It has been a very long while indeed since we have done a book list based on what we think characters from a beloved franchise would like to read. But with the new Suzanne Collins “Hunger Games” book “Sunrise on the Reaping” finally out, we were inspired to bring this back once again! Here are some books that we think would pair well with some of our favorite characters in Panem!
We’re pretty sure that we’ve recommended this classic fantasy to other fictional characters before, but it was just too on point to not pick it for our reluctant hero Katniss Everdeen, who ends up being the symbol of a revolution in a brutal dystopian world. Katniss and Frodo Baggins, after all, have a fair amount in common, at least in terms of how their journey progresses. Both find themselves with a huge amount of responsibility that they never wanted or anticipated, with Katniss becoming the Mockingjay and Frodo becoming the Ringbearer. Both are devoted to their loved ones, whether it’s Katniss’s fierce protectiveness over sister Prim, or Frodo’s love for his community in The Shire. And both find themselves deeply traumatized and carrying a heavy burden as their journey gets harder and harder, and more and more loss and despair is heaped upon them. But like Frodo, Katniss knows that she can’t give up, and after all is said and done, while she is still haunted by her ordeal, much like Frodo she does, ultimately, find peace.
Haymitch Abernathy was Katniss’s mentor during her first Hunger Games, and was a winner of his own (and is the protagonist in “Sunrise on the Reaping”), and while he was helping train Katniss and Peeta, he was also working within the system to start the rebellion against Panem during “Catching Fire”. And because of his inner workings before the full on rebellion, I think that he would have found value in “The Simple Sabotage Field Manual”, a guide written by the United States OSS to resist against Nazi/authoritarian rule in Nazi occupied/ wartime Europe. It’s a quick read, with lots of practical and easy information on how to gum up the works and resist against authoritarian oppression, and it was declassified in 2008 for anyone to read. As a rebel working inside as a mentor who ends up playing a huge part in overthrowing Snow’s regime, we think this would be a good choice for him.
Johanna is one of Kate’s very favorite “Hunger Games” characters, and one of those reasons is how angry she is from the moment we meet her until the moment we say goodbye. And rightfully so! Like so many victors, she was subjected to a horrific Games, and even as victor she still lost everything and everyone important to her thanks to Snow and the Capitol. Only to be thrown into the Quarter Quell, into a rebellion, and into a hostage situation thereafter. Of COURSE she was angry. And because of that, she would probably really enjoy, or at least relate to, “Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger” by Soraya Chemaly. In this non-fiction book, Chemaly examines the reasons a woman may be enraged, from microaggressions and mild sexism that she is subjected to every day, to outright violent misogyny that leads to pain and harm. It also encourages women to turn that anger into a tool against their oppressors. And man, would Johanna REALLY love that.
Peeta is the OG soft boy king. And as such, he deserves all the nicest things, including one of the most wholesome cozy fantasies currently published! Really, I think the entire cozy fantasy genre was made for this character. And while there are plenty of books in this subgenre featuring bakeries, I thought that the coffee shop found in this one would fit just as well. Beyond the coffee/pastries of it all, I think the strong focus on re-creating a life for oneself after many previous years of violence would appeal to a character like Peeta. The found family aspect, I think, would also appeal, for a character who naturally inspired trust and friendship from others.
Coriolanus Snow: “Vicious” by V.E. Schwab
This is a quote from the book: “Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.” I mean, can that be more perfect for a character like Snow? While Snow definitely goes the straight villain route, most of the characters in this book take the anti-hero route. But as the prequel shows us, characters who turn down dark paths often have many moments when they could have chosen a different direction. The book also has a strong emphasis on themes of ambition and the risks we are willing to take in the pursuit of power. What’s more, we see what happens when these risks go wrong, and the lessons that are (and are not) learned. Themes that definitely hold true for Snow, though we know where it all leads for him, and it’s not great.
Effie is an interesting character, in that she clearly cares for Katnis and Peeta in her own way and has brief heroic moments. But she’s also fully bought in to the Hunger Games system and revels in all the benefits that she reaps from her involvement in it. And, of course, she is something of a trend setter in the fashion world! That being the case, the blending of ruthless competition and glittering ballgowns found in “The Selection” would be a perfect fit for Effie! If given the choice, I’m sure she would have preferred a competition that focused on jewels and gowns all in the pursuit of a handsome prince, rather than the brutality of the Hunger Games. Rather than perhaps empathizing with the heroic main character of this trilogy, however, Effie would likely have preferred the role of the party master behind it all!
We each have our own preferred genres of choice. Kate loves horrors and thrillers, really anything that will keep her up at night! And Serena enjoys escaping through hidden doors into realms of magic and adventure. We also read mysteries, historical fiction, graphic novels, etc. etc. And that’s not even counting the multitude of sub-genres contained within each greater genre. In this series, one of us will present a list of our favorites from within a given sub-genre of one of our greater preferred genres.
There is a near constant debate going on right now about the definitions and delineations between what constitutes “romantasy” and what should be categorized as fantasy romance. Part of the problem, I think, comes down to simple word order and what it says about the type of book you’re picking up. As readers will have noticed following this series of posts about subgenres, or about these terms in general, is that the primary genre is always the last word, preceded by some sort of descriptor that gives additional detail into the specifics of the subgenre. So, for fantasy, you have things like urbanfantasy or gothic fantasy. Further, for subgenres within romance you see things like dark romance or historical romance. Descriptor followed by primary genre.
Now, if you break apart the term “romantasy” you would get “romantic fantasy,” seeming to indicate that you are reading a fantasy book first and foremost with a dash of romance added in. It should meet all fantasy expectations with more free reign on how the romance is dealt with, as it is the “sub” of the greater “genre.” Unfortunately, this is NOT what “romantasy” means. Instead, it’s the opposite, a subgenre of the romance genre with all the requirements for the romance genre coming in first consideration, with fantasy used only as a support frame for the love story.
