I have not posted in over a month, but I have read a lot of books! I am so grateful to have time this summer to read.
Best Books I’ve read so far
- Gifted and Talented by Olivie Blake: Blake does it again with her amusing yet emotional writing about a rich family that also has magic abilities.
- The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart: This fantasy book is an epic tale of two sisters who end up in opposite sides of the world they thought they knew. I am so excited for the sequel.
- If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin: This is a book about two young Black people in love. Tish is pregnant, and Fonny, the father, is falsely accused of a crime. Baldwin’s writing will instantly captivate you. I will definitely read more books by Baldwin in the future.
Best Sequel(S) I’ve read so far
- The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi: This is my favorite book of The Ending Fire trilogy. Sylah, Anoor, and Hassa navigate a world divided by blood and they find themselves uncovering the history of the land that the elites of that world made up.
- The Ending Fire by Saara El-Arifi: I was quite satisfied with the conclusion to The Ending Fire trilogy. Sylah, Anoor, and Hassa’s stories come to an end (or beginning?) in The Ending Fire.
- Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland: Four Ruined Realms is an exciting sequel to Five Broken Blades, and the finale comes out this month.
New Release(S) I Haven’t Read yet, but want to
Don’t Sleep with the Dead by Nghi Vo: This is a standalone set in the same world as Vo’s The Chosen and the Beautiful (which in my opinion is the best retelling of The Great Gatsby). I am excited to see Nick’s story in this one!
biggest disappointment
I haven’t had any really big disappointments this year.
Biggest Surprise
Gifted and Talented by Olivie Blake! It was much more funny at times than I expected.
Favorite author (debut or new to you)
Shalini Abeysekara! Her fantasy novel This Monster of Mine is a stunning fantasy with political intrigue and an amazing interesting legal system combined with magic that addresses the injustices of a world with extreme class differences.
The Most beautiful book you’ve bought or received this year
Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland: I love the design on the edges and the gold on the hardback.
What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
- Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel: I recently bought a copy and it is going to be my next read once I finish my other reads. This book is about a woman’s life in the independence movement of an alternate history of India where the British are still in power during the 1960s.
- Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana: I’ve been following Rana’s writing journey since before her YA novel, Hope Ablaze (one of my favorite books of 2024). I cannot wait to read her epic fantasy novel about Khamilla Zahr-zad, a woman who must infiltrate her enemy’s secret academy to avenge her people.
Favorite book to movie/tv series adaptation you’ve seen this year
I have not seen any.
Solace in Reading 