Best Reads Of 2024
The books I read this year that had me in the feels!
This year, like many others has been a rollercoaster of things both good, and bad. I had planned to publish at least two interviews but one of them got lost in a cyber attack and I lost the one I did with Noreen Mughees, along with 5 of my school projects. I cried like a banshee.🥲
I wasn't even sure that I'd read anymore during the year, let alone make it to half my reading goal, but I'm happy to report that I finished and even passed it.😁
For those of you still wondering, yes, I will continue with the Book Of Infamy Series, I already have authors and readers that are going to have their place at numbers 3 to 7. I'll start publishing them next year, if exams and training don't incapacitate me first.
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Without further ado, here are my Best Reads Of The Year 2024! They are quite a lot.😅 16 to be exact .
I picked these based on overall plot and a 4–5 star rating.
The First Sin by Astur Sorkatti (Debut ARC)
Ashia has everything she wants.
Doting parents, an adorable sister and a kingdom who loves her. Succession classes and prepping for her coming of age ceremony has taken over her life, but she does not mind.
She was born for this. Becoming the Iyoba, Queen Mother of Gohir was her birthright.
But somethings gone wrong and talk of war is brewing. An evil Oba, King to Nkondi, plans to take her fathers throne and everything she’s ever worked for and holds dear.
Join Ashia, Gohir’s beloved princess, as she fights for the right to her throne.
The Eternal Ones by Namina Forna (End of Trilogy)
The dazzling finale to the groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling Gilded Ones series. One girl holds the power to defeat the gods—but can she become one?
Mere weeks after confronting the Gilded Ones—the false beings she once believed to be her family—Deka is on the hunt. In order to kill the gods, whose ravenous competition for power is bleeding Otera dry, she must uncover the source of her divinity. But with her mortal body on the verge of ruin, Deka is running out of time—to save herself and an empire that’s tearing itself apart at its seams.
When Deka’s search leads her and her friends to the edge of the world as they know it, they discover an astonishing new realm, one which holds the key to Deka’s past. Yet it also illuminates a devastating decision she must soon make…
Choose to be reborn as a god, losing everyone she loves in the process. Or bring about the end of the world.
That Time I Got Drunk And Yeeted A Love Potion At A Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming
Anyone else ever thrown a drink at someone's head, only to miss entirely and hit a stranger behind them? Then have that stranger fall madly in love with you because it turned out that drink you threw was a love potion? No, just me? Well damn.
Dealing with a pirate ship full of demons that just moved into town was hard enough. Now on top of it, I have to convince a werewolf that I'm not his fated mate, he's just drugged. Easier said than done.
Though I have to say, having a gorgeous man show up and do all of your chores while telling you you're beautiful isn't the worst thing to happen to a girl.
David Mogo: God Hunter by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Nigerian God-Punk - a powerful and atmospheric urban fantasy set in Lagos
Since the Orisha War that rained thousands of deities down on the streets of Lagos, David Mogo, demigod, scours Eko’s dank underbelly for a living wage as a freelance Godhunter. Despite pulling his biggest feat yet by capturing a high god for a renowned Eko wizard, David knows his job’s bad luck. He’s proved right when the wizard conjures a legion of Taboos—feral godling-child hybrids—to seize Lagos for himself. To fix his mistake and keep Lagos standing, David teams up with his foster wizard, the high god’s twin sister and a speech-impaired Muslim teenage girl to defeat the wizard.
The Mis-arrangement of Sana Saeed by Noreen Mughees
Thirty-three-year-old hijabi Sana Saeed has put away her childhood dream of ishq—an all-consuming, sweeping love. The arranged dates she’s agreed to have failed time after time, and she has responsibilities to consider—namely her sweet, autistic younger brother, Zia. Sana and Zia are a package deal, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. But their traditional mother won’t allow Sana to be named as his future guardian… unless she’s married.
When Daniel Malik walks into Sana’s office at the Department of Environmental Conservation, she’s astonished—their childhood friendship has been a cherished memory ever since a feud between their families put an end to it eighteen years ago. But there’s no chance of them becoming close again; Daniel may be as hot as a Bollywood heartthrob, but not only is he Sana’s new boss, her mother would disown her if she ever brought him home.
