Top 5 Books on My 2021 Wishlist

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme created by Shanah @Bionic Book Worm, and is now being hosted by Meeghan @Meeghan Reads. You can check out last week’s post here!

December is here and the holidays are upon us! So that makes it incredibly fitting that this week’s topic is the Top 5 Books on my 2021 Wishlist. (And also incredibly helpful for anyone looking for gift ideas for me, hint hint, Santa!)

This was incredibly fun, but also surprisingly challenging! How was I supposed to choose just five books? That’s just cruel! But I managed to narrow it down at last, and hopefully I’ll find all of them waiting under the tree for me soon.

With that said, let’s make a list!

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Top 5 Books on My 2021 Wishlist

Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone

I found this book thanks to a review by Meeghan, which basically told me everything I needed to know. Gothic setting? Yes. Brooding love interest? Yes, please. Dark, fae-like creatures and terrible secrets all woven together? Get me this book yesterday!

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Anderson was one of my favourite stories growing up, so I’m absolutely thrilled that Elizabeth Lim has created this retelling (and that it’s been given such a gorgeous cover too). I really enjoyed her debut duology, Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk, and I’m sure I’ll adore this story just as much.

The Emperor’s Blades by Brian Staveley

I’m not sure why, but high stakes conspiracies within fantasy empires is apparently the highly specific genre I’m really getting into lately, even if I’m (once again) starting this series far behind everyone else. Still, I’m an absolute sucker for royal court drama, and this sounds like nothing less than high stakes and deadly politics. Well, deadly everything really. And I cannot wait.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Giant mechs fighting aliens and a female pilot out for justice and revenge? It’s basically the story teenage-me was waiting for! (Seriously, I would have killed for this during my Gundam anime phase.) I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about this book and I’m certain it will live up to all my (ridiculously high) expectations. All I want is to see strong female characters punching out aliens with giant robots; I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies

This is the indie book I’ve been hearing so much about and I need it! Everything from the massive amount of worldbuilding, to the absolutely fantastic characters, to the themes of free will sound utterly phenomenal, and I refuse to let this be another epic masterpiece that I put on the backburner for the next ten years. Putting this out into the universe right now: please let me get this book for Christmas. I promise I’ve been good… mostly!

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Are you wishing for any of these books? Are there any you’ll be adding to your holiday wishlist? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading everyone!