Be a Bookworm: 7 Books for 2021

Jess Clayton from Jackson, Missouri, has always been a reader. As an only child raised by a single mother who grew up without a television in the home, Clayton learned from a young age how to dive head-first into other worlds. At the time, those alternative worlds had her solving mysteries with Nancy Drew or living the farm life with Laura Ingalls Wilder.

“That was my entertainment,” says Clayton, who admits that even today she’s an escapist reader. “When I read, I want to be completely removed from my world.”

And while the titles have changed over the years, her love of reading has not. She averages 100 books per year, runs an active book club and frequently blogs about and reviews the latest books.

For Clayton, like many others, reading is a way to practice self-care, taking the time to do the things you love, the things that fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied rather than drained.

While there are lots of ways to practice self-care, for Clayton and many others, reading is at the top of the list. Snuggling up with a good book has been known to improve focus and concentration, memory enhancement, vocabulary expansion, stress reduction, knowledge and mental stimulation. Which means if you aren’t reading regularly, you really should be.

Especially after the year we’ve had.

“People are reading right now because it feels good,” says Jennifer Gray, employee at Book Rack in Cape Girardeau.

With so much chaos in 2020, Gray notes there’s been an uprising of patrons looking for lighter reads like romance novels and chick-lit. Still others have come into the store looking for book series they discovered after watching the shorter version on Netflix. Regardless, it seems that extra time on our hands plus a need to escape reality has more and more people turning to books for comfort.

Which isn’t a bad thing.

So, if you find yourself creating a list of resolutions for the year, don’t forget to add a couple of books. Here’s a short list to get you started.

If you love historical fiction:

“The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah releases in February and might quite possibly be the most-anticipated book of 2021. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression in 1934, this is a story of love, heroism and hope. If you loved “The Nightingale” or “The Great Alone,” also by Hannah, you will most likely love this book. Just remember your tissues, because you’ll probably need them.

“The Children’s Blizzard” by Melanie Benjamin is a story of courage on the prairie, inspired by the devastating storm that struck the Great Plains in 1888 and affected not only the hundreds of immigrant homesteaders on the land, but perhaps most tragically, the schoolchildren, who were unprepared for the quick-moving snowstorm. Benjamin is the New York Times best-selling author of “The Aviator’s Wife.”

If you love memoirs:

“The Beauty of Living Twice” by Sharon Stone is set to release in March. This is a true account of Stone’s efforts to rebuild her life after a massive stroke threatened to destroy her career, family, fortune and fame. If you have a chance to listen rather than read it, this audiobook will not disappoint. Stone narrates her own journey of healing as she discusses her life-changing friendships, worst disappointments and greatest accomplishments.

“Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey technically released in October 2020, but word on the street is people will still be talking about it well into 2021. An unconventional memoir, McConaughey takes you through the journals of his past successes and failures, joys and sorrows, in an effort to show the reader how to enjoy a state of success he calls “catching greenlights.”

If you love short stories that make you feel good:

“Chicken Soup for the Soul” releases its newest title, “Miracles & Divine Intervention,” Jan. 12. Filled with 101 true, short stories of faith and hope, you will be inspired and comforted by ordinary people who have had extraordinary, unexplainable, real-life experiences with miracles, breathtaking coincidences and answered prayers. We could all use more of that!

If you love suspense thrillers:

Stephen King will release his newest novel, “Later,” this March. A powerful and haunting thriller with threads similar to his classic novel “It,” “Later” explores what it takes to stand up to evil, while testing our sense of right and wrong. If you can handle the suspense, this terrifying and touching book about buried secrets is one you won’t want to miss.

If you love the Netflix series “Virgin River:”

Then you may be happy to know that before it was made into a television series, Robyn Carr had already written 20 books on the subject. The 21st book in the series, “Return to Virgin River,” just released this past October, though starting at book one is always recommended. Filled with fresh starts, new friendships and all the sweet romance you can handle, “Virgin River” could be your favorite book — or books — of the year.

No matter what genre you love to read, January is a great time to set goals around your reading habits. Maybe it’s time to try a new genre and step outside of your comfort zone. Maybe the old library card needs to be pulled out of the wallet and dusted off. Or maybe it’s your year to start or join a book club. However you step into 2021, make sure to take a book or two with you. You just might discover a whole new world.