Posted on by hrchow12

Best books of 2024

So far in 2024, I read (and by read, I mean, mostly listened to, as I’m primarily an audiobook listener) 82 books! Like last year, I scrolled through my Goodreads reviews and tried to pick out the reads that were a cut above the rest, and tried to bin them in a genre.

For the record, I usually love fast-paced books with likable characters and satisfying endings. Throw a slowburn romance in there, and you’ve got me completely hooked. That said, sometimes the books I like the most are those I had no idea I was looking for. This year, I feel like my 8 favorites were all over the map.

Without further ado (and in no particular order):

Favorite Middle Grade read

So I read a lot of good middle grade this year, but this one was truly just a magical, cozy adventure. This book started me on T. Kingfisher reading binge, and I absolutely just adore the way her characters pop and her unique stories unfold. Can’t recommend this one enough. Full review here!

Favorite Young Adult Read

The show was amazing, and yet the graphic novel was somehow better. This series sucked me in so much I basically put everything else on hold so I could devour them. The characters are lovely, the art is fantastic, and the story just feels so poignantly YA, it’s really just jaw-droppingly good. I blew through the first five books, and you can find the full review here!

Favorite Fantasy

This one was so completely atmospheric and transportive. The writing was fantastic, the characters were delightful, and months later, I’m still thinking about this book. Quite frankly, this may have been one of the best fairy tale retellings I think I’ve ever read. And this was her debut!?! Seriously, I can’t wait for more from Poranek. Full review here.

Favorite Series

I’d file this under: books I didn’t know I needed in my life. Apparently this a LitRPG, and six audiobooks later (each of which are about 20 hours long), I still can’t get enough. Action-packed, hilarious, and with incredible world-building, if this series could actually never end, that would be awesome. Impatiently waiting for the seventh audiobook in 2025. Full review of books 1-6 here!

Favorite Children’s Book

I have a 6-year-old and an 8-year-old, so I have read *a lot* of picture books in the last five years, and it’s very rare that one sticks out. Really have to give it this one for being the full package with lovely illustrations, writing, and message. Full review here.

Favorite Horror

This was my first read of 2024, and I knew pretty much immediately that it would make this list. Hilarious, disturbing, and deep all at once, with turns that keep you guessing, I basically ran to recommend this to my friends. I definitely need more smart horror like this. Full review here.

Favorite Romance

This one legit jumped out of nowhere at me. Like seriously, I think I was aimlessly scrolling through the Libby app when I stumbled upon it. But it was just a such a sweet romance (with a little spice), I can’t even. I get a warm fuzzy feeling just thinking about it! Full review here!

Favorite Paranormal

I read a *lot* of books that didn’t live up to the hype this year. This was not one of them. Ali Hazelwood books have been hit or miss for me, but this was a big hit. A vampire, werewolf world with the feel of a romcom? Um, yes please. Fingers seriously crossed for a sequel. Full review here.

2024 was another fantastic year of reading! I’m still catching my blog up on my Goodreads reviews, but if I missed some of your favorites from this year, definitely drop them in the comments and I’ll check them out on Goodreads! Please remember to support your favorite authors with ratings and reviews to spread the word about their amazing books, and as always, thanks for reading! 😊

Cheers to a 2025 filled with even more awesome books!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Heartless Hunter

Duuuuddddeeee. This one is intense. Exactly what enemies to lovers fantasy is meant to be. I have been in a *serious* reading slump, and DNF’ed my last like 4 reads, but this one kept my attention from start to finish.

What I liked:
– The darkness and intensity of this book are pitch-perfect
– All the main characters are complex and interesting
– The set-up for book 2
– An ACTUAL enemies to lovers (I feel like so many books these days are like dislike or annoyance-to-love, this one is no-kidding justified hatred.

What I am still mulling over:
– So, I like Gideon and Rune as people, but for some reason their chemistry as a pair wasn’t quite right for me. Like, I don’t think I’m really rooting for them or against them, but I am *extremely* curious to see how it turns out. This could be the reading slump talking, or it could be that maybe, at the heart of it, I haven’t been converted yet from the “enemies” to “lovers” camp… Emphasis on the “yet.” Which also has me googling when book 2 is getting here, because I need it yesterday.

Also, a side note on the audiobook. This story has dual POVs (which I ADORE), but only one narrator. While the narration was amazing, I’m still hoping book 2 might have two narrators for the two POVs? Pretty please?

Which is all to say, you should definitely check out this read and then lemme know what you think, because it’s definitely one of my top reads this year so far.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

5 stars for being super curious where the sequel takes us. I really need more mortal enemies to lovers in my life.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – A House with Good Bones

I loved A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking as well as SwordHeart, so I think this officially marks me as a T. Kingfisher fan, and I’m pretty sure I have another three or four of her books downloaded at this moment.

