With a new year comes a new series: Reading Wrap-Ups! Each month, I’ll put together a list ranking the books I read. With an invigorated love for reading and a newly active Goodreads account, I’m excited to write these articles for myself and to give you my recommendations.
While I’ll consider my initial star rating, it won’t solely dictate where they land in the list. Some four-star books might end up above five-star books. I’m going off of vibe, re-readability, and genre preference. Which books would I pick up again? What books have slotted into my favorites or are in line with my usual reads? These books aren’t only compared to each other, but to all the books I’ve ever read.
January was full of excellent reads, making this ranking difficult. With a mixture of needing an escape and trying to stay off TikTok, I flew through way more books this month than I thought I would. I haven’t read like this since high school, eyes racing along the page and words pouring into me like a waterfall.
Without further ado, let’s jump in. All of these small reviews will be spoiler-free!
11. Carmilla: The First Vampire by Amy Chu (illustrated by Soo Lee)
Published February 28, 2023
Rating: 3 stars
Genres: Vampires, Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ+, Lesbian
Summary: A social worker begins to investigate the mysterious murders of young, homeless LGBTQ+. She finds Carmilla’s, a nightclub in the heart of Chinatown, and falls into a toxic love that reveals illusions about herself, life, and her and her family’s past. This graphic novel mixes the original gothic vampire tale with Chinese folklore.
I really wanted to love this graphic novel. I love vampires and all things supernatural; plus, I read the original Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu last year. Yet, I found it moved too quickly and didn’t take time explaining concepts or where the characters were. It jumped from scene to scene, didn’t have the best dialogue, and lost characters fast without spending enough time with them. I kept flipping the pages back and forth wondering if I was missing a whole chapter. Don’t get me wrong, the concept is awesome and the art was beautiful. It’s always interesting to see original tales mixed with other cultural tellings. I wish it was more fleshed out or, at least, longer, and it would’ve been bumped up to four stars.
10. FantasticLand: A Novel by Mike Bockoven
Published October 11, 2016
Rating: 3.5 stars
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Dystopia, Survival, Adult
Summary: Written through the perspective of first-person interviews, the mystery of what happened at FantasticLand unfolds. After a devastating hurricane hits Florida, hundreds of employees are stranded in the theme park for over a month. What unfolds is the strains of human decency, survival, and terror. The park divides into tribes and begin their reigns.
For an awesome concept, I was disappointed I mostly disliked this. The only good parts were when violence was described, which feels so weird to say. The story mode wasn’t for me. It felt like a missed opportunity to have it narrative rather than in an interview, almost non-fiction style. The stream of consciousness was very “telling” instead of “showing.” It also lost a lot of filler and development, only presenting facts and important moments, like fragments instead of a whole picture. I was only ever disturbed or “thrilled” (thriller genre, get it) when the spooky details and big fights happened. Plus, I was super frustrated with the conflicting narratives AND some of the mystery left behind. Not getting an answer about the Warthogs makes me so mad. The book left me with a feeling of being unfinished.
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Published October 16, 1950
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Fantasy, Children’s, Classic
Summary: Four children find themselves in the magical world of Narnia after entering a wardrobe in an old professor’s home (where they stay for sanctuary during the war). Now they and their allies, including majestic lion Aslan, must save Narnia from the eternal winter and the evil White Witch.
A simple, quick, and easy read that kicked off my January. As a child, I watched the Narnia movie so often that I’m happy to have finally read the book. The main reason this is low on my list is because, frankly, I loved the movie more since it adds more depth and body to the story. The book was good but it couldn’t top the complexities of the ones to come. It was, after all, a children’s story. I was satisfied with how close the movie stayed to the book though; it seems to be a faithful adaptation.
