1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2024
Probably Those Pink Mountain Nights by Jen Ferguson. It's a YA contemporary about a group of teens who work at a pizza shop. It tackles a lot of important but difficult topics like capitalism, mental health, and abuse, as well as the plight of the missing and murdered indigenous women. It's an emotional book with a lot of heart.
2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2023
Definitely Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. I may have even liked it a little better than Fourth Wing. The only negative was the repetitive fights between Violet and Xaden. Even still, the plot progressed a lot with more world building and epic battles. The highlight was definitely Tairn and a now adolescent Andarna (Violet's dragons).
3. New release you haven’t read yet but want to
The Wren in the Holly Library by K. A. Linde. It's an urban fantasy about a world in which monsters emerged and there was a cataclysmic war before the Monster Treaty was signed. In the book, a human girl (Kierse) makes a bargain with a dangerous creature. I got this for my birthday, and I'm looking forward to sinking my teeth into it. I hope it's as intriguing as it sounds!
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of 2024
The Girl with No Reflection by Keshe Chow. It's a YA fantasy with a badass princess and a forbidden romance with a prince from a mirror world. I found out about this book when the author's tiktok was recommended to me and I preordered it the day it became available. As an aspiring YA fantasy author myself, I am always keen to support these debuts when they pique my interest.
5. Biggest Disappointment?
Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould. It's a YA fantasy and her sophmore novel. Gould has this beautiful writing style that utilizes a lot of metaphor. Unfortunately, this book was way to similar to her debut novel and was just a subpar version of it.
6. Biggest Surprise?
That Night at the Library by Eva Jurczyk which is a thriller about a group of college students who are trapped in a library basement - and one of them is a killer. I wasn't blown away by this novel, but I did have an enjoyable reading experience with it which I didn't expect given its abmissmal Goodreads ratings.
7. New favorite author?
I don't have any new authors that I think will become all time favorites, but I did discover a new cozy mystery author whose books I liked: Darci Hannah and her Beacon Bakeshop mystery series. I read the books back to back and was kind of bummed when I finished the last book as I didn't want the series to end.
8. Newest Fictional crush?
Probably Dylan from A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison. I like him because he's a gentleman but he also has this dangerous edge to him.
9. Newest favorite character?
Maud from An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten. Maud is not the kind of person I'd want to meet in real life, but she's my favorite book character archetype. She's a morally grey character and she's very cunning, using her age and perceived frailty to her advantage.
10. Book that made you cry
Here We Go Again by Alison Cochran. She's my favorite romance author. Her depictions of mental health make me emotional because, as someone with an anxiety disorder and depression, it's easy to believe no one will be able to love me. Cochran's characters make me believe that I can find that true love and that I'm more than my mental illnesses. This book also deals with the topics of loss and grief which is always a tearjerker for those like me who have experienced it in our real lives.
11. Book that made you happy
Calling of Light by Lori M. Lee. This is the final book in a YA fantasy series that is one of my all time favorites. The gap between the first two books was a year, but the gap between the second book and the third one was almost three years. I had given up hope of ever having the finale in my hands so when it finally was I was giddy.
12. Favorite book to movie adaptation you’ve seen this year?
I don't really watch a lot of adaptations (or watch a lot of TV and movies in general), so there hasn't been one this year that I can name as a favorite.
13. Favorite post you’ve written this year?
Why Dark Corners by Megan Goldin Doesn't Work: https://www.haleysbookhaven.com/post/why-dark-corners-by-megan-goldin-doesn-t-work-spoiler-book-review. I take no joy in disliking books, but I do like to be able ot decrustruct why a book fails because it helps me to become a more critical reader and writer.
14. Most beautiful book you’ve bought this year
Techincally, this was a 2023 Christmas gift, but I read it this year. This book is also a really great historical adventure book so check it out! Isabel Ibañez is a very talented writer.
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