This is my first year completing the r/Fantasy BINGO. I've attempted in previous years, but I've finally finished a card this year. Here are all the books I read between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024.
Title with a Title - Read a book in which the novel title contains a job title, military title, or title of nobility such as locksmith, lieutenant, or lord
The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem
★★★⍣☆
Review: This was one of the better debut's I've read in a while. However, while it was marketed as an adult book, it did feel more YA. Especially the relationships and execution of the whole romance. The romance didn't feel necessary at all and almost seem to just serve the purpose of making Arin more sympathetic even though none of his actions were particularly heroic.
Another aspect that felt just a bit off was the competition. I absolutely love when books have some sort of contest or trial, however this was such a minor part of the book. The first third was amazing. It had a great paced start with a lot of detailed worldbuilding. The set up for all of the characters, including some of the minor ones, was fantastically done. However, once promise of the competition was mentioned, the plot slowed way down. The rest of the book seemed to be setting up some grand finale but in the end it felt very anticlimactic.
The writing itself was fairly good. As I mentioned, for a debut it seemed well written and I can tell that Hashem has some great ideas. I also liked the fact that the setting felt new. The magic was unique to the world and the motives of the characters made sense for the most part. Overall, it was a good start to a series, I just had a few issues with the execution.
Superheroes - Story focuses on super powered individuals. You know, heroes and villains and capes
The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente
★★☆☆☆
Review: This is a book I would not have picked up if it hadn't been for this challenge. I wanted to read Starter Villain, but I wasn't sure if I could get it from the library on time. This is a collection of stories with women in hell that had run ins with supervillains and superheroes. I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator was good, using different voices for each woman. This book is a play on the trope of "fridging" a woman and the Vagina Monologues, and I think this was a case of not quite liking the narrative style that all of these stories had. The nature of the book revolved around all of the women dying and what confused me is that not all of these stories seemed to come from the same world. I usually enjoy Valente's writing, and that wasn't bad in this book, it was simply the way the stories were told that didn't quite click with me.
Bottom of the TBR - Read one of the books that’s been on your To Be Read pile (TBR) the longest
White Stag by Kara Barbieri
★★★☆☆
Review: I enjoyed certain parts of this but other parts were equally forgettable and confusing. It starts not at the main characters beginning, but somewhere after a lot of things had happened to her. This meant that a large majority of the book was told over flashbacks and felt very much telling rather than showing to me. The fantasy aspects of this book were fantastic. I loved how dark this book was, with a lot of modern fantasy steering more towards the cozier side, this was very much the opposite. However, I didn't find myself enjoying this book enough to continue with the series.
Magical Realism or Literary Fantasy - Read a book that portrays magical or unreal elements in an otherwise realistic or mundane environment
Bunny by Mona Awad
★★☆☆☆
Review: This is definitely one of the weirder books that I've read. Magical realism is annoyingly bad, in my opinion. I have rarely enjoyed a book in this subgenre, although every now and again, I find a golden nugget. I decided to read Bunny because of this bingo square, and for the fact that it was highly liked all over booktube. This book felt like a fever dream. Even by the end I couldn't tell what actually happened and what the main character had made up. I really don't enjoy unreliable narrators, and this whole book felt like a confusing hazy dream. I know plenty of people LOVE this book; I am just not the right audience for most magical realism books. That being said, I do plan on giving Awad another try in her soon-to-be-released Rouge.
Young Adult - Read a book that was written for young adults
Dustborn by Erin Bowman
★★★☆☆
Review: I'll be honest, I have had a hard time with a lot of YA books recently. I don't mind romance in my fantasy, but I do prefer implicit rather than explicit, and a lot of the time YA is romance heavy. I picked this one up because I didn't see a single review stating that there was romance in it. I was very pleasantly surprised by the world that Bowman created. It was advertised as a western Mad Max, and it did very much feel like a YA version of that. I do tend to enjoy post-apocalyptic books, and probably would have rated it higher if the pacing wouldn't have been so back-and-forth.
Mundane Jobs - The protagonist has a commonplace job that can be found in the real world (so no princes or monster hunters!)
Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen
★★★⍣☆
Review: I really enjoyed this book. Mike Chen is definitely one of my auto-read authors. After thoroughly liking all of his other books I've read, he has become a steady 4-star author for me. And while Vampire Weekend may not be exactly 4-stars, I still liked it. While many vampire books depict the supernatural creatures as sexy and immortal, or scary and blood-thirsty, Chen takes a different and almost human approach. Life as a vampire in this book isn't too different than normal human life, except for the fact that they cannot be exposed to direct sunlight and they drink blood.
Louise was a great character to read from the perspective of. Sure, at times I found myself annoyed that she only seemed to care about music and didn't have any other hobbies, but hey, some people are fixated on one thing their whole lives. The book was full of typical "quirkiness" that sometimes grates on me when there is an MC like Louise, but I found myself enjoying reading about her somewhat bland life as a vampire. She wakes up, goes to work, plays her music, walks her dog, and that's pretty much it. I thought the flashbacks could sometimes be confusing as they weren't set apart from the rest of the book. One paragraph would be set in the past and the next sentence would be in the present.
It was very heartwarming and centered on a family that I felt was very relatable in their problems. I absolutely loved the ending. On a sidenote, I couldn't help but think of the band Vampire Weekend every single time I picked up this book. Great band and really great book.
Published in the 00s - Read a book that was published between 2000 and 2009
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
★★★★☆
Review: This was the strongest book of the trilogy. I loved how this was technically a YA book but it didn't shy away from showing some really terrible events. Genocide, sexual assault, kidnapping, slavery. All of these were depicted in this book and they fit inside this magical world. I love when books tackle forbidden, or illegal, magic, and I think Snyder does an incredible job in doing so. Yelena was a fantastic character, and while yes, there was a love story that follows the enemies-to-lovers trope, I was so glad that it didn't feel like instalove. The trilogy does go downhill from there, with the second book being the worst, this first one is definitely worth the read.
Angels and Demons - Story must feature angels or demons or both in a prominent role
Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse
★★★☆☆
Review: I do think this would have been much better as a full length novel. There were a few side stories and characters that I wanted to follow but the novella length doesn't allow for. I enjoyed what little worldbuilding was there, and thought Goetia was really interesting but do wish we saw more of it. I was fairly entertained until the ending. I have a huge issue with characters that don't ever learn from mistakes or advance in anyway. Throughout the whole novella, Celeste doesn't seem to grow as a character. I've read Roanhorses full length novels before, and while I do really love her creative ideas, I feel like her execution falls just a bit short of what I look for in my fantasy.
Five SFF Short Stories - Any short SFF story as long as there are five of them
Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda
★★★☆☆
Review: This was another case of started really strong but then got worse as the stories progressed. My favorite story was the first one, about a woman who gets rid of all of her body hair, much to the disapproval of her aunt who is a ghost. I also really enjoyed the story about the kitsune, because I was already somewhat familiar with the shapeshifters.
These stories were told in a sort of whimsical way. Even though many of them weren't happy stories, per se, they were told in an upbeat narration. This could be due to the translation from Japanese, or due to the fact that I listened to the audiobook of this. Perhaps I would have enjoyed the print version more, but as the stories themselves were hit or miss, I decided to give it a 3 star since I neither disliked or loved this collection.
Horror - Read a book from the horror genre
Spike House by Johnny Compton
★★★★☆
Review: This was a spooky book. Horror is my third most read genre, but this was the first one I read after the book bingo started. While this was advertised as a gothic haunted house story, it didn't feel like the classic "gothic" book. While it did give an overall sense of dread, it was written in a more modern way, which I greatly enjoyed. I was even mores surprised that this was Compton's debut book. It was so well executed that I would have thought it came from a seasoned horror writer. I love a good haunted house investigation as well, and this was definitely a spooky read. I am very much looking forward to Compton's sophomore book that comes out in September, Devils Kill Devils.
Self Published OR Indie Publisher - Self-published or published through a small, indie publisher
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
★★★★★
Review: M.L. Wang does not miss! Sword of Kaigen was my favorite book of 2022 and Blood Over Bright Heaven may be my favorite book of the year so far. If anyone is looking for a standalone fantasy that give you everything that an epic trilogy will, look no further.
I will admit that after the first chapter, the character shift threw me off. We shift from a male perspective who is running for his life for safety of a city without the Blight, to a female perspective who is trying to enter a prestigious academy as the first ever woman. I loved how their stories eventually intertwined.
