I feel like the science fiction and fantasy community was split between two giants: 'The Once and Future Witches' by Alix E. Harrow and 'The House in the Cerulean Sea' by T.J. Klune. Harrow's book is a fierce, feminist alternate history about witchcraft and suffrage, full of gorgeous prose and sisterly solidarity. Klune's book is a warm hug of a fantasy about a caseworker visiting a magical orphanage – it was the ultimate comfort read for a lot of people. They're tonally opposites, but each was declared 'the best' by huge segments of the SFF readership. Trying to choose between them is like picking between a rallying cry and a blanket fort.
For a fantasy that felt completely new and immersive, 'Raybearer' by Jordan Ifueko was my standout in the YA fantasy space. Inspired by West African folklore, it's about Tarisai, raised in isolation to assassinate the crown prince, but who grows to love him and his family. The world-building is rich, the magic system is unique (the Ray, a psychic bond among a chosen council), and the themes of destiny, free will, and love are handled with maturity. It's the first in a duology, and it set a incredibly high bar. The audiobook, narrated by the author, is also phenomenal.
From the young adult sphere, 'Clap When You Land' by Elizabeth Acevedo was a monumental work. Written in verse, it tells the story of two sisters – one in New York, one in the Dominican Republic – who discover each other after their father's death in a plane crash. Acevedo's poetry is raw, rhythmic, and incredibly moving. She captures grief, betrayal, and the slow build of sisterhood with stunning precision. It won a ton of awards and was arguably the most critically acclaimed YA novel of the year, proving the literary power of the genre and the verse novel format.
I feel like the 'best' often gets conflated with 'most important' or 'most discussed.' For sheer, unadulterated reading pleasure that made me forget the world for hours at a time, my pick is 'The House in the Cerulean Sea'. It's a warm cupcake of a book. The message about kindness, found family, and accepting difference was exactly what I needed. Is it the most complex or challenging literature? No. But did it deliver a perfect, heartfelt, uplifting experience? Absolutely. Sometimes the 'best' book is the one that makes you feel the best, and for a huge number of people, that was this one.
2026-07-24 16:02:40
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a really good book for you. I hope you like it becuase it tells you a good story. Please read it.
Vera Lee, an introverted yet lonesome bibliophile who writes for a living, meets Jackson Young, her charming yet secretive next door neighbor on an online book auction of Stephen King's The Shining. The two enter into a last minute bidding war making Vera take matters into her own hands by convincing Jackson to give up.
Vera's life changes when Jackson starts to make her heart flutter and race as their lives continue to intertwine. But the secrets he keep are holding her back. With the pandemic going on, is it even wise to enter into a relationship?
For someone who's been alone her whole life, can she risk her heart in the middle of the pandemic?
Oluchi never thought love would find her this late.
She has spent her life following rules, hiding pieces of herself, and convincing the world she was fine. Then comes Amina the soft-spoken lesson teacher with a fire in her eyes, the one who makes Oluchi’s world feel both terrifying and alive.
What begins as stolen glances soon becomes a dangerous longing. Desire. Fear. Hope. Everything Oluchi was told to bury begins to rise.
But in a world that punishes women for wanting more, for loving differently…
Can Oluchi risk it all for love?
Or will survival demand her silence once again?
The Love That Changed Everything is a tender, messy, and unforgettable story about late-found love, queer longing, and the price of choosing yourself.
Nicole Evans never asked to be followed. She never asked for eyes in the dark, for a man like Vane to orbit her life with silence and devotion sharp enough to wound. But obsession doesn’t ask permission. It waits. It watches. It becomes inevitable.
What began with missing men and shadows on rooftops soon unraveled into something far more intimate—an assassin who couldn’t let go, and a woman who, piece by piece, stopped trying to make him. As friends vanished and her world narrowed, Nicole found herself drawn toward the very thing she feared most—not out of love, but recognition. In his violence, there was something terrifyingly tender. In his silence, something that listened more closely than anyone else ever had.
Theirs is not a love story in any ordinary sense.
