#relived my atlas complex trauma while writing this because it had been a minute so i had forgotten some details

[astarlightmonbebe]

9 Books I Read in 2024

Tagged by @tryingtimi

rules: list 9 books you read this year that stood out to you the most/that you liked the best

i've only read 27 so far, so that's roughly 1/3rd, but we'll see. (in no particular order)

the fragile threads of power (v.e. schwab)

new adult / fantasy / adventure

i love, love, love shades of magic, so this coming out was a very pleasant surprise!!! it served and exceeded my expectations, and i'm eagerly waiting on the sequels. i loved the weaving of the past storyline and characters, but also the introduction of a new generation (also some side characters i hope will have a bigger part in the future :) ).

the death of vivek oji (akwaeke emezi)

litfic / lgbt+ themes

akwaeke emezi is an author i've always meant to read more of, and this book was sooo good. i didn't know what exactly to expect going in, because the cover flap is pretty vague, but reading it was definitely a gut punch. emezi always creates such a deeply critical and meaningful story in a short time. loved the friendships (even if they were also deeply painful). if you're sensitive, i do recommend checking out potential trigger warnings before reading.

age of vice (deepti kapor)

adult fiction / crime / thriller

picked this one up on a whim and i don't regret it at all - the story is very compelling, and i can definitely see it being dramatized. really wish there could be a sequel (apparently it's the start of a trilogy so fingers crossed!). class themes and conflicts are a huge part of the story, and it doesn't pull punches; you'll hate some characters, sympathize and pity others... and nothing is black and white.

the atlas complex (olivie blake)

new adult fiction / dark academia vibes / fantasy elements

wellll this was the conclusion to one of my recent favorite trilogies and. well. haha. let's just say. it was amazing but also damn. if you know, you know! the plot is really convoluted, in the way i honestly kind of like. got something i wanted and lost something big in return so it's the kind of book that just ahhhh. yeah.

the leavers (lisa ko)

litfic / coming-of-age

another good work. main character is not a hero, and navigating a lot of issues and current relationship problems. did it blow my mind? no, but it was still a solid read and i would recommend it.

my 500 years of being fifteen (kim hyejung)

young adult / urban fantasy

this book is special to me because i bought it in taiwan and it was the first (still the only) book i've read in trad characters/total chinese, but it was also so sweet! and fun! very kdrama esque.

the city we became (nk jemisin)

adult fiction / urban fantasy

my first nk jemisin work, and i really enjoyed it. i love sentient cities, and the angle this took was new and fun. i thought it might be confusing, but it actually made a lot of sense. love all the character dynamics. the sequel was really good as well.

i am the messenger (markus zusak)

coming-of-age / young adult fiction / mystery

like bridge of clay, this book took me by surprise. i think i binged it in a day or two? very easy to read, perfect example of what a good book is, where all the loose ends tie up and everything that was introduced has meetings later on.

strange beasts of china (yan ge)

adult fiction / low fantasy / magical realism

this one is quite possibly my favorite book of the year. i knew it was going to be good because it sounded so good, but oh man was it good. the relationships within it are the type i really like, where someone who doesn't seem important is gradually revealed to be so. ending was a gut punch. also i love magical realism.