Okay, so this is the post I needed in my life as a budding author in 2019. I have always loved art since I was a kid, and now, as an author, I adore seeing books brought to life through character art, and use character art heavily when promoting my books. But when I first started out, I had no idea who to message about character art.
Over the years, as I admired other authors’ commissioned pieces, got recommendations from authors, and commissioned different artists myself, I began to gather quite a few art pieces of my books that I adored as well as a list of artists I enjoyed working with. I’m always on the look out for new artists and fresh styles, because I love to see how different people with different perspectives can bring to life characters in different ways.
And yes, I only work with human artists and likewise, human authors. In case you haven’t seen my thoughts on generative AI, you can find them in the graphic below.
So in part, this is an artist appreciation post for the artists who I’ve worked with over the years, and it’s also a resource for those other authors out there looking for (human) artists to commission. Without further ado, the guide is below! All handles are from Instagram unless otherwise noted.
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!
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.
So I enjoyed The Love Hypothesis, but wasn’t really into Love on the Brain, and it’s been a *long* time since I’ve read a vampire or werewolf book, but this was so fun! Definitely my favorite Ali Hazelwood book so far. Misery’s voice totally pops—both light and relatable, and I found the dynamics of this world to be super interesting. I also really liked Lowe’s character and enjoyed watching them grow together. Overall, just a light, fun read (with werewolf-flavored steam, so beware) that I would definitely recommend to romance fans, and I’m totally hoping for a sequel!
So I picked up this this book on the recommendation of a friend and it is *exactly* what it says it is. If you can’t stomach darky-dark scenes, unhinged main characters, stomach-turning gore, or intense spice, turn back here. This book is like a super R-rated Dexter meets a RomCom and it states its trigger warnings up front.
All that said, I surprisingly enjoyed the read. I thought the concept of two serial killers of serial killers meeting up with romantic sparks, banter, and deranged creepy little competition. This book did *not* shy away from the darkness of the main characters, but at the same time balanced those super intense moments with super sweet ones and intense passion. The narration was fantastic, and interesting in that the male narrator reads all the male dialogue in both POVs, and the female narrator reads all the female dialogue in both POVs.
I’m a “could take it or leave it” spice person, but while, um… intense, the frequency didn’t overwhelm the plot, and I liked the tension leading up to it. So all that said, I recommend this book (especially the audiobook) for those looking for a super dark (but also kind of weirdly light?) quick romcom read. And though this book is satisfying on its own, I think I’ll be picking up the sequel too.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yes, it was bizarre… but in a way you that made your weird friend recommend it to you… and then made you recommend it to your other weird friend.
**Note, I picked up the sequel and had to DNF. It just didn’t work for me. It also didn’t work for weird friend #1, so it wasn’t just me.*
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!
Apparently, I’m very hot or cold on Emily Henry books, so I definitely approached this one with trepidation. My current EH Tally looks like:
Absolutely Loved: Book Lovers, Beach Read
Absolutely Not for me: People We Meet On Vacation, Happy Place
However, I definitely enjoyed this heartwarming romance, and I flew through it. The characters were likable, their chemistry and tension felt real, and I loved the premise. The ending felt a little rushed for me, so it wasn’t quite as satisfying as I was hoping, but I would still put it in the “highly recommend” category (behind Book Lovers and Beach Read.) Also, the narration was fabulous, so definitely try the audiobook!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 stars from me. Gotta love a book that lives up to the hype.
A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem (Ladies Most Scandalous, #1): 4.5⭐
What I liked: – Fun Characters – Quick Pace – Downton Abbey Vibes – Cozy Mystery with Romance – Could be a stand-alone – Solid audiobook narration
What I didn’t like: – I felt like quite a few elements weren’t as fleshed out as I’d like. Both the romance and the ending developed very quickly.
Overall, a quick, fun read with romance and mystery that gives Downton Abbey vibes. Will be reading the sequel!
An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire (Ladies Most Scandalous, #2): 4⭐
While it can be read as a stand-alone, this book is similar to book one with light second-chance enemies to lovers dynamic, Bridgerton vibes, and a mystery to solve. I found though that I didn’t quite like the main characters as much as I did in book one, and there was quite a lot of mentions of the uneven power dynamic between men and women in the time period. While I enjoyed the read, I don’t know if I would read another book in this series.
Overall series rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Needed just a bit more mischief, mayhem, deception, & desire I think.
What I liked: – Justin – The side-characters – The curse premise
What I didn’t like: – Emma
While I’ve read all of Jimenez’s books, I’m more of a “The Friend Zone” trilogy fan then “Part of Your World.” In general, I’ve like the banter and the characters, but I feel like in each of the Part of Your World books, we’re focusing on the trauma of the FMC, and I feel like the MMC’s arc gets a little shorted as he pines for her and waits for her to heal. In general, they’ve just been a little too heavy for me. But if you’re looking for a romance with deeper themes on trauma, familial relationships, and recovery, this is the book for you!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Do you ever wish you liked a book more than you did? I’ve got those feels.
I saw this floating on bookstagram and was looking for something light, fun, and different to get me out of epic bookslump of 2024. And even though this isn’t my typical read (I think this is my first alpha/omega book), it fit the bill in many ways.
What I liked: Dual-POV romance Fake Dating Likable Characters Fast read Rom-Com feel
What I didn’t like: Dirty talk always feels awkward to me The spice:plot ratio was more skewed to spice than I prefer Fated mates isn’t my favorite trope The 3rd act break-up felt a little forced
But like I said, this was a light, fun read, and I would recommend for anyone looking for a spicy shifter rom-com.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yep, we went there. Strangely, not as awkward as I was expecting, but not really my cup of tea either.
Hayley Reese Chow 