Here are the 10* fantasy and sci-fi books I MOST enjoyed in 2024!
(*Really, it's 11 because two books tied for my #1 spot. Actually, it's even more than that because some belonged to or were entire series. But you get the idea. BOOKS!)
True to the spirit of the Greatcoats, but fresh and unique. Thrilling, complex, and absolutely addictive.
Bloody, brutal, and spectacular. Insanely action-packed with highly addictive characters and a gothic world that just keeps getting darker and more intriguing.
Reign and Ruin delivers everything I look for in a romantasy novel: two characters who are equally compelling in their own right, an engaging and epic plot, and, most important of all, a romance that doesn’t feel forced or shoe-horned in, but is developed organically and consistently throughout—until it finally culminates in the inevitable Happily Ever After I absolutely demand.
One of the most emotionally complex and hauntingly beautiful books I read all year!
Addie LaRue is willing to do anything to get out of an unwanted marriage--even sell her soul. But the cost is high: being utterly forgotten by everyone the minute they stop looking at you.
This book is a wonderful exploration of memory, art, music, and what makes us truly belong in a great, big, often cold world. A tear-jerker FOR SURE!
A badass hatchet-wielding, magically powered assassin and thief takes on an impossible heist, with deadly consequences for her and everyone she knows.
I loved this story--kind of like a gender-bent but equally grimdark Lies of Locke Lamora. Fast-paced, easy to read, complex, and brilliant, the Thieves Duology was an absolute treat from start to finish.
Ruin and Wrath, Books #3 and #4 of The Faithful and the Fallen, were glutted with bloody action, grim twists, terrible deaths, and characters you just can't get enough of.
Though the first two books in the series (Malice and Valour) were a bit slower, these two were absolutely spectacular and so addictive.
What made Shadow of the Gods (and the whole Bloodsworn Saga) truly awesome was Orka. Her single-minded devotion to her bloody revenge quest and hunt for her son was amazing. Even when giant monsters (see the above) were all around her, nothing stopped her or got in her way. MAJOR character agency and a badass to stand beside Druss and Logan Ninefingers.
The Viking-inspired world and the many gods and monsters were also a ton of fun. Super engaging characters and just a whole lot of fun.
Holy sh** this was an amazingly grimdark series!
The first book begins with a "Glory to the Roman Empire" vibe, but quickly descends into "The Fall of Lucifer" tone throughout Books 2 and 3. It's grimdark, bloody, violent, complicated, and promises one hell of an epic sci-fi adventure I fully intend to get back into ASAP.
I'm a sucker for a badass female assassin!
This series had such a grim, dark tone, blood-drenched from the very beginning and growing so twisty-turny with every page. It was broody and dour, sarcastic and witty. I particularly loved the footnotes at the bottom of every page--they added so much color and flavor to the world and character.
This story took me by surprise and shocked me in the best way possible.
I knew ML Wang was a singular talent, but I wasn't prepared for how dark this story was prepared to go. It's got such a subtly done yet unmistakable message about the dangers of homogenizing or subsuming conquered cultures, and the importance about preserving one's heritage. All wrapped up in a complicated academia-flavored fantasy story that was so compelling and engaging.