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As of today, I've read 51 books this year. This isn't a final tally, since I still have some library holds and the sequel to Iron Widow is releasing at the end of the month, but it's a good enough approximation.
It's felt like a bad reading year in terms of my enjoyment of the books I've read, but on the bright side, I read way more books than I did in 2023. Part of it, I think, is because I've started to read ARCs from NetGalley. While I only request books that I would've been interested in reading anyway, it's definitely helped me to be able to read/listen to some books right away, especially considering that my local library has significantly cut down on the audiobooks available through Libby and hoopla.
Here are my favorite books of 2024:
1. The Tainted Cup by Robert Bennett Jackson
Fantasy + murder mystery is a winning premise that is sorely underrated in traditional publishing, and I'm so thrilled to have found this series that finally scratches that itch.
2. The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang
A book that surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. It's paced a bit like a thriller, and I ended up flying through the pages while glued to the complex, messy love story between Emperor Ai and Dong Xian across multiple lifetimes.
3. Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Iyimide
What can I say? I love Faridah Abike-Iyimide's thrillers.
4. Heavenbreaker by Sara Wolf
The other Red Tower book I was looking forward to, Five Broken Blades, ended up being one of my biggest disappointments of the year (I even gave away my copy). But I loved this book. Traditional publishing needs more books with mechs!
5. A Banh Mi For Two by Trinity Nguyen
A sweet sapphic romance with messages about family and diaspora feelings that tugged on my heartstrings.
6. Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Abike-Iyimide and Adiba Jaigirdar
I really enjoyed the sparkling banter, grumpy girl x sunshine boy relationship, and spotlight on a Muslim community in this romance!
7. The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso
Another surprisingly enjoyable read for me. I love time-loop/reality-bending shenanigans, and this book pulled that off with breakneck pacing, a fascinating world, and a well-done friends-to-enemies-to-lovers relationship.
8. The Blood Orchid by Kylie Lee Baker
I didn't enjoy The Scarlet Alchemist, but this sequel was phenomenal, and Kylie Lee Baker is definitely becoming one of my favorite authors.
9. Darkside by Michael Mammay
It's a Carl Butler anti-capitalist military thriller. What else can I say, other than I hope Michael Mammay gets to write as many of these as he wants?
10. Kestrel by Adrienne Lothy
Yet another surprise favorite, and this time a self-published one! This is everything I wish traditionally published romantasy/romantic sci-fi was: a well-done romance combined with a fantastic sci-fi plot.
11. Remnants of Filth by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou
Volumes 3, 4, and 5 came out this year. There are two more volumes to go, so I know I can't give a final judgment, but I've really loved this story. Way more than The Husky and His White Cat Shizun, to be honest.
*
Looking back, it's interesting to see that many of my favorite reads of 2024 were complete surprises, while so many of my most anticipated books ended up being complete disappointments (like Five Broken Blades, Fathomfolk, The Last Dragon of the East, The Nightmare Before Kissmas). This might be why, when I look at my 2025 TBR list, I don't feel super hyped or excited about many of the books coming out—I'm just too used to being let down by books I thought sounded amazing.
For 2025's TBR, my list is, as usual, mostly made up of fantasy and mysteries/thrillers. Interestingly enough, I feel like a lot of dark academia books are coming out next year. Not sure why.
It's felt like a bad reading year in terms of my enjoyment of the books I've read, but on the bright side, I read way more books than I did in 2023. Part of it, I think, is because I've started to read ARCs from NetGalley. While I only request books that I would've been interested in reading anyway, it's definitely helped me to be able to read/listen to some books right away, especially considering that my local library has significantly cut down on the audiobooks available through Libby and hoopla.
Here are my favorite books of 2024:
1. The Tainted Cup by Robert Bennett Jackson
Fantasy + murder mystery is a winning premise that is sorely underrated in traditional publishing, and I'm so thrilled to have found this series that finally scratches that itch.
2. The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang
A book that surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. It's paced a bit like a thriller, and I ended up flying through the pages while glued to the complex, messy love story between Emperor Ai and Dong Xian across multiple lifetimes.
3. Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Iyimide
What can I say? I love Faridah Abike-Iyimide's thrillers.
4. Heavenbreaker by Sara Wolf
The other Red Tower book I was looking forward to, Five Broken Blades, ended up being one of my biggest disappointments of the year (I even gave away my copy). But I loved this book. Traditional publishing needs more books with mechs!
5. A Banh Mi For Two by Trinity Nguyen
A sweet sapphic romance with messages about family and diaspora feelings that tugged on my heartstrings.
6. Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Abike-Iyimide and Adiba Jaigirdar
I really enjoyed the sparkling banter, grumpy girl x sunshine boy relationship, and spotlight on a Muslim community in this romance!
7. The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso
Another surprisingly enjoyable read for me. I love time-loop/reality-bending shenanigans, and this book pulled that off with breakneck pacing, a fascinating world, and a well-done friends-to-enemies-to-lovers relationship.
8. The Blood Orchid by Kylie Lee Baker
I didn't enjoy The Scarlet Alchemist, but this sequel was phenomenal, and Kylie Lee Baker is definitely becoming one of my favorite authors.
9. Darkside by Michael Mammay
It's a Carl Butler anti-capitalist military thriller. What else can I say, other than I hope Michael Mammay gets to write as many of these as he wants?
10. Kestrel by Adrienne Lothy
Yet another surprise favorite, and this time a self-published one! This is everything I wish traditionally published romantasy/romantic sci-fi was: a well-done romance combined with a fantastic sci-fi plot.
11. Remnants of Filth by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou
Volumes 3, 4, and 5 came out this year. There are two more volumes to go, so I know I can't give a final judgment, but I've really loved this story. Way more than The Husky and His White Cat Shizun, to be honest.
*
Looking back, it's interesting to see that many of my favorite reads of 2024 were complete surprises, while so many of my most anticipated books ended up being complete disappointments (like Five Broken Blades, Fathomfolk, The Last Dragon of the East, The Nightmare Before Kissmas). This might be why, when I look at my 2025 TBR list, I don't feel super hyped or excited about many of the books coming out—I'm just too used to being let down by books I thought sounded amazing.
For 2025's TBR, my list is, as usual, mostly made up of fantasy and mysteries/thrillers. Interestingly enough, I feel like a lot of dark academia books are coming out next year. Not sure why.
