Hola, I'm Julia.

Here's a quick rundown of all the books I read in 2024. Books I particularly enjoyed and would recommend are in bold. Total books read: 62. Non-fiction: 13. Fiction 49.

• Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
  A sweet book that reminds one of the importance of what really matters in life.

• Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
  I wasn't sure about the book initially, but upon reflection, have come to realise how clever it is. The book seems quite personal and meta, and I'm amazed at how the author has managed to pull of such a sensitive topic. Amazing author who has been able to create winners in a range of different book genres.

• Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson
  This book was long, and a little difficult to follow at times due to the jumping back and forth between all the various ventures Elon has been up to. Having it all down on paper, there’s no doubt at just how prolific an entrepreneur Elon is. Also interesting to get an insight into what drives the man, positive and negative.

• Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
  My first touch point into the Cosmere universe. A fun and whimsical book with a wholesome protagonist that I could get behind. As stated by the author, this book definitely reminded me of The Princess Bride.

• Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization by Neil deGrasse Tyson
  A nice mix of philosophy / thought-provoking rhetorical questions, told through the lens of science and astrophysics. I had the added bonus of listening to Neil's voice through the audiobook.

• Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1) by James S.A. Corey
  Loved the premise of the book! Found the last third a bit of a struggle to finish as I lost interest once the mystery was revealed. Not sure if I’ll continue the series.

• The Future by Naomi Alderman
  A really promising storyline. Just really disliked the writing style and the jumping around. Also got a little too far fetched in the end for me.

• The Surviving Sky (Rages, #1) by Kritika H. Rao
  Loved the south asian setting - the first of its kind I've read in this genre. I loved the intertwining of nature and its control on human civilisation. I got a bit lost in the ending, but would love to read more in this series.

• The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1) by Joe Abercrombie
  I so much wanted to love this but DNF at 50%. I didn’t find the story engaging enough and lost patience. It’s building for sure, but I can’t be bothered to wait.

• Hell Bent (Alex Stern, #2) by Leigh Bardugo
  Had been really excited to read this book but found it disappointing. The characters seemed out of character versus what I remembered of the first book (which I loved). I also found this book a little repetitive and the plot, difficult to follow with all the fantastical new things happening. There was also less of the dark academia vibe that I was hoping for.

• Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos by Michio Kaku
  Really enjoyed reading this. It was a little difficult to follow the concept at times in an audio format, so I’ll also read this in written form. I do wonder about how outdated the string theory as written in this book is now, but the early and late chapters are brilliant.

• The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi, #1) by Shannon Chakraborty
  Enjoyable and different from the usual fantasy I read. Loved the main characters but I was less engrossed about the plot itself.

• The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1) by Olivie Blake
  Really enjoyed this. Had been looking for a dark academia fantasy series to get into and this didn't disappoint. I especially loved the different powers the main characters have. Excited to see where the next instalment goes.

• The Teacher by Freida McFadden
  The plot wasn’t the best. It’s very unrealistic and too far fetched in places. A good ending though!

• Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
  One of the most accessible books I've read so far for understanding the basics of cosmology and astrophysics. Written in signature Tyson style, with personal anecdotes and witty remarks injected in between talk of space and stars. Loved this.

• The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
  Not for me. Got to rule 5 and gave up. I found myself questioning the rules and the examples - surely lots of arguments could also be given to support the counterargument to the point being made? Also wasn’t the most uplifting of books. 😓

• Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee
  Enjoyed Pachinko, so thought I'd give this a try when I saw it displayed prominently in the library. I started reading and found it really resonated with me. I loved the breadth of characters (despite hating some of the characters 😅), but thought the author did an amazing job of conveying themes of identity, class, money, privilege, familial duty and racism through them.

• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
  Decided to pick this up after hearing it recommended here and there in a short span of time. I couldn’t put it down despite really needing to at times, because of the absolutely horrific things that happens to one of the main characters. It’s such a testament to the amazing writing skills of the author that the book can be so beautiful and horrifying at the same time. The words flow smoothly and the imagery is so strong that I’m pretty sure I’m going to be thinking about all of the characters for a while.

