Happy Holidays! Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is to recollect our favorite reads of the year. I noticed I definitely didn’t have as many five-star reads this year as I have in the past.

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1. THE BEST LAID PLANS
When I read this at the very beginning of the year, I accurately predicted that it would be one of my favorite reads this year. This book was everything I had hoped it would be and so much more. Basically, all you need to know is that it contains best friends-to-lovers, unrequited pining, delicious drama and lots of angst!

2. CHAIN OF GOLD
While I’ve always greatly enjoyed The Shadowhunters Chronicles, I’ve never found myself rating any five stars or falling head over heals with the book. That all changed with his book right here. Cassandra Clare has crafted the perfect recipe: the nostalgia of the Shadowhunter world, the return of favorite characters from past books, historical romance elements such as ballroom dancing and the marriage of convenience trope.

3. DON’T CALL THE WOLF
I was enchanted from the first chapter and very easily fell in love with this story and the characters. The prose was absolutely beautiful and fit perfectly for a fairytale retelling. From stunning descriptions to the dark, atmospheric vibes her writing portrays, it’s easy to become lost in this magical story. 

4. YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER
This is a story about second-chance romance and features my newest favorite trope: lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers. My absolute favorite thing about the book was the gradual change between Naomi and Nicholas as they slowly become friends again and reconnect on a deeper, more emotional level. Sarah Hogle blew me away with this story and had me swooning over their rekindled love.

5. BEACH READ
From the first chapter I was absolutely captivated by the story. The way Emily Henry writes January’s character it’s impossible not to empathize with her and feel her pain and confusion. At first, this appears to be a cute, heartwarming summer rom-com, but it also has moments of darkness and emotional pain that pulls the reader even harder into the story. I loved Gus and January; they were relatable, complicated, and realistically written. I could not get enough of their amusing interactions and growing attraction.

6. DANCE OF THIEVES
I put off reading this because of it’s size and I was unsure how I felt about reading a companion series of sorts. Not only was I completely blown away by this book, but I ended up loving it even more than The Remnant Chronicles. The book was fast-paced, full of action, and I completely adored the characters, Kazi and Jase. I flew through the chapters and loved every minute I spent immersed in the world.

7. THE FAITHLESS HAWK
How rare is it for the second book in a duology to be even better than the already amazing first? The Merciful Crow was one of my favorite books last year and I’m so glad this surpassed all of my high expectations. I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time and I loved the angst that was introduced! Such a fantastic conclusion to an awesome duology!

8. FABLE
There is just something about Adrienne Young’s writing that makes me fly through the pages. This book was non-stop action and fun from the very beginning. Seafaring adventures are some of my favorite stories so I feel like I can be more particular about them, but this ticked all the right boxes. From the strong heroine, Fable, to our amazing cast of side characters aboard the Marigold, this was a fantastic read. 

9. THE BURNING GOD
This book still has me speechless. It’s been four months and I still can’t bring myself to sit down and write a full formed review with all my thoughts. The stakes were raised even higher and wow did R.F. Kuang deliver. There was nonstop action and so many nail-biting moments. The characters. The angst. The deaths. Such a perfect conclusion to a brilliant series.

10. IN A HOLIDAZE
I haven’t been this in love with a Christina Lauren book in a long time. This is the perfect holiday romance story and had everything I could have wanted and more: family, Christmas magic, romance, angst, childhood friends-to-lovers, mistletoe kisses. This book gave me all the warm and fuzzy feelings! The romance was so sweet and adorable and I couldn’t get enough of the cozy, snowy setting.

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I hope you all had a wonderful reading year! What were your favorite reads? Did we have any in common? Let me know!