8. The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater
Published October 17, 2017
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Nonfiction, LGBTQ+, Crime, Social Justice
Summary: Written about a case that garnered international attention, this book delves into the crime that connected two Oakland, Californian teens forever. Sasha, a white nonbinary teen from the middle class and a private school and Richard, a black teen from a crime-riddled neighborhood and a large public school, intersect on the 57 Bus. A careless act leaves Sasha burned and Richard charged.
This book was compelling, eye-opening, informational, and heart-wrenching. It explored identity, family, and the juvenile criminal system. I loved how Slater divided the book into parts, letting us understand Sasha and Richard before moving into the scenario that brought them unfortunately together. This book was recommended by a coworker and I’m grateful to have read it. I’d say this is such an important book for those that work in the education field. The only reason it finds itself near the bottom of my list is that I don’t pick up nonfiction if it’s not recommended. At the end of the day, I’d still more likely pick any of the fiction books you’ll see reading the rest of the article. Though, it’s basically interchangeable in ranking with number seven below.
7. The Revenge of My Youth: Re Life with an Angelic Girl by Boiru Iseebi
Published January 21, 2025
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Dramedy, Second Chance, High School
Summary: Corporate slave Niihama works himself to death for a terrible company, until one day, he’s launched back to his teenager years for a second chance. This time he’s determined to make things right with his mother, the girl of his dreams, and, most importantly, himself.
Despite being the only manga among books, Revenge of My Youth was a surprisingly good read. It was weirdly perfect to read as a high school staff member (in a much happier way than 57 Bus). The parallels between school and the corporate world were my favorite parts, highlighting how much school can prepare you for the “real world.” The characterization was lovely and the art style was simplistically structured and satisfying. Having to read it as an e-book didn’t even deter me from loving it. The rest of my review is here.
6. The Z Word by Lindsay King-Miller
Published May 7, 2024
Rating: 4 stars
Genres: Horror, Zombies/Apocalypse, Adult, LGBTQ+, Bisexual
Summary: After a bad breakup, bisexual protagonist Wendy is trying to navigate the queer community in San Lazaro, Arizona. It’s Pride weekend when her community starts transforming into aggressive, mindless husks that want a chomp of human flesh. Wendy and her found family (and her ex) must track the zombie outbreak to its source, while also trying to stay alive.
As a person with kinemortophobia (zombie phobia), this book was surprisingly great and only triggering towards the end. Some of the writing irked me, though I couldn’t put my finger on why, and I wasn’t really rooting for the main character. The evilness was realistic and not overdone, and the plot twist actually did catch me off guard (I figured out part of it, but the other part surprised me). The ambiguous ending wasn’t my favorite as a lover of happy ones, yet it fit the narrative. Though I gave this book four stars, I enjoyed the read and would pick it up again. It’s not often that I can stomach this type of apocalypse writing, so I’m glad I could read King-Miller’s!
5. The Elders’ Quest by Erin Hunter
Published January 7, 2025
Rating: 4 stars
Genres: Fantasy, Cats, Children’s
Summary: The ninth arc of Warriors follows SkyClan leader Leafstar, previous prophecy cat Tawnypelt, and new character Moonpaw. Twoleg construction has begun near SkyClan’s border and is spotted around the Moonpool. Tawnypelt attempts to get others to listen to her about the danger, while Leafstar faces trouble leading her Clan while she begins to go blind. Meanwhile, ThunderClan apprentice, Moonpaw, struggles to understand the voice in her head and the “spirit” that seems to be haunting her.
The Elders’ Quest has four stars in comparison to my other favorites from the WACA books, but the writing also seems to be struggling lately. I found the book interesting, sure, but unremarkable. It only lightly begins the character journeys for the three POV characters. Despite my complaints, I will always look forward to more Warriors books and this was no exception. Though I’d realistically pick up a Warriors book before any on this list, I did put it in the middle to be fair to the others. My full review can be read here.
4. Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake
Published November 22, 2022
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Adult, LGBTQ+, Lesbian, Sapphic
Summary: The second book in the Bright Falls series focuses on Astrid Parker, interior designer who loathes failure. As she works as the head designer for the historic town inn on camera, she butts head with the head carpenter, Jordan Everwood. Together, they discover what they’re passionate about and who they feel like kissing.
This was my least favorite of the Bright Falls books, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t really good. This Blake book was a bit redundant in regards to Delilah Green’s, yet introduced new characters and conflicts. It also picked up Astrid’s storyline, giving a peek into what happened a year after she split from her terrible fiance. I was definitely stoked to see her grow confidence in herself and her life. Some parts shocked me, while others thrilled me. It was still a lovely–spicy–comfort read. Plus, I read it during my week-long, unprompted romance marathon (as you’ll be able to tell from my top books this month).
3. Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake
Published October 24, 2023
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Adult, LGBTQ+, Lesbian, Sapphic
Summary: The third and final Bright Falls book follows the last of the friends: single Iris Kelly who’s sworn off dating and focuses instead on hookups. As she struggles for romantic motivation for her writing, she meets Stevie in a club. Stevie is struggling with her ex’s new relationship and her anxiety. She wants her friends to lay off and uses Iris as her fake girlfriend to achieve that. Iris knows sex and Stevie knows romance, together they begin to help the other. Except, Iris and Stevie become ever closer in all their “lessons.”
This Blake novel had me wondering whether I loved it more than the first one, though books rarely beat their original to me. It was raw, emotional, and relatable, with the right amount of old characters mixed in the new. I loved the cheeky nods to romance writing, sounding very similar to the experience I’m sure Blake was having. Iris and Stevie are an enchanting pair, mirroring each other’s struggles and helping each other through them. The intimate scenes were arguably the best in this book. The ending too was perfect for the end of Bright Falls, wrapping up everyone’s stories nicely.
2. Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner
Published October 11, 2022
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Romance, RomCom, Adult, LGBTQ+, Lesbian, Sapphic
Summary: Cassie Klein escapes Family Weekend at her college (where she’s a senior) and hooks up with an older woman who turns out to be her new best friend’s mom. Though Cassie and Erin Bennett try to keep their hands off each other, their chemistry is electric and their relationship is secret. It becomes more than just hooking up, as they begin to grow together and realize their true feelings.
This was the book that kicked off my momentary romance obsession; the main reason it isn’t number one is because I like Blake’s writing better. Wilsner still crafts an intimate and fun read. Sometimes it was a little too cheesy or eye-rolling, but the characters genuinely grew so much. Forbidden romance is one of my favorite tropes, and since this enters that territory a little, I enjoyed myself. I love how often romance has a happy ending too. Plus, Wilsner still kept Cassie and Erin’s realistic with a splash of over-the-top.
1. Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake
Published February 22, 2022
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Adult, LGBTQ+, Lesbian, Sapphic
Summary: Photographer Delilah Green goes back to her hometown Bright Falls, full of lonely childhood memories, to begrudgingly photograph her stepsister’s upcoming wedding. Her plan to lay low and collect a check is interrupted by Claire Sutherland, her sister Astrid’s best friend. As Delilah grows closer to Claire, she also connects with the third bestie, Iris. Their secret romance builds and flows alongside the plot to get rid of Astrid’s fiance.
Charming, funny, and complex, the first of the Bright Falls books had me hooked on the characters and their world immediately. Delilah was the snarky and mischievous main character of my dreams, coupled with the soft, caring Claire. The chemistry and desperate want between them sizzled perfectly. Claire’s daughter Ruby was a lovely addition, too. I loved seeing how Delilah grew from lonely to loved and Claire from insecure to wanted. I can confidently say it was my favorite of the romance reads for this month and topped as my favorite of the whole of January because of how quickly it drew me into its story and the satisfying end.
Stay tuned throughout the year for my other monthly wrap-ups! As my Goodreads goal was set to 25 for the year, I see that quickly being met and exceeded.
