I've Read 3,000 Books In The Last 10 Years — Here Are My Absolute Favorites
This story begins where many stories do...at a college theater kid New Year's Eve party, in a corner, reading an unabridged edition of Les Misérables.
Nearly a decade later, I have yet to change my general stance on parties (namely, that I hate them but also desperately want to be included, so I still go). But beginning with the end of those 1,400 pages of French bread thieves and incorrect love triangle choices, I've kept track of every book I have finished reading. The list chronicling them has come in many forms — notebooks that I would abandon the instant I made a mistake in favor of a new one, which would almost immediately fall victim to the same cycle; an Excel spreadsheet that lived in my email bouncing back and forth between computers; a small amount of time spent on a now deleted Goodreads; the color coded and statistically-analyzed Google Sheet I currently use.
After hitting 3,000 books completed, I wanted to explore the reading journey a little more in depth.
I'm going to talk about my favorite things I've read each year along the way and why they've stuck with me. I'll note here, no author appears twice, even in shout outs; otherwise, we'd be here all day talking about every single Tiffany D. Jackson book.
Age: 18-19
Job: Undergrad student, part-time bookseller
Total books read: 150
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Following up "Girl runs away from an arranged marriage and seeks asylum with a convent of nuns" with "who train her to be an assassin" always gets a reaction out of the person I am pitching Grave Mercy to. This is the book that began my love of historical fantasy, combining court espionage and 15th-century Brittany with magical blessings from the God of Death, and tossing in a hearty dose of romance for good measure. It's follow-ups — Dark Triumph and Mortal Heart — shifted the focus to different leads within the convent, but kept (and continue to keep) me equally invested.
Grave Mercy was the fourth book I read in 2013. I've reread Grave Mercy twice since: 169th in 2016 and 57th in 2022.
Age: 19-20
Job: Undergrad student, part-time bookseller
Books read: 161
Proxy by Alex London
I went to my first author conference in 2013, and aside from the part where two authors fake made out to recreate a romance novel cover, the main thing that sticks in my brain is meeting Alex London and thinking to myself, "I should read that book he talked about." Proxy is a dystopian YA set in a world where the rich take no punishments and instead have a proxy, someone in debt or poor, who takes their punishments for them. Two boys, rich Knox and his proxy Syd, get caught up in each other's present after being connected their whole life by their financial luck (or lack thereof). The big dystopia wave in YA should have buoyed this one further, as, in my humble opinion, it is one of the best of the bunch, but to this day, it remains one of my most steadfast, and most successful, book recommendations.
Proxy was the 5th book I read in 2014.
Boxers/Saints by Gene Luen Yang
The plethora of graphic novels available to teens today were not available to younger me, and those that were remained largely undiscovered by the girl who scoured the YA fiction section of the library and grabbed a pile of 20 at a time and never really branched outside of those shelves. The first branch into the world of graphic novels for me was Gene Luen Yang's duo of Boxers and Saints, introduced to me by a sales rep at a bookseller event. The volumes followed two teens drawn into different sides of the Boxer Rebellion, each guided by a spirit (Bao joins the Boxers and is mentored by Qin Shi Huangdi, while Vibiana converts to Catholicism and is mentored by Joan of Arc).
Boxers & Saints were the 46th & 47th book I read in 2014.
The Falconer by Elizabeth May
Despite only being four entries into this list, here rests our third historical fantasy entry, and one that felt tailor-made for me, as someone who loved books about fae and also anything about historical Scotland. The Falconer takes place in 1800s Scotland and follows Aileana, an aristocratic girl by day, inventor and faery hunter by night, out for revenge against the faery who killed her mother. Thinking on it now, this was definitely the series that set me up to devour all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer when I finally got to it in the late 2010s.
The Falconer was the 67th book I read in 2014.
Age: 20-21
Job: Undergrad student then grad student, part-time bookseller
Books read: 171
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
When you get handed an advance reader copy and are told from the get-go there is a 7-book series planned, you're immediately curious. The Bone Season was outside my normal reading realm — namely, it was published in adult and had a mix of sci-fi and fantasy within it — but I grew extremely attached to it. Set in 2049, Paige is a clairvoyant working in the criminal underground of Scion London before she is kidnapped and brought to a secret city controlled by the Rephaites. It's a series that is still in progress, and every time, the wait is worth it.
