Finishing out the year strong at 73 books total!!!
Neary Roadkill – Kate Bornstein, Caitlin Sullivan
When I read in Autostraddle that this book was a release of a 90s cyber-romance critiquing capitalism and surveillance, I had to read it! It did not disappoint–it was a lot of fun to read, and the audiobook narrators made the story so engaging! I loved the epilogue too, and how we were able to tie everyone’s stories together.
Boys Weekend, Simplicity – Mattie Lubchansky
I’m not a big ebook person, since I don’t have an ereader (and don’t really want one), and I’ll read it on my phone, but then I get distracted because, well, my phone. However, I find graphic novels to be very engaging to read on my phone, and I can usually power through one in a few days. That’s how I read Lubchansky’s graphic novels! Boys Weekend I liked especially, since in my line of work, a lot of the vocabulary is like that of Sammie’s “friends.” It really made me feel for her, trying to stay connected to people she grew up with and still has very fond memories of–but no longer holds the same ideals.
With Simplicity, I thoroughly enjoyed the worldbuilding and mystery around the small commune; it reminded me a little of the cults in Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven. If we’re not careful, the ending of the novel could very much be close to our own future.
The God of the Woods – Liz Moore
Mysteries are one of my favorite genres–often I can predict what will or won’t happen in the stories I read, since I am familiar with the story beats and such. With mysteries they’re often unpredictable (as is the nature of the genre), and I like how it keeps me guessing and thinking. God of the Woods definitely did that. The ending was equally heart-breaking and empowering, and several chapters have been on my mind since I finished it.
The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars, The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst, and The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar from Elsewhere – Jaclyn Moriarty
December was rough for many reasons, and I needed something lighthearted throughout the month (plus, at the end of November I finished The Two Towers, and I NEEDED something a little lighter after that). So, I decided to do my first reread in two years (I know–for the amount I read very rarely do I reread books), and read some by my favorite author, Jaclyn Moriarty! Her Kingdoms and Empires books are technically meant for younger readers, but I find that they contain themes and ideas that adults can understand and appreciate as well. Though they don’t all contain wizards, if you need a middle-grade magic book, these ones are stunning.
Squire – Nadia Shammas, Sara Alfageeh
This one has been on my list for quite a while, and I’m glad I finally was able to read it. Nothing I can say can bring the book justice, only that it reminds me of the Star Trek episode “The Squire of Gothos,” about a creature obsessed with wars from Earth, without knowing the true pain and terror they caused. Our main characters have their own ideas of what being a Squire is, but don’t understand how painful it really is.
A Magical Girl Retires – Park Seolyeon, translated by Anton Hur
A cute little light-hearted novella! With the overwhelming threat of climate change and credit card debt looming over…still very sweet!
This Place Kills Me – Mariko Tamaki
Queer publication Them named This Place Kills Me one of the best LGBTQ+ books of 2025. So, I immediately checked it out on Libby. I have to say, the older I get the less I relate to the YA genre. Absolutely nothing against it–it’s an important genre and, when I was in that target audience I’m glad I had the books that shaped me and my reading preferences. However, now in my late-20’s, it’s hard to relate to boarding schools and high school cliques. I did enjoy the mystery and art style.
The Two Towers – J. R. R. Tolkien
Not much to say about this one. Like with Fellowship, a lot of my LotR knowledge comes from the movies, and it was good to have more context for those scenes! I didn’t realize the book ended on a cliffhanger (with Sam trying to save Frodo) as, if I recall correctly, he saves him at the end of the movie?
Contrary to what I thought when I was younger, these books are a lot easier to consume than I thought, and a lot more fun, too. I’m very excited to finish out the trilogy this year!
E. A. Young Writes 