With the clock ticking, Sana agrees to a marriage arranged by her family. She’s seen plenty of arranged marriages grow into love; maybe that will happen for her too. But when a high-stakes case at work forces Sana and Daniel to team up, they find themselves less able—and willing—to play their parts of “good desi children.”
Now Sana must make a choice: family and security, or the one man who claimed her heart long ago…
Scalechaser by A.R. Stonecypher
She entered a land of beasts and magic. He'll risk everything to ensure she's safe.
Blinded at a young age, Gage Aymeris begs the cursed nomads of the south to help him regain his sight. In exchange for granting his wish, his soul is bound to a young woman, allowing her the chance to enter his land. Eager to prove himself worthy of her gift, Gage vows to protect Whitetail's life by any means necessary.
Plagued by a curse that has affected her bloodline for generations, Whitetail hunts and kills the beast that consumed her sister before it can bring about the death of any more innocents. Her feat awards her no glory, and as she travels across the forbidden land, her trials are only beginning.
As Gage and Whitetail's paths converge, dark secrets are unveiled, forcing Gage to question the journey he's started. And if they aren't careful about the company they keep, Whitetail's fate could end no better than her sister's.
The Smoke That Thunders by Erhu Kome (YA Fantasy)
In this mesmerizing fantasy rooted in Urhobo and West African folklore, sixteen-year-old Naborhi longs for a life away from her small, traditional clan in Kokori. But as her rite of passage approaches and she is betrothed to an arrogant young man, Naborhi feels her dreams slipping away from her.
Then Naborhi becomes bonded to a mysterious animal and begins having harrowing visions of a kidnapped boy. She soon meets Atai, the son of an Oracle from a rival queendom, and learns that she is being guided by the gods. She and Atai, along with Naborhi’s eager-for-adventure cousin, Tamunor, set off across the continent to rescue the mysterious boy. But when they find him―and find out his true identity―Naborhi realizes there is more than just her freedom at stake: she must stop a war that has already been set in motion.
With lush, unique worldbuilding and a dynamic cast of characters, The Smoke That Thunders is a gripping story of political intrigue, fierce love, and what it means to be free.
A Soul To Keep by Opal Reyne
All Reia ever wanted was freedom.
Known as a harbinger of bad omens and blamed for Demons eating her family, Reia is shunned by her entire village. When the next offering is due and the monstrous Duskwalker is seen heading their way, her village offers her an impossible choice – be thrown into the prison cells or allow herself to be sacrificed to a faceless monster.
However, he is not what he seems. His skull face and glow eyes are ethereal, and she finds herself unwittingly enchanted by him.
All Orpheus ever wanted was a companion.
Each decade, in exchange for a protection ward from the Demons that terrorise the world, Orpheus takes a human offering to the Veil – the place he lives and the home of Demons. The brief companionship does little to ease his loneliness, and their lives were always, unfortunately, cut short.
He'd thought it was a hopeless endeavour, until he met her. She’s not afraid of him, and his insatiable desire deepens within every moment of her presence.
But will Orpheus be able to convince Reia to stay before she’s lost to him forever?
The Pretty Savage by L.K Reid
She was supposed to destroy him, but he destroyed her instead.
VEGA
A shadow.
A nobody.
That’s what I was most of my life.
It was supposed to be my last mission.
The last payment for my debt.
But I never expected him.
Adrian Zylla started as a pawn.
Just another faceless man I was supposed to destroy.
I was an assassin, a professional killer, with no time for emotions.
But all it took was one look, one touch, for my entire world to shatter.
I just never thought he would steal my heart and destroy everything I was.
And now he wouldn’t let me go.
ADRIAN
A monster.
A soldier.
That’s what I was most of my life.
I've patiently counted the days, biding my time for the
sweet taste of revenge, ready to claim my rightful place at the throne.
But I never expected her.
Vega Konstantinova made me feel.
And I despised every aspect of her presence.
She wasn’t a part of my plan, not even close.
But all it took was one look, one touch, for the walls around my heart to shatter.
She wanted me to let her go, but she should’ve known better.
She has awakened the beast, and now—Vega Konstantinova was mine.
Desire In His Blood by Zoey Draven
A monster wants her as his bride…and he will stop at nothing to claim her.