The Bone Season was the 10th book I read in 2015.
Trouble Is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly
Though I read a bit of everything, mystery/thriller is one of my least read genres. It's not that I don't like them, I do, but I get too stressed out by them and have always wanted more fun mysteries (like, where is my Pushing Daisies novel tie-in series????). This is the start of a delightful mystery trilogy, one that is slightly quirky and grin-inducing while still keeping you hooked to the page (think Veronica Mars, but not the last season). Zoe keeps getting pulled into schemes by Digby, who is annoying and, of course, handsome, that all seem to be related to the disappearance of a girl in their town. One that might connect to the disappearance of Digby's sister years prior.
Trouble is a Friend of Mine was the 18th book I read in 2015.
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
Truthwitch first came to me as a Microsoft Word document, a manuscript I was reading in order to potentially offer a blurb for the advance reader copy. Having loved Susan's previous series, I was absolutely thrilled to be asked. The story takes place on a continent where many people are born with a "witchery." A truthwitch with the rare ability to tell truth from lie must flee to keep from being killed or captured for her power. It ended up being the first advance reader copy to have one of my blurbs on the back cover, and it will always hold a place in my heart for that reason (in addition, it's really good).
Truthwitch was the 45th book I read in 2015. I've reread Truthwitch once since then, 100th in 2016.
2015 Honorable Mentions
The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey and Jackaby by William Ritter.
Age: 21-22
Job: Grad student, part-time bookseller, part-time librarian
Books read: 318
The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
At heart, I am a Doctor Who fangirl, so time travel books are always something I am willing to reach for. The best one in YA is this duology starter, following Nix, the daughter of a man who is able to sail anywhere across time and myth as long as he has a map for it. But his goal is to find the map to get him back to Nix's mother, which, if he's successful, could erase Nix from existence.
The Girl from Everywhere was the 53rd book I read in 2016.
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
Main characters were always thin. Honestly, one of the big YA series my friends loved in high school put a consistent emphasis on how small the protagonist was. So when I was given an advance manuscript of Upside of Unrequited, I saw myself as a lead for the very first time — fat and anxious and with a sibling who was constantly in a relationship while you're alone by no choice of your own. Molly's always known that fat girls have to be careful when it comes to putting yourself out there. But her cynical twin, Cassie, is now smitten with her new girlfriend — who, luckily for Molly, comes with a super-cute hipster sidekick. And then there's Reid, the chubby, nerdy fanboy who she works with...
The Upside of Unrequited was the 120th book I read in 2016.
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
Bisexual Brooklyn Bruja. It's a short pitch, but it certainly worked on me. There's a whole lot to love in this sister-centric series, and especially in this series starter that took one of my favorite tropes (the Chosen One) and flipped it on its head. Alex is destined to be the most powerful bruja in her family, but all she wants is to rid herself of her magic. So on her Deathday, she performs a curse to rid herself of it, only for her family to vanish instead.
Labyrinth Lost was the 172nd book I read in 2016.
Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
I truly am not exaggerating when I say I could and would have put every single book by Tiffany Jackson on this list had I not set the one book per author rule. She's the best YA thriller writer, hands down. This book follows Mary Addison, who killed a baby when she was 9 years old. Allegedly. Before now, there was never a reason to speak in her own defense. But for teenage Mary, an unexpected pregnancy means that the state will take her baby...if she doesn't set the record straight.
Allegedly was the 296th book I read in 2016.
2016 Honorable Mentions
History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera, Still Life with Tornado by A.S. King, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell, Iron Cast by Destiny Soria.
Age: 22-23
Job: Grad student, part-time bookseller, part-time librarian
Books read: 365
Want by Cindy Pon
Hands down, my favorite book released in 2017 was this sci-fi from Cindy Pon, a dynamic thriller that grips you from the start. Set in futuristic Taipei, the rich are able to buy specialty suits that protect them from the pollution and the viruses in the city. Jason Zhou decides to infiltrate the Jin Corporation and attempt to destroy it from within, as in addition to making the suits, they also might be manufacturing the pollution that makes them necessary.
Want was the 63rd book I read in 2017.
Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert
All of Brandy Colbert's contemporary books are absolutely some of my favorites, but Little & Lion is the most special to me. Suzette is settling back into her life in LA after attending boarding school in New England. LA is where her friends and family are; it's where her crush, Emil, is; and her stepbrother, Lionel, who is learning to manage his bipolar disorder. Not long after Suzette returns, she and Lionel find themselves falling for the same girl.