What I liked:
– Quirky characters with a fun voice
– Interesting magic/horror elements
– Quick read
– The writing style is both fun and interesting, (and at times, revolting in a horror-y way) keeping me engaged from the first page

What I didn’t like:
– This was a short book, but I feel like I would’ve like a little more from all of the support characters (but mostly the handyman)

Totally recommend for anyone looking for a quick, fun read with a fun main character and little pops of horror and magic. And I’m looking forward to my next read from Kingfisher.

⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Basically 2024 turned into a big T. Kingfisher year, and I’m all about it.

Thanks for reading!

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Book Review – A Castle of Broken Memories (Black Forest Fantasies Book 2)

A Castle of Broken Memories was such an awesome addition to this series! I loved this spicy Jack and the Beanstalk retelling with werewolves, vampires, magic, and of course, my personal favorite—the irreverent Tenebris. Since this book focuses on a different MC than book 1, it could be read as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend reading the first book so you can get the full background and arcs of these characters as they change and develop. As usual, Stavs’s banter and fun characters are a stand-out as she blends old fairy tales with a modern, fast-paced flavor. I totally recommend this series for anyone looking for spicy fairytale retellings peppered with pop culture references, and I’ve got my fingers crossed for a book 3!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tula’s totally into it.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons

In many ways, this was a very classic high fantasy adventure with a reluctant hero, dragons, a prince, and Princess, a wizard and kings. But I enjoyed the quirky, whimsical voice. While I originally thought this would be more of a silly, light fantasy, it definitely evolved into something more epic, even if a little self-aware. Overall I enjoyed this audiobook, and would recommend for any fantasy reader looking for a fun read with a classic feel and maybe a bit of How to Train Your Dragon energy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐½

This one gets a smile from me. Sometimes you just need some good old-fashioned fantasy fun.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Dungeon Crawler Carl Books 1-6

Well, since this series has pretty much been the highlight of my year, I’ve gathered all the reviews of books so far. Please know, I almost never get into series, especially one this long, AND I bought an audible subscription literally just for these audiobooks. So this is a pretty big deal for me. I’ve also gotten my dad, husband, and BFF into this series, and now my husband and I are (im)patiently waiting for book 7 to come out. (Ebook in November and Audiobook in January.) Seriously, it speaks volumes that I even know that. However, let’s just state up front that if you have pearls to clutch, this series isn’t for you. But enough chitty chatty. Without further ado, the actual reviews:

Dungeon Crawler Carl (#1): 5⭐

Okay Carl & Donut. You got me. This was incredibly entertaining.

What did I like:
Everything.

Recommended for anyone looking for a hilarious, action-packed time. This was my first LitRPG, and though I’m not a huge gamer anymore, I did play a few MMOs in my time, and I do have a general knowledge of dungeons, stats, buffs, etc. If you don’t I’m not exactly sure what your experience will be, but I didn’t think it was critical to appreciating the plot, characters, and banter.

And the fact that the audiobook is narrated by Jeff Hays (a Patrick-Warburton-sound-alike, read: Krunk) – perfection. I mean I basically feel like this is Krunk went on the Hunger Games with his diva pet cat. I got this audiobook from the library, but they didn’t have the sequels, so I literally got an audible subscription for the rest of the series.

This was an instant cure for my reading slump this year, and I already recommended to my Dad, my husband, and my coworker. So yeah. Definitely give this one a look and you can thank me later.

(Note: *Not* recommended if you have sensitivities to swearing, gore, or dark humor.)

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario (#2): 5⭐

Fantastic sequel that lives up to the first book in every way. I could not buy book 3 fast enough.

The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook (#3): 4.5⭐

This one felt just a little on the long side, with one too many technical battles. But I still really enjoyed the character growth, and some plot developments that really surprised me. Totally enjoyed and absolutely in for book 4! 

The Gate of the Feral Gods (#4): 4.5⭐

Another fantastic entry in the Dungeon Crawler series. I did feel like this one (similar to book 3) was a little longer than necessary with lots of intricate detail on smaller skirmishes and quests. But as always, I really enjoyed the plot and character development in this book, and I’m excited to read book 5. I honestly can’t remember the last time a series held my attention through book 5, and I’m super impressed with all the threads of this plot line. I’ve recommended this series to like 4 of my friends, and I’m super curious to see if the momentum can hold through 3+ more books!

