Here’s an ongoing list of my most recent reads. For more, visit my Goodreads! I rarely rate books, because I find it too hard to boil down the whole book into a single number of stars. Warning: there will be some light spoilers.
2026
This was bloody and poignant and witty all at the same time. The monsters had more humanity than some of the people (particularly the priests!). Sullivan interwove narratives from three different time periods in a particularly effective way.
I’m so glad I read these after the full series was out, so I could fall into the story uninterrupted. I devoured all three in Roanhorse’s trilogy and loved spending a couple months in this truly epic world. The world building was so complete and intricate. So many of the characters were both villain and hero–the problems here had no easy answers.
I always appreciate a MC who is still adventurous and troublesome in mid-life, as Amina certainly is. This pirate comes out of retirement for one last job and, as expected, it all goes awry. A fun read.
A murder in space, a whip-smart, knitting detective, a library full of memories, AND queer characters! What else could you need. I loved this cozy sci-fi mystery. The second book is already on my list.
A scullion maid is elevated to perilous magical fame, at a time in the Spanish Inquisition where being magical is dangerous. Every character felt fully formed here, and Bardugo shows us the secret desires and terrors of each against the backdrop of a vivid Madrid.
I had the joy of seeing T.Kingfisher’s talk on Mycology, Decay, and Metaphor, and it made me love her all the more. This dark reimagining of Snow White had an awkwardly lovable MC (Kingfisher’s speciality) and a fascinating delve into mirrors. Like so many things, it felt a bit rushed to me. I’d love a series to explore the mirror world and Anja’s poisons.
This story of Luli Wei’s break into Hollywood was too sinister, and too mesmerizing, to look away. At every turn, I urged Luli to run from the Hollywood dreams that consumed (literally) her fellow stars, while at the same time feeling the irresistible pull of the place. An enchanting and eerie read.
A dizzying story of a lady-knight (I love you Una!) and her bumbling historian, looping back and forth in time trying, and failing, to change their ending. It resonated with so much of what we see in the world today–how those in power twist history to fit the narrative that will keep them on top.
Hamilton uses multi-POVs to great affect to highlight class differences in her world, elevating this to something more complex and interesting than the typical magical-competition story. I adored both Holtzfall cousins fighting to be heir to their family’s massive fortune, and the ending was a delightful, nail-biting surprise.
A magical, witty fox/woman, being chased by a kind, older detective pining after his childhood sweetheart. The 1st person voice of Snow, the fox/woman, was brilliantly written, and the tangled web of story was too. This was somehow both passionate and richly nuanced.
The 2nd in The Chronicles of Castellane series, this one was just as intricate and page-turning as the first. I loved the camaraderie in the Ragpicker King’s crew and the intrigue following the Big Disaster at the end of the 1st book. Clare has truly written an epic. Am counting the days until the 3rd one comes out in 2028.
One of my favorite series in the “cozy” category, perhaps because there is still plenty of intrigue and tension. Queer detective, queer professor, on Saturn, with trains! It hits every box for a murder mystery I didn’t know I needed.
If I wanted Rose/House to be a full novel, then you won’t be surprised I wanted this one to be a duology. There was simply not enough room for Dr. Walden’s two love interests, her badass magic tattoos, hormonal student magicians, and the school’s financial troubles. Dr. Walden was a nuanced character and a celebration of how wonderful it can be to reach adulthood, even in a society that overvalues youth.
I needed this to be a full novel! A haunted, sentient house. A body behind a locked door. Intriguing characters and a desert just far enough in the future to be easily imaginable. A concept this big deserves more space than a novella.
I loved this so much that after I finished my library copy, I went out and bought it and read it again. This time travel spy thriller does so much so superbly. You’re deeply immersed in the narrator’s consciousness; it was halfway through the book before I realized we didn’t know her name. The time traveler’s utter confusion with present day (after being plucked from the past) resonated with how strange the world is even for those of us born in this time.
2025
At times both melancholy and hopeful, this magical realism story set in the Alaskan wilderness was, at its heart, about human connection. The magical element was so interwoven I started to doubt whether it was magic at all. A beautiful story about a couple who finds love in each other and in community in the most desolate, rugged of places.
An impressively detailed world and deeply rich characters made this a wonderful read. None of the characters’ motivations were simple. The story was a nuanced reflection about power and the moral sacrifices people make to get it. Very much looking forward to reading the next one.
This book highlighted my conflicted feels about cozy fantasy. I understand the desire to quit your job, start a tea shop, and have uncomplicated romance. But I longed for more tension and growth in the relationship and for problems the characters couldn’t easily dispense with. Which wouldn’t make it cozy after all.
The main character, Charlie Hall, was gritty and foolish and I loved her. The shadow magic was full-bodied (pun intended), and the heists kept me hooked until the end. I can’t wait to read the next one, Thief of Night.
The eeriest part of Pinsker’s novel is how easily I can imagine this not-too-distant-future. Who wouldn’t want a tiny, stylish implant that allows you to infinitely multitask? Spoiler Alert: You don’t want it. Trust me. For this one, the novel’s ending was too quick and neat for me. If a mega tech corporation is going down, I want to see its fall in agonizing detail.