Little & Lion was the 87th book I read in 2017.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Multigenerational stories are one of my favorite ways to delve into historical fiction, and this is an absolute must-read (though I did just finish Transcendent Kingdom, and had to negotiate with myself about which to put on this list because it was also completely incredible). Homegoing begins with two half sisters in 18th-century Ghana. Effia lives in comfort in Cape Coast Castle, married off to an Englishman and ignorant of the fact that Esi is imprisoned in the castle dungeons. The story then follows Esi and her children as she is sold into the Gold Coast's slave trade and shipped to America, and Effia and her descendants through centuries of warfare in Ghana.
Homegoing was the 154th book I read in 2017.
You Don't Know Me But I Know You by Rebecca Barrow
Audrey's story is one of two choices. One that her biological mother was allowed to make, and one that Audrey has to make. A 17-year-old letter in the back of her closet, and an unexpected pregnancy that puts her in a situation she never expected. There still aren't a ton of YA books that talk about abortion, but this is one of them! Barrow's debut is one of the most wonderful books, one I wish I could give everyone a copy of, and it has gained even more relevancy in the last few years.
You Don't Know Me But I Know You was the 227th book I read in 2017.
Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee
No one does historical fiction quite like Stacey Lee, and this was the one that started my obsession. This is the story of Mercy Wong, whose best bet is an education at St. Clare's School for Girls — a school she'll have to bribe her way into, since it is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls. But getting in was the easy part, since April 18, 1906 brings with it a historic earthquake that destroys the school and Mercy's home.
Outrun the Moon was the 270th book I read in 2017.
Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert
Here's my soapbox: This is the best contemporary realism book I have ever read. Ever. Ironically, it's also one of the books I've always been the worst at pitching, mostly because I cannot ever accurately convey the emotional wrecking ball that this book is when talking to someone about book recommendations. Danny's path is set thanks to a scholarship to RISD and the blessing of his family to pursue art. But when Danny finds a box in his parents' closet that's filled with old letters and family secrets, around the same time as the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that shook Danny's friend group to the core, everything is soon in danger of crumbling.
Picture Us in the Light was the 348th book I read in 2017.
2017 Honorable Mentions
When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore, The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao, Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman, The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Brazen by Pénélope Bagieu, Anger Is a Gift by Mark Oshiro, This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada, The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik by David Arnold, Sadie by Courtney Summers, A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Elsie Chapman and Ellen Oh.
Age: 23-24
Job: Full-time librarian, writing for B&N Teen Blog, advisory board at Boston Teen Author Festival
Books read: 326
Odd One Out by Nic Stone
As a person who once got extra credit on a geometry final for pointing out that none of the possible answers were correct, I hold a certain protectiveness over the love triangle. I also usually am that person who points out that most love triangles are actually love angles, as, in the Twilight example for instance, Edward and Jacob do not have (canon) feelings toward each other. Nic Stone's Odd One Out does not have that problem, instead focusing on the messy queer love triangle of my dreams, featuring three teens just trying to figure out their really complicated feelings and their shifting dynamics.
Odd One Out was the 20th book I read in 2018.
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
I think of all the books I talk about here on BuzzFeed, this book and the two books after it on this list are the ones that pop up the most often. Darius is heading to Iran with his family to spend time with his ailing grandfather, dealing with his clinical depression, and making a new friend, his first real one, along the way. Not only does it talk about a new friendship as a catalyst for self-discovery, but it also dives into generational mental health and the way it affects families.
Darius the Great Is Not Okay was the 77th book I read in 2018.
We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia
My well-documented favorite of 2018 was this novel of love amidst rebellion, one that, like You Don't Know Me But I Know You, has unfortunately gained even more relevance as time has gone by. The Medio School for Girls takes in distinguished young women and sets them on one of two possible paths: a primera, who runs a husband's household, or a segunda, who bears his children. Daniela is the top student, but she has a dangerous secret: Her parents forged her identification papers to get her into the school. After graduation, not only is she recruited by a rebel group fighting for equality, but she finds herself falling for her biggest rival.
We Set the Dark on Fire was the 171st book I read in 2018.