This all leaves it very confusing for the readers who are truly looking for the “romance” subgenre of fantasy, instead of the “fantasy” subgenre of romance that is so often being marketed to them. To make matters worse, more and more people are saying that this former option should be called “fantasy romance.” Which, as I just laid out, reads as completely opposite of the way that readers understand and approach genres and subgenres! To those not in the know, “fantasy romance” should be shelved right next to “historical romance” in the romance section; it only makes sense!
As you can see, I’ve labeled this post “romantic fantasy” and I truly think we should push this as the term used for this subgenre. “Romantasy” is so established as a term on its own at this point that I don’t think there would be any confusion regarding the fact that it was originally a combination of these two words. Instead, by using “romantic fantasy” instead of “fantasy romance” we’d be following the traditional rules of categorizing subgenres, thus making it easier for fantasy readers to find their preferred subgenre within this greater whole.
So, all of that said. Here are some “romantic fantasy” books that I think represent the subgenre well. I’ve intentionally tried to pick books that can be seen as the fantasy counterbalance to many of the popular “romantasy” tropes being put out today. Unlike those, these books follow fantasy genre conventions first and foremost, with the romance coming in second fiddle. Per the usual with fantasy, several of these are series, and as such, the romance plays out as slow-burn throughout, with love stories moving only incrementally (if at all!) in some books.
“Wildwood Dancing” by Julier Marillier
Fairie/Fae Romance – Faerie romances are by far one of the most popular sub-subgenres seen in “romantasy” currently. There’s no denying the power of Maas and her influence in this area. On the other side, Marillier is a go-to for any fantasy reader looking for the romance subgenre within. I’m pretty sure every single one of her books would fit within this category. But this one is the closest to the sort of faerie romance that we typically see in “romantasy.” Unlike those, the romantic interest isn’t actually Fae, but much of the story still revolves around faerie, their wonder and danger. A couple other great examples for this with actual Fae romantic interests would be “Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faerie” by Heather Fawcett and “Spinning Silver” by Naomi Novik. I highly recommend both of those as well, but I’m using another book by Novik below and I reviewed the latest “Emily Wilde” book just last week!
“Kushiel’s Legacy” trilogy by Jacqueline Carey
Dark Romance/Enemies-to-Lovers – While I don’t read much of it, I know that “dark romance” is another very popular version of “romantasy” currently making the rounds. And it goes without saying that “enemies to lovers” is the current GOAT of tropes. The romantic fantasy comparable option for this one is a no brainer! “Kushiel’s Dart” goes into undeniably dark directions, both in its exploration of lust and sexuality and in the violence of this world. But there is also one of my favorite love stories at the heart of this trilogy as well! Beyond that, it’s political fantasy novel first and foremost, with detailed world-building and a strong focus on the political manipulations and strategizing of the characters that make up the story. Phedre is probably one of my Top 10 favorite fantasy heroines of all time, and that’s saying something considering just how many great ones there are out there!
“The Books of the Raksura” by Martha Wells
Monster Romance – Ruby Dixon and her “Ice Planet Barbarians” is probably one of the most popular examples of this in “romantasy.” There are less human/monster love stories in fantasy (other than the typical urban fantasy fare with vampires and werewolves, but at this point, those barely count as monsters, as bizarre as that is!). But this was a perfect excuse to shine a light on one of Wells’ most over-looked trilogies! The story follows Moon, a shapeshifter who finds out he has a great destiny. As you can see from the cover art on this and the other books, Wells’ characters are wholly unique species with only small nods to humanistic traits. There is a ton of action and adventure to be found in this trilogy, but also a sweet romance at its heart. I’m hopeful that now that Wells’ other back catalog titles are getting re-prints that we’ll see new editions of these soon!
“Scholomance” trilogy by Naomi Novik
Dark Academia/Rivals-to-Lovers – I’ve already mentioned Naomi Novik on this list, as she has several others books that would easily fit within this subgenre (“Uprooted” is another great example that falls more on the fairytale re-telling side of things). But I wanted to highlight this trilogy as comparable titles to the dark academia trend seen a lot in “romantasy.” I love everything about this trilogy, but the stand-out feature is probably the narrator, El, who has one of the strongest voices as a narrator that I can think of. She’s also prickly and stand-off-ish, and her awkward stumble into the central romance is incredibly endearing.
“A Darker Shade of Magic” trilogy by V. E. Schwab
Multi-POVs/Multi-Romances – To be fair, multi-POV books are by far more common in the fantasy genre than in the romance genre. But as I couldn’t really think of any comparable options for why-choose/throuple romances, here we are. There are two lovely romances in this one, but true to the fact that they are fantasy novels first and foremost, neither love story really starts up until the second book. The central one follows Kel and Lila, the main characters of the story. And the second is a M/M romance that kind of came out of nowhere, but turned out to be heart-wrenching all on its own. Beyond that, the trilogy as a whole is so perfectly crafted that I think it’s one of those rare series where each book individually would warrant a “10” rating.
“The Rook and the Rose” trilogy by M. A. Carrik
Slow Burn – I have to say, it’s hard to think of a true slow burn in “romantasy.” But, as I’ve talked about extensively now, as a subgenre of the romance genre, it’s a bit hard to work a slow burn love story into a true HEA romance novel. But slow burns are a staple of romantic fantasy. As many of the above books highlight as well, the love stories often don’t even get truly started until the second book in. So too with this one. Instead, the focus is more on the intricate world-building, various hidden identities, and the careful balance who know s which of the numerous secrets floating around. The first book barely hints at the central romance, but it really blossoms in the second one!
What romantic fantasy books are your favorites? Let us know in the comments!
So far it’s been cold, but the snow has been lacking, for now the second year in a row! We know other places have been getting their share (if not MORE than their share at times). Why are we hitting negative digits but having to stare out at dirty, brown lawns?? Oh, who are we kidding. Our eyes are too glued to our books to be looking out windows. Here are some upcoming titles we can’t wait to check out!
Serena’s Picks
Book: “The Beasts We Bury” by D. L. Taylor
Publication Date: Feb. 4, 2025
Why I’m Interested: For one thing, I just think this cover is incredibly unique and interesting. For another, the subject matter sounds super unique and interesting! If a bit traumatic, since one of the main character’s abilities seem to be tied to animal death. I don’t love that topic, but if done well, I can also see how it could be used to craft a powerful character arc revolving around power and cruelty. It’s a duel POV title, however, between two love interests, something that I often struggle with. So we’ll see how this one goes!
