With the start of the ne year, I want to reflect on some of my favorite reads of 2024 that I haven’t had the chance to review yet. 

Powerless by Lauren Roberts 

“Powerless” is the first book in a young adult trilogy that follows the main character Paedyn Gray. Gray’s greatest secret is that she is powerless, which is a death sentence in her kingdom. After she saves the prince, she is forced to partake in deadly trials that could prove even more fatal if her secret is discovered.  

“Powerless” is a perfect book for someone looking for a romance novel in a fantasy setting.  The enemies to lovers trope in this story actually feel like enemies becoming lovers, especially compared to other books where that isn’t the case. Additionally, the banter between the characters is very well written and funny in a perfect way.  

The romance isn’t the only great thing about the book; the trials and tribulations create incredible suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat till the very last page.  

These qualities carried into the second book in the series, “Reckless.” The biggest issue with this series is waiting for the final book to come out in April of 2025.  

Overall, if you love “The Hunger Games” or “Red Queen” series, you’ll likely fall in love with the “Powerless” series too.  

Assistant to the Villian by Nicole Maehrer

This book is the first book in the series that follows Evie Sage, who just lost her job. Shortly after she runs into a character known as the Villian while in the woods near her village. After they are chased the whole way to the Villian’s home, he offers her a job to work for him. She was out of time and out of money, so she took the offer.  

The humor in this book is one of the things that drew me in. It was incredibly funny and lighthearted, but it also had its serious moments too. It was the perfect mix. 

The character dynamics and developments also fit in perfectly. Especially the relationship between coworkers Evie and Becky. Evie and Becky started off as average rival coworkers. However, as the story continues the two of them end up having a great friendship despite everything. I really enjoyed watching their dynamic throughout the series.  

I simply couldn’t get enough off this book. If you are looking for a humorous, fantasy romance I highly recommend the “Assistant to the Villian” series.  

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

“The Cruel Prince” is the first book in the Folk of Air series. The series is a young adult fantasy novel following the main character, Jude Duarte. Jude is a mortal girl stuck in the fairy realm with her sisters after her parents are murdered. Jude adapts to survive, but as time passes, she wants more than to just survive. 

A big issue when I started reading this series is that it was marketed as an enemies to lovers romance, but that isn’t a big part of the plot. The book is more of political fantasy with a romance subplot. This made it a bit difficult to enjoy this book in the beginning, but as the book continued, it kept me coming back for more.  

With that aside, I really enjoyed the book. It was well written, and as the series progressed it continued to get better and better. The twists and turns in the plot were addicting. Additionally, Jude’s character development was amazing. It was refreshing to have a female main character be morally grey.  

Despite not being a romance, “The Cruel Prince” is an incredible story for any fantasy reader.  

The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

This book is a murder mystery where two girls, Alice Ogilvie and Iris Adams, create an unlikely pair who work together to solve the case.  

I started this book with no real expectations because I was reading it for a book club, but I was pleasantly surprised. Although the book makes plenty of references to famous writer Agatha Christie, which can feel annoying at times, the book is otherwise amazing.  

The book pulled me in from the very first page and didn’t let go until I finished reading it. There were so many clever surprises and curveballs that kept me guessing until the end.  

If you like murder mysteries and Agatha Christie, I highly recommend you check out this book.