Tag Archives: S.A. Chakraborty

My Favorite Reads of 2025

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These are my favorite reads of 2025. Most lists that you read or hear of deal only with books that were published in 2025. Since I’m not a professional blogger or book seller, only a few of these books were published this year.

I chose my top ten by going to the books I read each month and picking out my top ones of the month. Several months had two or three 5 star books though October had none. This gave me a total of 18 books to chose from. I admit, there were a couple of books I could hardly remember which made me question my 5 star rating of that book. But, I’m sure I enjoyed it at that time.

I will list these in no particular order.

  1. Empire of Gold S.A. Chakraborty. (The Daevabad Trilogy #3). (2020) The third and final volume in this fantasy series. Since this is the third in a series, I won’t say anything about the plot. Though a bit too much violence for me, I loved the characters and the different ways Chakraborty wove in the myths and legends of the middle eastern culture. She is a writer I will continue to read. Definitely not a stand-alone, so start with The City of Brass.

2. Broken Country Clare Leslie Hall. (2025) Historical fiction, dual timeline, suspense, love, betrayal, and murder. What else could you want in a book? A beautifully written story of Beth who is happily married to Frank, a farmer, though their life has been blighted by tragedy. When the man Beth loved as a teen-ager returns home with his young son, complications arise in their pastoral life. I loved this book from a writer who has previously only been published in the UK and Germany.

3. Something to Hide Elizabeth George (Inspector Lynley #21). (2022) I’ve been reading the books in this series since it started and have enjoyed most of them with a couple of exceptions. They’re long (usually over 500 pages) and filled with detail—both on the crimes and on the characters. Of course, it’s usually because of the characters’ growth, that one reads and sticks with a series, but that is not to say that one couldn’t read any of these as a stand-alone. So, if you haven’t read any of the Lynley books, this is a good one. When a police detective is attacked and soon dies from the attack, Lynley and his team are put on the case. Since she was a detective, what she was working on is of interest, but that doesn’t eliminate investigating those nearest and dearest to her. Once I got the characters straight, I was invested in this one from beginning to end.

4. The Girl in the Tower (Winternight Trilogy #2) Katherine Arden. (2017) I loved this story partly taken from Russian fairy tales. This is a sequel, so important to read The Bear and the Nightingale first to understand Vasilisa’s back story. What is she doing riding a magnificent horse on her own in the wilderness? When she shows up where her priest brother is living as a close aid to the prince, he is not pleased and they both pretend she is a boy to avoid embarrassment. When this “boy” leads them to some bandits who have been destroying villages, and proves to be both courageous and resourceful, the siblings become dangerously entangled in their lies.

5. Hello Beautiful Ann Napolitano. (2023) The four Padavano sisters act as a unit. Julia is the oldest and the leader, followed by Sylvie, the dreamer, then the twins Cecelia, an artist and Emeline, the care-taker. Julia meets William Waters at college and as their relationship develops, Julia takes him in hand, deciding his future for him and what she thinks will be best for the two of them. William is willing to follow until he becomes overwhelmed. I loved this book—the relationships, the family drama, and the heartbreak. 

6. Wrong Place, Wrong Time Gillian McAllister (2022) (audio—Lesley Sharp). Jen is up waiting for her 18-year-old son, Todd, to come home. While watching out her window, she sees him appear in the dark of midnight. But, before she can feel relief, she sees another man come up to Todd and, unbelievably, Todd stabs him. After Todd is arrested, and Jen finally gets to sleep, she wakes up the next morning wondering what happened and what she can do about it. She soon finds out that what she saw last night hasn’t happened—yet. It’s the day before. Can she find out what happened and stop it before it happens again? A different sort of time travel story, as Jen continues to go back in time, learning more about what led up to the events of that night.

7. The Wedding People Alison Espach. (2024) Phoebe Stone comes to the Cornwall Inn in Newport, R.I.–a place she always wanted to visit but preferably in more ideal circumstances as Phoebe’s life has hit bottom. When she arrives, she soon finds that a large wedding party is there for the week, but she decides not to let them ruin her plans. Then Phoebe meets the bride, Lila—young, rich, and entitled. Not the sort that Phoebe would normally make friends with. As they begin to confide in one another, Phoebe finds herself being pulled into this huge family event. I loved this book mostly because of the characters. Not that they were particularly lovable—they were both annoying and exasperating, but also funny and warm. I wanted to follow them to their next family event, but, alas, (and thankfully) this week will never be replicated.