Book: “Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales” by Heather Fawcett
Publication Date: Feb. 11, 2024
Why I’m Interested: Well, obviously. This is probably my most anticipated sequel of the year, honestly. After the wild success of the first two books, I have every confidence that Fawcett will nail the landing on this one, too! I’m not sure if this is the last one in the series or not (hopefully not!), but the stakes have definitely never been higher! Emily and Wendell are finally making their way together back into Fae to reclaim Wendell’s kingdom. Of course, this is an excellent academic opportunity. But Fae politics are also nothing if not dangerous. It’s really been killing holding off on reading my early copy of this one until an appropriate time!
Book: “Upon a Starlit Tide” by Kell Woods
Publication Date: Feb. 18, 2025
Why I’m Interested: This one could go either way. On one hand, while the first book by this author I read had potential, I by no means loved it. It was maybe a 6 or 7? I also didn’t fail to notice the two portraits of men on the cover, heavily implying there will be a love triangle involved. But, on the other hand, I love fairytale fantasies, and “The Little Mermaid” has been a particularly difficult one to nail down. On the other, OTHER hand, I’m not so sure about the inclusion of “Cinderella,” as well! So, as you can see, I have some very mixed feelings going into this one. But the cover is gorgeous, and I’ve definitely had some surprises from authors on my second attempt with them!
Kate’s Picks
Book: “The Vengeful Dead” by Darcy Coates
Publication Date: February 18, 2025
Why I’m Interested: We are finally at the end of Darcy Coates’s “Gravekeeper” saga, and while I am eager to see how it ends, I’m also not ready to say goodbye to Keira and her ragtag group of friends and her ghostly adventures. I am such a fan of Coates and her really scary stories, but this sort of cozier and lighter series has been such a joy and has shown off her range. I am really hoping that she sticks the landing, but knowing her she will nail it.
Book: “Listen to Your Sister” by Neene Viel
Publication Date: February 4, 2025
Why I’m Interested: I am always on the look out for new voices in the horror genre, and this one has been getting a bit of buzz from other creators and horror reviewers that I generally trust. And when you are comparing it to the works of Jodan Peele I’m absolutely going to be very, very interested. “Listen To Your Sister” is a horror novel about family, hardship, sibling love and complications, and the way that our siblings can be both the most important thing in our life AND a huge stressor. This one caught my eye and I am very interested to see how it all shakes out.
Book: “Deep End” by Ali Hazelwood
Publication Date: February 4, 2025
Why I’m Interested: Well I am once again putting a book that is out of genre for me on my most anticipated list, and it in all likelihood won’t end up reviewed on here, but I don’t care, let me live! I have enjoyed almost everything Ali Hazelwood has put out, and she keeps up with the sub-genre jumping by taking on a sports romance with “Deep End”! I’ve had this one on pre-order from one of my favorite local bookstores for awhile now, and I can’t wait for it show up on my doorstep!
What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!
There are always so many books to look forward to each year. So in this post, we tackle the impossible task of choosing some favorites that we’re most excited about in the next twelve months!
Serena’s Picks
Another year absolutely packed with great books! Now that we’ve finally started doing these “year of” lists, I’m not almost thinking that we need to do one every six months. As you’ll see, this list is heavily loaded towards the first half of the year, mostly because those are the ones that we have firm dates for at this point. I’m sure there will be tons more this coming fall that I haven’t even discovered yet. This year seems to be the year of sequels and returning authors, however, as after I made these lists, I only then noticed they were all picks from authors I’ve enjoyed in the past. To start, here are a few honorable mentions that didn’t make the list: “Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales” by Heather Fawcett, “Hemlock & Silver” by T. Kingfisher, “Queen Demon” by Martha Wells, “Upon a Starlit Tide” by Kell Woods (this is an author I read before but didn’t love, so there you go, almost like a new pick!), and “The Witch Roads” by Kate Elliott.
Book: “The Amber Owl” by Juliet Marillier
Publication Date: February 25, 2025
Book Summary: Stasya lives in an isolated farming village on the edge of the mysterious Heartwood Forest with her unusual dog for company. Thought odd by the locals, she is tolerated for her rare gift with animals. Engaging with her fellow humans is difficult, with one goatherd Lukas, who shares her love of storytelling.
The peace of Heartwood is shattered when a group of soldiers descends, under orders from the Ruler of the Northlands. Their to hack a path through the forest and find the fabled treasure said to lie deep within. Under the grueling decree, Stasya’s village falls into chaos. The task is clearly impossible. The forest is alive with bears and wolves, and the old tales speak of evil spirits, monsters and uncanny beings. Nobody has ever gone deep into Heartwood Forest and returned safe and well.
When Stasya raises her voice in protest she is removed from her beloved home and transported to court – a different world. Word of her special skills has reached the Ruler’s ears, and Lady Elisabeta has a job for her. But Stasya will not break her vow to protect the forest, even under the most appalling threat. Help comes from an unlikely quarter.
Secrets abound; dangers lie everywhere; and it is hard to tell friend from foe. As Stasya and her band of unlikely allies embark on a perilous mission, it becomes apparent that uncanny forces may indeed be involved. Maybe the old tales of the Hermit are true.
Book: “The Floating Word” by Axie Oh
Publication Date: May 13, 2025
Book Summary: Sunho lives in the Under World, a land of perpetual darkness. An ex-soldier, he can remember little of his life from before two years ago, when he woke up alone with only his name and his sword. Now he does odd-jobs to scrape by, until he comes across the score of a lifetime—a chest of coins for any mercenary who can hunt down a girl who wields silver light.
Meanwhile, far to the east, Ren is a cheerful and spirited acrobat traveling with her adoptive family and performing at villages. But everything changes during one of their festival performances when the village is attacked by a horrific humanlike demon. In a moment of fear and rage, Ren releases a blast of silver light—a power she has kept hidden since childhood—and kills the monster. But her efforts are not in time to prevent her adoptive family from suffering a devastating loss, or to save her beloved uncle from being grievously wounded.
