It’s been a long time since an epic high fantasy sank its claws into me like this, and I’m already itching for the next installment. If you loved The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen or crave the high-stakes vibes of Rebecca Yarros’ Onyx Storm, Smoke and Scare might just be your next obsession.
What a story. I originally picked this book up because the cover, title, and synopsis intrigued me. It wasn’t until I was already a good ~20% in that I realized it was actually book two of a trilogy. So, naturally, I paused, went back, and read book one first…
This was my 161st read of the year… and I think it just became my favorite. It’s not a “fun” read—in fact, much of it reminds me of the current state of the world, the dangerous direction we’re heading in, and the devastatingly sad effects of hate, but the concept of songlight, humanity’s resilience, and the potential for peace is so beautiful.
I picked up The Only Good Indians because I’d read The Buffalo Hunter Hunter earlier this year and was drawn in by Jones’ entirely unique storytelling. And while that continues to be the case here, I found this book oddly… slow?
This one has all the right ingredients, especially for this time of year! A dark, feminist Bluebeard retelling with witchy undertones and a setting and vibes straight out of Rebecca or Jane Eyre??? Yes, please!
While this book could use a bit more developmental editing and a good copy edit, I kind of… loved it? Ha. It was easy to read and get hooked on, I enjoyed Stark’s writing style and the world-building, and I especially liked the banter and relationship between the main characters.
Much like Good Stab had to tell his story to Pastor Beaucarne in a piecewise fashion, I felt like I had to read this book in a similar manner to fully absorb it.
Every so often I come across a WWII novel that offers a perspective I haven’t read before, and The Night Sparrow was one of those books. Told through the eyes of a female Soviet Jewish sniper, it dives into a part of history that is often overlooked, giving space to stories that deserve to be remembered.
Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado is a fantastic start to an epic fantasy series set in a remarkable African-inspired world. The prologue was excellent, and I was instantly hooked (in fact, I ended up reading the whole book in less than 24 hours).
I finished A Forbidden Alchemy weeks ago and I still think about it almost every single day. It’s not just the best book I’ve read this year—it might be one of my favorite books ever. Stacey McEwan owns me now, and I’m not even mad about it.
A Song in the Storm by Riley Knight is a bold, multi-POV epic with rich world-building, layered politics, a touch of romance, and a story that rewards patience. It kept me guessing the entire time—and I loved watching all the threads come together. If you’re into fantasy that doesn’t spoon-feed you but absolutely delivers, pick this one up.
Quiet, sad, and strange in its own way. The Haunting of Velkwood had a premise I couldn’t wait to dive into: a neighborhood warped by supernatural isolation, a surreal haunting, and a tragic friendship at the heart of it all.
