2023 is in the past, gone forever. I wouldn’t rate it as one of my favorite years, but I also released my first novel in 2023 so it’ll always be remembered. What a weird year. Anyways, I finished out the last few months with a mix of fantasy and crime thrillers.
The World We Make (Great Cities #2) by N.K. Jemisin
What a fantastic story / series. I think the first book, The City We Became, was in my opinion the stronger of the two, but The World We Make is a great conclusion to this duology. Continuing the themes of classism, and racism through the lens of the five boroughs of NYC as characters, as they fight an interdimensional creature trying to destroy the city.
The Dark Tower by Stephen King
Only the second Stephen King book I’ve read, I’d heard The Dark Tower was an enjoyable fantasy/western, and it was. It lived up to the hype and I plan to get into the rest of the series this year.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
I’d seen the original and remake films of the same name, and thoroughly enjoyed them, I figured I’d give the novel a shot and the movies don’t stray too far from the source material. It’s very very detailed, with impressive back stories for every character and family member involved in the mystery. At some points it was daunting to read but somehow managed to keep me invested, even though I already knew how it ended.
So glad a friend suggested I check out Octavia Butler’s work, because it’s fantastic. Only the second novel I’ve read by Butler, but it doesn’t miss. It’s a harsh, and at times brutal, but honest look at racism of the past, as a woman attempts to save her family through an unexplained time travel mystery.
The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer
Toward the end of the year and into 2024 I’ve started reading more thrillers, as my second novel will be firmly in that genre. The Tourist is one of those techno-thrillers that covers allllll the details. At points it was too much for me and probably could’ve been trimmed down, but for fans of that genre it’s a perfect fit.
