If there's one thing to be said for a pandemic, it's that we've had a hell of a lot of time to read - and it seems authors have had a hell of a lot of time to write too. Like last year, it's been an amazing few months for book-lovers, and it was insanely tricky to whittle it down to just five nominees.
FFA21 Best Book nominees
But whittle it down we have, and we're sure you won't disagree that these female writers - some established and some with their debut release - are some of the best writers we've seen since the turn of the decade.
Beautiful World, Where Are You - Sally Rooney
Released: 7 September 2021
Be honest, do you really want to be reading heavy political rhetoric and profound moral questions at a time where our very existence seems to hang precariously in the balance? Yes, the pandemic has battered our lives, the government is hypocrisy epitomised, and climate change still threatens to derail the human race. But we’re still falling in love, we’re still chasing our dreams and working in any way we can to pay our bills.
And that’s exactly what we love about Sally Rooney (author of Normal People and Conversations with Friends); she explores the mundane, more trivial aspects of our lives in her novels, with Beautiful World, Where Are You delving into an Irish middle-class NA story about four people who can’t seem to get a handle on their love lives.
All Our Hidden Gifts - Caroline O'Donoghue
Released: 27 May 2021
Another Ireland-based novel, this is a YA urban fantasy which follows a teenage girl named Maeve Chambers who discovers an affinity with tarot cards and magic. And when her ex-best friend suddenly goes missing, it’s witchcraft that she needs to get her back.
Spooky stuff aside, what we love most about this novel is the fact that LGBTQ+ and gender identity issues may not take centre stage, but they are certainly not throwaway “woke” additions either - they’re woven very carefully into this story which ultimately is about the importance of independence and self-acceptance.
With race and religious issues in there as well, it’s a tale well-equipped for modern times. And while it isn’t the most original teenage witch story we’ve ever read, it’s based on the tried and tested formula we’ve come to love.
Arsenic and Adobo - Mia P. Manansala
Released: 4 May 2021
Why is it that women of colour find it so hard to break into the world of murder mystery writing? It’s truly the loss of the literary world when there’s the likes of Filipino author Mia P. Manansala out there. Her debut novel Arsenic and Adobo is the first of Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series and we literally can’t wait for more.
The story follows Lila Macapagal’s homecoming following a bad break-up, only to find that her Tita Rosie’s restaurant is on the brink of closure. After her ex writes a bad review of the place before suddenly dropping dead, Lila’s pretty much the only one on the police’s suspects list. The only thing left to do is take the investigation into her own hands, with her group of snoopy aunts on hand to help.
Sometimes you need a murder mystery that isn’t too heavy on the grisly stuff, and this one is a gloriously funny and uber cosy read. It’s worth skipping to the recipe section first so you can enjoy some seriously delicious Filipino food at the same time.
Apples Never Fall - Liane Moriarty
Released: 7 September 2021
Three years after the release of her New York Times Bestseller Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty is back with another ingenious novel this time centering on a family who aren’t quite as they seem to the outside world.
If you’re a fan of tennis, uncomfortable family dynamics and mysterious disappearances, this is one book you can’t miss out on. Moriarty has an extraordinary talent of unpredictability, without things getting too far-fetched. Plus, you’re never quite sure who’s side you’re on, which only makes for an even more thrilling experience.
The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris
Released: 1 June 2021
Being described as Get Out meets The Devil Wears Prada was enough to persuade us to read this chilling debut from Zakiya Dalila Harris. It’s about a young woman named Nella Rogers who works in a publishing office and is growing increasingly fed-up with being the only black girl there. Nothing is worse than an undercurrent of racism directed at you in your place of work!
It seems her luck is about to change when another black girl is hired there, but when new girl Hazel is nigh on venerated by the other employees, and semi-threatening written warnings are being left on Nella’s desk, she starts to suspect there’s something much, much worse than casual racism going on.
We always need novels about the struggles of the modern black woman, and this is something every woman of colour living in a white-centred work environment can relate to. And even if you can’t relate to the race themes, you can still enjoy a psychological thriller that’s bound to keep you on the edge of your office chair.
And the winner is…
Arsenic and Adobo - Mia P. Manansala
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