The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf
Not only my most talked about here on BuzzFeed but also my most talked title at the library, The Weight of Our Sky is truly a perfect book for teens. Mental health, historical fiction that's set outside WWII, set over a short period of time so it has a kind of thriller feel, and under 300 pages? And just really incredibly well written? A win all around. Melati, a music-loving teen with OCD, is separated from her mother when race riots between the Chinese and the Malays break out in Kuala Lumpur. And finding her mother required her to put trust in a Chinese boy named Vincent.
The Weight of Our Sky was the 175th book I read in 2018.
Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
The classic love story. Boy and girl meet. Boy starts to fall for girl. Girl dies. Boy gets sent back in time to when they first meet. Boy starts to fall for girl. Girl dies, but slightly later. Boy gets sent...you get it. One of the most delightful books to pitch to teens (is it mostly because I pretend that I'm done talking about it after the first "girl dies"?....yes) but also one of the most successful uses of a Groundhog Day-esque scenario that I've read/seen ever.
Opposite of Always was the 181st book I read in 2018.
Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen
If you, like me, are still not over the end of Phil of the Future, or you, like me, would be too worried about complications to ever time travel, this is the perfect book for you. Kin Stewart lives in 1990s San Francisco with his teenage daughter, Miranda, and his wife. But his past — as a time-traveling secret agent from 2142 that got stuck after a mission gone wrong — is kept hidden, until a rescue team shows up to take him home. The home in question has only missed him for a few weeks, while he's lived 18 years with increasing memory loss, and he's desperate to stay connected to his daughter.
Here and Now and Then was the 197th book I read in 2018.
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
After begging the psychology department head at my undergrad to let me do a more research paper-y independent study rather than the traditional experiment version (mostly through the very firm "I promise I'm going to library school; I am not going to be a psychologist; please don't make me do science"), I was able to interview three YA authors on the portrayal of depression in their books. One of those authors was Jasmine Warga, and since her first two YA books, she's since published some incredible middle grade, including this spectacular novel-in-verse that received a Newbery Honor. Jude and her mom have just come to live in Ohio with her uncle, leaving her dad and brother behind in Syria. Adjusting to a new culture is hard enough, but with half her family on the other side of the world, and people putting labels on her that she's never expected, she'll need to find herself and rediscover what home means.
Other Words for Home was the 213th book I read in 2018.
2018 Honorable Mentions
The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo, 500 Words or Less by Juleah del Rosario, The Brilliant Death by A.R. Capetta, The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth
Age: 24-25
Job: Full-time librarian, writing for B&N Teen Blog
Books read: 453
I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest
Enemies-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers are both excellent tropes. But sometimes, things are in the middle, what I call annoyances-to-lovers, and that's where we are with this lovely YA romance. When aspiring ballerina Chloe Pierce's mom forbids her from applying to the dance conservatory of her dreams, she makes a plan. She will drive 200 miles to the nearest audition, chasing her dreams down the east coast. She will bring her annoying neighbor Eli and his smelly dog, and she will do this because he threatened to tell her mom if she didn't take them. And along the way, she might just figure out that Eli isn't as annoying as she thought.
I Wanna Be Where You Are was the 39th book I read in 2019.
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
This brutal fantasy occupies an interesting spot in my reading life, as it's a rare adult fantasy where I have actually reread books one and two, and yet, I still haven't read book three (I own it and everything, but if I don't finish it, then nothing bad can happen to the characters, right?). Rin is a war orphan peasant who has just passed the Keju and is now heading to Sinegard, the most elite military school, for training. While there, she learns she possesses an aptitude for shamanism...a near mythical art. And as she tries to master her powers, the Third Poppy War is looming on the horizon. The world-building in this is incredible, and there's actually a really great post by Read by Tiffany about the history behind it.
The Poppy War was the 127th book I read in 2019. I reread it in 2020 where it was the 296th book of that year.
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Adult thrillers are a category I don't wander into a whole lot, mostly because it seems like half of them think their most inventive plot twist is domestic violence, but this one is the best I've ever read. Following Korede, who is called by her sister after the latter has, "in self defense," killed, this book is about the lengths she is willing to go to clean up after her sister. Especially now that Ayoola has set her sights on the doctor Korede has always been in love with. (Also of note: This is one of the best books to break you out of a reading slump, because you just cannot set it down).
