My 2024 List of Books
Hi!
Here's my book list of favourites from 2024. Better late than never! I started this post in 2024 so forgive me if the details are a little murky.
Firstly, let me start with some stats. I didn't manage to read as much in 2024, with only 67 books read. A looooong way from my goal of 100! Oh well.
I'm also having a problem where it's difficult for me to find great books to get totally engrossed in anymore. Am I the problem?!?!? :(
Nevertheless these are some of my picks:
The Book was Better
Shadow and Bone trilogy + Six of Crows series
by Leigh Bardugo
I have yet to been proven wrong on this?? (Leave a comment, please, if there was a truly a TV show that was better than the book.)
I tried watching Shadow and Bone on Netflix when it first came out. According to my husband, I clicked through it saying it was 'boring, boring, boring'. Not sure if I finished the first season, but since he could tell me the plot, I guess we must have! Unfortunately, it left zero impression on me 😂
Gave it a second go when I was looking through my 'To Read' list! Glad to report that the book was indeed HEAPS better than the show.
Also I think it was brilliant choice to merge the Six of Crows book with Shadow and Bone - like many viewers I truly enjoyed all the times the SoC crew was on screen (while I impatiently waited for Malina to get off the screen).
I think the viewer would definitely benefit and enjoy the show more after reading the books first. The universe then becomes much richer, and makes more sensed even though some of the plot and details change. As with most TV adaptations, some details and nuance inevitably get lost in translation, but changes like trimming for succinctness are welcome.
After I finished this series I also reread the Game of Thrones (book) series which had such a huge cult following.
GoT is markedly more violent and perhaps more mature and complex, but the Grishaverse books (especially SoC series) were more enjoyable for me!
GoT is just too ruthless sometimes... Ramsey is the stuff of nightmares.
I also think I enjoy reading team dynamics (see also: One Piece's crew) in a book. It always feels nice, to share an inside joke while you adventure with the characters.
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The Start of a new Era
This book has definitely broadened my view of 'magic'.
Attaching the end of a review by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson series) for 'Akata Witch'.
I know for sure after this book I would like to delve in deeper into African folklore. A game changer for me!
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Babel by R.F. Kuang had such a fresh and interesting premise of using different languages to 'power' the world. While the plot kinds of peters out and the story gets a bit heated, I thought the translation ideas were fun and excellent! The passion of the author for languages is well articulated and well applied. As someone who wanted to be a polyglot when I was younger, the premise of fusing languages is just delightful.
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Every year I seem to encounter a book where there is a TRAGIC, SAD WOMAN. The female main character is often of Asian descent. Maybe I have a bias of picking such books? Well, they never fail to make me angry and sad about their tragic, and somewhat futile lives. Here's one of them:
The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi (+John Bester as translator)
If I remember correctly, there was also a book about hanyeo (female divers in Jeju) if you like this kind of genre.
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And... there are thrilling and disturbing books as well. This one kept me on the edge of my seat. Also, is it me or have there been more books about dark boarding school mysteries (most times with cult-ish vibes).
The Finishing School by Joanna Goodman
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Well. How can I talk about this without spoilers? *deep breath*
In the Six of Crows series - there is a character that later develops an affinity with 'dark magic'. I have been thinking a lot about main characters and their power/elemental magic. Usually the MC has something very powerful like fire or light. It is therefore interesting to me that the MC now has a 'dark' power. Not many authors I've read so far delve much into this yet, because most people want a 'good' hero.
Side note: I do remember that in the Percy Jackson series, there was an attempt to explore these themes with the demigods of Hades. I don't remember it to be extremely in depth due to the whole host of other characters in the book, but the premise was still interesting for me.
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From Singapore, this is catskull by Myle Yan Tay.
The story is set in Singapore, and revolves around Ram and his closest friend, Kass. They painfully struggle through teenage life as best as they can, but things take on a very dark twist.
For me, this was an incredibly intense book. It was frightening yet I could not tear my eyes away from it. There's an undercurrent of uneasiness throughout. (I read this on Libby while being overseas so this story just heightened my paranoia)
I have been mulling over which part really terrified me the most - and finally decided that it was probably the scene where one of the grisly murders happened... this particular location happens to be a place that I frequent, the story is extra vivid for me. There is also a lot of 'local flavour' in this book, and it's done in a very natural way. Some may scoff at the conversations in Singlish, but to me it's pretty authentic and I can visualise the character by the way they speak. (I guess I do feel some 'kinship' or can relate? Not every made-in-sg book can do this in an uncontrived way.)
Definitely a great addition to #singlit, though this one is not going to make it into the approved school syllabus (lol).
Looking forward to more local writings, which may one day trigger our very own 'golden age' for books in Singapore?
2025 update: I got to watch a play by the same author, called "Statement Piece" by Checkpoint Theatres. The writer really excels in creating tension and intensity. (Side note: I rarely ever get to see authors in the flesh and this was a fun experience!)
Signing off so I can write more updated blog posts!!
Thanks for sticking around.
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