Gemma Hara is drowning under the weight of her father’s debts. Working herself to the bone, she knows that if she doesn’t pay them off in time, the sadistic creditors will take everything: their home, their respected name, and, worst of all, her two beautiful sisters.
To save her family, Gemma agrees to do something reckless: marry a wealthy and mysterious stranger, who offers her a wicked bargain she can’t afford to refuse.
However, his bargain comes with one terrifying catch. Because her husband-to-be is a Kylorr.
One of the most fearsome alien races in the Four Quadrants, the Kylorr are beastly monsters, all muscle and menace, with powerful wings, depraved cravings, and berserker-like rages. The worst part?
They survive on blood.
Cold and cruel, Azur of House Kaalium, the High Lord of Laras, demands Gemma as his blood bride. To feed from her. To use her body in whatever way he wishes. For paying off her family’s debts, he expects her complete submission.
What neither of them predicts is how his bite doesn’t bring pain—it fills Gemma with more exquisite pleasure than she’s ever known. And as she finds her footing on a strange new planet, the one thing Gemma thought she’d never surrender might be at risk after all.
Her heart.
Too bad her new husband can’t seem to decide if he wants to break it…or keep it forever.
Blood Oath by Morgan B. Lee
Everbound University is the mandatory graduate school for anything that goes bump in the night. Not going isn’t an option, unless you want to be hunted down for illegally inhabiting the mortal world.
All legacies — the descendants of the Four Houses — are required to attend because we’re all cursed, and the only way to break our curses is through binding our hearts in a quintet. Becoming part of a quintet is a dream come true. Destiny fulfilled. A gods-given, merciful blessing.
For me, it’s a hard pass. I can’t be bound to anyone else. Trust me, it wouldn’t end well.
So when I’m placed in a quintet, I promptly reject all four of my matches for their own good. But these powerful, gorgeous, high-profile legacies have no idea how to handle rejection, because…
The cutthroat blood fae shows me his soft side. The charming dragon shifter won't leave me alone. The unhinged nightmare prince calls me darling. And the gorgeous ice elemental is as overprotective as he is cold.
They're the kind of deadly perfection that draws attention. Which is exactly what I'm trying to avoid, since no one can know my secret. I'll do whatever it takes to make them decide I’m not worth the chase. The problem is, no matter what I do to make them hate me, it only seems to have the opposite effect…
Her Soul To Take by Harley Laroux
Leon I earned my reputation among magicians for a reason: one wrong move and you're dead. Killer, they called me, and killing is what I'm best at. Except her. The one I was supposed to take, the one I should have killed - I didn't. The cult that once controlled me wants her, and I'm not about to lose my new toy to them.
Rae I've always believed in the supernatural. Hunting for ghosts is my passion, but summoning a demon was never part of the plan. Monsters are roaming the woods, and something ancient - something evil - is waking up and calling my name. I don't know who I can trust, or how deep this darkness goes. All I know is my one shot at survival is the demon stalking me, and he doesn't just want my body - he wants my soul.
Shadow Heart by Morgan B. Lee (Book 2)
Assassinating the headmaster didn’t go as planned. Now Everbound University is on strict magical lockdown, and the Immortal Quintet has arrived to hunt down the person who killed their mage—which, ironically, isn’t me.
I’m also looking for the true culprit so I can find Kenzie.
Meanwhile, the four gorgeous, stubborn legacies that I’ve fought tooth and nail to resist are starting to figure me out, little by little…but I’m also starting to understand them.
And the more I do, the more I wonder if the gods really did match our broken souls together perfectly.
As tensions rise and the Immortal Quintet turns up the danger for all students, our quintet is forced to work together to survive. But training together is a dangerous game all its own. Because the more I get of these legacies, the more I want.
If they thought me rejecting them was brutal, they haven’t seen me fight to protect my own...
And now, that includes them.
Heart Of Shadow by Sarah K.L. Wilson
I'm not afraid of the shadow. He's the only thing keeping me alive.
