Happy first year of The Weather Writer Blog!
And thank you to everyone who has gone on this journey with me!
We have some exciting things planned for 2024, including reading more, having some guest bloggers and incorporating more with music and the weather.
As my first blog of 2024, I want to share some of my favorite books of 2023. Notice, I did not say 'Top 5" because in all honesty, I could never put them in an order.
These are books that if you know me, you have probably heard me talk about them, or I've maybe ever suggested them to you.
If there has been a blog written about these books, it will be linked within the picture of the cover.
Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb
I am pretty sure I've talked about this book a lot on my blog, and as stated, my original review is linked if you click on the cover photo!
I loved the magic and religious elements within this book and how those came together to bring the tension in the story.
It has a fun former-friends to lovers trope that I absolutely adore, which gives you those plot lines of 'will they trust each other or not'.
This novel was the debut novel of M.K. Lobb and had a fun mix of murder-mystery with dark fantasy.
I am really excited to read the sequel that comes out in 2024.
Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith
Revelle is another 2023 debut novel that is inspired by Moulin Rouge! with influences of probation-era New York.
I found the magical elements and characters really compelling, especially after going through a big Moulin Rouge! obsession at the beginning of this year.
I also really liked the complex relationship between the families of the story and what they were willing to do to keep themselves afloat. Luxe and Jamison have a lot on the line throughout the story as they try to work their way through politics.
There were a lot of fun plot twists, magic and definitely bad guys you found yourself not trusting from the beginning. A magical story that I'm happy to say was on of my favorites of the year .
Divine Rivals (& Ruthless Vows) by Rebecca Ross
Having just finished the sequel/last book of this duology, I can confidently say that both of these books were in my top 5 of the year 2023.
Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt might be two of my new favorite fictional characters, with an enemies to friends to lovers trope within the first book, all while having the world around them be torn apart by war.
They are both writers, which I loved, who are connected by magical typewriters, having shared letters for a while before knowing who was on the other end.
There is so much I loved about these books, but its hard to gush about them without spoilers. These are both books I'll recommending to people for a while.
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Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
This is a book I didn't expect to make it onto my top list. I picked it up after seeing a few people on Instagram read it and recommend it. Unlike the others, this book came out in 2022.
This book is dark, with both magic and mentions of religion. This book would definitely be tough for some, especially someone who has been through religious trauma.
Its a powerful story about literal and figurative monsters, with monsters being created by those who don't see themselves as monsters. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic world.
There is also a lot of queer rep within the book, but again, I definitely suggest looking up trigger warnings before diving in.
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
The title of this book is one of the first things that drew me in, that and the colors and ships on the cover.
Though the story gives off definite Reylo vibes, there is so much that I loved about it.
A mix of light and dark magic, STORM SHIPS, and overall the politics of the story. You have two characters who are determined to kill each other, suddenly find themselves on the same side, while also being forced into a marriage that will forge an alliance of their families.
There are secrets, powerful individuals and a big bad king who you keep hoping to see defeated. I'm excited to see where this series goes and love how it is inspired by where the author grew up.
You can probably notice the trend in my favorite books, I love a good fantasy or magic-based story, though I think my Goodreads claimed I read mostly romance in 2023. Most of my top rated books this year had dark magic and politics. An honorable mention of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, which I liked because Dragons but definitely thought there was a lot of hype that made my expectations slightly too high at points. I am also excited to see that series get deeper into the lore and politics of that world.
Hope you all had a good 2023 and have an even better New Year!
What were some of your favorite reads of 2023?
Comment below!
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