This post is usually one of the few in my ‘top 5’ category, however, I haven’t read that great ARCs this year. Which is a shame but it takes a lot to blow me away these days. I’ve definitely read a lot of good ARCs but there haven’t been as many five stars this year.
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
This was my only five star ARC of 2024. I’ve not really had many five star reads in general this year. However, this one really was something special. I didn’t decide on the five star rating until pretty much the end of the book and there was one scene that allowed me to make up my mind. If you’ve read this, you’ll probably know the one I’m talking about.
I loved the lore of the vampires. It’s one of the most unique ones I’ve read in a long time. Nothing too out there but the tea part was pretty cool. I also loved all of the main characters. I’d highly recommend you check this out.
Synopsis: Why save the world when you can have tea?
On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.
Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the sinister, glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.
My Salty Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows
This was a surprisingly good read. Not that I really had any preconceived notions of it but three authors for one book isn’t always a good sign. However, this was great. I don’t know if each author wrote one perspective each but the fact that you couldn’t tell was good.
The comedy side of this book was done really well. The modern day references were hilarious and made funnier by the fact that none of the other characters knew what they were talking about. I also love that it’s such a unique take on The Little Mermaid. I wouldn’t call it a direct retelling but they do share a lot of elements and plot lines.
Synopsis: Don’t call this mermaid “little”—call her “captain,” unless you want to walk the plank.
Mary is in love with the so-called prince of Charles Town, except he doesn’t love her back. Which is inconvenient. Since she’s a mermaid, being brokenhearted means she’ll—poof!—turn into sea-foam.
But instead, Mary finds herself pulled out of the sea and up onto a pirate ship. To survive, she joins them. But Mary isn’t willing to just sing the yo-ho-hos. She wants the pirate life, all of it, and she’s ready to make a splash . . . by becoming captain. But when Blackbeard dies suddenly, Mary has a chance to become so much more: Pirate King . . . or Queen. She won’t let anyone stop her—not Blackbeard’s cute son, not her best friend from back under the sea who’s having a bit too much fun with his new legs, and certainly not everyone who says she can’t be a pirate just because she’s a girl.
She may not be the best man for the job, but she’ll definitely prove that she’s worth her salt.
It’s Not Me, It’s You by Alex Light
It would be wrong if I didn’t include at least one contemporary in this post as they’ve been some of my favourite reads this year. With It’s Not Me, It’s You being very high on that list. Firstly, the title is funny. Secondly, frenemies to lovers is a great trope. Jackie and Wilson (what a great Hozier song) had perfect banter. So much so that any time they’d interact I’d get a stupid smile on my face. Which is funny considering you spend most of the book watching Wilson try to get his girlfriend back. You know Jackie and Wilson are meant to be together though.
Synopsis: Jackie Myers is a fraud. Or she might be a genius—the jury’s still out. The thing is, she secretly runs “pleasebreakmyheart,” a gone-viral account aimed at breaking hearts and ending relationships—and she just used it to break up her insufferable eternal nemesis’s picture-perfect relationship.
Wilson is the buttoned-up, type-A assistant manager of her nightmares—but it turns out he’s also, apparently, a really great boyfriend.
So with her conscience (and paycheck) on the line, Jackie decides there’s only one thing to do: She’s going to help Wilson win his ex-girlfriend back. Which should be easy, considering Jackie hates him…right?
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Like this post? Why not read this one too: To Be Read: January 2025