This book is surreal and disorienting (in a good way), deeply affecting, and the kind of book that’s so good and readable you have to stop yourself from inhaling it

Mirrored Heavens is an epic conclusion to an epic trilogy, and one that I’m very glad I read.

I read The Bone Season and loved it, so when a friend recommended that I read The Pale Dreamer before diving into The Mime Order, I sent the salute emoji and borrowed it from the library.

If you haven’t read On Tyranny, please do so as soon as possible. This is an extremely short book — it’s 1:47 on audio and pocket-sized in print — that is nothing short of required reading, especially right now.

This was the perfect way to kick off my 2025 reading in a year that will surely bring a great need for laughter, levity, and love. You will find all three in these pages.

Our Evenings has a lot of things going for it, in terms of being a winner for me: It follows a character across their entire life, it depicts that life with tenderness and care, it has a strong first-person voice. And while it didn’t land with me 100%, I netted out on liking it.

This book is both sad and hopeful, scathing and uplifting. Brb, time to (finally) go read Abdurraqib’s entire backlist.

As a lover of all things fantasy and magical realism, obviously I had to pick this up. And the hype is so justified!

This book was an utter delight, indeed very cozy and interesting and a must-read for bookstore lovers everywhere.

Y’all. I am so mad at myself for waiting this long to read The Bone Season. It was exactly the kind of fantasy I was craving — a series that starts with a banger with a rich world and great plot and promises a good, long journey with a set of beloved characters over many books.

This book is an incredible feat of anthropology and human connection. De León’s generous, tender focus on the smugglers he befriended shows us a side of the equation rarely considered and often dismissed.

Held was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and if I’m being honest, I’m a little surprised that it didn’t win. I read it twice in three months. And WOW am I glad I did.

I don’t know how to explain to you how important it is that you read this book.

I picked up How to Tell When We Will Die near the start of a period in which my brain wanted only nonfiction, and it only added fuel to the fire. What an incredibly smart, powerful, incisive essay collection.

I’m happy to report that Pat Barker continues to be excellent. Many authors have written Greek retellings about the women in recent years, but in my opinion, hers stand apart.

The Bright Sword is an Arthurian retelling that feels like a love letter to our generation. It’s filled with the misfits — gay, trans, abused, depressed, objectified, imposter syndrome, you name it. And yet it doesn’t feel forced. It’s episodic and magical and adventurous as any good Arthurian story should be, but it’s also FUNNY and fun and never takes itself too seriously.

If you’re a chronically busy, list-making, type-A, overachiever like me, please do yourself a favor and pick up Four Thousand Weeks. If you already did that three years ago, pick up Meditations for Mortals.

I’ve been meaning to read Robin Hobb for years — at this point, as a fantasy reader who champions women authors, it’s become a bit embarrassing, lol. I was craving a big, long adventure, and so I decided it was finally time! So glad I finally dove in.

I’m glad that Stone Yard Devotional made its way onto the Booker Prize longlist (and shortlist!), or else I may not have ended up reading it. I don’t know if it will stick with me long-term, but I definitely enjoyed my time with it.

What If We Get It Right? is one of the best books I’ve read this year, and almost certainly the best audiobook specifically. I am going to be pushing this into people’s hands (or headphones) for years.