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Tag: Thriller

MY FAVOURITE READS OF 2024

Published by Frances Denny on December 30, 2024

As 2024 comes to an end, I’ve put together a list of my favourite reads this year. 

I haven’t read as many books as in previous years, hence the short list below, because, among other less exciting reasons, I’ve been finishing a YA gothic romantasy, which is due to my agent in March. 

As some of you know, last year I signed with a literary agent and this year I went on submission with an upper-YA gothic romantasy. In the meantime, I have written another book (the one that’s due in March) and am in the final stages of editing it. I’m keeping my fingers-crossed for both these manuscripts to be picked up by a publisher in the new year. XD

Enough about me, here’s the list of my favourite reads:

THE PROJECT by Courtney Summers

GENRE: Young Adult, Thriller, Literature

Just a warning, this is not going to be an easy book to forget. The way Summers takes us into the mind of someone being seduced by a cult is truly clever. Lo is a fantastic character. She’s angry, quick-tempered, emotional, impulsive. She reads like an actual teenager, which isn’t guaranteed in YA these days. 

All the characters are well-developed and interesting. I particularly love the relationship between the two sisters, Lo and Bea, although their story is heartbreaking. 

Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery and a good cry. 

A CURSE FOR TRUE LOVE by Stephanie Garber

GENRE: Young Adult, Romantasy

Yes, I finally got around to reading the last book in The Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy. And it was…

Wait a sec while I finish swooning…

SO CUTE! It’s a sweet ending to a sweet trilogy. Although I guessed the twist early on, I didn’t care because gah, Jacks and Evangaline got their happy – 

I’ll shut up now.

A WINTER’S PROMISE by Christelle Dabos

GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy

I really enjoyed this book. It’s set in a steam punk future where the leading families of the celestial islands (also called Arks) have family spirits that protect the islands. The protagonist, Ophelia, a member of one of these leading families, finds herself in an arranged marriage to a foreign man from a powerful clan and must travel to a dangerous Ark called the Pole. I loved Ophelia. She’s a breath of fresh air in the YA fantasy genre. She’s quiet, stubborn, curious, misunderstood and underestimated. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

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Vale

Published by Frances Denny on November 19, 2022

STACEY L. PIERSON

Stacey L. Pierson’s Vale is a YA paranormal murder mystery about a group of teens who are all hiding something regarding the disappearance of an old friend.

The first thing that struck me about this book was the TV-script style of Stacey’s writing. It reads like I’m watching a television show; the layout, the immediacy of the writing, the fast pace, is all reminiscent of a TV show. And it works perfectly for the large cast. 

The second thing that struck me was how well Stacey has characterized Vale High School. The High School itself feels like a living organism, as all the students are described in dispassionate terms of how they function in the school. And the school feels like it’s watching them.

Lastly, I love how Charles’s epilepsy is drawn. Stacey has mentioned this aspect of the book is #ownvoices and it reads as an authentic portrayal. So many books that feature characters with disabilities or conditions make a big deal about the disability/condition, but Charles is just allowed to be a regular character who is in no way different from the rest of the cast. 

Double lastly, that twist at the end was totally unexpected! 

Overall, Vale is an engaging read that I definitely recommend to those who love YA and mystery.

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