This book had the holy trinity that I look for in a fantasy book. Fantastic worldbuilding, great character arcs, and a unique/interesting magic system. The spell work in Blood Over Bright Heaven felt very scientific, which I thought worked brilliantly. I highly recommend this book as well as M.L. Wang's other novel.
Middle East - Read a book that is set in the Middle East or in an analogous setting that is based on real-world Middle Eastern settings, myths, and culture
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
★★★⍣☆
Review: I thought the writing style was perfect for what I was looking for. This is my first book by this author but now I really need to read her earlier trilogy. The worldbuilding was done in a way that didn't feel info-dumpy or too bogged down by details. Rather it was built as we explored the world with the MC.
I also really enjoyed that the MC was a middle aged woman. You don't get to read from that perspective often and it was very refreshing. There wasn't a huge romantic subplot either which was great. Another thing I haven't read much of is fantasy featuring Muslim characters. I thought this book was brilliant in that aspect.
One thing I didn't like were all of the narrative chapters. Those, I felt, took away from the story and often didn't add anything plot wise. The ending also felt like it was somehow separate from the rest of the book. Overall really great book and I will definitely read more from Chakraborty.
Published in 2023 - A book published for the first time in 2023 (no reprints or new editions)
A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
★★★★☆
Review: What a weird, wonderful book. T. Kingfisher is a hit-or-miss for me, and this one was definitely a hit. I loved the eerie atmosphere that this book gave. The characters were the strongest part of this book. This author has a way of adding in humor to her books without being annoying or cringe as well. The haunted house aspect, while initially not the strongest, definitely ramped up at the climax and went in a very strange, and very unexpected direction.
Multiverse and Alternate Realities - Read a book in which the setting contains at least two universes, dimensions, planes, realities, etc. that characters within the book can travel between
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson
★★★☆☆
Review: This was, in my opinion, the weakest of the secret projects, and the only one not set within the Cosmere. While it was a fun read, with quirky characters and I could tell that Sanderson had fun writing it, it felt juvenile compared to what I have come to expect from him. It wasn't bad, by any means, it just wasn't as gripping. It took me far longer to read than usual, especially since it wasn't an overly complicated plot. There were a few times that the MC would say something and I would get secondhand embarrassment. I do love the memory loss trope, and it's always fun to uncover truths with the character rather than him being an unreliable narrator. Overall, a fun read but just not my favorite.
POC Author - Author must be a Person of Color
The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown
★★★☆☆
Review: While this was entertaining and very fast-paced, I thought the plot lacked due to the length of the novella. The characters themselves felt underdeveloped. I think if this was lengthened, it would have been more "horror" than it was. Since it was short, there was a lack of suspense and thinks moved too quickly to really sink in. I would have loved if the setting and backstory would have been explored more because as it was, I felt like this was very surface level in most aspects. I never really got a feel of who the characters were, which I as disappointed in because there was so much potential. I will definitely be giving Brown another chance as the writing itself was really great. I loved the descriptions and want to try a full length novel from her.
Book Club - Any past or active r/Fantasy book clubs count as well as past or active r/Fantasy readalongs
Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan
★★★★⍣
Review: This was already on my priority reads for 2024, and was the first book that I finished this year. This was a super fun fantasy that immediately sucked me in. I do tend to enjoy the classic trope of characters having to get themselves out of trouble, so I figured I'd enjoy this. Hadrian and Royce were a great duo and I'm looking forward to continuing their journey in the next book. It felt sort of like a classic buddy-cop story, except they broke the law instead of enforced it. I loved the series as a whole, and it is now in my top ten fantasy series of all time list.
Novella - Read a work of fiction of between 17,500 and 40,000 words
High Times in Low Parliament by Kelly Robson
★★⍣☆☆
Review: This started off really well. I was intruiged and wanted to learn more about the world and Lana's work as a scribe. But after the first dozen pages, the plot meandered so much that it was hard to keep focus. And for such a short book, that is not a good thing. I never really got a sense of the world and there was so much confusion, even among the characters. With little to no explanation for what is going on, it left me with so many more questions than answers.
Mythical Beasts - Read a book that prominently features at least one mythical beast, meaning a creature that doesn't exist in reality
Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst
★★★★★
Review: More fantasy should be standalone if they are going to be as good as this. I absolutely loved this book from start to finish and it will definitely be one of my favorites of the year. Everything from the pacing, to the world building, to the characters was fantastic. I thought the world itself as incredibly unique with souls being reborn to creatures depending on the purity of their past lives. I don't think I've read anything quite with that in it before, and while it was complicated, the way Durst explained it made complete sense. I really loved that this was a standalone. There are not enough really good fantasy standalones that feel as complete as this. From worldbuilding to character growth, and even how the magic in this world works, Durst didn't leave anything out.