My Sister, the Serial Killer was the 135th book I read in 2019.
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Reading this one as early as I did was both a gift and a curse, as I got to experience the majesty and then had to wait to be able to talk to anyone about it. It's extraordinarily inventive and compelling and truly sparkles off the page. Tarisai was raised in isolation by The Lady, who sends her to the capital of Aritsar to compete for the chance to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince's Council of 11. Those chosen for the Council are joined through the Ray, but Tarisai is there to kill the Crown Prince on behalf of The Lady.
Raybearer was the 216th book I read in 2019.
Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker
I am in love with a cozy fantasy, and this graphic novel is pretty freaking cozy. (I mean, there is a demon and, like, dark forces and all that, but there's also a magical bookstore so...) Nova works at her grandmothers' bookshop, loaning out spell books and investigating supernatural occurrences in their small town. Following reports of a white wolf into the woods, she finds her childhood best friend, Tam, battling a horse demon. Pursued by dark forces hoping to claim the magic Tam possesses as a werewolf, they turn to Nova for help. There's a reason Wendy Xu is one of my favorite illustrators, and quite honestly, I would cover an entire room in wallpaper based on this book if it existed.
Mooncakes was the 233rd book I read in 2019.
Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher
In (and leading up to) my senior year of high school, I had three very significant deaths in my life. First, the summer leading up to, my favorite teacher of all time, who I'd seen just a few weeks prior in our last week of classes, died of a heart attack. Then a fellow theater student died by suicide in January. And on my graduation day, my grandmother passed away. But in each of these scenarios, even though the grief was different and the others who experienced that same loss also experienced a varying form of grieving, it did feel better to have people in each scenario to share it with. And Amelia Unabridged is a story where two people who have each been dealt a huge loss find each other, connected through books, not erasing each others grief but instead providing an extra shoulder to lean on and a new form of understanding for the other.
Amelia Unabridged was the 417th book I read in 2019.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
This magnificent debut is a reminder that sometimes in life when you do things with the best of intentions, you end up needing to help a hot ghost figure out his past. Classic stuff. To prove himself a brujo to his traditional Latinx family, Yadriel, a transgender boy, attempts to summon the ghost of his murdered cousin to set it free. The ghost that shows up instead? Julian Diaz, the school's resident bad boy. Julian is utterly determined to find out what happened to him, and as there's not really another choice, Yadriel agrees to help.
Cemetery Boys was the 423rd book I read in 2019.
2019 Honorable Mentions
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi, Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust, Collateral Damage by Taylor Simonds, Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes, A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn, When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown.
Age: 25-26
Job: Full-time librarian, writing for Buzzfeed Books, social media for YALLWEST and YALLFest
Books read: 321
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Why is this not already a theatrical rom-com? It would absolutely fit in perfectly as a modern-type Clueless/10 Things I Hate About You/etc. film. Liz Lighty wants out of her small, Indiana town, but when her financial aid for the school of her dreams falls through, she has to come up with a plan. Remembering that her school gives money to the prom king and queen for scholarships, she decides to run, and in the process finds herself falling for her one of the other girls in the competition, Mack. The joy in this story is overflowing, and it is such a perfect addition to bookshelves.
You Should See Me in A Crown was the 32nd book I read in 2020.
The Roommate and The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan
Am I cheating by listing these together? Yes. But I usually break my own rules at least once per list anyways, so here we are. The main reason both of these are here is because The Roommate was the romance book that really powered up my love for romance (I'd been reading it before, but there wasn't one that I was like, OKAY WOW, I GET IT NOW), and The Intimacy Experiment is one of my favorite romances ever. The Roommate features Clara, who moves cross country to live with a long-time crush only to find out he's going on tour and renting his room to Josh, who she learns is an adult film star. The Intimacy Experiment follows Josh's coworker Naomi, who is trying to boost her sex-positive start-up and ends up partnering with Ethan, a hot rabbi.
The Roommate was the 145th book, and The Intimacy Experiment was the 284th book, I read in 2020.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
The book, the myth, the legend. Already a modern YA classic, with a sequel currently sitting on my iPad waiting for me to finish this post, Legendborn takes Arthuriana to new heights. During Bree's very first night on campus for a residential program for high schoolers, she witnesses a flying demon feeding on human energies. Of course, if the teenage mage who attempted to wipe Bree's memory had succeeded, she wouldn't remember any of this. But instead of erasing her memory, it unlocks Bree's own magic and reveals a hidden connection between the teenage mage and someone who was at the hospital the night her mother died.
