The Bookish Mindset

2023 may already feel like an age away but I want to look back on what I loved last year and share my favourites with you.

Young Adult is a genre that I absolutely adore. Often the books I pick up are books I know my younger self would absolutely adore. We have a mix of fantasy and literary below.

Warrior Girl Unearthed – Angeline Boulley. Sequel to Firekeeper’s Daughter, Warrior Girl Unearthed follows Perry as she discovers the stolen bodies of her ancestors. I’ve loved both of Boulley’s works and I think maybe this one even more than the first. If you haven’t got to this duo yet then step on it!

An Echo in the City – K X Song. This one was a powerful hit to the gut. Set in the 2019 Hong Kong riots, we have a couple on either sides of the conflict; a trainee policeman and an activist. This one blew me away. That’s it, no further notes.

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute – Talia Hibbert. If you’ve been here for a little while you’ll know that I am a Talia Hibbert stan. This one is her first YA novel and it’s as much as a hit as her adult ones. Celine and Brad used to be best friends until high school happened and now they’re rivals. A must for YA romance lovers.

My Dear Henry – Kalynn Bayron. Another you might know that I’m obsessed with. You’ll recognise her from Cinderella is Dead and This Poison Heart, but this time Bayron has remixed a different classic – Jekyll & Hyde. A thoroughly enjoyable remake with queer Black characters at the forefront.

That Self-Same Metal – Brittany N. Williams. Now this was a late contender but easily one of my favourite reads of the year. Set in Shakespearean times and in the play house, this is a world in which the fairies of A Midsummers Night’s Dream exist and they’re ready to war with humankind. Outstanding and so ready for the sequel.

So Let Them Burn – Kamilah Cole. If you’re looking for teenage angst, revenge and dragons, then trust me that this is the book for you. The first in a series and definitely one to watch. Queer and Black representation and great sister bonding.

I’d love to know which of these you’ve enjoyed or what you choose from the list, leave a comment below!

Buy all these and more through my Bookshop.org storefront here.

Last updated 17/03/2024