Elemental Magic - Read a book that has elemental magic. The primary magic within the world deals with the classical elements: Earth, Wind/Air, Water, and Fire
Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce
★★★☆☆
Review: This book had a lot to love about it. Found family, interesting magic, and it had a great way of dealing with very traumatic events. It reminded me of when I was in middle school and early high school and reading books that felt very much like this. I wish I would have picked this up earlier, and I do plan on rereading it because I have a feeling my rating will increase. I read this right after a 5 star book, so it suffered because of that.
Queernorm Setting - A book set in a world where queerness is normalized, accepted, and prevalent within communities. Characters are not othered, ostracized, or particularly remarkable in any way for their queerness
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
★★★⍣☆
Review: While this was a solid prequel, it didn't need to be written, if you know what I mean. Legends & Lattes was so amazing and even though I did like the cozy vibes from this book, it didn't live up to the first book. The charm wasn't there. It's hard to explain but it just wasn't as good.
Coastal/Island Setting - Story features a major setting that is near or surrounded by the sea
The Bone Ships by R.J. Barker
★★★⍣☆
Review: This book as repetitive and I had the hardest time distinguishing the secondary characters from one another. The main couple of characters, Joren, Lucky Meas, and the guillaime were good, but the rest of the ship mates just felt like they were there to fill jobs on the ship. This was very politically driven, which in this case, bogged down the worldbuilding. It was really described very well. Instead, Barker would mention things and it was almost like he expected you to just know what he was writing about. I thought it was very interesting to read about a world that was matriarchal, when most fantasy is the opposite, but the worldbuilding was so jarring that it was hard to get fully immersed. I did take a peek at reviews for the rest of the series, so I will not be continuing on.
Druids - A book that heavily features druids. This can be a classic druid, a priest or magician in Celtic lore, or a magic user whose powers stem from nature
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Druid's Call by E.K. Johnston
★★★⍣☆
Review: I read this book solely because I loved the character in the recent Dungeons and Dragon's movie. Doric, the druid this book is about, was my favorite character in the movie with her really interesting power, and this book is her backstory. I thought Johnston did a fantastic job of expanding on what readers will already know about Doric. Her magic is seen as mysterious and I loved how we got to understand how she became a druid. Overall this was a good book for fans of D&D, and I highly recommend it.
Featuring Robots - Read a book that features robots, androids, clockwork machines, or automatons
System Collapse by Martha Wells
★★★☆☆
Review: I honest hate to say it, but I think I'm done with The Murderbot Diaries. The books went from 5 stars, to consistent 4 stars, and now to consistent 3 stars. They just came to feel very repetitive, especially with this one. This sort of takes place simultaneously with the previous book. so I feel like I was rereading the same thing again, just from a different perspective. This was made even clearer because I read them back-to-back. It's not that Wells is now suddenly a bad writer, because she is very much a a great writer. It's just that I'm finding myself not looking forward to reading about the SecUnit's story anymore. I'll always recommend the first few books in this series, but I think it's a good place for me to stop reading.
Sequel - Read a book that is a sequel to another SFF book
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
★★★⍣☆
Review: This was my one reread that was allowed for the bingo board. I read this whole series when it was first published, and it's now seen it's resurgence due to the rise in romantasy and booktok. I am not on booktok, and haven't read Maas' new series, but I heard they were connected. This made me want to reread the whole ToG series, before moving onto her two newer series. Man, my taste sure has changed. I first gave this a 5 star rating in 2015. After almost a decade of reading adult fantasy, I can't help but change my rating. The series quality definitely declines with the later books, but I still very much enjoyed the first two. Maas' writing felt repetitive in this third installment, but I did read them back to back to back, so that definitely played into my new rating. I'm not sure if I'll reread the rest of the series, or even move onto her newer books, simply because my reading taste has changed in about 10 years, as I would expect it to.
I can't wait to continue with Reddit's r/Fantasy book Bingo this year and hope that some categories stay (mythical beasts, robots, horror) and that some are changed (island setting, druids, magical realism).
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