• Sword Catcher (The Chronicles of Castellane #1) by Cassandra Clare
  Wasn't expecting much, but found this pretty entertaining. (It could be because I read this immediately after A Little Life.) The world was a little difficult to keep track of at first, but I ended up liking the main characters. Looking forward to seeing how the story continues.

• The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4) by Richard Osman
  This instalment takes on more of an emotional note versus the rest. There's still the trademark humour and fun "whodunnit" story that keeps you wanting to turn the pages, but also definitely more noticeable character development.

• Heartstopper: Volume Four (Heartstopper, #4) by Alice Oseman
  I have since watched the Netflix series after reading Volume 2. It was nice to revisit these characters in novel form after some time away.

• The Atlas Paradox (The Atlas, #2) by Olivie Blake
  Struggled with this a fair bit - it was way too slow for me. I felt like the story never really got going until the last third of the book, and I really had to push myself to continue.I think I’m going to abandon the series. The third book doesn’t seem to have good reviews and I don’t want to force myself to slog through it. Such a shame as I loved the characters and all the physics chat.

• The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  Premise was so promising… but the actual mystery and puzzles themselves were weak. Fun read but not all that enticing.

• Heartstopper: Volume Three (Heartstopper, #3) by Alice Oseman
  Simultaneously cute and serious. The author is such a talent.

• Heartstopper: Volume Five (Heartstopper, #5) by Alice Oseman
  Argh, this is too heartwarming! ❤️

• Book of Night (Book of Night #1) by Holly Black
  DNF at Chapter 5. Too slow and I lacked the patience to push through.

• Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg
  A well written and well structured book. The ideas aren’t new but I thought the anecdotes and studies referenced helped drive the messages home.

• Solitaire by Alice Oseman
  I'm not really the target audience, but I did quite enjoy it, particularly around the middle of the book. Talks about some real issues which makes for a nice change (versus some other YA books).

• Cosmos by Carl Sagan
  Read this alongside watching the original TV series. That definitely helped bring this book to life and made a dense read much more manageable. Really enjoyed this overview of natural history and what the future might bring.

• The List by Yomi Adegoke
  I really liked the premise and the core themes of the book. The story was engaging enough, but got a little monotonous towards the end. I'm interested to see how the author evolves and hope they release another book.

• All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1) by Martha Wells
  Such a fun little read! Loved the Murderbot character and the ending 🥲

• A Brief History of Intelligence: Evolution, AI, and the Five Breakthroughs That Made Our Brains by Max Solomon Bennett
  A really well explained book on the history of how human intelligence developed, and how we might use that understanding to develop artificial intelligence. Very impressive piece of writing. I listened to this on audiobook but feel like I need another reread with a written book.

• Camino Island by John Grisham
  Tried but gave up at 50%. It was too slow with a lack of intrigue / noticeable characters.

• The Will of the Many (Hierarchy, #1) by James Islington
  My first time reading a Roman-inspired fantasy novel! Found the first part of the book a little difficult to get into, with all the custom terms, names and places (which seemed to all merge into one for me 😅), but it got really good about halfway through and I couldn't put it down. I've wanted to find a new fantasy series to get stuck into and this feels like it! There's a good amount of intrigue, I love the characters, and the story moves along at a quick pace. Can't wait for the next book in the series. Will also be checking out the author's previous books.

• Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1) by Rebecca Yarros
  I was in the right mood for just this kind of book. A fantasy that wasn't too "epic", with some fun characters and a good mix of light-heartedness vs. hard core action. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

• Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
  Good social commentary but not really the kind of book I naturally enjoy reading. Still glad to have read this short book, as it serves as a good reminder to think on society vs. self.

• The Shadow of What Was Lost (The Licanius Trilogy, #1) by James Islington
  I couldn’t make up my mind on whether to really spend the time delving deep into the world and story, or whether it was too much and not engaging enough to be worth it. I got to about 65% through before deciding it wasn’t really for me. It’s good, but just got a little draggy towards the end. 🤷🏻‍♀️

• A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
  Wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. The Count is such a lovable character - suave, funny and doesn't take himself too seriously. The historical backdrop was interesting, and not one I knew much about. An excellent read with some really poignant commentary on human behaviour.

