The Unbroken manages to flip tropes on their heads and make big statements while giving fantasy lovers all the things they love: an underdog, a mystery, magic, and a world worth fighting for.

Don’t Read Poetry is not quite the reading-poetry-how-to I’d expected, but I’m so glad I picked it up; it is an homage to the world of poetry that’s a delight to read.

What can I say about Song of Solomon that hasn’t been said before, and a hundred ways? Toni Morrison continues to blow me away in a way that I never could have been prepared for.

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is a short but super impactful collection of stories. They’re sharp, incredibly crafted, and deeply resonant.

Burnt Sugar is not going to be for everyone, but I found it to be a beautifully, carefully written novel about memory and childhood trauma with an A+ ending.

The Girls Are All So Nice Here is a brutal, twisted thriller with a wild ending, told from the perspective of the mean girl herself.

All the Tides of Fate is a good conclusion to the All the Stars and Teeth duology. These books are fast-paced, easy to read, creative, and fun escapism.

How We Disappeared is a moving, well-written novel that brings to life the experiences of “comfort women” in Singapore during WWII.

Nightingale Point is a novel packed with great characters in situations that highlight the complexity of emotions and trauma. I liked it.

Milk Fed is a visceral, bodily, sharply written novel about disordered eating, sexual hunger, spirituality, and the balance between freedom and control.

Lore was an imperfect book, but it was definitely a fun read with an exciting story. And I’m always here for fantasy based on Greek mythology!

Middlegame is an incredibly creative novel with great plot and character. I really liked it a lot and I’ll definitely be reading more of Seanan McGuire’s work.

I’m making my way through all of Toni Morrison’s fiction for the first time — and oh, how I loved this one. Her ability to use words to cut like a knife is absolutely unparalleled.

Redhead by the Side of the Road is a relatively straightforward, feel-good story about opening the tradeoff between control and loneliness.

The Most Fun We Ever Had is a sweeping, beautiful, crack-your-heart-open novel. It’s long, but the characters are incredible.

There are good books, great books, and then the books you shove into everyone’s hands immediately. Raybearer is in that last category. It’s soooo good.

Milk Blood Heat is an absolutely fantastic short story collection, sharp and riveting. You should definitely read (or listen to) it.

The Gilded Ones is a fantastic debut fantasy novel. It’s got some tough subject matter, but it’s exciting and intriguing with a lush world and lovable characters.