrate long enough to read a book to save my life. I read far fewer books than normal and only gave a handful of five stars to those published in 2020. Therefore, my Favorite Books of 2020 list also includes books that I read in 2020 but were published in a previous year. There are a couple of series as well.

Maybe I’m just going through a picky phase, but 2019 was the Year of the Great Book Slump for me. While there were many books I enjoyed reading, only a handful of new releases wowed me enough to earn five stars. Here are ten of my favorite books of 2019.

2018 has flown by! I read just over 100 books this year and discovered so many fantastic stories. Here is my list of favorite books read in 2018, in no particular order.

Some years it’s easy to narrow down my list of favorite books, but this year I really struggled with my choices. When it came down to it, there were 14 books (including two series) that made a lingering impression on me. Here are my picks for Best Books of 2017, listed in no particular order. Click the cover or link to read my review.

I met my reading goal this year by reading over 160 books! Although there were many 5-star books released in 2016, these books—including two duets—stood out to me.