Here’s to a New Year! Cheers!
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Category Archives: Year’s End
Beth’s Favorite Books of 2025
Here are my favorite books of this past year. In no particular order because I don’t think I truly liked one more than another. Cop out as that may be, it’s how we are rolling.
- The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater – Historical fiction but with Maggie’s signature magical elements. Set against the backdrop of WW2 in a luxury hotel in West Virginia. Instead of their normal clientele, they are serving the diplomats of the United States enemies.
- The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh – I do love a good Vampire book, and this one is no exception. As soon as I finished, I had to go to my library to get the next one.
- The Dark Mirror by Samantha Shannon – This series just keeps getting better and better. Fleshing out more of the world to include outside of Scion, and for once, a hopeful ending.
- Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer -This series is so funny. I can’t help be amused by the whole premise and story. So glad to find out that it isn’t a trilogy and more books to come because I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters.
- Red City by Marie Lu – The complicated world we live. Nothing is black and white. What would you do for family? Power is addictive, but it is also destructive.
What were your favorite books this year?
The end of 2025 is coming soon. (Thank Goodness!) It’s that time of the year when Kate and I start thinking about the books we liked the most this year. Before we post our lists, we were wondering, what our your favorite books you read in 2025? Drop them in the comments and let’s see which ones we all liked and which ones we need to add for 2026.
Kate’s Favorite Books of the Year!
This has been a wild year of reading for me! I have done so much of it for fun! During COVID, I lost a bit of my desire to pick up books. There is still a bit of that resistance there, but with a combination of some great series, letting my whims take me, excellent recommendations from people in my life, and audiobooks, Ive managed to get back to being a reader! Alright! Let’s do this!
Best Non-Fiction: Nanette by Hannah Gadsby
I didn’t read a lot of non-fiction for fun and, funnily, they were all memoirs. Readme.txt by Chelsea Manning and Consent by Jill Ciment were excellent, and they have both brought up important topics that need to be considered and discussed, but Nanette gets the nod here for a combination of also touching on important topics that need to be considered and discussed, emotional resonance and Gadsby’s audio narration. This one had me in tears, both from happiness and sadness. It was a great read.
Best Book I picked up on a Whim: Yolk by Mary H.k. Choi
I don’t know I can really say this was on a whim. I put it in my library want list on a whim ages ago and when my library finally got it, I was first in line. This is a story of sisterhood and family. It is also the story of growing up Asian-American and navigating multiple sets of cultural expectations while also trying to figure out who you are. Some of the story felt so relatable and some of it felt like a brand new experience for me. I love how stories can be both mirrors and windows. Anyway, this was at times thoughtful, funny, and sad and I loved the growth journey the characters went on.
Best Bestseller I’ve had on My List for Ages: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Y’all this book was so good, seamlessly interweaving multiple tales of motherhood and family highlighting different kinds of conflicts that arise from differences in income, ethnicity, and race. I couldn’t put it down and I needed to know what happened next! The characters were well-written, the plot contained surprises. I really loved this one.
Book a Friend Recommended: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The Starless Sea is stories within stories within stories. I loved Zachary, the main character. He was thoughtful and interesting and I was happy to have him as a companion on this journey of so many twists and turns. Putting it over the top in this category is the multiple excellent narrations, including a performance from one of my favorite audiobook readers, Bahni Turpin.
Best Book that has been on my Shelf and I finally Read this Year: The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb by Cat Sebastian
This romance novel was a delight! I tore through it and finished it in time to pick up its sequel at the same independent bookshop I bought it at, The Ripped Bodice! 10/10. bookshop and 10/10 novel I took too long getting to. I liked the characters, I liked the intrigue, I liked the spice, I liked the ending. This was wonderful!
