Thirsty Thursday: Reading Recap 2021

I really like to read, and since COVID hit, I have been reading a lot more. One thing that I have been wanting to start is a day that I post all about what I have read, so I figured I would start a Thirsty Thursday. Thirsty Thursday is going to happen twice a month and in the posts I am going to talk about what I have read in those two weeks, or what I am currently reading. *Why is it called Thirsty Thursday, you ask... well keep on reading my dear.*

For my first ever Thirsty Thursday post, I am going to recap my FAVORITE books of 2021.

I read on the Amazon Kindle app on my phone. I like the ease of use and the screen doesn't hurt my eyes. Plus no paper cuts! Side note: I am planning on buying some actual physical copies of books that I have read, and a lot are on the list later on in the post. Another side note: my husband did buy me a Kindle Fire 7 tablet to read on for Christmas 2020, so I do switch back and forth between my phone and the tablet.

According to Kindle, I read 327 books. Yes, that is A SHIT TON of books. After reading 249 books in 2020, I had set my goal at 200 for 2021, since I was back to work and all, but apparently I surpassed that. Haha (After a long talk with my therapist, apparently I like to read to "avoid" things, which is a part of my depression and anxiety, but I am trying out some new medicine and hopefully that will help)

My reading habits may not match up with yours, I am forewarning you now. I have a normal... I love to read smut. I like all types of smut and about 90% of the trigger warnings do not make me turn away from books. Ok, so I can't really stomach rape or anything to do with children in that sense, but I am a sucker for a book about a man with a horrible past and the woman who thinks she can change him or a very strong and kick ass female lead.

A lot of the books I read in 2021 were dark... some darker than others, but for the most part, they were dark. If you choose to read any of my favorites, read trigger warnings and prepare to realize that your moral compass is as gray as mine. Without further aideu...

2021 BOOK FAVORITES

**Please read ALL book trigger warnings before diving into any of my recommendations**

"Fantasy Smut"

Her Soul to Take- Harley Laroux // Demons, cults, big you know whats... yep

"Controversial book"

Den of Vipers- K. A. Knight // Oh baby, yeah just go read it. OH, but please check those trigger warnings!

"Booktok made me read it"

Ice Planet Barbarians- Ruby Dixon // Human women stranded on a strange planet and hot blue aliens who just want to treat them "good". There are 22 books in the series, and I've read 6.

Reverse Harem

Madison Kate- Tate James // Yum. Yummy. Yummier. Yummiest. YES, there are 4 books.

Hades- Tate James // Damn, Tate can write. There are 4 books in the Hades series and this girl has read each and every one.

Note: Yes, I know Den of Vipers is a reverse harem too, but to be honest, it was more of a controversial book.

Bully Romance/ enemies to lovers

Lords of Pain- Angel Lawson // Also a reverse harem and has a step-brother kink

Trick Me Twice- Becca Steele // Yes, it's set in high school, but I swear it is really good!

Welcome to the Dark Side- Gina Darling // Starts off slow, but I loved it. Older man, younger woman thing going on

Mafia

Condemned to Love- Siobhan Davis // Ms. Davis has been a favorite writer since she wrote the whole Cruel Intentions series (Rydeville Elite) and I devoured them. Condemned to Love is another great one with action, twists and turns, and yummy darkness.

Kink

Peep Show- Isabella Starling // Just read it... very very spicy (The "I like to watch" kink)

Hard Limits- Suki Williams // Dark and hot (a lot of kinker stuff, but less than Den of Vipers)

Birthday Girl- Penelope Douglas // The "I like your dad better than you" kink

Empire of Desire- Rina Kent // Rina knows what she's doing, just saying... this one is the dad's best friend kinda kink

Other books that I've read and you should too!

Games We Play- Dana Isaly // Short & Sexy. Featuring a masked gamer man and a cute girl sent to do an interview. Side note: I've heard that this book is also narrated by a VERY VERY sexy voice...

The Ritual- Shantel Tessier // Dark "romance"

Hooked- Emily McIntire // A "dark" retelling of Peter Pan's Hook and Wendy

Our Way- T. L. Swan // Really loved it. Lots of smut, but nothing dark #pinkypromise

I married a Naga- Regine Abel // Blame it on the barbarians, but I really liked some human and snake man smut

A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor- Kathryn Moon // Call girl + monsters...

I'm sorry I really didn't do much of a review of each book, but I was afraid that I would actually give away all the plots and what not. #nospoilershere

What did you read in 2021 that was your favorite???