I’ve been looking forward to A Song of Ash and Moonlight ever since I read the first book, A Crown of Ivy and Glass. Based on the interactions between Farrin and Ryder in that book alone, I just KNEW this was going to be a fun time. And it was!

As the Ember in the Ashes quartet is my favorite fantasy series of all, it’s no surprise that Heir was my most anticipated new release of the year. Ember fans, rejoice — this book is so, so, so good.

The Saint of Bright Doors was the last book I needed to read from the 2024 Hugo Award nominees for Best Novel, and I’m a bit bummed to say it was one I respected and appreciated more than I enjoyed.

The Palace of Eros was one of my most anticipated books this year. When I heard that De Robertis had written a queer, gender-fluid Eros and Psyche retelling, I was ON BOARD. And I enjoyed it very much!

Although I could definitely tell that I was missing context because I haven’t read the original Imperial Radch trilogy, to Leckie’s credit I never felt lost. And this was a very fun story with cool, deeply lovable cannibal aliens. What’s not to like??

Pearl is a short but impactful look at grief, motherhood (and mothering in the absence of a mother), mental illness, and the lasting effects of all three.

The God of the Woods is the latest literary mystery from Liz Moore, and it delivers! People have been calling this the book of the summer for a reason, and I liked it a lot.

I absolutely LOVED Night Boat to Tangier, so imagine my excitement to hear that Irish powerhouse Kevin Barry had written not only an American western, but a LOVE STORY. Did it live up to the hype? You bet your bookloving butt it did.

There’s no denying that Chigozie Obioma is one of the best to ever do it. With The Road to the Country, he proves it once again — enough this time to finally win him the Booker Prize, IMO. He deserves it.

The Most Fun We Ever Had was more of my KIND of story, but there’s no denying that Lombardo is an absolute master of character and relationship work on the page.

I loved Julia Phillips’ Disappearing Earth, so I was psyched to read her latest book, Bear. It’s hard to compare them, given their very different subject matter, but rest assured that Phillips’ mastery is once again on full display.

As you would expect of a book with a cat wearing a suit on the cover, and as you would expect from John Scalzi in general, this book was a HELL of a good time. What a quick, fun read!!

This ended up being one of my favorites from the 2023 Booker Prize longlist. I’m also glad I read this with a book club, because holy moly is there a LOT to process after that ending.

I loved this tender and propulsive look at the warfare in Palestine through the lens of relationships between Palestinians.

I’m glad that Soldier Sailor was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, because that’s why I read it. What a novel, and what a look at motherhood — raw, emotional, sharp, and a million other adjectives besides.

I was excited to finally see what Martha Wells, author of the Murderbot books, is capable of in fantasy. Unfortunately, I’m in the same camp as a lot of other readers: this book had a lot of potential, but it was missing the spark.

Kimberly King Parsons has done it again. We Were the Universe is just as aching and poignant as Black Light, with a messy main character so fully formed she could walk off the page.

What I expected: a M/M reincarnation romantasy novel rooted in Asian mythology. What I got: a smart, epic, unputdownable, surprisingly literary story that examines the double-sided beauty and potential toxicity of soulmates.

Running Close to the Wind is a ROMP and a HOOT and very queer and piratey. It was occasionally a little overly horny (even though it’s closed door), but hell if it isn’t a ton of fun.

All the Little Bird-Hearts is a refreshingly authentic portrayal of autism by an autistic author (amidst the “finest fiction” Booker-esque literary canon, anyway). I enjoyed it, I found it hard to put down, and I think it’s very much worth your time.