It’s a descent—a long, slow collapse into dependency, into surrender. A story told in bruises and shared tea, in blood and in stillness. A quiet unraveling that doesn’t end in escape, but in a house by the sea, where memory lingers and echoes never fade.
Some stories don’t ask to be understood. Only remembered.
In a war-torn world, Noura is desperate to escape the clutches of a dangerous warlord who wants to force her to marry him. Her only hope lies in Khalid, a man driven by a promise to protect her to her father. But as they journey across dangerous lands, Noura begins to question everything she knows about loyalty, trust, and the man who saved her. With every step, the lines blur between protector and captor, and Noura must face the terrifying truth about Khalid's obsession—and her own feelings. Will she find freedom, or will she be trapped in a bond darker than the war she's fleeing?
When American engineer Evan Hart arrives in Rome, he expects worn stones, ancient architecture, and a chance to quietly rethink his failing marriage. He doesn’t expect Livia Moretti—the enigmatic archivist whose fragile intensity pulls him into a slow-burning, dangerous affair he never meant to start. Livia is brilliant, secretive, and a little broken… and Evan can’t stay away.
But when he finally tells his wife Leah he wants a separation, she collapses, claiming she’s been diagnosed with a devastating neurological disease. Overnight, Evan’s guilt becomes a trap. Then Livia disappears without a trace.
Anonymous photographs of him and Livia arrive in the mail.
A stranger begins watching his apartment.
And Leah—sweet, steady Leah—starts behaving in ways he can’t explain.
When Evan finds hidden documents and photographs connecting the two women in his life, he follows a clue to a remote coastal village, where he learns Livia once lived under a different name… and may have been running from something far darker than heartbreak.
As Evan digs deeper, he uncovers the edge of a conspiracy built on identity, memory, and manipulation—one determined to keep its secrets buried. Someone is pulling strings. Someone is rewriting the truth. And someone wants Evan to stop asking questions.
Caught between a wife he no longer understands and a lover who may not be who she claimed to be, Evan is forced to confront the one question he never thought to ask:
If the women in his life are wearing borrowed identities…
then who has been shaping his?
In a story of seduction, deception, and emotional obsession, All the Names She Wore explores the dangerous terrain between love and control—and what happens when the truth becomes the most terrifying lie of all.
I'd argue 'Deacon King Kong' by James McBride was one of the best, winning the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and the Andrew Carnegie Medal. It's a hilarious, big-hearted romp through a 1960s Brooklyn housing project after a shooting. The 'why' is the incredible ensemble cast and McBride's ability to find profound humanity and humor in chaos.
Finding the right soccer cleats for wide feet can feel like a never-ending quest, but I’ve been through enough pairs to know what works. The 'Nike Tiempo Legend' series has been a lifesaver for me—the leather upper stretches naturally over time, molding to the shape of your foot without squeezing too tight. Adidas’ 'Copa Mundial' is another classic; its kangaroo leather is ridiculously soft and accommodates wider feet beautifully. I’ve also had luck with New Balance’s 'Furon v6', which offers a roomier toe box right out of the box.
One thing I’ve learned is to avoid synthetic materials if you can. They don’t give as much as leather, and breaking them in can be a nightmare. Puma’s 'King Platinum' is an exception—it’s synthetic but designed with a wider last. If you’re on a budget, the 'Mizuno Morelia Neo' is worth saving up for; it’s like slipping your feet into a glove that somehow knows exactly where to stretch. Trial and error is part of the process, but once you find the right pair, it’s like your feet finally get to breathe.
I've noticed a few publishers consistently delivering top-tier romance novels. Avon Books is a powerhouse, known for titles like 'The Duke and I' by Julia Quinn, which became the basis for 'Bridgerton.' Their historical romances are especially beloved.
Then there's Berkley, which publishes contemporary hits like 'The Love Hypothesis' by Ali Hazelwood. They have a knack for picking stories that blend humor and heart. St. Martin's Press is another favorite, with gems like 'The Hating Game' by Sally Thorne. For those who enjoy diverse voices, Carina Press focuses on inclusive romances, offering fresh perspectives. Each of these publishers has a distinct flavor, so depending on your taste, you’ll likely find something perfect.