So glad you loved Locklands! I bloody love the Foundryside series! Bennett has a new series starting next year and I'm excited to see what he does next. Also I totally agree on The Last Watch! I had a blast with that. I think the 3rd one releases in 2024 so I'll be re-reading bk1 and bingeing the other two 😊
Agreed, we need more special editions of underrated books! My favorite series of the year is also very underrated: Swords and Fire by Melissa Caruso. It’s queer, wonderfully political, does love triangles in a fresh way, and has really great social commentary. Its only hindrance is that book 1 reads more YA but then the rest of the trilogy gets much more adult and complex.
I've read a lot of indie pubbed books this year and haven't been great at keeping up with the big releases recently, so I'm bad at judging hype, lol. But a few that I would consider would be: The Clocktaur War duology by T. Kingfisher (it's a few years old, but it definitely came out right before she started getting big) Georgie All Along by Kate Clayborn (which was a BOTM pick at the beginning of the year, but I have not seen anyone talk about it) The Moth Keeper by Kay O'Neill (the same author of The Tea Dragon Society, which I felt like I couldn't escape for a little while).
I love videos about underhyped books! I'm intrigued by The Last Watch, sounds like something I'd love and this is the first time I've heard of it. My fave under-hyped book of 2023 was Adrift by Brideau - speculative near-future story set against the backdrop of very realistic climate change impacts, it's a unique amnesia mystery. ❤
I'm so glad you talked about Wild and Wicked things! It was one of my most anticipated books this year so I pre-ordered it and then the only two people I saw talk about it spoke negatively and I got scared and didn't start it. You and I tend to have similar fantasy tastes though so now I'm excited to read it again. 💜
So except for two on the list, I have already borrowed / placed holds on all of these books through my various libraries. Woohoo! I am tempted to give Foundryside another chance. It did indeed have a lot going for it, and the few elements that rubbed me the wrong way have now mostly faded from my memory...
Seconded about Thistlefoot! I read it months ago and loved it. So much that literally the day after I finished the library copy, I went out and bought my own copy. It's so rare for me to spend on hardcovers nowadays, but I did not hesitate on this one!
I may not be in community enough to know what's talked about? But These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs was great. Also, The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa.
I’m getting to the point where I’m ready to learn how to rebind books in 2024, so I can make my own special editions of the books I love that aren’t getting enough hype for the book boxes to do them lol
Read and absolutely LOVED Foundryside, but IDK why I haven’t gotten around to continuing the series! I’m surprised I don’t see more people talking about To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose. It’s got a cool alternate-history world, dragons, and queerness.
I've read the Founder's Trilogy because of your recommendation this year, and Locklands was such a stand-out! The books just got better and better!
So glad you loved Locklands! I bloody love the Foundryside series! Bennett has a new series starting next year and I'm excited to see what he does next.
Also I totally agree on The Last Watch! I had a blast with that. I think the 3rd one releases in 2024 so I'll be re-reading bk1 and bingeing the other two 😊
I was surprised that no one was talking about Thistlefoot too. I read it last January and loved it
Agreed, we need more special editions of underrated books!
My favorite series of the year is also very underrated: Swords and Fire by Melissa Caruso. It’s queer, wonderfully political, does love triangles in a fresh way, and has really great social commentary. Its only hindrance is that book 1 reads more YA but then the rest of the trilogy gets much more adult and complex.
Requested the first Foundryside from the library because of your rec! It’s been sitting on my TBR for a while, might as well finally read it 😂
I love The Foundryside series! So good and I barely hear anything about it! Looking forward to reading the other books you mentioned
I need to continue with Foundryside. And I absolutely loved Thistlefoot!
Yay, I loved Last Watch and glad you did too! So excited to hear about the 3rd book.
I've read a lot of indie pubbed books this year and haven't been great at keeping up with the big releases recently, so I'm bad at judging hype, lol. But a few that I would consider would be:
The Clocktaur War duology by T. Kingfisher (it's a few years old, but it definitely came out right before she started getting big)
Georgie All Along by Kate Clayborn (which was a BOTM pick at the beginning of the year, but I have not seen anyone talk about it)
The Moth Keeper by Kay O'Neill (the same author of The Tea Dragon Society, which I felt like I couldn't escape for a little while).
I love videos about underhyped books! I'm intrigued by The Last Watch, sounds like something I'd love and this is the first time I've heard of it. My fave under-hyped book of 2023 was Adrift by Brideau - speculative near-future story set against the backdrop of very realistic climate change impacts, it's a unique amnesia mystery. ❤
I'm so glad you talked about Wild and Wicked things! It was one of my most anticipated books this year so I pre-ordered it and then the only two people I saw talk about it spoke negatively and I got scared and didn't start it. You and I tend to have similar fantasy tastes though so now I'm excited to read it again. 💜
So except for two on the list, I have already borrowed / placed holds on all of these books through my various libraries. Woohoo!
I am tempted to give Foundryside another chance. It did indeed have a lot going for it, and the few elements that rubbed me the wrong way have now mostly faded from my memory...
Thistlefoot…you had me at the cover🤩😂🖤🖤🖤
Seconded about Thistlefoot! I read it months ago and loved it. So much that literally the day after I finished the library copy, I went out and bought my own copy. It's so rare for me to spend on hardcovers nowadays, but I did not hesitate on this one!
I haven’t read any of these :( looks like I’ll need to add some to my TBR
I may not be in community enough to know what's talked about? But These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs was great. Also, The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa.
Ooh I just got Splinter in the Sky
The last watch and sequel were both great
I’m getting to the point where I’m ready to learn how to rebind books in 2024, so I can make my own special editions of the books I love that aren’t getting enough hype for the book boxes to do them lol
I literally bought bookbinding equipment to learn how to do this, lol
Thank you, not everything has to be smutty!!
Foundryside is so amazing!! Love love love!
EPIC SWEATER, OMG!
Read and absolutely LOVED Foundryside, but IDK why I haven’t gotten around to continuing the series! I’m surprised I don’t see more people talking about To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose. It’s got a cool alternate-history world, dragons, and queerness.