Determined to save him from succumbing to the poisoned wound, Ren sets off over the mountains, where the creature came from—and from where Ren herself fled ten years ago. Her path sets her on a collision course with Sunho, but he doesn’t realize she’s the girl that he—and a hundred other swords-for-hire—is looking for. As the two grow closer through their travels, they come to realize that their pasts—and destinies—are far more entwined than either of them could have imagined…
Book: “The Listeners” by Maggie Stiefvater
Publication Date: June 3, 2025
Book Summary: JANUARY 1942. THE AVALLON HOTEL AND SPA offers elegance and sophistication in an increasingly ugly world. Run with precision by June Hudson, the hotel’s West Virginia born-and-bred general manager, the Avallon is where high society goes to see and be seen, and where the mountain sweetwater in the fountains and spas can wash away all your troubles.
June was trained by the Gilfoyles, the hotel’s aristocratic owners, and she has guided the Avallon skillfully through the first pangs of war. Now, though, the Gilfoyle family heir has made a secret deal with the State Department to fill the hotel with captured Axis diplomats. June must convince her staff—many of whom have sons and husbands heading to the frontlines—to offer luxury to Nazis. With a smile.
She also must reckon with Tucker Minnick, the FBI agent whose coal tattoo hints at their shared past in the mountains, and whose search for the diplomats’ secrets disrupts the peace June is fighting so hard to maintain. Hers is a balancing act with dangerous consequences; the sweetwater beneath the hotel can threaten as well as heal, and only June can manage the springs.
As dark alliances and an elusive spy crack the polished veneer of the Avallon, June must calculate the true cost of luxury.
Book: “Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil” by V. E. Schwab
Publication Date: June 10, 2025
Book Summary: Santo Domingo de la Calzada, 1532. London, 1837. Boston, 2019.
Three young women, their bodies planted in the same soil, their stories tangling like roots.One grows high, and one grows deep, and one grows wild.And all of them grow teeth.
Book: “Katabis” by R. F. Kuang
Publication Date: August 28, 2025
Book Summary: Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek:The story of a hero’s descent to the underworld.
Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality: her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world.
That is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.
Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams….
Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the very same conclusion.
With nothing but the tales of Orpheus and Dante to guide them, enough chalk to draw the Pentagrams necessary for their spells, and the burning desire to make all the academic trauma mean anything, they set off across Hell to save a man they don’t even like.
But Hell is not like the storybooks say, Magick isn’t always the answer, and there’s something in Alice and Peter’s past that could forge them into the perfect allies…or lead to their doom.
Kate’s Picks
At the beginning of the year I always love to scour through the titles that are gong to be coming out, and this year we have some GOODIES. So many authors I have adored in the past have books coming out this year, including Joe Hill, though his new book is a little mysterious at this point. After 2024 where I suffered some serious mental health burn out which affected my reading habits, I hope that this year will have more reading in it, no matter what it brings, though this is only the tip of the ice berg when it comes to titles. I’m sure I’ll have more by the time I leave ALAAC in June. But here are the ones that are sticking out right now! Some honorable mentions that didn’t make the final list definitely need a shout out though. So other books I’m looking forward to include “This Book Will Bury Me” by Ashley Winstead, “The Bewitching” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins-Reid, “Vanishing Daughters” by Cynthia Pelayo, and “Lucky Day” by Chuck Tingle.
Book: “The Haunting of Room 904” by Erika Wurth
Publication Date: March 18, 2025
Book Description: From the author of White Horse (“Twisty and electric.” —The New York Times Book Review) comes a terrifying and resonant novel about a woman who uses her unique gift to learn the truth about her sister’s death.
Olivia Becente was never supposed to have the gift. The ability to commune with the dead was the specialty of her sister, Naiche. But when Naiche dies unexpectedly and under strange circumstances, somehow Olivia suddenly can’t stop seeing and hearing from spirits.
A few years later, she’s the most in-demand paranormal investigator in Denver. She’s good at her job, but the loss of Naiche haunts her. That’s when she hears from the Brown Palace, a landmark Denver hotel. The owner can’t explain it, but every few years, a girl is found dead in room 904, no matter what room she checked into the night before. As Olivia tries to understand these disturbing deaths, the past and the present collide as Olivia’s investigation forces her to confront a mysterious and possibly dangerous cult, a vindictive journalist, betrayal by her friends, and shocking revelations about her sister’s secret life.
The Haunting of Room 904is a paranormal thriller that is as edgy as it is heartfelt and simmers with intensity and longing. Erika T. Wurth lives up to her reputation as “a gritty new punkish outsider voice in American horror.”
Book: “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” by Stephen Graham Jones
Publication Date: March 25, 2025
Book Description: A chilling historical horror novel set in the American west in 1912 following a Lutheran priest who transcribes the life of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice.
A diary, written in 1912 by a Lutheran pastor is discovered within a wall. What it unveils is a slow massacre, a chain of events that go back to 217 Blackfeet dead in the snow. Told in transcribed interviews by a Blackfeet named Good Stab, who shares the narrative of his peculiar life over a series of confessional visits. This is an American Indian revenge story written by one of the new masters of horror, Stephen Graham Jones.
Book: “The Staircase in the Woods” by Chuck Wendig
Publication Date: April 29, 2025
Book Description: A group of friends investigates the mystery of a strange staircase in the woods in this mesmerizing horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.
Five high school friends are bonded by an oath to protect one another no matter what. Then, on a camping trip in the middle of the forest, they find something a mysterious staircase to nowhere. One friend walks up—and never comes back down. Then the staircase disappears.
Twenty years later, the staircase has reappeared. Now the group returns to find the lost boy—and what lies beyond the staircase in the woods. . . .
Book: “Not Quite Dead Yet” by Holly Jackson
Publication Date: July 22, 2025
Book Description: In seven days Jet Mason will be dead.
