My Favourite Standalone Books of 2021

 As we approach the end of the year I thought I would put together a list of standalone books that I read and loved in 2021. From YA to dark romance I've read some books that I couldn't put down and that I still think about months after finishing. All of these were 5-star reads for me, I'm hoping that someone will pick one of these books up and also find a new favourite read,

Please note that not all of the below were published in 2021 but are books I only read for the first time this year.

A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole

★★★★☆ - 4.22 on Goodreads

★★★★☆ - 4.7 on Amazon

One kiss lasts a moment. But a thousand kisses can last a lifetime. One boy. One girl. A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade. A bond that neither time nor distance can break. A bond that will last forever. Or so they believe.

When seventeen-year-old Rune Kristiansen returns from his native Norway to the sleepy town of Blossom Grove, Georgia, where he befriended Poppy Litchfield as a child, he has just one thing on his mind. Why did the girl who was one half of his soul, who promised to wait faithfully for his return, cut him off without a word of explanation? Rune's heart was broken two years ago when Poppy fell silent. When he discovers the truth, he finds that the greatest heartache is yet to come.

A stand-alone young adult tearjerker romance, recommended for ages fourteen and up.
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When Tillie Cole says this is a tearjerker she really means it. I knew the general premise, and ending, of this book before reading it but I was still unprepared for how emotional it was. No matter what age you are, I think you can not only enjoy this beautiful YA story but maybe even learn something along the way. 

Warrior Blue by Kelsey Kingsley

★★★★☆ - 4.40 on Goodreads

★★★★☆ - 4.6 on Amazon

Blake Carson can't afford to have a life. Between working full-time as a tattoo artist and caring for his disabled twin brother Jacob, his plate is more than full - and he prefers it that way.

But his meticulous planning is turned on its head when he meets the upbeat and beautiful Audrey Wright and her butterfly tattoo.

Now, through a complicated maze of coincidence and fate, Blake begins to question if maybe there could be more to his life than just work and Jacob.

That is, if the guilt doesn't eat him alive first.

With the help of Dr. Vanessa Travetti and a girl he doesn't think he deserves, can Blake convince himself that even the bad guy deserves a happy ending?

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A story about a wounded hero and a strong, steadfast heroine. I was definitely surprised that I loved this book so much considering that religion/spirituality was such a heavy theme but it was, in my opinion, handled very respectfully and didn’t feel shoved down your throat or "preachy". Not only is the story beautiful but every single word felt like it was thoughtfully chosen and carefully strung together.

Gothikana by RuNyx

★★★★☆ - 4.14 on Goodreads
★★★★☆ - 4.5 on Amazon

An unusual girl. An enigmatic man. An ancient castle. What could go wrong?

An outcast her entire life, Corvina Clemm is left adrift after losing her mother. When she receives the admission letter from the mysterious University of Verenmore, she accepts it as a sign from the universe. The last thing she expects though is an olden, secluded castle on top of a mountain riddled with secrets, deceit, and death.

An enigma his entire life, Vad Deverell likes being a closed book but knowing exactly everything that happens in the university. A part-time professor working on his thesis, Vad has been around long enough to know the dangers the castle possesses.

And he knows the moment his paths cross with Corvina, she's dangerous to everything that he is.

They shouldn't have caught each other's eye. They cannot be. But a chill-inducing century-old mystery forces them to collide. People have disappeared every five years for over a hundred years, and Corvina is getting clues to unraveling it all, and Vad needs to keep an eye on her.

And so begins a tale of the mystique, the morbid, the macabre, and a deep love that blossoms in the unlikeliest of places.

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In the world that RuNyx created, the atmosphere was all-consuming, the environment hauntingly beautiful and the imagery so vivid that I felt like I was right there. Thrillers/mysteries, romance and gothic imagery are some of my absolute favourite things in life so it's unsurprising that this is my favourite book of all time. It's dark, eerie and creepy all blended together in a romance book. The plot kept me so intrigued that I stayed up until 3:30am reading this and when I was finished my book slump lasted for a full month afterward.

Shallow River by H.D. Carlton

★★★★☆ - 4.10 on Goodreads

★★★★☆ - 4.3 on Amazon

Shallow Hill is where souls suffer slow and miserable deaths.

