Smack and Gabi recount their most enjoyable 2024 and most anticipated 2025 reads. There were truly an astonishing number of both, but of particular note is Heather Faucett’s Emily Wilde series which - with the third coming out shortly after this recording - was both one of our most highly anticipated of 2025 and among Smack’s 2024 favorites. She might even nominate it for a Nebula with her new powers! Smack also declared her favorite book of all time while we both are reminded how much Gabi is a sucker for pining dumb-dumbs. We have an ongoing book-buying avoidance challenge that got some modifications for the new year which will encourage our use of the libraries and there is a classic ITBR PSA for California residents in wildfire-vulnerable areas to download the Watch Duty app. All in all, when it comes to books it was a great 2024 and it’s shaping up to be a phenomenal 2025. Happy New Year!
2024 Reading Highlights and 2025 Most Anticipated Books & Authors:
- The Rising Worlds series by Martha Wells
- The Scholomance trilogy by Naomi Novik
- Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
- The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons
- Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Emily Wilde trilogy by Heather Fawcett
- Cerulean Chronicles by TJ Klune
- Caitlin Rozakis
- Starlight’s Shadow trilogy by Jessie Mihalik
- The Space Between Worlds series by Micaiah Johnson
- Parallel Worlds: A Journey through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos by Michio Kaku
- Mallory Dunlin
- Emily Lloyd Jones
- Mossa & Pleiti series by Malka Ann Older
- A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
- Finding Echoes by Foz Meadows
- Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine
- Sarah Beth Durst
- Love’s Academic series by India Holton
- Alexandra Vasti
- A Study in Drowning duology by Ava Reid
- The Lucky Ladies of London series by Faye Delacour
- The Sun Chronicles by Kate Elliott
- Breath of the Dragon (Breathmarked #1) by Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee
- The Sunken Archives duology by Sylvie Cathrall
- Dark Lord Davi duology by Django Wexler
- Hench series by Natalie Zina Walschots
- Hart & Mercy series by Megan Bannen