Jet is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont. Twenty-seven years old, she’s still waiting for her life to begin. She’ll do it later, she always says. She has time. Until, on the night of Halloween, Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder. She suffers a catastrophic brain injury. The doctor is certain that within a week, she’ll suffer a deadly aneurysm.
Jet never thought of herself as having enemies. But now she looks at everyone in a new her family, her ex-best friend turned sister-in-law, her former boyfriend.
She only has seven days, and as her condition deteriorates she has only her childhood friend Billy for help. But nevertheless, she’s absolutely determined to finally finish. Jet is going to solve her own murder.
Book: “The Possession of Alba Díaz” by Isabel Cañas
Publication Date: August 19, 2025
Book Description: When a demonic presence awakens deep in a Mexican silver mine, the young woman it seizes must turn to the one man she shouldn’t trust… from bestselling author Isabel Cañas.
In 1765, plague sweeps through Zacatecas. Alba flees with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to his family’s isolated mine for refuge. But safety proves fleeting as other dangers soon bare their teeth: Alba begins suffering from strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and violent convulsions. She senses something cold lurking beneath her skin. Something angry. Something wrong.
Elías, haunted by a troubled past, came to the New World to make his fortune and escape his family’s legacy of greed. Alba, as his cousin’s betrothed, is none of his business. Which is of course why he can’t help but notice her every time she enters a room or the growing tension between them… and why he notices her deteriorate when the demon’s thirst for blood grows stronger.
What books are you all looking forward to this year? Let us know in the comments!
Welcome to 2025, for better or for worse! We never know what we’re going to get with a new year, but one things is always guaranteed: there are sure to be great books in the year ahead! We’ll be posting our regular monthly picks here, but look forward to our list of top picks for the entire year of 2025 coming in a few weeks!
Serena’s Picks
Book: “A Sea of Unspoken Things” by Adrienne Young
Publication Date: Jan. 7, 2025
Why I’m Interested: Adrienne Young is one of those awesome writers who not only produces incredible books, but also manages to pump that out practically on a yearly basis! Between her and Silvia Morena-Garcia, I’m always guaranteed a few great reads a year! This one sounds like another entry into her recent foray into contemporary romantic fantasy stories. Again, we follow a young woman with a mysterious past as she returns to a home town she fled from years before. Of course, there’s a second chance romance in there as well!
Book: “Water Moon” by Samantha Sotto Yambao
Publication Date: Jan. 14, 2025
Why I’m Interested: While I’m not a big fan girl of Studio Ghibli, I was also intrigued by the description of a highly whimsical contemporary fantasy story that follows the owner of a pawn shop that deals in regrets. The cover itself is also pretty great! Plus, it promises a nice romance at its heart, so there’s a lot of potential here! Can’t wait to check it out soon!
Book: “A Crown So Silver” by Lyra Selene
Publication Date: Jan. 21, 2025
Why I’m Interested: I really enjoyed “A Feather So Black” when I read it last year. Not only was it a unique version of “Swan Lake,” but it managed to tack in a love triangle that I didn’t end up hating. It didn’t end on a cliffhanger per se, but there was definitely a lot left to be handled in the sequels. As the middle book in a trilogy, this one faces an uphill battle, but I’m excited to see how this one manages it! Mostly, I hope that the main couple doesn’t fall into the trap of pointless drama in the pursuit of “tension.” We shall see!
Kate’s Picks
Book: “Wake Up and Open Your Eyes” by Clay McLeod Chapman
Publication Date: January 7, 2025
Why I’m Interested: Clay McLeod Chapman is one of my favorite horror authors writing today, and I am always excited and apprehensive to pick up one of his novels because I know that he doesn’t hold back. Enter “Wake Up and Open Your Eyes”, his newest horror novel where he satirizes far Right wing media and the way that it seems like it brainwashes its consumers, and poisons the rest of American society. In this case, Right Wing cable news viewers (as well as other Right Wing media consumers) turn into violent possessed automatons who attack anyone who doesn’t think like them. A bit on the nose for 2025, but that’s the point. Buckle up. It’s gonna be rough.
Book: “Witchcraft for Wayward Girls” by Grady Hendrix
Publication Date: January 14, 2025
Why I’m Interested: I also really enjoy Grady Hendrix and the quirky horror stories that he comes up with, usually with a bit of a tongue in cheek flair. But this time around he’s not only taking on witchcraft, but also the tragedies and injustices of young unwed mother homes and the traumas that came with such circumstances for many, many teenage girls in the years before Roe v Wade. As someone who is deeply disturbed by the way we’re movie backwards on reproductive rights in America AND who loves witchcraft stories, this is a book that has been on my radar for AWHILE. I’m sure it will be heartwrenching as well as quirky. Which it absolutely should be.
Book: “Mask of the Deer Woman” by Laurie L. Dove
Publication Date: January 21, 2025
Why I’m Interested: Procedurals continue to be a guilty pleasure of mine, and I’m always thrilled to see procedurals written from more diverse perspectives. Berkley was kind enough to send me access to “Mask of the Deer Woman” by Laurie L. Dove, which is not only a police procedural dealing with missing women themes, it is also starring an Indigenous female former cop now working on a reservation who want to look into the disappearances of multiple Indigenous women. Throw in some mythology involving Deer Woman and I am even more excited. I hope that this is a start to a new series I can follow!
What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!
Another a year, another almost impossible task trying to each choose our Top 10 Reads of the year! For me, the word “favorite” is an important part of this list. As I go through the last year’s worth of reading, I often found that some books would strike particular chords within me more deeply than others, even if, quality-wise, another book might be stronger. Of course, this just makes it all that much harder to put them in any order. But here it goes! Today I’m going to countdown my favorites reads, five through 1. And since it’s the end of the reading year, don’t forget to enter our “12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!”
While this list often includes authors that I’ve read and loved for years, I’m always the happiest about entries from authors who are new to me! Such is the case with this one! I typically have a decent idea of what sort of book I’m getting when I first pick one up (not spoilery, but I’ve usually done some research into themes and tropes and such), but this one was almost a blank slate for me and I think this made it better than ever! I called this one “hard fantasy” in my review, and I stand by this definition. This is the ultimate case of a second world fantasy story where the reader is dropped into a completely strange world, full of magic, creatures, and even forms of transportation that are almost totally unrecognizable from anything we have in the real world. And the author doesn’t hand hold you; readers are left to piece it together for themselves! Some enjoy this more than others, but I, for one, love it! It also didn’t hurt that I loved the main character and the sub-sub-plot romance that was included.
