Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia

Though I’ve mentioned this book on my blog before, I feel like I don’t talk about it nearly enough. It was such a random find that I ended up loving! It’s spooky, it revolves around Edgar Allan Poe, and there’s puzzles! I thought this was such an interesting book and I was completely invested in it from page one until the end. Puzzles in books are the way to get me, I tell ya. This is also one of the few standalones I five starred this year.

Kit and Jett from The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton

I’m not a hug OTP person. I don’t tend to read books for romance (excluding romances, of course), but I do enjoy when romance is included. And yet I don’t have a book couple that I would absolutely ride or die for. That being said, I thought the relationship between Kit and her best friend, Jett, was the cutest! It was a nice side story to the main plot and it made my heart happy 💖

The Darker Shade of Magic series by V.E. Schwab

This question made me realize that I haven’t completed a lot of trilogies. I’ve started quite a few, but I’m apparently rather bad at finishing what I’ve started 😂 (Perhaps a goal for the new year??) Anyways, I don’t talk about my love of V.E. Schwab’s writing on my blog nearly enough. I discovered her through this series and have been hooked ever since! I adored this trilogy. The world-building in incredible, the characters (Kell! Rhy! Lila!) are incredible, and the story just sucks you in.

The Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire

I discovered this series last year and fell hard. I love it so much! It’s whimsical and dark and fun. I have my favorites of the series (Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a gem) but I’ve enjoyed every single one, so far. Also, they’re all super short so it’s easy to tear through the series. You can pick one up, get lost for an hour or two, and them move on to the next adventure. The last book in the series comes out next month and I cannot wait!

Doctor Fid from Fid’s Crusade by David H. Reiss

This is a book I haven’t been able to talk about here because it read it as one of the panelists for the Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award. Thankfully, the winners have now been announced (Fid won second place!) so I can gush to my heart’s content! I feel like I’m probably cheating here as Fid is technically a villain, but he’s also the protagonist of this story. He’s also awesome. I haven’t enjoyed an anti-hero this much in quite some time! I can’t wait to continue on with this series.

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston

I haven’t talked about this book much as I’ve recently finished, but I freakin’ loved it! One of my favorite things about this book was the world-building. It’s set in the real world, but with the supernatural permeating throughout. I loved how it all was integrated together and I loved the many layers of the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. There’s so much to sink your teeth into and, trust me, you don’t want to let go. I’m already eager for the sequel and this book isn’t even out yet!

Barf from The Merciful Crow series by Margaret Owen

Now, I know that I’ve talked about this series quite a bit on the blog, but I would fight people to keep Barf safe. Barf is best cat and deserves the world! She’s not necessarily the most helpful animal companion (though she has her moments) but she is still perfect and, therefore, my favorite. We all deserve a Barf in our lives, lol.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell/illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks

Though Rainbow Rowell is problematic, I found myself really loving this cute graphic novel. Did I see where it was going almost immediately? Yes, but it’s about the journey! At least in this case it was and the fact that this novel is set at a pumpkin patch with a ton of fair food, the journey involved a lot of food. I’m a sucker for fair food, so I found myself getting hungry quite a bit as I read through this, lol. Just thinking about it makes me want a funnel cake…

Bree from Legendborn by Tracey Deonn

I don’t shout about this book nearly as much as I should because it’s incredible, so I had to add this to the tag. It certainly fits this prompt because Bree is such a complex and amazing female lead! I loved how real she feels, like I might actually run into her on the UNC campus. She’s fierce, she’s smart, and she is turning legends on their heads. I love Bree and I’m excited to continue following her story!

Jess Brightwell from The Great Library series by Rachel Caine

This is a series that I’ve mentioned a lot on my blog, but it just doesn’t get the attention it deserves! It’s an incredible series with fantastic world-building, intense action, and wonderful characters. My favorite has to be the main character, Jess Brightwell. He’s smart and cunning, but with a moral compass that gets him into more trouble than you would think. He’s a great character to follow and to watch grow throughout the series.

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

This is definitely a book I don’t talk about enough! This story follows the sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as she and her brother venture through a magical kingdom. Music is at the core of this book and that’s one of the reasons I loved it so much. It’s also very atmospheric and the writing will transport you. I loved how the music was tied into the magic of the world and I’m a little sad that this book is a standalone. I could definitely spend more time with the Mozart siblings!

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

I don’t think anyone is surprised by this 😂 I read this book back in April and have been over the moon about it ever since! I’ve even re-read it already and I’m not one to re-read books. Especially in the same year that I originally read it! This book has everything, y’all. It has a strong plot, lush settings, intriguing and vivid characters… the works! It’s the start of a series and sets it up so well that I am desperate for the next book. It’s supposed to be coming out next year, so you already know what my most anticipated book of 2021 will be!