I've read 86 books this year and I've picked out 10 favorites. I tried my best to put the books in order. It was difficult but I think I got there. I love all of these books so much and I feel so lucky to have experienced them. I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else's favorite books were because I could use some great recommendations. Let me know if you loved any of these or have any similar book recommendations.
I read and loved two books with what I consider low ratings on Goodreads. This one is currently sitting at 3.45. I was shocked because this was such a fun book. I was drawn in by the town but mostly enjoyed going to the past to see how the Legend of Sleepy Hollow came about. Knowing nothing about the original, this was such a pleasant surprise.
I said this was "essentially a quiet, cozy existential crisis read" in my review and I stand by that. Other than being cozy, the main character was trying to find their purpose in life. I tend to enjoy books that specifically focus on growth and reflection in their characters. This story gave me that and just a great feeling when I listened to it on the way to work. The robot companion discovering humans for the first time was a delightful aspect too.
I read both the Guardian Test and its sequel, In the Shadow Mist, this year. The cover just gave off Pokemon vibes but after reading it it's like Pokemon but if you transformed into them. It's all about being environmentally conscious and finding your place in the world. It's such a short read but it stuck in my mind so easily.
I read this for my Disney series specifically to represent Cinderella because of her love of dogs. If you don't read middle grade you would be surprised by how thoughtful this book was. Robyn just wants both her dogs to be given a shot at being able to train them in dog agility but since one of them is anxious and the other is deaf and blind they get rejected. She gets some new friends and learns a lot about herself in the process. I felt like I went through a whole journey reading this.
Jillian Robichaux's town is being destroyed by rising tides. She sets off to find stories from her neighbors to prove that the town is worth saving. Meanwhile, her dad who she hardly sees stays with her, her mom, and her grandma since he has no place to go. Jillian learns about climate change and how she could stop other coastal towns from being destroyed in the future. Since I live in Florida, I found this topic highly interesting. I loved the Southerness of it all with how Jillian talked and all the Louisiana food her grandma made. Such a great book.
Cece Rios and the King of Fears by Kaela Rivera
Kaela River does it again in this sequel to Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls. This time we got a POV from Cece's sister Juana as they both go on a journey to save Juana's soul. I love Cece's friendship with her criaturas and I loved how Juana learned to open herself up to a new friend as well. I'm really excited to see how everything ends in the last book coming out next year.
The Ruby Code by Jessica Khoury
Can Jessica Khoury write a bad book? I think not. I loved her Skyborn series last year. Truly amazing and she just bangs out this amazing standalone. Ruby is an AI in a video game. Every day she questions doing the same tasks. She is fighting to be her own person then comes in Ash who discovers her in said game. They make such a great team. I loved their friendship and the adventure they went on to fight an evil corporation bent on basically destroying the world for money. I now have to read Khoury's backlist books because this is the second year in a row her books have ended up on my favorites list.
I can't believe I was going to return this book before reading it. Wow, what a shock it ended up being one of my favorite books, and I read it in December! I loved the world-building, the main characters, the slow pace, the slow romance, everything... I will follow Emily and Wendell anywhere.
Can you believe that all three of the books I read for my TBR series made it to my favorites? I hope that continues next year. This book blew me away so much that my review isn't really a review but just me gushing over it and telling you to read it. I can't coherently explain why I find it so amazing. It all culminates in one scene towards the end that puts it all into perspective when Odette unleashes the power within her. It's such a crime that hardly anyone has rated it on Goodreads... Ugh.
I read Bravely for what was supposed to be Merida Controls My Life and boy did it surpass any expectations I had of it. I love fairy tale retellings and slow romances, but most of all I love it when there is self-reflection in a book. When all of the family members must change and find their purpose to save their kingdom... Oh my gosh, that's all the elements I could ever want in a book! This was made specifically for me. I loved this book so much that after listening to it my immediate thought was that I had to read it again. That's how much I loved it. And I didn't read it again because I thought it was a strange thing to do but I have to rectify that and actually read it next year. This was the absolute perfect read for me.
What are your favorite books of the year?
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