FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros

Bringing the story to life is a lush, descriptive writing style that constantly details the setting and characters without impacting the story’s pace. Equally impressive is the rich, unique world that is easy to grasp yet complex, with a delightful blend of magic, dragons and politics. Cliffhanger chapter endings are also skillfully used, making it difficult to put this book down.

BORN A CRIME: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

BORN A CRIME Audiobook Cover

The detailed writing brings each story within this book to life. Even with the heavy topics mentioned, the narrative remained entertaining as a light-hearted and casual tone was maintained throughout. While the narrative is also slightly disjointed, the additional information provided by numerous tangents made this book more elaborate and compelling.

SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo

SIX OF CROWS

Despite being relatively simple, the world-building is fascinating and immersive. Similarly simple is the writing style, but this is perfect for conveying the intricate details of the action-packed story. The multiple points of view (POVs) used not only presents a full scope of events but help establish the complex characters. Transitions between these POVs are smooth and well-timed, with little repetition of information.

THE WELL OF ASCENSION by Brandon Sanderson

THE WELL OF ASCENSION

I am at a loss for words for how good Brandon’s writing is in this book. It is vivid, picturesque, and seemingly effortless! Each word from beginning to end drips with so much imagery and suspense that I found it difficult to stop reading. The continued world-building in this story is also very impressive. I loved each new revelation about the magic system and the history of the Final Empire.

56 DAYS by Catherine Ryan Howard

56 DAYS

’56 days’ is the first book I have read that is set in this COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, this book puts a magnifying glass on the early days of the pandemic. Catherine Ryan Howard does a great job of capturing the uncertainty and apprehension of that time. While this could potentially be triggering for some readers, in my opinion, it helped make the story even more engaging and realistic.