Best Series (Plural) I started this Year: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik, and This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron
I started so many good ones this year. Kitt Webb, of course. But also the Gideon the Ninth series, Spoiler Alert, This Poison Heart, His Majesty’s Dragon , Renegades , The Beautiful , The Brown Sisters and Three-Body Problem . Since most of these I either binged (The Gideon books and the Poison Heart) or I completely finished (Kitt Webb, Three-Body Problem) it is fair to say I enjoyed all of them. But there were some stand outs.
Part sci/fi and Part fantasy, these books have mystery, sword play, and fiery heroines that are delightful.
An Alternative history with dragons! Temeraire was described to me as the best baby boy of characters before I read it and I couldn’t agree more. I want nothing but the best for this sweet dragon and his handler Laurence, who find themselves in the middle of a war between England and Napoleon’s France. The only reason I haven’t gotten to the rest of the series is that the other books in my library hold queue keep getting in my way.
I was so taken in by Briseis and her moms and the mystery at the heart of these books that having to wait for the second one to come available at the library was torture. Briseis is a wonderful heroine and these books interweave myth with the modern in a really fun way.
Honorable Mention, Best Book about a House: The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
I read a lot of books this year that featured houses. A House with Good Bones, The House Across the Lake , and Nothing But Blackened Teeth just to pick a few. But Cañas’s gothic novel set after Mexico’s war for independence scratched all the itches for the gothic horror genre. Beatriz is an interesting narrator, although not as naive as you’d expect and that was a nice twist. I enjoyed this immensely and would definitely recommend it.
This has been a great year for reading and I already have things queued up for the new year (including reviews of things I started this year, but haven’t posted yet!) Beth and I hope you have a Happy New Year and we hope to see you in 2025 for more from our endless stacks!
Beth’s Favorite Books of 2024!!!
I read a lot of good books this year. Like many of us, books were a much-needed respite from all the things going on in the world. So, I am forever grateful to all the authors who created the amazing worlds I visited this year.
In no particular order. Here are the books that I loved the most in 2024!
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang – This was such an excellent book. It was a tough read, I am not going to lie because I saw a little bit more of myself in the main character than I would care to admit but that’s a good thing. It’s good to be uncomfortable from time to time because that’s how you learn and ultimately grow. So yes, read this book. Especially if you are a liberally leaning white woman.
What the River Knows and Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibanez – These were a fun series. It really is a mix of The Mummy (1999 version) and Death of the Nile. I loved the dynamic between the main character and her love interest. It was a mix of adventure, romance and mystery. What the River Knows was so much fun, I had to immediately read the sequel Where the Library Hides. It just hit all the right notes for me.
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan – What if you could become a character in your favorite story? Sounds like fun, right? It is, at least to me. Rae may disagree as to where she ends up at the end of the book, but it is so much fun. A lot of humor and all the fantasy tropes that readers expect. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out.
Assistant to the Villain and Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer – Both of these books were so funny. I think I picked this up on a whim because it sounded interesting, and I am so glad that I did. It is just the right kind of humor I like. It is so ridiculous I love it.
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy – The only non-fiction title on my list. Okay, it might have been the only non-fiction book I read this year, but I digress. Jennette’s story is heartbreaking because so much of the pain in her life was caused by her mother. How she handling it all now is admirable. I only wish the best for her.
The Familiar – Leigh Bardugo – Magic, mystery, betrayal. It is all here. I loved the atmosphere of the story. Leigh Bardugo is such a great writer. She paints such great portraits in her books. If you are looking for a standalone fantasy novel, You can’t go wrong with this one.
Spoiler Alert, All the Feels and Ship wrecked by Olivia Dade – I love them all. The Spoiler Alert trilogy follows three different couples from a TV show. All of them are relatable and easy to cheer for. I also love the fan fiction part of the stories.
Starter Villain by John Scalzi – Another hilarious book. I have never read John Scalzi before but I might have to after this. The absurdity of the books is amazing. Like I need this to be a movie or TV show because it would be awesome.