The Butcher’s Masquerade (#5): 3.5⭐

This one dragged a bit for me. While it still employed a lot of the shenanigans that made the first four books great, here they started to feel repetitive, and I felt like this one lacked the twists and the character growth that really kept me turning pages earlier in the series. And, at 726 pages… it feels incredibly long. There was a lot of “this is the plan” and “but this is how the plan went,” and I didn’t feel as invested in the sideplots.

Which is all to say, I think I’ll be taking a break from Dungeon Crawler for a little while. Maybe I’ll pick up book 6 down the line, but for now, I think I need something different.

(note: the break only turned out to be about 3 audiobooks long before I couldn’t resist diving back in)

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride (#6): 5⭐

Dayuummm. Not going to lie, in book 6, I was worried I was getting tired of this series, but this one totally amped up the stakes. The new battle play was interesting, and the tension and pacing were tight through the end. My husband and I are both counting down the days until book 7!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Oh my. Are those… 5 glowing stars?!!? Why yes they are. Seriously cannot say enough good things.

Also, Google search, if this picture shows up as my author photo, we’re going to have words.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Swordheart

So I really enjoyed A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, but this one totally solidified me as a T. Kingfisher fan.

What I liked:
-The characters’ voices are super strong and they pop right off the page
-Unique, awesome worldbuilding
-Quirky lovable characters
-Slowburn romance
-Writing that grabbed me straight from the first page
-Amazing narration

What I didn’t like:
-At about the 80% mark, a character made a choice that I thought wasn’t in line with their character for the sake of the plot – definitely a super frustrating moment.
-The pacing in the last 25% felt like it dragged to me.

Overall though, I highly recommend this to anyone looking for quirky fantasy with a side of romance, and I’ll definitely be reading more from Kingfisher!

⭐⭐⭐⭐¾

I’m still thinking about this one a couple months later. The voice and characters completely sucked me in!

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Where the Dark Stands Still

Loved this one! A magical YA adventure with quirky magic and lovable characters.

Oh my gosh, I was in *the worst* reading slump. I was DNF’ing books left and right and legitimately wondering if there was something wrong with me. But then this book sucked me and was just completely gorgeous. It reminded me of a mash-up of Uprooted, Howl’s Moving Castle, Dr. Who, and Beauty and the Beast, and I just loved (almost) every step of the way!

What I liked:
– Gorgeous writing
– Complex characters I loved
– A beautiful but dangerous magical forest
– A sweet, slowburn romance
– Perfect pacing that kept me engaged from the first page
– Found family that just wraps around you
– A perfect fairy tale vibe that still feels fresh

What I didn’t like:
– The last page. I’m trying really hard to say this without spoiling anything, but basically I wanted more of a happy ending than that hopeful but still vague last line. Sigh. It was literally my favorite read of the year until this moment, and now, though it’s still entirely wonderful, I’m not completely sure about the top spot.

*Highly* recommend for anyone looking for a gorgeous fantasy that feels timeless and fresh at the same time, and will definitely be looking for more reads by A.B. Poranek.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one’s definitely making the top ten this year for sure

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking

Loved this one! A magical lower-YA adventure with quirky magic and lovable characters. The pace is quick, the voice is great, and I mean, who wouldn’t love a sourdough starter & gingerbread familiar? The audiobook narration was fabulous and I’d totally recommend this to anyone looking for a lower YA / upper middle grade adventure with a cozy feel (and no romance.) Fingers crossed for a sequel!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

There’s really nothing like finding an awesome book to shout about.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Light Mage

RF Shutterstock 141232366, 319561406 & 386603440

What I liked:
– Once again loved the complex, visceral heart-wrenching world
– Sage’s escape from her people is legit cathartic
– Beautiful writing
– I really loved the sweet relationship between Sage and her love interest
– strong found family
– deliciously righteous resistance

What I didn’t like:
– The romance is kind of insta-lovey. I actually didn’t mind it all that much, but it will definitely bug some people.
– The pacing of this one is all over the place. I feel like it started off kind of slow, and it was definitely painful to endure Sage’s culture along with her (I actually almost DNF’d at one point.) But once she escaped, I devoured this book.
– The end isn’t really an end. Obviously this is because this is a bridge into book 1 (though I don’t recommend reading this one first) but it didn’t quite leave me satisfied,

Overall though, I really enjoyed this read, totally recommend it for fans of book one, and I’m super excited to read book 2!

⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Post Review Note: So after I wrote this, I read a few reviews of books later in the series, and it sounds like the series goes in a love-triangle direction I’m not a fan of. So, I made the (actually kind of difficult) decision to stop reading this series while I still enjoyed it.

So, I’m left with mixed feelings on this series. Maybe one day, I’ll pick up the sequels for myself, but at 5 (long) books and counting, that’s a big time investment. We’ll see!

Thanks for reading!