Without hesitation: Cantoras is a masterpiece of a novel. It’s brimming with humanity, turmoil, heart (-warming and -breaking), hope, and beauty.

I’m not giving this a star rating because Three Women is a difficult book to review. On the one hand, as the hype around this book suggests, the writing is really good, and the subject matter is gripping. However, there’s a big asterisk there: The publicity around this book has been extremely problematic.

This book has gotten a lot of hype, and it’s easy to see why. It’s well written, uniquely narrated, and a great story. There’s no denying the master-level work of Elizabeth Gilbert!

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a delightful, whimsical, magical story and a beautiful debut novel to have emerged from Alix Harrow’s heart.

The In-Betweens is a fascinating, journalistic look into a world that quietly exists right under all of our noses — the religion and community of Spiritualism. Her neutral but relatable reporting will leave you thinking long after you close the book.

I liked but didn’t love this book, and I think that’s because it was very different from what I’d expected. This book is much less of a guide to fiction (reading or writing), and more like a love letter or an ode to fiction.

The book is written in the form of a sort-of script, as it’s a mock collection of interview snippets from the members of the band and their friends and families. The audiobook cast and voice acting really went above and beyond to bring the story to life.

Did you really expect me to give the first Native American to be named Poet Laureate of the United States anything less than five stars? Thank you so much to W. W. Norton for sending me a free finished copy — I enjoyed it so immensely.

Range was an interesting and (mostly) engaging look at the different approaches to learning that we take in society today. I thought the author was clear and conversational, and he used good examples and stories that are relatable to real life.

This was an absolutely epic conclusion to a trilogy that reminded me why I love to read stories about magic. Because at its core, the Shades of Magic trilogy is about magic.

The Dearly Beloved is a masterpiece of literary fiction. There’s not a word out of place. It’s a gorgeous examination of what it means to exist side by side. I was hypnotized, heartbroken from the first page.

This book was light, fun, and exactly what I needed after reading several heavy, emotional books in a row. It will take you on an adventure to a different culture, tug on your heart strings a bit, and leave you with a smile.

If you've heard anything about this book, you don't need me to tell you that it's phenomenal. I read it in a single sitting, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf is a big, heavy, adult, epic fantasy novel that is truly without compare. I liked it and I’m glad that I read it, but it took a really, really long time and a lot of patience with myself to wade through the narrative. Roxanne Gay put it perfectly in her review: “Beautifully intense prose that doesn’t allow for lazy reading.”

The Confessions of Frannie Langtonis heartbreaking, moving, enraging, surprising, and much more. It addresses so many different issues — race, class, slavery, mental health, substance abuse, same-gender relationships, feminism.

Sometimes the summary blurb on a book does the perfect job of summing it up — in the case of Hollow Kingdom, those words are “a humorous, big-hearted, and boundlessly beautiful romp.”

Rating: 4.5/5 | Alright. Book two of this trilogy, and it's sunk its claws in even deeper. This world, these characters — I am so in love. V.E. Schwab is a master storyteller who really knows how to get out of her own way and build something you want to live in forever.

Rating: 4/5 | I enjoyed The Philosopher's Flight. It was worth the read and I was happy to read the sequel. I'm glad I did — because The Philosopher's War was even better. Gone are the college days and courting of first love; this was a story of camaraderie, trauma, war, and the greater good. (Click the post to read more.)

Rating: 4.5/5 | I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. I have loved all of Leigh Bardugo's past books, and while I knew that Ninth House was going to be really, really different, I trusted her to bring me something great. And both of those things are true: This book was WAY different than any of her other books, and it was also great work. (Click the post to read more.)

Rating: 3/5 | I read Loonshots as part of my subscription to the Next Big Idea Club (which I highly recommend!). The author combines principles from physics with that of business and innovation in order to show when and why companies go from great-idea-machines to great-idea-graveyards. (Click the post to read more.)