4. “Dark Water Daughter”/”Black Tide Son” by H.M. Long
Every year there’s some sort of…well…”cheating” is an awfully strong word now isn’t it, on this list. But I read both of the books in this series this year and within a few months of one another and loved them both, so there’s no real way of picking one over the other. Instead, as a pair, they tell an excellent nautical fantasy story featuring two fantastic characters and a swoon-worthy romance to boot! I loved the magical elements included in this world and, while I thought this was just a duology when I read the second one, I’m incredibly excited to return to this world when the next book comes out this summer!
See, now I could have cheated on this one, too, as I read both books in this duology this year as well! But, while I loved them both, I did enjoy the first one more than the second, so I was good and am just including this one on the list. But this is also another example of a brand new to me author hitting it out of the park! I loved the folklore-style of this fantasy story and the team up between a grumpy witch and the more golden retriever-esque cop that she must work with. However, while that sounds rather fluffy, this book doesn’t shy away from getting into some dark topics about abusive relationships and the deep cuts they can leave on a person. The second book was an excellent conclusion, and I highly recommend the duology as a whole!
I said this in my review but I’ll say it again: Emily Lloyd-Jones is one of the most underrated YA fantasy authors writing today! Honestly, it’s criminal that her books seem to get so little hype considering how vastly superior they are in every way to many of the other YA fantasy books that blow up! You’ve got complicated, believable characters, rich, immersive world-building, and sweet but complex romances! I’ve yet to read a book by her that wasn’t a banger, and this one was no exception. Instead, I was yet again impressed by Lloyd-Jones willingness to truly commit to the characters and story she is writing. People make truly morally grey decisions, and then others react to those decision in complicated ways. It’s so refreshing to see an author who isn’t just playing it safe with their storytelling. I highly recommend this one, especially if you enjoy fairytale-like fantasy stories!
This was one of those books where I turned the last page and felt fairly confident that I’d just read my number 1 read for the year. And this was way back in the spring! But it’s just that good! I’ve enjoyed Bardugo’s books in the past, but this one felt like it reached a new level, somehow perfectly blending fantasy, historical fiction, and literary fiction all into one beautifully written tome. There wasn’t a misstep to be found. It was one of those books where I lost myself in the story, but at the same time, was aware of just how beautiful the writing itself was. I could honestly rave about this book for ages, but at this point you’ve read not only my original review but also the bookclub reviews that Kate and I posted, so I’ll just leave it with this: if ever a book deserved the top slot on my “Top Ten” list, this was it!
So, there we have it, my top reads for the year! Now it’s time to cheat and include some honorable mentions that didn’t make the list. Some of these I would have included but for the fact that I listed another book in the series last year, so I didn’t want the list to get repetitive. Others were just shy of making the cut on their own, but still well worth a shout out! Here they are:
Another a year, another almost impossible task trying to each choose our Top 10 Reads of the year! Like past years I won’t be including re-reads, sometimes my opinion of a book could change and evolve after I had read it, so some surprises may be up near the top, as well as perhaps a book or two that didn’t make my reviews on here initially due to genre limitations. But here they are, ready for a countdown! And since it’s the end of the reading year, don’t forget to enter our“Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway”! Today I’m going to countdown my favorite reads, five to one.
I really loved Kendare Blake’s take on the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” characters in her reboot series, and her final installment really lived up to all my expectations. “Against the Darkness” didn’t just do a satisfactory job of wrapping up all the loose ends of her original characters, specifically that of Willow’s Slayer-Witch daughter Frankie and her friends, but it also was a treat for this Elder Millennial “Buffy” fan who was absolutely in love with Spike, as her characterization of him was spot on, bringing out the humor and the sentimentality of this sarcastic dork of a vampire (and as a Spuffy fan, it was SO good). I was so thrilled it wrapped up the way it did.
Boy are there a lot of vampire stories on my list this year, but given that we are kind of in a vampire renaissance in horror fiction at the moment it isn’t really surprising. My favorite vampire tale of the year, however, is very clearly “First Light”, Liz Kerin’s sequel to “Night’s Edge” (which made my list last year). We follow Mia after the events of the first book, having lost her vampire mother and hoping to get her revenge against the vampire that ruined their lives, and man oh man is it an emotional rollercoaster about loss, grief, and ultimately healing. And the continued themes of mothers and daughters and the fraught complexities that can come with that really put me through the emotional ringer. Just fantastic.
I know that Holly Gibney is a bit of a polarizing figure for Stephen King fans, but I have always loved her, and his newest book about her REALLY blew me away. Not only did we get to see Holly having to maneuver through a particularly difficult case involving missing people and a malevolent elderly couple that does horrifying things with their murder victims, we also see her having to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulties that came with the Delta Wave, especially for a coded neurodivergent woman such as herself. I found this story to be incredibly engaging and absolutely haunting, with one particular moment sure to stick with me for a long, long time.
2. “I Was A Teenage Slasher” by Stephen Graham Jones
Since I love the slasher sub-genre of horror, as well as a glam metal soundtrack AND some serious pathos in basically any of my stories, “I Was A Teenage Slasher” was destined to make my top five reads of 2024. And it is also hands down my favorite of Stephen Graham Jones’s novels, with his usual deconstruction of the genre really working overtime here to create a scary and deeply emotional coming of age tale about a reluctant but burgeoning teenage slasher killer in 1980s Texas. It had moments of high suspense and well done horror beats, while also bringing tears to my eyes multiple times. Jones is such a treasure, and this is him at his best.
