Do you enjoy reading when stressed? Whether exhausted, overwhelmed, or in a health flare-up, I find reading can help. Let’s recap the highlights of 2024!
Five books I’m freaking out about include: a book that made me happy, my biggest surprise, the best audiobook, the best book of the year (so far), and a sweet, summer read!
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#1 – Book that made me happy
The House In The Cerulean Sea – By TJ Klune
TJ Klune writes with levity and humor, despite themes of neglect and abuse.
To begin, we meet Linus Baker, as he stumbles out of his sedate routine and into a haven of sorts. An orphanage on an island in the sea.
A government worker for ‘the department in charge of magical youth’, Mr. Baker is fair in assessments. As he investigates, he tries to feel out what makes this orphanage so…odd.
The children are uniquely magical, but they are regular children. The house may be secluded, but it is inviting and bright.
Does the wry, unflappable Mr. Parnassis have good reason to isolate the children? The answer is here in this heartwarming, chosen-family story.
⭐️
#2 – Biggest surprise
The Cursebound Thief – By Megan O’Russell
Coming in August 2024, book 4 will complete The Fracture Pact series, which is good enough for my personal rule not to read an unfinished series. (Ok, ok, it’s a rule I often break!)
The Cursebound Thief opens the series with Jerek Holden recruiting a team for a super secret heist. Why? To save the magical world, of course!
A recent tragedy fractured magic itself, leaving the feu–or the magical community–starved for magic. His father had theorized a solution, leaving Jerek to take over the mission. To succeed, he gathers together Ari, his chaotic platonic soulmate, a vampire thief, a werewolf who owes him a favor, a man on the inside, and his secret weapon, Grace.
Grace is just an average high school student, or so she believes before several teenagers impersonating X-men present her with a spiel about saving the world.
Even as they execute the plan, how can the team be certain that their goals are the same? Lets hope the teens can build trust by unearthing murder conspiracies and treasonous plots.
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#3 – Best audiobook
Funny Story – By Emily Henry
Funny Story by Emily Henry was super entertaining, despite the grand-scale betrayal!
Nothing like a betrayal to lay insecurities bare. Other fun effects: unlikely friends, fits of rage, and shoving emotions in the closet!
To begin, Daphne is engaged to her dream guy, Peter, decorating their new townhouse in style, and loving her children’s librarian gig. But then…Peter’s betrayal. He breaks off the engagement with an air of “whoops, my bad, but it’s for the best”. We hate Peter.
Miles’ girlfriend was Peter’s best friend-now-girlfriend. Having this heartbreak in common prompts a highly depressing roommate situation.
As she searches for her new chapter in life, Daphne opens up to her coworker, Ashley, and gets to know her new town with the help of Miles.
When her deadbeat dad turns up, abandonment issues in tow, Daphne questions whether she is willing to trust any one place as her forever home.
Julia Whelan’s audio performance of Daphne’s sardonic wit is excellent! Wow. Miles came to life, too, a gruff vocalization of a man discovering that emotions exist. 10/10
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#4 – Best Book Of 2024 so far
The Vanishing Half – By Brit Bennett
The Vanishing Half is a story in halves, the leavers and the left. Brit Bennett has done emotional heavy-lifting, afflicting convoluted characters with the complexities of joy, fear, comfort, and pain.
We can best appreciate this masterpiece by sitting in each heavy moment. Feel for a twin waking to find her other half gone. Feel for ungrieved and needless loss. Feel for ignorance. For loneliness.
Each woman is a main character. Love isn’t only for a story’s end. Maybe it’s the start, or the middle, before the worst happened. Maybe love is what happens when you walk straight through fear, unblinking.
The author hurdles between past and present to visit twins Desiree and Stella, Jude, Kennedy, Loretta, and Early the hunter.
A phantom limb of a story, The Vanishing Half hunts for lost truths. I sense that, if I sit in the story, there is more yet to feel about life and love.
⭐️
#5 – A Sweet Summer Read
A Fragile Enchantment – Allison Saft
Always have on hand a cute romantic fantasy with creative magical elements!
Naimh aims to secure her family’s future by taking a lucrative offer to dress a royal wedding party.
However, Niamh has underestimated the political unrest between her own people and their former tyrant’s successor. Can she keep her head down? Will her ability to weave emotion into elaborate attire be used for a nefarious plot?
Why does the prince, Kit, refuse to prepare for his own wedding (and why is that Niamh’s problem)?
Find out in this absorbing tale of desperation, accountability, and self-acceptance by Allison Saft. (Additionally, we have representation of a fictional chronic illness, which I love to see!)
Conclusion
I’m buzzing from these reviews! This feeling is the opposite of stress. After a workweek full of computer troubleshooting and answering disgruntled emails, I am celebrating doing what I love: reading and writing! Thanks for keeping me company.
I hope you’ll share recommendations for happy, fun – new or old – books!
Thank you for reading. 💙
Voice of Reason 