Most years I put out a list of books I greatly enjoyed from the first half of the year some time in June. This year, I decided to do it early because, besides needing a blog for this week, I have read a lot of good books lately, so I’m thinking of making this something I do more than twice a year (and often forget to do in December). The books listed below are not in any order of favoritism, but I will provide reasons for why you should pick up my ten favorite reads of 2024 thus far.
- Spear by Nicola Griffith– If you enjoy Medieval or Arthurian fantasy with a queer twist, Spear should be on your tbr. It is under 200 pages, but there is so much crammed into such a small book. The writing flows so smoothly, and while it reads as more authentically Medieval than many Arthurian retellings, it feels very modern while simultaneously being true to the time. Yes, the Middle Ages were diverse; get over it.
- The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo– I am a Nghi Vo stan. If they write it, I will read it, and while you do not need to read the Singing Hills Cycle books in order, you should still read all of them. The Brides of High Hill was deliciously South-East Asian Gothic with little flourishes of Bluebeard-esque stories while being obviously grounded in Asian myths and folklore. Vo’s books are all at once beautiful and horrific with plenty of twists and surprises, and this one was no different.
- The Shabti by Megaera C. Lorenz– I received this one as an ARC, and now, Megaera is on my autobuy list. The Shabti is a historical-paranormal romance set in the 1930s between a washed up fake medium trying to go straight(ish) and an Egyptology professor with a ghost problem. Hermann and Dashiel are adorable together, and the side characters and titular ghost/object are all delightful.
- Refusing Compulsory Sexuality by Sherronda J. Brown– A really fantastic nonfiction book about asexuality, acephobia, compulsory sexuality and how that all intersects with anti-Blackness, racism, the patriarchy, etc. I think you should read Angela Chen’s ACE first if you aren’t familiar with asexual scholarship, but Refusing Compulsory Sexuality really puts all the pieces together in a concise way.
- We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian– Cat Sebastian is one of those authors who continually rips my heart out with how loving and cozy her books are, and We Could Be So Good is no exception. A reporter falls for the owner of the newspaper’s son and realizes Andy is far deeper than he seems. Andy and Nick are just so good for each other, and the side characters really make the story shine.
- The Reluctant Heartthrob by Jackie Lau– Technically, this is the second book in series, but I think they can be read out of order. The female main character is autistic with face blindness, and the male main character is an actor who prefers to stay out of the limelight. They are delightful together, and as with all Jackie Lau books, there is so much good food and heat to go with it.
- Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire– If the Tardis and an antique shop had a baby, it would be the setting of this story. You do have to read at least the book before this one to understand fully what’s going on, but this whole series is chef kiss if you enjoy portal fantasies and misfit kids finding where they truly belong. I love stories where we get to revisit a character and have them grow even more than the previous book allowed.
- Ivy, Angelica, Bay by C. L. Polk– If Claudia is your favorite character in Interview with the Vampire, I think you’ll love Ivy, Angelica, Bay. Once again, this is technically a sequel, but it can be skipped (though you should read St. Valentine, St. Abigail, St. Brigid because it’s also fantastic). We have a witch fighting capitalism and gentrification and so much more.
- Threads of Life by Clare Hunter– If you’re a crafter, especially someone into needle crafts, I highly recommend Threads of Life. Hunter talks about the sociological, political, cultural, and feminist issues that surround needle crafts. She talks about the shifting gender roles behind them as well as the ways people are lost to history yet their great works remain. She also touches upon Palestine and other disenfranchised and threatened people/cultures.
- The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi– This one is super short (under 100 pages), but Tutu goes through so much in such a limited amount of time. It’s a story about how empire destroys and defangs the people it colonizes and turns them against each other. I’m really interested to see how what happened in book one plays into book two’s plot.
Kara Jorgensen 