This was my first Tananarive Due novel, as I’d read a few short stories by her before this, and man oh man did it ever blow me away. It was one of the first books I read in 2024, and I knew from the jump that it was going to be hard to beat as my favorite for the year. Due is a master of not only conveying some really eerie supernatural horrors in this book, but also the very real horrors of American racism, specifically in Jim Crow Florida as a young Black teen is sent to a reformatory school as punishment for a minor crime that he didn’t deserve punishment for. I’ve been recommending this to basically anyone who will listen to me, and now I am happy to showcase it as my very favorite read of 2024. Absolutely astounding.
That’s it for my favorite reads of 2024! What were some of yours this year?
Another a year, another almost impossible task trying to each choose our Top 10 Reads of the year! For me, the word “favorite” is an important part of this list. As I go through the last year’s worth of reading, I often found that some books would strike particular chords within me more deeply than others, even if, quality-wise, another book might be stronger. Of course, this just makes it all that much harder to put them in any order. But here it goes! Today I’m going to countdown my favorites reads, ten to six. And since it’s the end of the reading year, don’t forget to enter our “12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!”
I don’t get around to science fiction nearly as often as I’d like to. And then I read books like this one that remind me what fun a good sci-fi books has to offer! Not only does this one tackle several of the most popular aspects of space adventures (strange alien creatures, struggles with survival and isolation, political maneuvering) it also included a tournament featuring massive mechs bashing each other. Which was just as cool as it sounded! Even more, I was impressed by how well Wolf managed to make each bout feel uniquely challenging with new ways the joust played out. The main character is new to this competition, and I appreciated that she was immediately just the bestest best ever. I also really enjoyed the political aspects of this story and the set-up of the romance and some of the larger mysteries at play. Can’t wait for the sequel!
This was one of those fortuitous situations where a book that was completely off my radar blew me away! I’d seen this title in passing, but it wasn’t until the publicist reached out about coverage that I truly looked into it. And boy am I glad I did! This is one of those strange fantasy novels that’s very hard to place within a subgenre. It’s hilarious and follows a quirky cast of characters who are both found and blood family, so it’d seem like it might fit in as a cozy fantasy. But then it was also incredibly dark, so dark fantasy? It also had a distinct feeling of both urban fantasy mixed with folklore. Somehow, all of these things came together to form an incredible stand-alone tale. While all of these elements worked well (I really loved the two main characters!), I do distinctly remember reading this after quite a low point as far as humor in fantasy books go, and this one returned my faith that it is possible to write a good comedic fantasy story!
Surprising no one, the new T. Kingfisher book is on my list! I swear, it’s like Kingfisher somehow got her hands on a list of my personal favorite tropes and themes of fantasy stories and then has proceeded to write those books for the last decade. I’ve had favorites, for sure, but we’re talking favorites out of a selection of other favorites! This one was particularly intriguing as it was a loose re-telling of “The Goose Girl” with a lot of added horror and spookiness to boot! How she managed to write a book that had such a slow build of dread throughout while also be laugh-out-loud funny is beyond me! I also particularly liked the second chance romance for the older woman protagonist. Not something you typically find, but so well done, especially as its only a side plot. Feel assured, the next time this author releases a book, it will probably end up on that year’s list as well!
Book: “The Songbird and the Heart of Stone” by Carissa Broadbent
Here’s another one that will surprise nobody! After discovering Broadbent’s books last winter, I’ve been trying to slowly space out my reading of her back catalog. But there’s always something special about reading a brand new title! And this one was highly anticipated as it follows Mische, a character we met in the previous duology set in this world. There was a lot to like about this book (except perhaps the cliffhanger which is now killing me!), but one thing that stood out was the MMC romantic lead. I’ve liked all of Broadbent’s romantic heroes so far, but this one really stood out as checking off many of the boxes that I personally like to see! Give me the reserved, overly-obsessed-with-the-rules serious man every time! Mische was also great in the sunshine role of this grumpy/sunshine romance, being both a more light character, but also one who has some deep trauma that she must work through over the course of the story.
I typically don’t enjoy short story collections as much as novels, so it’s kind of a surprise to find one on this list! On the other hand, if there ever was going to be a collection like this here, it makes sense that it would come from Novik, an author who has written many different sorts of fantasy novels, all of which I have loved! And this collection was a perfect serving of all of these, rewarding readers of all of her biggest series with additional glances into these worlds. I believe I mentioned in last year’s “Top 10” list that I always seem to include some sort of Jane Austen re-telling on the list. Well, this year, that is covered by the fantastic re-imagining of “Pride and Prejudice” that is transferred into the world of Novik’s “Temerairre” world that is included in this collection. I enjoyed all of the stories here, but this one was probably my favorite! We also got a brief look into the world of her next series, so now I’m even more eager for that to come out.
So that’s ten through six. Next time I will give a countdown of my top five. What have been some of your favorite reads of 2024?
Another a year, another almost impossible task trying to each choose our Top 10 Reads of the year! Like past years I won’t be including re-reads, sometimes my opinion of a book could change and evolve after I had read it, so some surprises may be up near the top, as well as perhaps a book or two that didn’t make my reviews on here initially due to genre limitations. But here they are, ready for a countdown! And since it’s the end of the reading year, don’t forget to enter our“Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway”! Today I’m going to countdown my favorite reads, ten to six.
I have loved Rachel Harrison’s books basically ever since I read her book “The Return”, and I was very excited to see what she did with a favorite sub-genre of mine: vampires! And I was very pleased with how she not only took on vampires as a mythos, but also how she portrayed some relatable themes like complicated female friendships, anxiety about aging, and the need to reinvent oneself. “So Thirsty” is creepy, funny, and heartfelt, and I think it may be one of my favorites of Harrison’s, if not THE favorite (“Cackle” is hard to top but this one is VERY close to doing so).
9. “Tunis to Sydney” by Meriam and Christian Carnouche
This was a surprise read for me this year, as I hadn’t heard of it until Christian Carnouche reached out to me asking if I’d be willing to review it. And then I ended up really loving it as I read this story about grief, homecoming, and perseverance through tragedy and loss. Not only is the story deeply touching and very emotional, the illustrations are gorgeous and match the tone very well. It was probably my biggest reading surprise of 2024 and it made my Favorite Reads of 2024 List handily.
