Private Rites by Julia Armfield

🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: death, grief, suicide, climate disaster, drowning, obsession, infidelity, cheating

This has been pitched as a queer King Lear at the end of the world and that rings true in this bleak, blistering and brilliant book. It combines an intimate unravelling of grief and relationships from fractured characters with an ecological disaster looming on the horizon. Hands down one of my favourite reads of this year.

Full review here.

29 Seconds by T. M. Logan

TW: sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, manipulation, kidnapping

This had a really interesting ethical dilemma at the core of the story and a creative, yet heart-breaking realistic, take on a revenge thriller type narrative. Logan kept me guessing throughout and I’ll continue working through his backlog!

I Died on a Tuesday by Jane Corry

🧠💙

TW: murder, death, grief, car accident, drugs, blackmail, manipulation, gaslighting, coercion

I loved how many different perspectives we got, which slowly started to overlap and unravel the truth of what really happened all those years ago. Corry has crafted this masterfully, with great pacing and tension.

Full review here.

Hits Different by Tasha Ghouri and Lizzie Huxley-Jones

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠💙

TW: ableism, references to queerphobia, racism and fatphobia

I absolutely loved this ray of sunshine in book form. The primary focus was always on Cassie’s journey of self-love and acceptance, supported by a wonderful group of friends and a sizzling romance to boot.

Full review here.

Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron

⭐️🏳️‍🌈

TW: death, murder, injury detail, body horror, gore, violence, grief

Bayron has done it again with another fairytale reimagining that smashes it out of the park. This fantastical concoction has bite and bile, in a bloody and sometimes horrific narrative.

Full review here.

Blood Runs Cold by Neil Lancaster

⭐️🧠

TW: trafficking, death, murder, mutilation, sexual assault, rape, injury detail, kidnapping

This was a pacy and plot driven thriller that kept me hooked throughout. I also enjoyed the characterisation and the exploration of corruption in a wider conspiracy.

Off With Their Heads by Zoe Hana Mikuta

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: death, murder, grief, torture, experimentation, body horror, mind control, possession, violence, injury detail, gore, imprisonment

Mikuta latches on to the surrealist nature of the original tale and dials it up a notch, plunging the darkness latent within that into full blown horror territory. This is not a story that plays around – it goes there and it gets knee deep in gore. At the same time, there is a poetic quality to the writing that gives it this almost blurry feel – it lingers on the edge of the narrative and imbues it with a sense of peculiarity.

Full review here.

The Box by Dan Malakin

TW: murder, transphobia, homophobia, sexism, racism, xenophobia, sexual assault, blackmail, violence, alcoholism, drugging, rape, torture, conversion therapy, grooming, domestic violence,  incel culture 

🏳️‍🌈

This was a dark, layered and twisty read that delves into some of the most pertinent topics to modern day society. It is sickening and difficult to read at times. It took me a while to get into it but had a solid ending with one final move.

Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: genocide, rape, assault, violence, blood, death, poisoning, substance abuse, alcohol, animal abuse, gender-based violence, sex work, suicidal ideation, indentured servitude

Corland cleverly layers these stories together, placing emotional truths that will be explosive once revealed. The connections were often unexpected and added a new dynamic to the entire book. Of course, there are plenty of twists in store that will shock and surprise you including a final act that stuck the landing impeccably.

Full review here.

Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum

TW: death, murder, violence, cheating, infidelity, manipulation

This sun-soaked scorcher of a thriller delved into the lives of the uber privileged and wealthy, unpacking the sordid secrets of their lives. The characterisation, plotting and writing was excellent – making me excited to pick up Rosenblum’s next book.

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

🧠

TW: fire, death, murder, arson, sexual assault, rape, harassment, traumatic flashbacks, guilt, grief

Lucy Foley has done it again in this claustrophobic, creeping and chilling read – my favourite since The Hunting Party. Exceptionally executed and will be recommended to everyone I know.

Full review to come.

The Night Ends With Fire by K. X. Song

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: war, violence, death, injury detail, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexism,  abuse, domestic violence, grief, suicidal ideation, drowning

This was an exquisitely written and ferociously angry retelling of Mulan. As the author’s note states, we’re used to the Disneyfied version of the story and not the original ending – here Mulan is determined to change the narrative. It is resplendent in its rage.

Honey by Isabel Banta

🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: child abuse, abortion, alcoholism, sexual harassment, sexism, homophobia

This was a wonderful character study drenched in infamy and scandal – unpicking the glitz to show the grit beneath. I loved how this was a tale of reconnecting with an inner artistry and unlocking your voice.

Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin

⭐️🏳️‍🌈 (side characters)

TW: death, sexual assault, torture, classism, animal death, blood, body horror, body shaming, confinement, grief, injury detail, murder, violence

I really enjoyed the Book of Tea duology, so was excited when Titan surprised me with a copy of the author’s latest. This was a lush and dreamy fantasy romance which I was swept along with while reading.

Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: mind control, death, murder, violence, possession, manipulation, natural disaster

I absolutely adored Threads That Bind when I read it last year and wanted to snatch up the sequel instantly. This was excellent, taking the stakes up to dizzy heights and expanding this imaginative, rich world even more.

Full review here.