The 16 Best Fiction Books of 2021 to Devour

These novels are utterly captivating.

best books
(Image credit: Courtesy)

2020 was filled with screens. We watched TV shows incessantly, even the bad ones (might I remind you of Too Hot to Handle and Tiger King?) We sat at our computers, hastily emailing and messaging our coworkers. We endured Zoom calls for any and every occasion and meeting, even the ones that most definitely could have been an email. And yes, we doomscrolled. If we've ever needed an excuse to indulge in a really good book (we don't!), 2021 is the time. Thankfully, this year is brimming with page-turners, must-reads, and novels that will make you ache over effortlessly refined sentence structure (just me?). That's why we've rounded up our favorite fiction picks of the new year. If it's out now, snag your copy; if not, get ready to prepare to pre-order.

Megan DiTrolio

Megan DiTrolio is the editor of features and special projects at Marie Claire, where she oversees all career coverage and writes and edits stories on women’s issues, politics, cultural trends, and more. In addition to editing feature stories, she programs Marie Claire’s annual Power Trip conference and Marie Claire’s Getting Down To Business Instagram Live franchise.