When River McAllister escaped from Shallow Hill, she left her innocence behind--and some of her sanity, too. Now she's rebuilding her life with her dream man and life couldn't be better.

Ryan Fitzgerald is everything you'd want in a man. Attractive, rich, an aspiring lawyer, and would do anything to keep River. But that's not the only thing that attracts her. It's his attentiveness, his possessiveness... maybe not so much his temper.

When her relationship takes a dark turn, Ryan's estranged brother, Mako, is the only one who sees it. He knows exactly what Ryan is capable of, and it's not the first time he had to be a knight in shining armor.

River came from Shallow Hill, though. She's never needed saving before. What Mako doesn't see, is that River is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

The only one who should be scared is Ryan.

TW: a dark romance that contains domestic violence, rape and other violence.

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I read this book in one sitting and went through so many emotions while reading it. The main reason I love this book so much is that it does an amazing job of highlighting how domestic violence can start so subtly, with emotional and psychological abuse occurring before it turns physically abusive. River is one of the best heroines I’ve read in a long time and how the hero treated her is exactly what an abuse survivor needs. Always looking after her without treating her like a victim and giving her control by encouraging her to voice her needs. I think everyone can learn something by reading this.

Layla by Colleen Hoover

★★★★☆ - 3.83 on Goodreads

★★★★☆ - 4.2 on Amazon

When Leeds meets Layla, he’s convinced he’ll spend the rest of his life with her—until an unexpected attack leaves Layla fighting for her life. After weeks in the hospital, Layla recovers physically, but the emotional and mental scarring has altered the woman Leeds fell in love with. In order to put their relationship back on track, Leeds whisks Layla away to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Once they arrive, Layla’s behavior takes a bizarre turn. And that’s just one of many inexplicable occurrences.

Feeling distant from Layla, Leeds soon finds solace in Willow—another guest of the B&B with whom he forms a connection through their shared concerns. As his curiosity for Willow grows, his decision to help her find answers puts him in direct conflict with Layla’s well-being. Leeds soon realizes he has to make a choice because he can’t help both of them. But if he makes the wrong choice, it could be detrimental for all of them.

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While I really enjoyed this book, I completely understand it's not everyone's cup of tea. It's extremely unrealistic with little character development as it's a very story-based read. It's a PNR thriller so I don't want to say too much and risk giving away any spoilers - it's best to go into this book blind.

A Love Letter to Whiskey by Kandi Steiner

★★★★☆ - 4.28 on Goodreads

★★★★☆ - 4.6 on Amazon

It’s crazy how fast the buzz comes back after you’ve been sober for so long.

Whiskey stood there, on my doorstep, just like he had one year before. Except this time, there was no rain, no anger, no wedding invitation — it was just us.

It was just him — the old friend, the easy smile, the twisted solace wrapped in a glittering bottle.

It was just me — the alcoholic, pretending like I didn’t want to taste him, realizing too quickly that months of being clean didn’t make me crave him any less.

But we can’t start here.

No, to tell this story right, we need to go back.

Back to the beginning.

Back to the very first drop.

This is my love letter to Whiskey. I only hope he reads it.

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An emotional book about the right person, wrong time. The thing about this book is it’s so realistic. The problems that they had and why it was always the wrong time - they all made perfect sense (although obviously dramatised). It was so raw and real and, although there was a HEA, it didn’t erase everything that came before it; for the two main characters or for the readers. I'd also like to note that this isn't a book about an alcoholic - whiskey/alcoholism is a metaphor used throughout the book by the heroine.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

★★★★☆ - 3.91 on Goodreads

★★★★☆ - 4.3 on Amazon

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and practically homeless, Jules accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming façade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and discovers that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing.

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A book mentioned in a previous blog post. And another book with gothic imagery. I like what I like. This is less of a "whodunnit" thriller and focuses more on the why - I don't believe that it is supposed to be overly shocking or a massive twist when the main antagonist is revealed as it is a very story-driven novel. The setting of the Bartholomew, the history surrounding the building, the other tenants and all the odd rules created a tense atmosphere and made this a book that I couldn't put down.