A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan – I was introduced to Sophie Jordan from her first dragon books, so I was happy she’s back to writing dragons. There are some similarities to the last series, but I am not mad about it. It was a very fast read, and I didn’t want it to end. It’s a good thing the sequel is coming out next year.
Those were my favorite books of this year. After going through my list, I see a theme of comedic books. I obviously needed the laughs, and I am probably going to need the laughs next year. What were your favorite books of this year?
Kate’s Top 5 for 2023
Man, I really let the team down on reviews this year. It wasn’t that I wasn’t reading. It was that I felt like I forgot I’d read something two seconds after I read it. But that’s also not true, because I definitely had favorites this year that I still think about. Anyway, it’s been a busy, distracted year but here are 5 things I read and loved.
1. Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
This book was so great. The leads are high school students trying their best to secure a prestigious scholarship through a leadership program that involves being outdoors and being self-reliant. The characters were so likable that I just wanted them to succeed and I love it when I get to cheer characters on. The plot complications were good, the romance was good, the resolution was lovely.
2. Lone Women by Victor Lavalle
Set in the beginning of the Nineteen hundreds, the main character leaves her home in tragic circumstances and buys a claim in Montana. She’s hoping to disappear and settle someplace out in the wilderness where no one will ever discover her family’s terrible secret. You know what happens next, right? The story was compelling and I couldn’t put it down. There’s mystery, there’s sisterhood, there’s adventure, what more could you want in a book?
3. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
This novel is a retelling of the Fall of the House of Usher. The main character Alex Easton rushes to the Usher home when they hear a childhood friend has fallen ill and is dying. The tale spirals out from there. It is creepy and Alex Easton is an excellent narrator. I loved every stinking minute of this novel.
4. Halo-halo and Homicide by Mia P. Manansala
This is the second book in a series and I also read and loved the first book this year. The main character Lila is settling in to life back home. She returned in the first novel following a break up and now she’s decided to stay. These are cozy mysteries and they are great. There is enough intrigue to keep you interested and wanting to know more but nothing gory that might keep you up at night. Oh, and Lila is a pastry chef and is constantly putting a Filipino-American spin on classics and everything sounds so good. Mia P. Manansala has recipes from the novels on her website which is wonderful. I made her Lila’s ube crinkles and they were a hit at three different functions.
5. The Undertow by Jeff Sharlet
Part travelogue/messy reckoning with the fractured political landscape in post-2020 America, this book of essays follows a cross-country journey Sharlet took starting in the hometown of Ashli Babbitt, who was killed on January 6th at rhetorical Capitol. This was an interesting meditation on perspective, distrust, and social division. It left me with questions In still considering.
Kate’s Top 5 for 2023
Man, I really let the team down on reviews this year. It wasn’t that I wasn’t reading. It was that I felt like I forgot I’d read something two seconds after I read it. But that’s also not true, because I definitely had favorites this year that I still think about. Anyway, it’s been a busy, distracted year but here are 5 things I read and loved.
1. Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
This book was so great. The leads are high school students trying their best to secure a prestigious scholarship through a leadership program that involves being outdoors and being self-reliant. The characters were so likable that I just wanted them to succeed and I love it when I get to cheer characters on. The plot complications were good, the romance was good, the resolution was lovely.
2. Lone Women by Victor Lavalle
Set in the beginning of the Nineteen hundreds, the main character leaves her home in tragic circumstances and buys a claim in Montana. She’s hoping to disappear and settle someplace out in the wilderness where no one will ever discover her family’s terrible secret. You know what happens next, right? The story was compelling and I couldn’t put it down. There’s mystery, there’s sisterhood, there’s adventure, what more could you want in a book?
3. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
This novel is a retelling of the Fall of the House of Usher. The main character Alex Easton rushes to the Usher home when they hear a childhood friend has fallen ill and is dying. The tale spirals out from there. It is creepy and Alex Easton is an excellent narrator. I loved every stinking minute of this novel.