8. Playworld Adam Ross. (2025) In the fall of 1980, fourteen-year old Griffin Hurt lives in New York and goes to an elite prep school which he pays for with his acting career. When a 36-year old friend of his parents, Naomi, “falls in love with him”, Griffin says, “Like so many things that happened to me that year, it didn’t seem strange at the time.” Between the cover and this opening premise, I was reluctant to try this rather long book but heard many good things about it (including comparing it to The Goldfinch), so decided to check it out. Though several of the adults in Grifiin’s life made me cringe, his voice won me over. Griffin is a character that is easy to root for and one you want to follow. 

9. Slanting Towards the Sea Lidija Hilje. (2025) Ivona and Vlaho met as students in democratic Croatia. Now, they’re divorced and Vlaho has remarried with two children while Ivona has returned home to care for her father. Ivona has remained friends with Vlaho and is welcomed into his home by his now wife, Marina. When Ivona has to squash her father’s dreams of building a hotel and sell the land owned by their ancestors, a new man enters her life creating problems with her other relationships and revealing secrets long kept hidden. Even though I don’t normally care for love triangles, I admit I’ve read a few good ones lately. Though sadness is all through the book, I loved the writing and the characters and hope Hilje is writing something else.

10. Fresh Water for Flowers Valerie Perrin. (2018) (translated from the French). Violette Toussaint is the caretaker of a cemetery in Bourgogne. With her visitors, colleagues (three gravediggers, three groundskeepers, and a priest), and her pets, Violette seems content living here. But how she got here is a long story, full of sorrow and difficulties. The story goes back and forth from the present to the past, but it is not only Violette’s story that is told. We also learn of a couple that are now buried together, though the woman’s son had no idea who the man was and why his mother wanted to be buried with him. There is also the story of Violette’s husband and what part he played in the tragedy that defined their lives. Though sadness is woven throughout the book, I really loved the writing as well as the characters. Another book by Perrin is coming out next year (newly translated from the French), and I look forward to reading that as well.

I had a good reading year and hope you did too. What were some of your favorites?

Favorite Reads of January ’24

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“Reading must be a daily spiritual practice for the Christian”–and not only the reading of the Scripture. Unlike our often shallower engagement with screens, reading asks something of us. It cultivates our imagination and increases our vision of the world.” Jessica Hooten Wilson in Reading for the Love of God (quoted in Christianity Today).

Florence Adler Swims Forever Rachel Beanland. It’s 1934 and Esther and Joseph Adler have rented out their house to vacationers and are staying in their apartment over the bakery where they started their lives together. Their daughter, Florence, is home from college and training to swim the English Channel. Their other daughter, Fannie, is pregnant and on bedrest because she lost her last baby. Joseph is trying to help an old friend emigrate from Nazi Germany and has already brought over her daughter adding to their overcrowded household. Their granddaughter, Gussie, (a delightful character) is also staying with them while their mother is in the hospital. Her father only visits her sporadically. Though this book is full of sadness, I enjoyed reading about this family and what they did to handle their grief and protect their children. The author’s note at the end is not to be missed. 5 stars

Killers of the Flower Moon David Grann. The true story of how the Osage nation began to mysteriously die (i.e. murdered) in an obvious attempt to take over their rights to the oil in their land. Also the story of the beginnings of the FBI under the leadership of J. Edgar Hoover. The research done by Grann is fascinating even as he tells a horrific story. It’s amazing what greed will do to people and the lengths some will go for money. More of it. All of it.  5 stars

A Death in Tokyo Keigo Higashino (Detective Kaga #3). A policeman sees a man staggering and assumes he is drunk. As it turns out, he is not drunk but has been stabbed and collapses on a famous bridge of Tokyo. A young man is found near the scene of the crime, but when he runs from the police, he is hit by a truck. The police seem to think (and hope) the case is closed, but Detective Kaga is unconvinced that this young man is guilty. When a work connection is established, I have read several mysteries by Higashino and have found them all to be well-written with characters whose motives may be suspect and with relationships that may not be all that they seem. This is actually the ninth in this series, but the third to be translated into English. 4 stars

Ovid (Marcus Corvinus #1) David Wishart. The first in a mystery series that takes place in Rome when Tiberius was emperor. Marcus Corvinus is approached by a young woman who was the stepdaughter of the poet, Ovid. She reminds Corvinus that his grandfather was the poet’s patron. Ovid has died in exile and Perilla wants to bring his ashes home. Unfortunately, not only has this not been allowed, to even speak of what had Ovid exiled can put a person in danger. Entranced by the lovely Perilla, Corvinus is determined to find out the truth behind Ovid’s exile and to bring his ashes home. Even when he is continually warned to mind his own business; especially when he is warned, even by his own father. Corvinus is amusing and tenacious, and just a fun character to follow. His attraction to Perilla leads to complications, but nothing he can’t handle. This series started in 1995 and is going strong some 20 books later. I look forward to reading more. 4 stars

