Hello everyone! I can't believe we're on the second to last post for Bookmas - December has really flown by and I'm more than ready to curl up on my bed and just sleep throughout my winter break. 

         
covers are affiliate links that, when used to purchase, gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

eliza, from scratch by sophia lee

I've been watching Sophia on YouTube for years and have always admired her ability to phrase her thoughts in reviews so see the actual cover and synopsis of this book feels so surreal and exciting. This combines the heartfelt experiences of falling in love and exploring one's culture through food which just promises to be the sweetest story ever.

         
covers are affiliate links that, when used to purchase, gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

katabasis by r.f. kuang

I am literally so excited for this because anything R.F. Kuang writes I will absolutely read. This is inspired by Dante's Inferno and knowing I know that she is going to have such an interesting twist to the classic. The story follows a student who has to journey into the depths of hell in order to bring her esteemed professor back from the dead which is the perfect set up for a captivating story.

fable for the end of the world by ava reid

I am a self-proclaimed Ava Reid stan and anything she writes I'll read - even if I don't typically reach of dystopians as a genre. Set in a half-sunken town where a massive corporation controls all of society, we get to follow Inesa when she finds out her mother just sacrificed her into the Lamb's Gauntlet to pay off her debts. Now a part of this life or death competition, she has to evade a skilled assassin and hope to make it out of the games alive.

gifted and talented by olivie blake

So far, I've been pretty indifferent about most of Olivie Blake's novels that I've picked up but something about her synopses just sound so compelling. Gifted and Talented follows three incredibly talented siblings who are trying to find out who will be the heir to their father's massive technology empire. Each with skills of their own and secrets/insecurities to hide, the inheritance will solidify their future in society and if there's anything I love in a good story it's hidden motives and lots of scheming which I hope this one will have!

king of envy by ana huang

I don't have many comments other than I'm still hopeful that another Kings of Sin book will hit the same way King of Wrath did for me. Granted, I've only read the first 2 books in the series but we're still keeping our fingers crossed. I think this follows Vuk who has been such an interesting and elusive character so I'm definitely intrigued to see how his story will unfold.

         
covers are affiliate links that, when used to purchase, gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

the listeners by maggie stiefvater

I had no idea Maggie Stiefater was coming out with an adult novel and one that's set in WWII is such a throwback for me since I used to love historical fiction novels set in that time period and haven't picked up one in a while. The Listeners is set in a luxury hotel that is now part of a ploy to invite the elite Axis diplomats to enjoy some relaxation before springing a trap. With different political machinations in place, the main character has to navigate her role as the general manager in order to get everyone through safely.

a forgery of fate by elizabeth lim

It's just industry standard at this point that Elizabeth Lim has the most gorgeous covers. Inspired by Beauty and the Beast, this follows a con artist who agrees to a marriage contract with a dragon lord in order to protect her family. With the unique ability to paint the future, she has to join her new husband at his palace under the sea and and assist him in infiltrating the Dragon King's inner circle and paint a future that could upend both the mortal and immortal realms.

anatomy of a betrayal by grace d. li

I really enjoyed Grace D. Li's debut novel Portrait of a Thief and her sophomore work is inspired by the persecution of Chinese American scientists while exploring the theme of being "American enough." Two graduate students find themselves on opposing sides when one is accused of spying for the Chinese government and the other one has to catch her in the act. This sounds so incredibly interesting and dives into a period that I haven't read too much about.

the nightblood prince by molly x. chang

I'm a little hesitant to add this to the list because I still have a lot of mixed feelings about Molly X. Chang's debut work. However, the plot just sounds like such a fun time. The synopsis includes a vampire army and the classic love triangle trope where the main character is torn between two powerful princes while juggling a prophecy that will name her Empress of All Empresses. So many important choices rest on her shoulders and how will she ever choose - just keeping my fingers crossed that it'll just be a silly goofy run read.

