Our 2021 favourites

Better Words

We've finally got our act together to share with you our favourite fiction, films, TV and audio of the year. Thank you for joining us in 2021 and supporting our wonderful authors.

(You can blame Michelle's full-time reporting contract for why this is going live in February and not January)

Season 8 will be in your ears in March!

We're keeping recommendations brief. If we've featured or discussed the book before, we'll link to the episode.

Listen to our Non-Fiction November wrap up to hear our fave non-fiction for 2021.

We'll mark any PR/review copies with *

Adult fiction

Caitlin:

• Freckles by Cecelia Ahern* (listen to the interview)
• The Hush by Sara Foster* (listen to the interview)
• It's Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake by Claire Christian (original recommendation)

Michelle:

• Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane* (listen to Caitlin's recommendation)
• The Couple by Helly Acton (original recommendation)
• Home Stretch by Graham Norton - a touching exploration of the way one tragic event ripples out throughout so many lives.

Adult fictions: honourable mentions

Caitlin: Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

Michelle: The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Oseman

Young Adult

Caitlin:

• Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli
• Social Queue by Kay Kerr* (listen to our book club)
• Henry Hamlet's Heart by Rhiannon Wilde* (listen to the interview)

Michelle:

• The Gaps by Leanne Hall* (listen to our interview)
• The Monster of Her Age by Danielle Binks* (listen to our interview)
• Margot and Me by Juno Dawson

The out-of-your-comfort-zone book

Caitlin: Harry Styles: The Making of a Modern Man by Sean Smith*

Michelle: Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

The surprising book

Caitlin: One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

Michelle: Space Hopper by Helen Fisher (listen to our book club chat)

The new release we want to read

Caitlin: How to Be Perfect by Michael Schur

Michelle: People Person by Candice Carty-Williams

The book we already own and want to actually read

Caitlin: Still Life by Sarah Winman*

Michelle: Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

TV

Caitlin:

• Superstore
• Morning Wars (aka The Morning Show)
• Ted Lasso

Michelle:

• Line of Duty
• Motherland
• I'll Be Gone in the Dark

Movies

Caitlin:

• Dear Evan Hansen
• Spiderman: No Way Home
• Tick Tick Boom

Michelle:

• Promising Young Woman
• Cruella
• The Mitchells vs the Machines

Audio

Caitlin:

• Taylor Swift: Evermore/Fearless/Red (music)
• Sentimental in the City
• Drama Queens

Michelle:

• RedHanded podcast
• You're Wrong About
• The Fred and Rose West Tapes

Books and other things mentioned

• Last Christmas (film)
• Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
• All Killa No Filla (podcast)
• I, Tonya (film)
• The Five by Hallie Rubenhold

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