Legendborn was the 187th book I read in 2020.
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
Truly one of the best middle grade fantasies of all time, Tristan Strong embodies all that is wonderful about contemporary kids being pulled into mythological worlds. All Tristan has left of his late best friend Eddie is a notebook of his stories...which is stolen by a doll-like creature on his first night at his grandparents farm. In the ensuing struggle, Tristan punches a tree, accidentally opening a chasm into the MidPass, and landing him in the middle of a conflict involving Black American folk heroes (such as Brer Rabbit and John Henry) and West African Gods (such as Anansi, the Weaver).
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky was the 260th book I read in 2020.
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
Color is a super important part of storytelling. It's why some films are still in black and white. It's why some TV shows think that it's more important to be "realistic" about a battle set at night instead of letting you actually see what's happening (hi, Game of Thrones, how are you). It's why I've seen, like, 40 TikToks about the symbolism of everyone's costume colors in the Bridgerton show. The Magic Fish uses three significant colors to tell its story. Red for the contemporary life of Tiến, trying to figure out how to tell his parents he's gay, blue for the fairytales he reads with his parents, and yellow for the past. It's a gorgeous intertwining of three narratives that all fit together into one glorious package.
The Magic Fish was the 298th book I read in 2020.
2020 Honorable Mentions
Among the Beasts & Briars by Ashley Poston, A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow, The Deep & Dark Blue by Niki Smith, We Are Not Free by Traci Chee, Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald, Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger, These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong, Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall, Crownchasers by Rebecca Coffindaffer, Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers, Off the Record by Camryn Garrett, Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn.
Age: 26-27
Job: Full-time librarian, writing for BuzzFeed Books, social media and more for YALLWEST and YALLFest
Books read: 381
Picking books for this year was the toughest. I read a ton of incredible stuff; please enjoy the fruits of my inability to narrow down further.
Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi
It's rare for me to ACTUALLY laugh out loud at a book (I'm definitely someone who texts someone that I'm screaming while laying in bed super chill). But this book accomplished it. After a heartbreak, Parvin decides to reinvent herself by acting like the women in her favorite rom-coms...especially if it means Matty Fumero, the cutest boy at her new high school, will ask her to homecoming. I also should mention: As someone who is a huge advocate for needing more YA books about younger characters and more generally funny books in YA, I'm eternally grateful for this delightful book about a 14-year-old protagonist.
Perfectly Parvin was the 38th book I read in 2021.
Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis
Zombies and the like have never really been my thing (truly, my plan for a zombie apocalypse is just to get killed immediately), but Jessica Lewis does something so remarkable with the idea of raising folks from the dead that this was my favorite YA published last year. Katrell is paid by clients to talk to their deceased loved ones, even if they don't pay her enough. When a summoning accidentally raises someone from the dead, she realizes that people would pay more for the resurrection than just the summoning, keeping the fact that magic comes with a price all its own out of her mind.
Bad Witch Burning was the 112th book I read in 2021.
Vampires, Hearts, & Other Dead Things by Margie Fuston
I don't enter vampire novels with an expectation of crying, but alas, Margie Fuston accomplished the unexpected here. Feeling both paranormal and so, so utterly human, there is more heart in this book than there is in a grocery store aisle before Valentine's day. After her dad is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Victoria is determined to find a vampire so that she can become one and then turn her father in order to save his life.
Vampires Hearts and Other Dead Things was the 127th book I read in 2021.
Himawari House by Harmony Becker
The way that Himawari House visually uses language is impeccable. It's an absolute triumph in the marriage of text and image that all graphic novels are, and I don't know if they've ever worked together as absolutely miraculously as they do in the pages of this story. Three teens — Nao, Hyejung, and Tina — share the Himawari House in Tokyo as foreign exchange students at the same Japanese cram school.
Himawari House was the 163rd book I read in 2021.
Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier and Val Wise
Ok, honestly this is here because I just have a big dopey grin on my face even thinking about this book. And as we've established, joy gets you pretty far in my book. Antisocial lesbian Annie needs to round out her college applications (and make a few friends, if possible). To do so, she'll join the cheerleading squad, which includes her former friend BeeBee. BeeBee is trying to keep her parents happy, and in the process, keep their support of her transition, through her grades and social life. And as the two rekindle their friendship, new feelings begin to pop up between them.