4. Halo-halo and Homicide by Mia P. Manansala
This is the second book in a series and I also read and loved the first book this year. The main character Lila is settling in to life back home. She returned in the first novel following a break up and now she’s decided to stay. These are cozy mysteries and they are great. There is enough intrigue to keep you interested and wanting to know more but nothing gory that might keep you up at night. Oh, and Lila is a pastry chef and is constantly putting a Filipino-American spin on classics and everything sounds so good. Mia P. Manansala has recipes from the novels on her website which is wonderful. I made her Lila’s ube crinkles and they were a hit at three different functions.
5. The Undertow by Jeff Sharlet
Part travelogue/messy reckoning with the fractured political landscape in post-2020 America, this book of essays follows a cross-country journey Sharlet took starting in the hometown of Ashli Babbitt, who was killed on January 6th at rhetorical Capitol. This was an interesting meditation on perspective, distrust, and social division. It left me with questions In still considering.
Beth Favorite’s Books of 2023!
It’s that time of the year! Where we look back at all of the books we read this year and pick our favorites. These are my favorite books of 2023. They are in no particular order but in order that I read them.
- The Dangerous Damsels series by India Holton – The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, The League of Gentlewoman Witches and The Secret Service of Tea and Treason were such a fun trilogy of books I loved all the prim and proper pirates and witches and their flying houses. It has the perfect mix of romance, hijinks and adventure.
- The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty – Keeping with the pirate theme. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is such a fun story of piracy, adventure and magic. Unlike most books where the protagonist is young and just starting out, Amina is in her 40’s and well established. She has to come out of retirement for this adventure and not only have battle the present but the past. So much fun.
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – This was the book of the year. I don’t remember the last time that people were excited about the release of a book. The sequel, Iron Flame got the full Midnight release party treatment. Violet has a chronic illness that makes her a poor candidate to be a dragon rider but she’s forced to join by her mom. In a mixture of Hunger Games and Harry Potter. Violet will become a rider if only she can survive, which in this school is not a given. Did I mention there are dragons?
- Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade – Spoiler Alert and it’s sequel All the Feels are delightful. This is such a nerd romance. It’s mixture of romance, fandoms and fan fics is irresistible. Who doesn’t dream of meeting a handsome actor and falling in love? Marcus and April are the perfect couple. It’s also so great to have a plus size romantic lead. To often we are forgotten about so it’s great to finally get the guy at the end.
- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – This was another TikTok find. I am a sucker for enemies to lover trope and I guess also the relationship of convenience trope. It was was such a fun read and I was invested from the beginning. I can’t wait to read more from Ali Hazelwood.
Those were mine. I want to hear what books you loved this year! Maybe they will be mine in 2024!
Beth’s Favorite Books of 2022!!!
It’s that time of the year again. Where we all look back and reflect on the past year and everything we read and take stock in all the good books and stories. In 2022, I read 43 books. 8 books more than last year. So reading wise, I think this year was successful. Looking over my books from this year I would say there was a theme and it was fantasy novels lead by female characters. I really leaned into that this year. So without further ado, here are some of my favorite books that I read in 2022 in no particularly order. I’m going to do this list in the order of which I read them.
- Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth – There are so many books that feature children or young adults who are charged with saving the world from Percy Jackson to Harry Potter but what happens when they succeed and grow up. Chosen Ones is just that. A group of 6 ones saved the world 10 years ago but the trauma of that time is still with them despite the fame that came with it. Tragedy strikes and they are all the evil they thought they rid themselves is back. It was just great. They all handled their shared experience and I think that’s important to explore because we all process trauma and grief differently and I don’t think we all appreciate that.
- Sort of Super by Eric Gapstur – Yes, this was written by a friend but even if it wasn’t I would have loved it. It such a joyful story of a young boy and his sister learning about their new super powers. The artwork is so vibrant and colorful that really makes the story pop of the page. I can’t wait to read the next adventure.