We're almost to the end of Bookmas and if anything, it's proved that if I really set a schedule, I could 100% follow through. I hope you've been enjoying the last few weeks of December as we get closer to the holidays - let me know what new releases in 2025 you're excited for and I'll see you back on Christmas Eve for the last day!

Hello there - happy day two of Bookmas 2024! Before jumping in, I just want to preface this list by saying that none of these books are bad in any way shape or form and were included as a disappointed read because it simply didn't quite meet what I was looking for within the story. 

Some were just simply read at the wrong time while others just didn't explore the content or character arcs in a way that worked for me. Regardless, I think each title on this list has incredible merit that could easily make it another person's favorite story and that's the exciting part about reading!

         
covers are affiliate links that, when used to purchase, gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

days of distraction by alexandra chang
I've had this book on my shelves for years before finally picking it up this year and it's a classic example of right book, wrong time. Had I read this novel when I picked it up, I think it would have been a lot more impactful. While I did appreciate exploring what it means to be Asian American through the character's internal monologues and musings, a lot of presented information wasn't new and therefore lacked the punch I was hoping it would deliver. Overall, still a really strong story and one that I think would be perfect for anyone looking to explore the definition of being Asian American and feeling stagnant in their 20s. 

faebound by saara el-arifi
Looking back, it's been a hot minute since I've read a truly high fantasy-esque novel with elves and fae and political shenanigans which is what made this story ultimately disappointing to me. While I love good world-building, I've realized that deep down, I'm a pretty heavy character-driven reader and this is just an instance of the characters not working for me. I found their arcs to be a bit stagnant and the overall tone felt really juvenile for an adult-marketed story.

alone with you in the ether by olivie blake
Not gonna lie, I was a bit apprehensive going into this because I had heard a lot of mixed things about the story. I knew from the beginning that this centered around two messy individuals working through a whirlwind of a romance and went into it hoping that I’d end up enjoying the ride. While Olivie Blake’s prose was absolutely gorgeous, I definitely struggled to relate to the characters and ended up feeling a bit overwhelmed by their chaotic nature. 

of jade and dragons by amber chen
I was pretty excited for Of Jade and Dragons because I love a good competition storyline and the synopsis reminded me of Spin the Dawn which is one of my favorite YA retellings. With Of Jade and Dragons, I think it just came down to age - the characters, while written to be 19+, were portrayed a lot younger which made it difficult to sympathize with them. This is 100% a me issue as I just went into the story as not the targeted audience but I do think this would be a fantastic read for someone actually in the YA age range.

      
covers are affiliate links that, when used to purchase, gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

king of pride by ana huang
I'm a little heartbroken to be including this on the list - especially since I think King of Wrath made it into my top reads of 2023. There's a really good review from Diemmi Reads that pretty accurately sums up my feelings for this book and I was so disappointed because I genuinely thought this would be a favorite of the year. While I love the characters, the plot felt overly predictable and didn't deliver the same heartwrenching feelings I was hoping it would. Still keeping my fingers crossed for the rest of the series though!

she is a haunting by trang thanh tran
I recently posted my review for this book but to summarize it briefly - I've had this book on my shelves for actual years and after finally getting to the story felt incredibly mediocre. I was hoping to be shocked and outraged especially with the themes of a creepy house, possessed spirits, and the exploration of colonialism and imperialism on Vietnam. While the latter theme was really well explored, a lot of "horror" anticipation didn't land for me personally.

fathomfolk by eliza chan
I might be cheating a little by including this on the list because I soft-DNF'd this book and didn't actually finish reading. I was genuinely so excited about Fathomfolk because of its Atlantis-inspired setting and the cover just gives mystical/magical vibes. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble getting into the story and always stop around the 200 page mark - something about the pacing feels incredibly slow, like there should be something happening but we're still setting up. I'm still holding out some hope for this book though and hopefully will be able to push through that 200 page mark and maybe be pleasantly surprised.

Please let me know some of your disappointing reads for the year - I feel like mine weren't too bad, it was a lot of overhyped expectations but I would still recommend them overall. It's also getting super cold so I hope everyone stays warm and I'll be back for Day 3!