Somehow, 2024 has already come to an end.

I don’t know if it’s getting older or what, but I swear each year passes faster and faster. And each year feels slightly crazier…

But the end of the year chaos didn’t slow down my reading. December’s reads included mostly fantasy:

• Caraval by Stephanie Garber
• A Court This Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark
• Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
• The Chain by Adrian McKinty
• Fate Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
• We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

Let’s get into the reviews!

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

This book gave off some weird, Alice in Wonderland kind of vibes. What’s real and what’s not? It was honestly very hard to tell.

Scarlett feels trapped by her cruel father and an impending arranged marriage to a man she’s never met. Despite her attempts at being optimistic about the marriage, Scarlett can’t stop dreaming about Caraval, a magical and dangerous game/performance. When an invitation arrives from the organizer himself, Scarlett must choose between the life she’s always known and the life she’s always dreamed about. The choice becomes obvious when her sister, Tella, goes missing.

While I do read and enjoy some YA novels, this wasn’t my favorite. I found myself very frustrated at some of the character’s choices and reactions.

Rating: 7/10

A Court This Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark

This book immediately drew me in!

In a world where magic is forbidden unless the king allows it, Prisca is in danger. She still has her magic, putting everyone she knows and loves at risk. When she is forced to flee her village, she must do whatever it takes to stay alive- including making a deal with a group of very secretive mercenaries.

After reading this book, I read through the reviews on Goodreads. Honestly, there are a lot of valid criticisms… but I still really enjoyed this book. It also ended on a pretty big reveal, so I can’t wait to read A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty next!

Rating: 8/10

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco

Camilla Antonius works as an artist in the small village of Waverly Green. While she seems mostly happy, there’s one big problem. One of the men in the village is blackmailing her and demanding that she accept his proposal… or else.

That’s when a new man arrives in town: Lord Syn, otherwise known as the Prince of Envy. He’s immediately charming and is convinced that Camilla holds the secret to winning a twisted game that will help him restore his kingdom to its former glory. Hoping to stop the blackmail, Camilla decides to help Envy, leading to a series of dangerous events and conflicting feelings.

I had a hard time connecting with this book. I’m wondering if I should have checked out some of Kerri Maniscalco’s other books first. I discovered after reading this book, that she actually has a series based about Envy’s brother, Wrath. I’m curious if this world would have made more sense in that context as there was a lot going on with demons, vampires, and so on.

Rating: 7/10

The Chain by Adrian McKinty

How far would you go for your child? It’s the question parents caught up in ‘the chain’ find out firsthand.

Rachel’s daughter, Kylie, gets kidnapped from her bus stop. To get her back, a mysterious caller says that Rachel must continue the chain. This involves paying a hefty ransom, kidnapping a child herself, and then convincing those parents to do the same. Does Rachel have it in her to put others through the same torture that she’s going through? She’s about to find out.

This book started out so strong, but it felt like it almost moved too fast? I’m trying not to give any spoilers, but I do wish the final chunk of the book had been a bit more interwoven with Rachel’s involvement with the chain, rather than afterwards.

Rating: 7/10

Fate Breaker by Victoria Aveyard

The trilogy has come to an end. (Note: There are likely to be spoilers ahead for the first two books, so read with caution. Check out my review of Realm Breaker here & my review of Blade Breaker here.)

Coryane and her friends are determined to save the ward from Queen Erida and Taristan once and for all, though the ward has been weakened by the opening of spindles and creatures like dragons have made their way in. But there’s still hope. Others are beginning to believe the companions about the danger that lies ahead and are ready to fight. A big showdown is brewing.

This was a satisfying ending to the series, but certain parts did feel drawn out. That said, I was honestly reading just to get to Dom and Sorasa’s chapters. Their dynamic is my absolute favorite and it reached a new level in this book!

Rating: 7/10

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

Much like Caraval, this was another strange book where it was hard to know what was really happening.

Eve and her partner, Charlie, have scored an amazing deal on a home they plan to fix up and renovate. One night while Charlie is out, Eve opens the door to a family asking to see inside. The father says he used to live in the home as a child and was hoping to show his own children where he grew up. Eve, ultimately, relents and invites them inside, but there is something deeply wrong with this family. Or maybe, it’s something deeply wrong with the house. Regardless, strange events begin to unfold and Eve struggles to determine what’s really happening. Is she going crazy or is there something more sinister at play?

This was simultaneously creepy and very frustrating (if you’ve read the book, you know what I mean). I do wish the ending had provided more answers. I feel like a number of different concepts were brought up, including aliens, but then never really developed.

Rating: 7/10

Want more book reviews? Check out what I read in November 2024!

As always, I want to know what you are reading. Leave a comment below.