Is it just me, or did January fly by this year?! Hopefully, you managed to squeeze in a few great reads, but even if you did not, it’s a new month, so here are some promising new releases to help you hit your reading goals:
Fantasy
All posts that feature a book from genre fantasy
- Book reviews
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INK BLOOD SISTER SCRIBE by Emma Törzs
Lush details and descriptions brought this story to life but were jarringly excessive – especially in the first half of the story. On top of this, a third-person point of view was used, which made the writing style even less engaging. There were some cute moments of humour, though, and fewer information dumps in the second half of the story, making the pacing better.
- Book reviews
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THE CITY OF STARDUST by Georgia Summers
A smooth, picturesque writing style weaves together multiple points of view to create an atmospheric story and unique world. However, I struggled to completely immerse myself in the third-person narrative, as this put the events of the story and characters at a distance.
- Book reviews
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SWORD CATCHER by Cassandra Clare
A steady stream of descriptions and world-building information create a vivid picture of unfolding events and the elaborate world. However, the abundance of information made the writing style painfully unengaging and dragged the pace of the story down.
January 2024 Monthly Spotlight
Happy New Year!!
With so many promising January releases, 2024 is shaping up to be a great reading year! Numerous new releases caught my eye this month, but here are just a few that I am most excited about:
JustJJ’s Best Reads of 2023
Books Read: 51 Best Romance: Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola Best Fantasy: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Best Mystery: Five Survive by Holly Jackson Best Thriller: Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney Best Non-fiction: We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 🌟OTHER MEMORABLE READS:
- Book reviews
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FORGED BY BLOOD by Ehigbor Okosun
The first-person narrative and smooth, descriptive prose made immersing myself in this story really easy. I was also fascinated by the rich world filled with diverse creatures, magic and culture, even though I wished it had been better developed and incorporated into the story.
- Book reviews
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THE BATTLE DRUM by Saara El-Arifi
Once again, a rich writing style with multiple points of view effortlessly brings this world and story to life. The intricate worldbuilding within this blew me away as it was gradually uncovered, layer by layer, like an onion. I may not have understood every detail, but I was deeply impressed by how every aspect, from the blood colours to the land, magic and creatures, was skillfully expanded.
