I usually spend a lot of time making a TBR list for the new year, but I didn’t do it!!!
What should I read this year???
Here’s what I like:
Ancillary Justice (yes I’ve read and liked Arkady Martine)
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Broken Earth trilogy
Realm of the Elderlings
T Kingfisher
Naomi Novik
I’m currently re-reading the Girl with a Dragon Tattoo trilogy.
I’ve read so much I don’t remember but I like mostly scifi/fantasy that’s either female-written or female-led. I have read so so much and need new recommendations! I really like narrative non-fiction especially if it’s medical in nature. I should read more thrillers, I think?
Honestly if it’s something you love recommend it. What should I read?
ETA: I have read and enjoyed Project Hail Mary!
by Stunning-Note
3 Comments
NPCs by Drew Hayes, same flavor as Dungeon Crawler Carl I think? Haven’t read DCC personally 😅
I really liked That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally for a thriller!
For fantasy anything by Lois McMaster Bujold
For medical non-fiction:
The Facemaker by Lindsey Fitzharris
Medical Bondage by Deirdre Cooper Owens
Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn
The Cure for Women by Lydia Reeder
If you like Ancillary Justice, The Broken Earth, and Project Hail Mary, I’d point you toward a mix of cerebral sci-fi, emotionally grounded fantasy, and a few sharp genre crossovers:
Sci-fi / speculative:
• The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet – character-first, thoughtful, quietly hopeful.
• A Memory Called Empire – political sci-fi with the same intelligence level as Ancillary Justice.
• Children of Time – big ideas, surprising emotional payoff.
• Station Eleven – speculative, literary, and deeply human.
Fantasy (female-led / written):
• The Fifth Season if it’s been a while—worth a reread.
• The Bear and the Nightingale – folkloric, atmospheric, slow-burn.
• Nettle & Bone – dark fairy tale energy, tight and smart.
Thriller-adjacent (since you’re curious):
• The Silent Patient – fast, twisty, easy palate-cleanser.
• The Power – speculative thriller with teeth.
Narrative medical nonfiction:
• The Emperor of All Maladies – dense but gripping.
• Being Mortal – thoughtful, humane, unforgettable.
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – science + ethics + storytelling done right.
If you want, tell me whether you’re in the mood for comforting, challenging, or edge-of-your-seat, and I’d narrow this to a perfect 5-book TBR.