I do occasionally dabble into romance novels (more now than I did when we started this blog), and I really enjoy finding romances that overlap with other interests. Like vampires!! And this sequel outdid its predecessor! I think that was due in part to the fact that we were following Reggie this time, who is a decidedly more Lestat-y vampire than the Louis vibes that Frederick was giving in the first one. I also really enjoyed the main female character Amelia, as her high strung-ness really balanced out with Reggie’s snark and mercurial nature. It really was a perfect romance that didn’t take itself super seriously.
Paul Tremblay is almost guaranteed to make my end of year list if he has a novel out, and “Horror Movie” was no exception. In this book he takes on a couple of themes that lend themselves very well to a horror tale. The first is the overly concept of a cursed film and how lore around it can be built up through word of mouth and urban legendmaking. The next is how he explores the relationship between an artist, their art, and how it can be transformative for better or for worse (in thise case, absolutely worse). This one has some really scary and high tense bits, and I found it super freaky, and up there with some of my favorites of his.
6. “Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey” by Edel Rodriguez
This graphic memoir blew me away when I read it in the first few months of this past year. I’m sorry to say that we didn’t heed the warning that Rodriguez gave in regards to letting an authoritarian gain a position of utmost power in this country, but…. Anyway, I loved this frank, at times distressing, but ultimately hopeful memoir of Edel Rodriguez’s childhood in Cuba, and the way his family escaped Castro’s regime. It’s an emotional take for sure, but his tenacity, his candor, and his amazing artwork really bring the entire story together. If you like memoirs but haven’t read “Worm”, do yourself a favor and go pick it up.
So that’s ten through six. Next time I will give a countdown of my top five. What have been some of your favorite reads of 2024?
Don’t just take it from us, other readers like these books, too! And we have decided that we would like to showcase other reviewers and bloggers that have their own thoughts and feelings about books that we have loved. Here are a few of the books we’ve enjoyed recently and what other bloggers have to say about them.
Book: “The Wild Huntress” by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Book Description: Every five years, two kingdoms take part in a Wild Hunt. Joining is a bloody risk and even the most qualified hunters can suffer the deadliest fates. Still, hundreds gamble their lives to participate—all vying for the Hunt’s life-changing prize: a magical wish granted by the Otherking.
BRANWEN possesses a gift no other human has: the ability to see and slay monsters. She’s desperate to cure her mother’s sickness, and the Wild Hunt is her only option.
GWYDION is the least impressive of his magically-talented family, but with his ability to control plants and his sleight of hand, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his cruel older brother from becoming a tyrant.
PRYDERI is prince-born and monster-raised. Deep down, the royal crown doesn’t interest him—all he wants is to know is where he belongs.
If they band together against the monstrous creatures within the woods, they have a chance to win. But, then again, nothing is guaranteed when all is fair in love and the Hunt.
Book Description: Less than one year into her marriage to respected magistrate George Knightley, Emma has grown unusually content in her newfound partnership and refreshed sense of independence. The height of summer sees the former Miss Woodhouse gracefully balancing the meticulous management of her elegant family estate and a flurry of social engagements, with few worries apart from her beloved father’s health . . .
But cheery circumstances change in an instant when Emma and Harriet Martin, now the wife of one of Mr. Knightley’s tenant farmers, discover a hideous shock at the local church. The corpse of Mrs. Augusta Elton, the vicar’s wife, has been discarded on the altar steps—the ornate necklace she often wore stripped from her neck . . .
As a chilling murder mystery blooms and chaos descends upon the tranquil village of Highbury, the question isn’t simply who committed the crime, but who wasn’t secretly wishing for the unpleasant woman’s demise. When suspicions suddenly fall on a harmless local, Emma—armed with wit, unwavering determination, and extensive social connections—realizes she must discreetly navigate an investigation of her own to protect the innocent and expose the ruthless culprit hiding in plain sight.
Book Description:Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, of providing for her family by making alchemical gold and gems for the wealthy to eat in order to stay young forever. But for now, she’s trapped in her impoverished village in southern China, practicing an illegal form of alchemy to keep food on the table—resurrecting the dead, for a price.
When Zilan finally has the chance to complete her imperial exams, she ventures to the capital to compete against the best alchemists in the country in tasks she’ll be lucky to survive, let alone pass. On top of that, her reputation for raising the dead has followed her to the capital, and the Crown Prince himself seeks out her help, suspecting a coming assassination attempt.
The more Zilan succeeds in her alchemy, the more she gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. There are monsters lurking within the palace walls, and it’s only a matter of time before they—and secrets of Zilan’s past—catch up with her.
Book Description: A virus is spreading across America, transforming the infected and making them feral with lust. Sophie, a good Catholic girl, must traverse the hellscape of the midwest to try to find her family while the world around her burns. Along the way she discovers there are far worse fates than dying a virgin.
Book Description: Nothing sucks more than fake dating a vampire in this paranormal romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire.
Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she’s tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone–anyone–to pose as her date.
After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he’s perfect for her purposes. He’s a bit strange, but that’s fine; it’ll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.
As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia’s first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic.
Book Description: A woman must learn to take life by the throat after a night out leads to irrevocable changes in this juicy, thrilling novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Such Sharp Teeth and Black Sheep.
Sloane Parker is dreading her birthday. She doesn’t need a reminder she’s getting older, or that she’s feeling indifferent about her own life. Her husband surprises her with a birthday weekend getaway—not with him, but with Sloane’s longtime best friend, troublemaker extraordinaire Naomi.
Sloane anticipates a weekend of wine tastings and cozy robes and strategic avoidance of issues she’d rather not confront, like her husband’s repeated infidelity. But when they arrive at their rental cottage, it becomes clear Naomi has something else in mind. She wants Sloane to stop letting things happen to her, for Sloane to really live. So Naomi orchestrates a wild night out with a group of mysterious strangers, only for it to take a horrifying turn that changes Sloane’s and Naomi’s lives literally forever.
The friends are forced to come to terms with some pretty eternal consequences in this bloody, seductive novel about how it’s never too late to find satisfaction, even though it might taste different than expected.
The Library Ladies 