Cheer Up! was the 198th book I read in 2021.
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
This book won so many awards last year it's hard to count, but every single one of them was well earned. It's a remarkable book. Daunis has been dreaming of a fresh start in college, since she's never felt like she fit in her hometown or on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When she witnesses a murder, she's pulled into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug, and ends up undercover to track down the source.
Firekeeper's Daughter was the 201st book I read in 2021.
The Insiders by Mark Oshiro
This book is truly the biggest hug you can get from words on a page. It's so incredibly warm and special and feels like the best kind of magic. Héctor is feeling alone at his new school — vastly different from his old school, where being gay wasn’t a big deal — and bullies make him wish he could just disappear. But while hiding one day in what he thought was a janitor’s closet, he discovers a room that shouldn’t be possible. Because two other queer kids, from different places in the country, are also there, and the room seems to know exactly what they need to help each other out.
The Insiders was the 206th book I read in 2021.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Part of the sapphic trifecta of 2021 (along with Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Throne and C.L. Clark's The Unbroken, both of which I also loved), She Who Became the Sun is my ultimate favorite in terms of historical fantasy on the adult side. 1345, China. Zhu Chongba, the 8th-born son of the Zhu family, is given a fate of greatness, while the second daughter of the family is given a fate of nothingness. But when the pair of them are orphaned by a bandit attack, Zhu Chongba dies, and his sister assumes his identity and enters a monastery as a young male novice in hopes of escaping her fate.
She Who Became the Sun was the 214th book I read in 2021.
Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas
My favorite YA of 2021 is this incredible graphic novel following Aiza, who is finally able to enlist in the training program to become a Squire. But to do so, she'll have to hide the fact that she is a member of the Ornu people, who are considered second-class citizens. As she makes her way through training, she realizes that there is a difference between the reasons they are told they fight and the actual motives of the people at the top.
Squire was the 289th book I read in 2021.
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart
This sprawling fantasy trilogy starter is meticulously woven, presenting powerful leads and dark secrets. Lin is the daughter of the failing emperor, one who he has refused to recognize as the heir to the throne. Spending her days in the palace of locked doors, she begins to master the art of bone shard magic, which is forbidden, as revolution takes hold in the land.
The Bone Shard Daughter was the 296th book I read in 2021.
The Bones of Ruin by Sarah Raughley
Here we are with more rich historical fantasy! Iris is an African tightrope walker in Victorian England, and she has a secret: She cannot die. When she gets drawn into the circle of Adam Temple, and with him the mysterious order of the Enlightenment Committee, it seems like he could have the answers to who she really is. But the Committee claims that the world is ending, and they are holding the Tournament of Freaks to decide who should lead them.
*Remember way at the beginning when I mentioned tracking fairly consistently? There are a few titles that somehow got missed on my spreadsheet (aka I forgot to move them from my tab of "currently reading" to "finished" when completed). So I know I finished (and obsessed over) this in 2021 — I just don't know exactly when.
2021 Honorable Mentions
Angel of Greenwood by Randi Pink, Little Thieves by Margaret Owen, This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron, Seance Tea Party by Reimena Yee, The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons, Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta, Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur, How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert, Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma, The Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki.
Age: 27–28
Job: Full-time librarian, writing for Buzzfeed Books, social media and more for YALLWEST and YALLFest
Books read: The year isn't over, but at time of writing, we're already over 400.
Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos
Like I said when it came to The Magic Fish, I'm fascinated by creative uses of color, especially in graphic novels. In this nearly wordless picture book that begins vibrantly and then fades to black and white, Marisol is a young girl living in 1960s Cuba. Though her home is vibrant and colorful, it is no longer safe. Her parents have made the difficult decision to send her away as part of Operation Pedro Pan, which airlifted thousands of Cuban minors to the US. Her new life in Brooklyn, by comparison, is cold, gray, and unfamiliar. It is only through finding things that connect her to the things she loves that the color might return to her world.
Isla to Island was the 32nd book I read in 2022.
