What I Read This Year--Gaelan Edition

Is now the best time to do a “what I read this year” wrap-up? Probably not, but here it is if you would like to read it.

A little about me: I am a bookseller and I have read 54 books so far this year. That may not be a lot for some, but I’m impressed with myself, a dyslexic mood-reader. I often find myself in reading slumps for weeks and then devour books at a rate I can barely process just to fall back into a slump. But, that’s not what I am here to talk about. I am here to talk about me and my favorite books this year so far, in no particular order:

Berserk by Kentaro Miura

Berserk is a violent, dark fantasy following our main character, Guts. I have frequently told anyone who will listen that Berserk is one of the best fantasy stories I have ever read, and I have read a lot of fantasy. There are currently 14 Deluxe volumes printed, but I urge you to at least read through the Golden Age arc. As a character, Guts has what most call the indomitable human spirit, and that’s all you gotta know. I loved Berserk so much I got his sword tattooed on my arm.

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

I have already written an article about our Lost in Translation Book Club meeting discussing this book. The link is here if you are interested!

Anything by Emily Austin

Emily Austin has a way of writing neurodivergent characters in a way that is so relatable I feel like she’s spying on me. I will read everything she writes. I was recently blessed with an advanced reader copy of her next novel We Could be Rats and, of course, I loved it.

The Spellshop Sarah Beth Durst

I have a deep love and respect for cozy fantasy ever since I read the Monk & Robot duology. The Spellshop follows a librarian that is forced to flee her library with only the books she can carry. The story that follows covers subjects such as community, who should have access to knowledge and why, the environment and how we interact with it, and even has a small town romance.

Moonbound by Robin Sloan

If you are a fan of Adventure Time, read this book. It’s like Sloan condensed Adventure Time down into a vibe and then used that vibe to write a book. I could not put this one down (the cover glows in the dark and that is pretty cool too).

Carmilla by J Sheridan Le Fanu

Did you know that there was a vampire book written before Dracula? Did you know that the vampires are lesbians? I started and finished this book on a five hour plane ride. Bonus points for the beautiful pictures in the edition I read.

The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko

My reading journey started with the YA (young adult) genre, but I have not found any recently that I have liked. That was until I listened to The Maid and the Crocodile audio-book. I highly recommend listening to this book as music is a huge part of our characters life and the community she lives in.

The Tea Dragon Society by K O’Neill

The Tea Dragon Society is a trilogy of juvenile graphic novels, and they were just what I needed when I read them. The dragons and their caretakers remind us to take life slow and to hold our loved ones close.

Irish Folk and Fairy Tales

I recently took a trip to Ireland and picked up a book of Irish folklore and faerie tales. I could not put it down! Sometimes it’s nice to go back to these classic stories and let your imagination go wild.