Artificial Condition (Murderbot Diaries #2) Martha Wells. I listened to the audio for the first Murderbot and had a hard time following it. Reading it in print was a better format for me. And, yes, you should read the first in whatever format suits you. In this episode, Murderbot (his own name for himself; he is officially a robotic security unit) is both trying to escape and to find out if he really did what he has been accused of. He sneaks on a transport vessel to return to the mining facility where his problems began. ART (the transport vessel) is onto him, but turns out to be more of a help than a hindrance. Murderbot would rather watch the soaps and other television entertainment he has downloaded than deal with humans, but he needs to find out the truth. Though this is the second of seven, don’t let the length of the series deter you. For one thing, it is completed. For another, they are all (except the fifth one) short enough to be considered novellas, so it is like reading a long scifi book, one section at a time. 4 stars

Normal People Sally Rooney. A love story, sort of. A coming of age story, definitely. Connell is a popular soccer player in high school, in spite of living with only a single mother who works as a cleaner. One of the people she cleans for is Marianne’s mother. Marianne is smart and has money but is not popular at high school as she is considered a bit odd. Connell and Marianne are attracted to each other but keep it a secret. When they end up at the same college, their statuses are reversed, but they still have difficulty deciding on what kind of relationship they should have. I like Rooney’s writing; the way you see and hear the characters’ thoughts, confusions, desires. 4 stars

The Kingdom of Copper S. A. Chakraborty (The Darvabad Trilogy #2) 609 pp. Second in a series in which you do need to read the first and you will want to read the third. In the first book, The City of Brass, Nahri accidentally summoned Dara, a djinn. He takes her from her home in Cairo and brings her to Daevabad where she is taken in by the royal court and learns about her ancestors. After a battle ends the first book, Nahri has now been forced to marry a prince because the king has plans for her and her gifts. Nahri wants to rebuild a hospital and be able to use her healing gifts in a bigger way. The other prince (whom Nahri thought was her friend), Ali, has been exiled though many think he is dead. He is not the only one not dead as many think, and they all have plans for Daevabad. Full of myths, magic, political intrigue, and family drama, I enjoyed this almost as much as the first and look forward to the third. 4 stars

Favorite Books of 2022 (so far)

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For the first half of 2022, I read 89 books (which I know is rather extreme, even for me). Instead of waiting until the end of the year to round up my favorites, I decided to put together a list from the first half of the year. I list all the books I read each month on one of my goodreads groups–the good, the bad, and, yeah, the ugly–but I will only list my favorites here. Two of the books I already reviewed in my posts on reading prize-winning books, so feel free to skip those two (unless I haven’t already convinced you to read them).

These are books that are new to me (no rereads), and I’m listing them in the order I read them.

First up, an audio book I started during the Christmas season but didn’t finish until January: Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (narrator Nathalie Buscombe). Really enjoyed listening to the shenanigans of Becky Brandon nee Bloomwood. She is to host the family Christmas for the first time which is stressful enough, but everyone in her family (along with her best friend) has ideas from what to serve and how to make it to everything in between. Before long, hardly anyone is speaking to one another, but Becky is determined to make everyone happy and have the best Christmas ever.

Firekeeper’s Daughter Angeline Boulley YA; indigenous; mystery. (Since I read this book it has won several awards, including the Edgar for Best Young Adult Novel, 2022). Danuis Fontaine is an unenrolled tribe member (this is important) who has a hard time fitting in with either her hometown or the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She was a star hockey player on her high school team and now wants to study medicine, but decides to enroll at a community college, so she can stay home to help her mother and grandmother. When she witnesses a murder, she is forced to help the FBI with their investigation of drug dealing on the reservation.

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James St. James. St. James is a favorite author and I greatly enjoyed this one. A dual timeline in Vermont–one in 1950 & the other 2014. Idlewild Hall is a boarding school for unwanted girls in 1950. Amid rumors that it is haunted, one of the girls disappears and little attempt is made to find her.
In 2014, journalist Fiona cannot stop thinking about the murder of her sister though it has been 20 years. The murderer was found and is in prison, but she still feels there is more to the story. Good suspense with St. James’ usual air of creepiness.

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell; Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020. (Reviewed earlier in prize winning post). I’ve read two books by O’Farrell and loved them both, so plan to read more soon. This one is based on the life of William Shakespeare and his family. Shakespeare had twins, Judith and Hamnet. We know Hamnet died when he was 12 but little else. The rest of this story comes from O’Farrell’s vivid imagination.

