Last week on Instagram I posted a review of the first book I read in 2022 and received so many great responses that I thought I would write a post featuring the top 5 books I read in 2021. I had intended to read 50 books in 2021 but due to some pretty major events in my life (like getting married haha) I only ended up finishing 31. For me, that’s the most I had read in years, so it was definitely still a win!
I’ve sorted the books in ascending order and attached amazon links to each of the titles in case you want to check them out. Let me know if you’ve read any of these in the comments below!
5. Trusting God by Jerry Bridges
In times of prosperity, the great temptation is to forget God. In times of trial, the great temptation is to distrust God. For someone who struggles with both, this book is a balm to the soul. In it, Jerry Bridges dives into scripture to prove why God can be trusted as well as offers practical tools to deepen your relationship with the Lord during times of plenty and want. My favorite part of this book was that instead of focusing on people and our anxieties and problems, it focuses on God and his attributes and nature. By truly understanding his sovereignty, wisdom, kindness and love, our anxiety diminishes and our trust in God increases. The key to trusting God is knowing God.
4. The Rescuer by Jason Sautel
I bought “The Rescuer” for my husband after he was hired as a firefighter in 2021 and we read it together during a trip we took to Wyoming. This book tells the riveting true story of Jason Sautel, a man who was daily required to come face to face with the darkest realities of life while working as a firefighter in Oakland, California. After a series of traumatic events, Jason didn’t have the strength to face those realities any longer. That’s when he met his future wife-and started the journey from being a rescuer to finding THE rescuer-Jesus. Action-packed, raw, inspiring and honest, this book will make you laugh and cry as the author recounts his stories in vivid detail. Not only did “The Rescuer” remind me of God’s power and grace, but it also deepened my admiration for first responders.
3. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Corrie Ten Boom’s legacy of faith and forgiveness has impacted me for years however it wasn’t until 2021 that I actually read her most famous work, “The Hiding Place.” In it, Corrie tells the story of how she and her family risked their lives to help Jews and underground workers escape from the Nazi’s during World War II. This dangerous act of love and bravery led to them being arrested and sent to Hitler’s concentration camps where their faith in Christ was put to the ultimate test. I was already very familiar with the contents of “The Hiding Place” but even still, the Ten Booms’ story did not fail to inspire and challenge me, especially during a time of political tension in my own country. Although our circumstances are nowhere near what Corrie faced, her story reminded me that faith ultimately triumphs over evil and that we must obey God rather than men!
2. Educated by Tara Westover
This book was one of the most fascinating books I’ve ever read. It is also one of the most harrowing and heavy books I’ve ever read. Educated tells the true story of Tara Westover, a woman who not only was kept from school for her entire life but was also abused, brainwashed and lied to about healthcare, the government, God, and other people by her eccentric, survivalist family. Against all odds and despite her upbringing, at the age of 17, Tara attends college and later goes on to earn her PhD from Cambridge University. Tara tells her story like it is and leaves you to react to it, which I appreciate. Her writing is beautiful and gripping, but she is also extremely careful in the way she talks about her family and describes the trauma she went through. This book is so high on my list because of the way it opened my eyes and educated me about how far one can go with the wrong convictions. However, at the same time, I felt pretty depressed when I finished this book. It was missing the redemptive factor that would have only been part of the authors story had she met Jesus Christ after leaving her family and experienced his true healing and restoration. Because of that absence, Tara’s story feels lacking. Nevertheless, “Educated” was one of the most unbelievable books I’ve ever read and gave me a glimpse into a life that I will thankfully never know!
1. Safely Home by Randy Alcorn
My number one read of 2021 was actually one of the first books I read during the year while I was recovering from wisdom teeth surgery in January. Although it is a work of fiction, many of the characters are based on real life stories of persecuted Christians. The book is about two college friends who reconnect after twenty years- one who is living a comfortable life far from God in America, and one who is living a life of intense persecution in China but is closer to God than ever. This book is a page turner. It’s beautiful. It’s dramatic. It’s tragic. But it’s also full of so much hope. Interwoven throughout the story are heavenly perspectives that help the reader gain a better picture of God’s plan for suffering and reminds us to live in light of eternity. Safely Home probably made me cry more than any other book I’ve ever read, but for good reason- we are to suffer with our persecuted brothers and sisters, for “if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it.”
And there you have it! My top 5 books of 2021! Follow me on instagram and goodreads @emthewordenthusiast to read more of my reviews in 2022! My goal for this year is 30 books!
4 honorable mentions that didn’t make it on the list include:
1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
2. 12 years a Slave by Solomon Northup
3. The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre
4. The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines
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