Book Reviews 2021

Are you searching for your next great book recommendation? Or, did you miss one of The Running Bibliophile’s book reviews from 2021? If so, you’re in the right place. Below, you’ll find a curated collection of book recommendations and honest book reviews from 2021, featuring a variety of genres, unforgettable characters, and must-read novels. Whether you love contemporary fiction, thrillers, historical novels, or emotional page-turners, there’s a good chance you’ll discover a new favorite book, or even a new favorite author. 

These book reviews are designed to help you build your reading list with some of the best books of 2021. Whether you’re trying to get out of a reading slump, searching for your next book club pick, or simply exploring new fiction and novels, these recommendations offer insight into stories that truly stand out. Each review reflects a genuine reading experience, highlighting what makes each book unique while sharing thoughtful impressions of its themes, writing style, and emotional impact. 

 And, as always, if you’ve read any of these books, we’d love to hear what you thought. Your opinions and perspectives make the book-loving community even richer, so don’t forget to leave a comment on the blog post and share your thoughts, favorite moments, and personal recommendations with fellow readers.

- The Running Bibliophile -

January 2021

• The Berenstain Bears and The Nerdy Nephew by Stan and Jan Berenstain
• Midnight Sun (Twilight, #5) by Stephenie Meyer
• Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
• Modern Love (Video High, #1) by Marilyn Kaye
• Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam
• Karen's Witch (Baby-Sitters Little Sister, #1) by Ann M. Martin

February 2021

• Becoming by Michelle Obama
• Karen's Roller Skates (Baby-Sitters Little Sister, #2) by Ann M. Martin
• A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3) by George R.R. Martin
• A Catered Murder (A Mystery with Recipes, #1) by Isis Crawford
• The St. Valentine's Day Cookie Massacre (Hatter's Cove Gazette Mystery, #1) by Elisabeth Crabtree
• The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth
• One by One by Ruth Ware
• Valentine Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #5) by Leslie Meier 
• The End of Her by Shari Lapena
• The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike, #1) by Robert Galbraith
• Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

March 2021

• St. Patrick's Day Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #14) by Leslie Meier
• Heartbreak Bay (Stillhouse Lake, #5) by Rachel Caine
• April Fools by Richie Tankersly Cusick

April 2021

• Trail of the Spellmans (The Spellmans, #5) by Lisa Lutz
• The Doll in the Garden, A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

May 2021

• The Wrong Number (Fear Street, #5) by R.L. Stine
• The Last Word (The Spellmans, #6) by Lisa Lutz
• The Train by Diane Hoh
• The Guest List by Lucy Foley
• The Bounty (Fox and O'Hare, #7) by Janet Evanovich and Steve Hamilton
• The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike, #2) by Robert Galbraith
• The Sleepwalker (Fear Street, #6) by R.L. Stine
• Mistletoe Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #1) by Leslie Meier

June 2021

• Top Secret Twenty-One (Stephanie Plum, #21) by Janet Evanovich
• Tippy Toe Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #2) by Leslie Meier
• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
• Tricky Twenty-Two (Stephanie Plum, #22) by Janet Evanovich
• Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens
• The Codebook Murders (Oakwood Mystery, #4) by Leslie Nagel
• Dead Girls Can't Scream by Janice Harrell

July 2021

• Surprise, Surprise! (Horse Crazy, #4) by Virginia Vail
• The Face on the Milk Carton (Janie Johnson, #1) by Caroline B. Cooney
• Cream Puff Killer (Lexy Baker, #13) by Leighann Dobbs
• The Murder Game by Janice Harrell
• Turbo Twenty-Three (Stephanie Plum, #23) by Janet Evanovich

August 2021

• Trick or Treat Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #3) by Leslie Meier

September 2021

• Back to School Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #4) by Leslie Meier

October 2021

• Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena
• Always Watching by Chevy Stevens
• A Catered Wedding (A Mystery with Recipes, #2) by Isis Crawford
• Hardcore Twenty-Four (Stephanie Plum, #24) by Janet Evanovich
• Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
• Murder Ties the Knot (A Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery, #4) by Christy Fifield
• In the Hall with the Knife (Clue Mystery, #1) by Diana Peterfreund
• The Family Upstairs (The Family Upstairs, #1) by Lisa Jewell

November 2021

• Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger
• Three Bedrooms, Two Baths, One Very Dead Corpse (Amanda Thorne Mysteries, #1) by David James
• The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #1) by Trenton Lee Stewart
• The Therapist by B.A. Paris

December 2021

• Christmas Cookie Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #6) by Leslie Meier
• Deceit in High Heels (High Heels, #13) by Gemma Halliday and Kelly Rey

Follow The Running Bibliophile On Social Media

Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Pinterest | Goodreads