- A LIttle Too Familiar by Lish Mcbride – This was the perfect palette cleanser for whatever ails you. It was a sweet and wholesome romance novel between a witch who pairs people to their familiar animals and a werewolf. A little on the spicy side but just so amazing. If you haven’t read any of Lish Mcbride’s book this one is a good one to start with or her Necromancer series.
- The Priory and the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon – Everything you could ever want from a high fantasy novel. A quest, romance, magic and dragons. I will admit the sapphic love story in the center of the story could have a few more scenes but a minor complaint to an almost perfect story.
- The Sandman by Neil Gaiman – I maybe a bit late to this one but I loved characters and stories. The little vignettes in between the major story arcs. I listened to the audio presentation, so the voice work of James McAvoy and Kat Dennings among others might have something to do with how much I loved it but it was so great. I haven’t finished the series yet but I can’t wait to listen to Act 3.
- The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova – You can be forgiven if you read this and immediately thought of Encanto. They both use magical realism to tell the story of family trauma but this takes it so much farther than Encanto could. For one it’s not a Disney Movie. The Divina family are a magical family that is both blessed and cursed and Orquidea’s grandchildren must resolve the her past for them to move forward. So beautifully done.
- The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang – A mix of history and magic that explores the harsh realities of colonialism, race and war. There is no winners but only losers when it comes to all of these legacy and R.F. Kuang doesn’t let up in here commentary. It is not an easy read but so worth it.
- Greywaren by Maggie Stiefvater – The Dreamers Trilogy and the Raven Cycle comes to an end with this satisfying final novel. The Lynch brothers learn to be brothers again and save the world. Hennessy found peace in herself and Jordan got to live her life. I am sad that the end to this series but characters like this will live forever.
- Legendborn by Tracy Deonn – I just finished this book but this was great. A new twist on the Arthurian legend. The Round table never disbanded but the ancestors of the legendary knights still fight demons from another realm. Bree has just lost her mother and to find answers she joins a new club to only be discover so much more. This book tackles more than just myths but racism and slavery and how as much as we think we are beyond it but how it still is very much apart of us. I have already started the next book in the series.
So that’s it Those are my favorite books I read this year. What were your favorite books? Leave them in the comments and maybe I’ll add them to my list for 2023.
Beth’s Favorite 5 books of 2021!!
Well it was a year. I did read more books then I did last year but not anywhere near my pre-pandemic levels. But who is. I have found it harder to write reviews recently. You may have noticed. I’ll try to do better in 2022. Anyways, without further ado. These are top 5 favorite books of the past year. In order of which I read them.
- Stormbreak by Natalie C. Parker – I just loved this whole series of women pirates taking on the systems keeping society down. It was just one adventure after another and it a great ending. I highly recommend the whole series.
- The Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeiine Boulley – This book is just so heartbreaking. What Daunis and her people have gone through is just so painful and yet the strength they processed is just amazing. Boulley’s writing is very striking. She doesn’t sugarcoat the experience her characters experience. Be aware. It does deal with sexual assault, drug use, racism and domestic violence.
- The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab – Addie Larue made a deal that she wanted to live her own life but in exchange no one remembers her. 300 years later, she finally remembers her and it seems like things maybe turning around but of course things are not as they seem. This book is such a rich book. Fantasy and historical fiction all in one. Loved it.
- The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee – Jo is lady’s maid. Not by choice but because her options are limited. When an opportunity presents itself to write an advice column under a secret identity she takes it. It gives her the freedom that she doesn’t have in day to day life. I loved reading about Jo because despite the card stacked against her she doesn’t give up.
- The Naturals series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – I’m choosing this series as a whole since I read them all at once. It was recommended by a coworker and she knows her stuff. Cassie and her fellow Naturals are not your normal teenagers. They know how to read people and for that makes them useful to the FBI. I just got sucked into the mystery of this series and I was so happy that I waited to read it all at once.
What were your favorite books of the last year?
2 Women, So Many Books 