firewhiskeyreader

It’s funny because I really didn’t feel like this year was that fantastic in terms of my reading, but when I went through the books I’ve read this year to pick out my tops, I came away with quite a list. I’ve got 14 books that I was able to narrow my top favorites down to, with only a little bit of cheating. Is this a completely random number? Yes, but I was able to narrow it down to 13 and decided that was fine because Taylor Swift and then I read a book that I knew belonged on this list and I couldn’t kick a different book out. So… Anyway. The list is not ranked except for my top four books, which were the ones I feel most confident in ranking. Otherwise? Depends on the day. They’re pretty much listed in the order I read them.

A Proposal They Can’t Refuse by Natalie Caña is an absolute masterpiece of a contemporary romance with meddling family members and an antagonists to lovers plot line. I adored it and really enjoyed the sequel as well, A Dish Best Served Hot. There’s a through line in Caña’s work regarding gentrification and I’ve very much enjoyed the way that through line is being woven into the story. If you’re a fan of Angelina M. Lopez’s Milagro Street series and you haven’t picked up this one, you’re missing out.

Again by J.L. Seegers is a second chance book between a divorced couple and it was everything. Truly, it was so good. What a novella. It’s steamy and deeply emotional. The way it packs such a punch in so few pages? Brilliant writing. If you’re a Kennedy Ryan fan, I would definitely suggest picking this Seegers up too. I’m excited to read more from Seegers in 2024.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo is unlike any book I’ve ever read and I devoured it. I think if you’re more of a dark academia person then you’ll probably find a lot more of it to be familiar, but that’s generally not my vibe. I gave in and picked up Ninth House because everyone was so excited for the sequel and historically I do love Bardugo’s writing. I listened to Ninth House on audio and as soon as I finished it, I purchased Hell Bent on audio AND stopped at Barnes and Noble on my drive home from my parents to grab the physical copy as well. Unfortunately, I don’t really have a comp title for you, because again, I’ve not really read anything like this before.

Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller is yet another absolutely fantastic historical romance from Biller that just ignores what is popular and provides a totally new setting for me and historical romance. Set in Vienna with an espionage light plot line, this book was swoony and majestic and contained absolutely brilliant character work. Biller’s work is somewhat unusual so I don’t know that I have great comp titles, but I think if you’ve ever enjoyed Joanna Bourne or maybe even the Maiden Lane series, you should consider giving this one a shot.

Something Wild and Wonderful by Anita Kelly was so heartfelt and emotional and great that I also gifted it as a Christmas present, which is pretty high praise coming from me. I love gifting books, but they have to meet the sweet spot of a book I love and a book I really think the person receiving the gift will love. Here’s hoping I got that second part correct! Anyway, Something Wild and Wonderful is set on the Pacific Crest Trail, which, let’s be honest, is like a place of nightmares for me as a very non-outdoorsy human. And yet, there’s something about the self-reflection and bonding a situation like this allows that made it a perfect setting for this deeply internal and emotional book. Both Ben and Alexi are struggling with their own things and as they work through those hiking this trail and come together, my heart was swooning. This is, in my opinion, the best book Kelly has written so far. If you like Wild but are looking for a romance version of that book, I would suggest this one. Also, romance wise, if you love All Rhodes Lead Here definitely pick this one up!

Magic Tides by Ilona Andrews is serving as a placeholder for both of these Kate Daniels universe novellas we’ve got this year because I’m honestly not sure that any novella has ever given me more joy than reading these two. And they kickstarted an entire Kate Daniels re-read, which led to Ilona Andrews being my most read author of 2023 by a significant margin. If you’ve loved Kate and Curran’s journey in the past and you somehow missed reading Magic Tides and Magic Claims, you’ve got to pick them up. Essentially these are novellas about Kate and Curran failing at retirement and they are so, so very fun. If you have comp titles for Kate Daniels, please let me know, because I would absolutely love to have more fun adventures like this in 2024.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros was such a fun reading experience for me. When I first finished it I gave it four stars because it really is not a perfect book. The thing is though, it stuck with me and won’t leave my brain. It’s just living up there all the time and my re-read of it this year solidified for me that this book belongs on my list. I have since read Iron Flame, which is also not a perfect book, but I’m nonetheless deeply invested in this story and am just having the best time. My sister is convinced this book is heavily inspired by ACOTAR, Throne of Glass, and Divergent, so I would say at least the first two are good examples of series to pick up next if you haven’t already. (Don’t read Divergent, just don’t do it.) I also think that to some extent, Yarros and Maas are pretty decent comparisons writing wise, though Maas’s fantasy world-building is leagues beyond Yarros, but Maas has been writing fantasy since she was 17 so that’s to be expected. (Also, let’s be real, no love interest will ever compare to Rowan Whitethorn and I do not care to hear other opinions.)

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter is for all of the Gallagher Girls who have grown up and still wish that they knew what Cami and the girls were up to now. It is so fun and so quick. If you loved that movie with Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, you must read this. Although, in this case, one of the two characters is actually equipped for the situations they keep finding themselves in. I really need Ally Carter to tell me when I’m getting a sequel following the sister because I must have it right now. There’s a Goodreads page for a book called Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, which I am PRAYING is about Zoe’s sister because I really must have her book. I really need it. Anyway, there are a couple of books that have come out or are coming out with very similar premises, but I haven’t read them. I think if you like this and you’re not deeply attached to Alisha Rai’s angsty Forbidden Hearts series and can roll with the punches of her lighter writing style right now, Partners in Crime might really work for you.