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction in 2021. I’ve read plenty of books with a dual time-line but this was different in several ways. There are three stories told: one in Constantinople in the fifteenth century; one in present-day Idaho; and one on an interstellar ship decades in the future. The common links between these stories are books, stories, and libraries. I did write down the time-lines and main characters on an index card until I got them straight in my head. Once I got into the story though, I enjoyed the ride.

City of Brass S.A. Chakraborty. The first in a trilogy, Nahri doesn’t believe in magic in spite of the unusual powers she has and uses as a con woman in 18th century Cairo. When she accidentally summons a djinn warrior, she’s has no choice but to accept the fact that there is more to the world than she knows or believed.

Running for their lives, Nahri learns not only are their many creatures she had previously known nothing about, there are places as well, and one of them, Daevabad, the city of brass has a hold on her and the djinn is bringing her there; like it or not.



This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger. It’s the summer of 1932 in Minnesota where Native American children are forcibly taken from their parents and placed in the Lincoln Indian Training School. Albert and Odie, orphan brothers, are two white faces who are also there. Albert tries to live peacefully, but Odie stays in trouble, no matter what the punishment. As things grow worse for Odie, tragedy happens and the brothers, along with their mute friend, Mose, steal a canoe and head for the Mississippi, hoping to find a real home. To make their situation more complicated, they also bring Emmy, a small girl who has troubles of her own.

After taking a few weeks to read the first 200 pages, I flew through the last 250 in a few days. The book is not hard to get into–just such depressing subject matter, I had to put it down a few times. I didn’t think those kids would ever get a break! Overall, I really enjoyed it and appreciate the research Krueger did to give a good picture of the Depression years and the shame of the “schools” for indigenous children.

The Lost Man Jane Harper. Three brothers are working to make a living in the harsh Australian desert. One of them is found dead from the heat. What makes his death suspicious are two things: one, he knew the area and the dangers. Two, his car was nearby, fully stocked with food and water and started up with no problem. Intense family drama as everyone looks at each other with growing suspicion.

The Impossible Us Sarah Lotz Since I put this on hold with Libby, I’m sure I heard about it somewhere but had forgotten why by the time I got it. The good thing about that is, I didn’t really know what it was about and it took me by surprise in a good way. Nick, a failed writer and husband, sends off an angry email. Bee, a serial dater and dress maker, receives it. She’s not the intended recipient but she responds anyway. Some snarky banter ensues and soon Nick and Bee become friends. Eventually they discuss meeting in person, but both are concerned about messing up a good thing. Once they finally agree, it turns out they were right but in a way they could never have imagined. The only other thing I will say about this story (since some people avoid all things fantastical) is that it involves magical realism? Or something. I loved it, but if that’s not your thing, there’s the warning. Definitely not your typical romance.

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. I reviewed this book in an earlier post about prize winning books, so this is a repeat for all you faithful readers. Feel free to skip to next book.This book won the Hugo Award for Best Novel 1993; Nebula Award for Best Novel; and Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.
Doomsday Book was a bit of a slog at times, but overall, I enjoyed it. A book of time travel where a young woman, Kivrin, is sent to the Middle Ages, but, unfortunately, lands in 1348, the beginning of the Black Death. Meanwhile, back in London, an unknown virus breaks out and quarantine is placed around Oxford, making it impossible to find out what has happened to Kivrin, never mind bringing her back. I loved the characters and was amused at some of the predictions Willis made back in the 90’s (in her world, the only improvement on phones was a visual and this was supposed to be in the 2050’s), and the way a pandemic was handled in this futuristic England. The descriptions of the Black Death made me thankful the pandemic we are facing, as bad as it is, is hardly so grim.

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell. Dual time-line but only two years apart. In 2017, Tallulah goes out with her boyfriend and father of her baby, leaving the baby with her mother, Kim. They never come home. The next morning, Kim frantically begins to look for her daughter but all she learns is that she was last seen going to a party in the woods called Dark Place.
In 2019, Sophie has just moved to the area with her boyfriend who is the new head teacher at a boarding school. Going for a walk, she finds a sign with an arrow, saying, “Dig here.”
I listened to the audio which is excellent and narrated by Joanne Froggatt of Downton Abbey fame. Great suspense and family drama.

So, the first half of the year has brought me some fun, suspenseful, and entertaining reading. I’m looking forward to finding and finishing more great books for this year, and believe I might break my own personal reading record. I know I will hit 100 soon and that’s at least a month before last year.

How is your reading life shaping up in 2022?