In Episode 103, Catherine Gilmore (@gilmoreguide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2021. We each share our top 5 backlist books from 2021, as well as some underrated backlist gems. Catherine and I both had a lot of success in 2021 with backlist reading, and this was especially true for me in comparison to my overall reading for the year.   This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements

• Join our Patreon Community ($5/mo) and get our episode series called Double Booked!  This is a monthly series where a co-host (Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and Susie from Novel Visits on alternate months) and I will each share our own book recommendations in the same format as the big show (2 old books we love, 2 new books we love, 1 book we didn’t love, and 1 upcoming release we’re excited about). Get more details about all the goodies available to all patrons (Stars and Superstars) and sign up here!

Highlights

• Catherine’s and Sarah’s 2021 backlist reading stats.
• Sarah’s backlist reading has finally matched her pre-podcast days.
• How the Double Booked episodes help them both incorporate more backlist into reading each year.

The Top 5 Backlist Books We Read in 2021 [7:12]

Sarah

• Caste by Isabel Wilkerson | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:18]
• Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:31]
• The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:18]
• The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:15]
• The Cutting Season by Attica Locke | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:07]

Catherine

• Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:17]
• If You Tell by Gregg Olsen | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:54]
• Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org[23:05]
• Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:50]
• Hungry Heart by Jennifer Weiner | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:59] 

2021 Backlist Underrated Gems [44:49]

Sarah

• The Deepest South of All by Richard Grant | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:45]
• You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:44]

Catherine

• Metropolitan Stories by Christine Coulson | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:01]
• The Blue Between Sky and Water by Susan Abulhawa | Buy from Amazon [48:56]

Other Books Mentioned

• Share Your Stuff.  I’ll Go First. by Laura Tremaine | Buy from Amazon [12:04] 
• We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza | Buy from Amazon [22:19]
• The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai | Buy from Amazon [29:38] 
• Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart (April 5) | Buy from Amazon [32:49] 
• I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara | Buy from Amazon [37:46]
• Thirteen by Steve Cavanaugh | Buy from Amazon [39:10]
• In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner | Buy from Amazon [40:13]
• Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner | Buy from Amazon [40:14]
• Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke | Buy from Amazon [42:16] 
• Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke | Buy from Amazon [42:18] 
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles | Buy from Amazon [48:35]
• Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa | Buy from Amazon [49:06]
• The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz | Buy from Amazon [50:49]

About Catherine

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Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.