League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton
The fastest I have ever responded to an email from a publicist was when I was told about this book, specifically pitched with the phrase "he asks her to step on him, knowing her boots are weapons." And it lived up to that initial excitement. Charlotte belongs to the League of Gentlewomen Witches, who strive to improve the world by using magic in small ways. Her current goal is to keep the long-lost (and recently discovered) amulet of Black Beryl from falling into the wrong hands. Regrettably, her path crosses with that of pirate Alex O'Riley, who she reluctantly teams up with to steal the amulet before the rest of the world gets to it.
League of Gentlewomen Witches was the 45th book I read in 2022.
Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed
Similar to Tiffany D. Jackson, I could have picked any of Samira's books and been content with it; they've all been important to me and all excellent reads. But her newest, Hollow Fires, is the one that left me with full-body goosebumps. When aspiring journalist Safiya finds the body of a murdered boy, she sets out to find the truth behind his death. Fourteen-year-old Jawad was arrested, labeled a terrorist, and killed because a teacher mistook his cosplay jetpack for a bomb. With Jawad's voice guiding her, Safiya tries to put together the pieces and make sure that people remember him.
Hollow Fires was the 98th book I read in 2022.
Moonflower by Kacen Callender
I could toss every single positive adjective into this description, and it would not be enough to describe just how incredible this book is. Moon travels to the spirit world each night, living with depression and wishing not to return to the world of the living. But the spirit realm is being threatened, and Moon will have to try to save it. There are guides who will walk with them through the darkness, as they come to grips with the pieces of themselves.
Moonflower was the 149th book I read in 2022.
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
As someone who loves spooky vibes but hates actually being scared (summed up best by saying my favorite Disney ride is The Haunted Mansion), I'm never fully sure if I'll like a book when it's got spooky stuff in it. But this gothic suspense novel is truly a new favorite of mine. In the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, Beatriz accepts a proposal from the handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano, choosing the idea of having a home again over the persistent whispers about the sudden demise of his first wife. But in place of the sanctuary she craved are invisible eyes that track her every movement and voices that seep into her sleep. The only person that listens to her is young priest Padre Andrés, a witch who agrees to help protect Beatriz, who he feels a forbidden attraction toward.
The Hacienda was the 150th book I read in 2022.
Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore
One of the first advanced reader copies I ever received was Fire by Kristin Cashore, a book which I've pretty consistently said is my favorite since way back in 2009. I've since reread it, along with Graceling and Bitterblue, several times. The unexpected release of the fourth book in the world, Winterkeep, delighted me last year, but it's Seasparrow that gave me a moment I'd been waiting on for over a decade. And yes, it was a moment that involved me openly sobbing at my desk when I read it.
Seasparrow was the 200th book I read in 2022.
Spy x Family by Tatsuya Endo
The first manga I read was back in 2018, when I took over as the full-time teen librarian. It's one of our biggest areas of circulation for teens, and I wanted to make sure I was able to recommend it in the section. While I've liked several that I've read, the first that wholeheartedly took over my brain (so much so that I read all available volumes pretty much immediately) was Spy x Family. A spy has to try to get to a target by infiltrating the private school their son attends. To do so, he'll form a fake family, though he's unaware that his pretend wife is a spy and his adopted daughter is a telepath.
Spy x Family, Vol. 1 was the 224th book I read in 2022.
Big Bad by Lily Anderson
Did I expect to end this list with a tie-in novel to a show that's been over since 2003? No. But here we are. Is it because I'm in the middle of yet another Buffy rewatch? Is it because I'm an absolute sucker for anything Lily Anderson writes? Yes to both. More importantly, this book is just an absolutely delightful time and truly felt like the best AU fanfiction I have ever read. Quite literally set in an alternate universe version of Sunnydale, called Demondale, the villains are in charge, with still demon Anya and Trio member Jonathan serving as narrators. In addition to delightful character appearances (Vampire Willow! Giles as Ripper!), there are some romantic pairings that should not work, but in Anderson's hands are golden. It's so much fun.
Big Bad was the 254th book I read in 2022.
2022 Honorable Mentions
Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds, The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann, Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly, Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, Hunting by Stars by Cherie Dimaline, The Viscount Made Me Do It by Diana Quincy, The Sea in Winter by Christine Day, Man o' War by Cori McCarthy, Woman Eating by Claire Kohda, Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang, Citizen Illegal by José Olivarez, Red Panda and Moon Bear by Jared Roselló, Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
