My Year (so far) in Books

Growing up, I loved to read. Nothing was better to me than exploring and experiencing a bookstore or spending a day at the library. Before the e-book craze, I read the entire Odd Thomas series and the Harry Potter franchise entranced me from the first time we heard of Privet Drive. But going through college, especially graduate school took a lot out of me, and for a long time I couldn’t find it in me to pick up a book. I still read plenty of comics and graphic novels, but I didn’t cons them “regular“ books. After I finished school, I wanted to challenge myself to get back into reading. There were two fantasy series that helped me, the Levanthria series by A.P. Beswick and the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne. I started using the challenges on Goodreads to help re-engage with reading as a hobby, and I have had such a fun time doing it. There are so many books I never would have considered had I not pushed myself. As we approach the end of the year, I thought it would be interesting to talk about all of the amazing books I’ve read. This year I’ve read seventy-three books, which is up quite a bit from the twenty-five or so I read in the previous year. So, in the spirit of the enjoyment of reading, here are my top ten books/series of 2026 in no particular order. The Poppy War trilogy by R.F. Kuang: a grim-dark military fantasy novel that follows a young girl (Rin) as she rises from a poor farmer to a military super weapon in 20th-Century China, a story that loosely incorporates aspects from the rise of Mao and the rape of Nanking. I loved Rin as a character and how flawed she was, from the beginning you could tell her zeal to rise above would eventually be her undoing, but the journey there was phenomenal, deep, and heartbreaking. You may not have supported Rin’s perspective, but it was clear to see why she had it. Shades of Magic trilogy by V.E. Schwab: a fantasy following a rare type of magician called Antari, a person born with intrinsic magic. Four different versions of London almost reflecting a large caste system based off of each world’s affinity for and acceptance for magic, as well as the corrupting nature of that power. I loved following Kell on his journey as he struggled to exist in a world that was always afraid of him. Kell’s hero‘s journey ended in a satisfying way, and I plan to read the sequel series. The Book of Lost Hours by Haley Gelfuso: a historical fantasy and time-travel novel where people’s memories are stored as books kept safe in a hidden dimension. I loved that we got to see the strings of the past and present laid out, as well as the surprising connectio between our two protagonists. The story was heartwarming and exciting from start to finish. Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao: a magical realism novel that follows a young woman named Hana Ishikawa. She inherits her family’s magical pawn shop where peoples’ life regrets are traded for special tea. The mystery surrounding Hana as she searches for meaning, purpose and belonging is all just so beautifully captured and it was such a cozy book. Bat-Eater and Other Names for Cora Zheng by Kylie Lee Baker: a supernatural murder mystery about a Chinese crime-scene cleaner named Cora Zheng that takes place in New York in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The book is phenomenal, and it does a great job of highlighting the racism and the extremities of that racism due to fear mongering surrounding the COVID pandemic. This serves as a setting for the horrors Cora must face daily. I loved Cora’s journey through fear, grief, and eventual healing. Sometimes the real monsters are our own neighbors as much as they are supernatural. Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker: the story reflects on the generational cycles of family trauma, grief, and inescapable tragedy and fate using a portal between timelines as the main story mechanic. The story was so interesting, and I loved watching each of the characters work through and accept their fates and each other in the process. I will definitely read this again. The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao: the story follows two lost souls who inadvertently board a magical train while both try and rediscover their life’s purpose. Yambao does such a wonderful job making her stories come alive and this book made me feel so warm inside. The whimsy, mystery, and heartbreak of facing and accepting our truths and ourselves was masterfully done here. The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop by Takuya Asakura: the story is about a whimsical bookshop that only appears during cherry blossom season on a perfect spring day when the blossoms are in full bloom and only if the person in the real world is reading the exact same passage at the same time as the bookshop and café owner. The bookshop serves as a place for people to process their grief and regrets through the magic of stories. I loved the idea that stories can be so healing, and the twist at the end was so endearing and tender. It provided such a fulfilling payoff. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides: A woman shoots her husband and has a psychotic break which renders her mute while a therapist comes in determined to solve her mystery. As a therapist, I loved watching the story unfold and loved the mystery behind it all. While I did begin to anticipate the twist, the journey there and the resolution were both highly fulfilling for me. It Came from Neverland by Cynthia Pelayo: a dark horror retelling of Oeter Pan set during World War I with grown up Darling children. Watching Wendy’s descent into madness and fear at the abject horror of who and what Peter was took me away. Pelayo did such a good job with the atmospheric horror in this story. It was so hard to pick my top ten, but here we have it All of these books left a lasting impression on me. However, I also want to give honorable mentions to a few books/series that have stuck with me as well but weren’t in my top 10. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad The Astral Library by Kate Quinn We’ll Prescribe You a Cat series by Syou Ishida