You know, speaking of books living rent free in my head, Inheritance by Nora Roberts. This book really might be my fifth favorite book of the year… Anyway, the thing that keeps me from saying that is that it starts out a little slow, but it starts slow in the way that I love, which is where our main character’s life that she carefully crafted is falling apart. Why do I like that so much? Anyway, basically, Sonya’s fiancé was cheating on her with her COUSIN (rude much?) and when she finds that out, things sort of start crumbling. Her job as a graphic designer is super important to her, but she works there with scumbag ex. Oh, and, surprise! Her dad had a twin brother they didn’t know about and he’s left Sonya a mansion in a small town in Maine. And boy are these vibes IMMACULATE, okay? I loved everything about the setting once we got up to Maine. I love the friendships, the beginnings of this relationship, even the ghost stories! I need book two SO bad, but Nora Roberts can set her own publication schedule forever and I will sit patiently and wait for her to deliver this book into my hands, you know? One does not rush Nora Roberts. (The Mirror is scheduled for November of 2024, so if anyone can get me an ARC ASAP, I would be forever grateful.) As for comp titles… Maybe Kelley Armstrong’s A Stitch in Time series though it’s not perfect. I do think that if you like one, you’ll like the other though.

And now, Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross. Here’s the thing about Divine Rivals and the sequel, the writing is exquisite. The vibes are immaculate. The romance is compelling. BUT you really do have to age up these characters because otherwise???? This novel just should not be young adult. It doesn’t make any sense that way. But I am SO good at ignoring whatever age I’m told people are so that didn’t bother me at all, until I was voting for Divine Rivals in the young adult section of the Goodreads Choice Awards. Like??? Ma’am. No. ANYWAYS, if you’ve not read these, basically Roman Kit and Iris Winnow are journalists who are competing for the same columnist spot at a newspaper with the backdrop of there’s a war that has to do with some gods. Also, Iris is writing letters on her typewriter and sticking them under her wardrobe and they’re disappearing. She thinks (hopes) they’re going to her brother who is fighting in the war, but actually, they’re going to someone else… Three guesses who. The book is really gorgeously written in my opinion, those letters are everything, and I would just really recommend on audio especially. I’m not sure I have a good comp title, but I will say, Divine Rivals is dedicated to Isabel Ibañez and What the River Knows is dedicated to Rebecca Ross and since I am OBSESSED with What the River Knows, that’ll be my comp title.

And now, we get into my top four. I thought Lessons in Chemistry would be higher than this when I first read it, but ultimately, I think the fourth spot is correct. Like most literary books I read (though this one is historical fiction and maybe that’s different?) and wind up loving, this book does not feel like it has the hallmarks of a Jenica book beyond the fact that it’s supposedly about fighting for women’s rights. I mean, chemistry? Cooking? The synopsis just didn’t really scream, this will be the best book ever, but it was everywhere. So I got it from Book of the Month and… honestly, this book is about so much more than I knew, but also, it’s so sad? I don’t recommend it without looking up trigger warnings, but the one that caught me super off guard that’s right at the beginning is a sexual assault that is on page. This book can be so hard to read, but the writing was so great and even though sometimes it’s written almost like you’re removed from the interior life of Elizabeth, it’s still deeply emotional? I don’t know how to explain it because I’m convinced that I shouldn’t love this book, but I really did. So do I recommend it? I mean… Not really? But also, if you think it could be something you’ll like then yes. I do need someone to pre-watch the TV show for me though and tell me how graphic the assault is on screen. Oh and comp title wise? I’ve got nothing. I don’t read nearly enough books like this to have the slightest clue what to direct you toward.

Daisy Haites…. Y’all. This is the book that threw off this list. I finished it last night and it WRECKED me. I didn’t start tabbing in this book until page 200 and still managed to go through so many tabs. At times during this book, I felt like it was another story so similar to Mags and BJ and I wasn’t sure I wanted to read that, but then… Well, but then. You know? It just… Forget about Christian and Daisy for a minute, Daisy and her brother, Julian, and their relationship??? MY HEART. I love them. And the way… I’m not prepared to talk about this. Um, anyways, if you love Taylor Swift’s lyrics and you’re here for the mess and also you don’t need a happy ending necessarily (because who the f knows where these characters will end up at the end of all of this???) then I would recommend. If you don’t love mess, do not pick this book up. Do not pass go. These books are FULL of toxic relationships with people who just need to COMMUNICATE, but it’s honestly so realistic how people just react sometimes without thinking ANYTHING through, but omg, at what cost!!!! Anyway, I’m in love. Comp title wise, people like to compare these books to Gossip Girl but that’s giving Cecily Von Ziegesar too much credit, although, I guess if you’re just thinking of the show then that would work… Anyway, I’ve read both Daisy Haites and Magnolia Parks this year and Daisy swept my heart away in a way that Mags didn’t quite, but I am still so, so very excited to start Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home even though I am also not even remotely emotionally prepared for the book either.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez is absolutely perfect. It is also YA, but again, older YA, and it knocked Divine Rivals out of getting my vote when I finished it just before the Goodreads voting situation. It’s a historical fantasy set mostly in Egypt with our main character trying to figure out what happened to her parents who have disappeared. I loved everything about it. Except the ending because WHY is that such a cliffhanger!! But book two is coming out next year so I cannot wait.

But finally, we have my favorite book of the year, Heartless by Elsie Silver. I’ve read this one twice this year because I just… I love Cade and Willa. This is the best book in the series, in my opinion, and I would re-read it all the time. This book sent me down a single dad rabbit hole that I really haven’t found my way out of. I love everything about this book. If you like this one, I would recommend Juniper Hill by Devney Perry.

Closing Thoughts

I have a ton of books that I would consider honorable mentions, but I feel like I may just leave it here. So please let me know if you would prefer that I go ahead and make a whole separate post about that. Otherwise, there are my top fourteen books! Please let me know if we share any favorites! And, please let me know your favorites too!

xx