I'm hiding in my father's closet, desperately picking the lock on a box containing an ancient evil when he emerges. He doesn't seem all that evil. But neither did my friends before they turned into monsters. I'd like to think that I don't need him. But I love books and he loves battles. I'm used to drinking tea and he's used to drinking the blood of his enemies. Or whatever his kind drink. In a world stricken by plague, all my friends have become terrifying monsters, and I have no other option but to trust him to keep me safe. He'll teach me to hunt those monsters and I'll try not to fall hopelessly in love with him.
In The Doghouse (18+ Manhwa)
Ogus’s Law (+18 BL Comic)
The Male Leads Were Stolen By The Extra (+17 Manhwa)
How To Reject My Obsessive Ex-husband (18+ Manhwa)
The Fourth Portal by J.A. Merkel (Debut ARC)
Upholding her tribe's highest law, Fenri must keep her heart—the body's fourth portal—closed at all times, or face execution.
Fenri is a Knowledger, a brilliant collector of information who dreams of discovering the ocean’s secrets. The tribe’s Masters grant her permission to explore the ocean, but only if she first traverses the perilous desert with four strangers to retrieve a precious base metal. Despite a condition that makes her slower and weaker than her counterparts, Fenri accepts the mission, eager to prove her worth. She will succeed or die trying.
When hormone-sniffing beasts begin stalking their group, it’s clear that someone has opened their fourth portal. Determined to protect her chances of exploring the ocean, Fenri vows to find and eliminate the traitor before the love virus spreads. As forbidden feelings surface, the group begins to unravel, turning their mission into a race to close the fourth portal before the beasts or their fellow tribesmen end them. That is, if they don’t kill each other first
Kiss Of Smoke by Amy Pennza
What was supposed to be a dream vacation just turned into a nightmare. It’s not every day you board a private jet for an all-expenses-paid trip to Scotland with your two gorgeous bosses. And it’s not every day you spot your fiancé kissing another woman across the terminal.
The man I was ready to marry has been cheating on me for a year. Dumped and humiliated, the best I can do is get on the plane and lick my wounds. Fortunately, my bosses are more than willing to help…and in more ways than I ever imagined.
But Lachlan and Alec can’t possibly be interested in me. They’re in love with each other…right? Scotland is cold this time of year, but these Scots are bringing the heat in ways I’m not sure I can handle.
And as they continue fanning the flames, it’s clear they’ve been hiding more than their attraction to me. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. Now I have to hope I don’t get burned.
Of Gryphons & Runes by E.A. Burnett (ARC)
Royal gryphons almost killed her brother. Now the queen demands that she train to fight with them.When a royal gryphon nearly kills her brother, two things become clear to nineteen-year-old Farren she is not the best person to care for her brother, and she despises the vicious beast who changed him forever. But an unwanted letter commands her father to fulfill a decade-long Servitude to the crown. In a desperate attempt to protect her family, Farren takes her father’s place and is brought to Alidonia—a place full of infuriating Enchantments, a selfish queen, and two princes who are like oil and water.
Worst is her new to train with the queen’s deadly, heartless gryphons. The gryphon guard has six weeks to prepare before they are launched onto the streets—putting innocent lives at risk of the gryphons’ ruthlessness. Their potent elemental magic and intricate runebonds do nothing to reassure Farren, but she has no choice in the matter—even when faced with the very beast who attacked her brother.
Love Next Door by Kat Baxter (ARC)
You'll have to wait till next year🤭
Lights Out by Navessa Allen
“I don’t need another kink.”
That thought pops into my head whenever I pull up my favorite social media app, but alas, every time I scroll, I learn something new about myself, and another one is born. And yes, I know I’m responsible for what the algorithm shows me, but I’m trying to ignore that fact.
Lately, my feed has been dominated by masked men. I’ve favorited videos with them dressed in full cosplay, decked out in futuristic military apparel, and wrapped up like ghouls.
But more than anything else, my FYP is filled with shirtless men wearing ghost masks. Bonus points if they’re heavily tattooed, wielding a knife, or covered in fake blood. At night, I dream about being chased by them, of them catching me and doing deliciously dark things to my more than willing body.
I never could have guessed that by sending one drunken text, those dreams would become my new reality.
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma (Debut)
It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family.
Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad.
To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University—where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos—even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’s wickedness speaks to Kidan’s own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs.
When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat—and June could be at the center of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love—and the blood it requires.
That's a wrap for this year. Have you read any of these or are they on your TBR?