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All in Fiction
I didn’t go into The House of Doors with any expectations outside of those that go with its Booker Prize nomination, and yet I still found myself pleasantly surprised. It had a lot of momentum — I was invested and really enjoyed it.
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods was a solid start to a new fantasy trilogy! The magic system is unique and the worldbuilding is imaginative and a strong metaphor for history/colonialism. I look forward to book 2!
Honestly, I can’t believe Some Desperate Glory wasn’t on my radar until it was nominated for the Hugo, especially with such blurb power. But wow am I glad it showed up!! One heck of a story.
This is a sweeping, magical story perfect for fans of magical realism and travel. I found its meditation on purpose and relationships and what it means to live well to be quite powerful.
If you are expecting a baby, this book is required reading. Full stop. I’m currently pregnant with my first, and I went looking for science and evidence to inform my path forward with breastfeeding. That is exactly what I got here. Please read it.
I probably don’t even need to tell you this, but Emily Henry has indeed done it again, y’all. I devoured this (via audiobook) in one sitting, and I loved every second.
Sunbringer is a solid sequel to the much-loved Godkiller, although it does have a bit of second-book syndrome. That said, it definitely set us up for an epic third book.
This was book was not only totally engrossing, but also so incredibly smart. I couldn’t put it down. I inhaled it in 36 hours. I absolutely loved it and you must read it!
What a genre-mashup delight this book was! Part antihero western, part dual-timeline family saga, with a sprinkling of magical realism (including a very mysterious book), The Bullet Swallower has something for everyone.
A Spell of Good Things was longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize. I think it does what it sets out to do effectively. Unfortunately, I just didn’t personally jive with the book. But you might!
Faebound was a great time! Excellent and creative worldbuilding, beautiful and complicated sisterhood, and sapphic rivals to lovers. My only complaint was that it was a bit too fast-paced. Still, I liked it a lot!
While I still think The Tiger’s Wife was Obreht’s masterpiece, I really enjoyed this one too. I’m also just a sucker for any literary fiction that promises hints of magic.
I’m so glad Rowland decided to self-publish this little novella so the fans of ATOGAI could have it. It was so lovely to be back with these characters, even for a little while.
Everyone’s already calling James — Percival Everett’s reimagining and extension of Huckleberry Finn — a favorite for next year’s Pulitzer Prize. I’ve got to agree.
Our queen has blessed us once again. Boy, does Leigh Bardugo know how to sweep us away, how to write a love story, and how to knock an ENDING (!) out of the park.
Wandering Stars isn’t as propulsive as There, There was, but don’t worry; it twists the knife. I thought the way it highlights the generational trauma forced upon Native Americans was really effective, and it broke my heart. Highly recommend.
Beautyland is one of those books that will sneak up on you and hit you right smack in the feels. My favorite kind of book. (The audiobook was also excellently performed, and the story was easy to follow in that format!)
The moment Ædnan landed in my hands, I was excited to read it. And friends, I was not disappointed. This novel in verse is absolutely stunning and deeply moving, with a translation that’s both accessible and musical.
My latest Booker Prize longlister, and while I see its merits, I’m not super surprised that we didn’t see this one on the shortlist. Sometimes I felt super engaged and sometimes I felt the opposite. All in all, I think I am slightly to the positive side of neutral on it.
This trilogy is a set of solid early-YA fantasy novels with an imaginative magic system and really good political world-building. All in all, I think the first book was my favorite, but this was still an adventurous, satisfying ending!
