Top Reads of 2021

The survey, conducted in November, is limited to the nearly 400 books listed on our noticeboard that were read by library staff from January to the end of October 2021. Staff then voted on any book they had ever read from this list, and from there we compiled our top books of 2021. We aren’t surprised that some of our top read books feature libraries and (stolen or metaphorical) books- because we know they make for great subject matter!

Our Top 21 books in 2021

This list comprises of a great mix of books: some that are recently published and popular, and other books that have stood the test of time and remain popular. It includes a couple of children’s and young adult/adult crossover titles in the mix.

1st Place with the most votes overall
The Book Thief Markus Zusak

2nd Place
The Rosie Project Graeme Simsion

3rd Place
The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien

4th Place
Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens

5th Place
The Midnight Library Matt Haig (Top of the 2020/21 published list.)

6th Place
Life after Life Kate Atkinson

7th Place
Auē Becky Manawatu (also top Aotearoa/NZ title)

8th Equal 
The Dry Jane Harper
The English Patient Michael Ondaatje

9th Place
A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini

10th Place
The Seven Sisters Lucinda Riley

11th equal
The Giver Lois Lowry
The Nancys R.W. R. McDonald (Also in Aotearoa/NZ list)
Supergood Chelsea Winter (Also in Aotearoa/NZ and in 2020/21 published lists)
Station Eleven Emily St. John Mandel
The Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett

12th place
American Dirt Jeanine Cummins (Also in 2020/21 published list)

13th equal 
Unsheltered Barbara Kingsolver
Year of Wonders Geraldine Brooks
Hamnet Maggie O’Farrell(Also in 2020/21 published list)
Shuggie Bain Douglas Stuart (Also in 2020/21 published list)

Our Top Ten 2020/2021 published books

With international delays in books reaching our shores since Covid began, we chose to survey books published in the last two years, to provide a list of our recommendations of recently published books. A great mixture of fiction, memoir and food books.

1st Place
The Midnight Library Matt Haig  (5th in Top 21 of 2021 list)

2nd Place
Supergood Chelsea Winter (also in Aotearoa/NZ list)

3rd Place
American Dirt Jeanine Cummins

4th Place
Shuggie Bain Douglas Stuart

5th equal
The Mercies Kiran Millwood Hargrave
The Thursday Murder Club Richard Osman
Bella: My Life in Food Annabel Langbein (also in Aotearoa/NZ list)

6th equal
Home Stretch Graham Norton
Miss Benson’s Beetle Rachel Joyce

Our Top Ten Aotearoa/New Zealand Books

These are also a great mix of books that are recently published and popular, or which have stood the test of time and remain popular, and an equal mix of fiction and nonfiction.

1st Place
Auē Becky Manawatu

2nd Equal Place
The Nancys R.W. R. McDonald
Supergood Chelsea Winter

3rd Place
The Matriarch Witi Ihimaera 

4th Place
Bella: My Life in Food Annabel Langbein 

5th Equal
All the Way to Summer Fiona Kidman
Down South Bruce Ansley
Māori Place Names of Otago Herries Beattie
The Mirror Book Charlotte Grimshaw
To Italy, With Love Nicky Pellegrino