• Next Steps in French with Paul Noble by Paul Noble
  Exceptionally helpful for drilling useful phrases.

• Beartown (Beartown, #1) by Fredrik Backman
  Randomly heard about this author and book on a podcast and thought I’d give it a shot, despite the synopsis not being particularly intriguing. Turns out that my preconceptions were way off base. This book was beautifully written with some really memorable characters, and a sense of “realness” that’s a bit uncomfortable at times. There’s not a lot of black and white, and loads of grey. The way the author pieces narratives together is also masterful.

• The Universe in Your Hand: A Journey Through Space, Time, and Beyond by Christophe Galfard
  The best book I've read on cosmology. The author is really gifted in explaining complex concepts in a way that's really easy to understand. I'd highly recommend this to anyone with the slightest bit of interest in cosmology.

• The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes
  The first 250 pages or so were great but it then started to get ridiculous. Such a shame as I’d been waiting years for this follow up.

• The Housemaid (The Housemaid, #1) by Freida McFadden
  A fun holiday read. Nothing particularly special but a decent page turner.

• The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
  Some good fundamental truths for building wealth. I liked the short and snappy chapters. The last couple of chapters were also handy for summarizing learnings and offering insights on how to apply the concepts practically.

• Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1) by Pierce Brown
  Finally, a series I feel I can really get stuck in to. Had high hopes for this one and it didn’t disappoint. I loved the world building, and whilst the characters didn’t endear themselves to me immediately, I grew to like them. I thought the ending was great and am excited to see what happens next.

• Golden Son (Red Rising Saga, #2) by Pierce Brown
  This was even better than the first book. The writing is tighter, the characters and their relationships evolve with big consequences and the action ramps up by 100x. This was pretty epic with an absolute cliffhanger of an ending.

• Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2) by Rebecca Yarros
  Somewhat disappointed with this one as I really enjoyed the first. I struggled to get through the start and end of the book. There were a couple of 100 pages in the middle where it got quite enjoyable, but I found most of it a bit of a slog. Not sure I’ll carry on with the series. The main character has somewhat started grating on me.

• Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
  I really enjoyed reading this, much more than I thought I would. I started by listening to the audiobook then switched to reading the ebook. Loved the short story format, where stories and characters are linked.

• None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
  Pretty intriguing all the way through. Kept me guessing to the end. I didn’t love the ending but if you’re looking for a thriller to hook you in, give this a shot.

• Morning Star (Red Rising, #3) by Pierce Brown
  Didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as the previous two but there was definitely no lack of action and had a satisfactory ending.

• The Pumpkin Spice Café (Dream Harbor, #1) by Laurie Gilmore
  A rather stereotypical romance novel. Not really for me.

• Never Lie by Freida McFadden
  Quite silly but also quite entertaining. Perfect for mindless holiday reading.

• All Fours by Miranda July
  Whew, this was emotional! Written from a point of view I’ve never come across before in books, or in real life. This was honest and very uncomfortable at times, but probably because a number of the topics touched on here aren’t discussed openly enough.

• The Wedding People by Alison Espach
  This was such a treat. I loved the central character and how her story develops, which kept me turning the pages. This book touches on serious topics and is filled with observations on human behavior that are on point, all wrapped up in some really funny, witty writing. Highly recommend.

• Iron Gold (Red Rising Saga, #4) by Pierce Brown
  Happy to say that this was a great continuation from the previous trilogy. The book introduces new characters who all provide their unique point of view which then contributes to the global story. There’s quite a lot of action, and I read in constant fear of my favorite characters being killed off. 😅

• The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
  I love a good multi-generational family drama and this delivered. Much has been written about the ending which, yes, was very unsatisfying but (having now sat with it for a few days) understandable. I loved how the book was written in terms of the four different main characters, and thought the final chapter was particularly effective. The characters are not the most endearing, but I felt a lot of their behavior was explained as the book progressed.

• Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
  Abandoned at 50%. Just couldn’t get into the rambly dialogue, especially for Peter.

• Tidy First?: A Personal Exercise in Empirical Software Design by Kent Beck
  The first part of the book doesn't contain anything ground-breaking but serves as a good reminder of how to think about things when cleaning up code. I also liked that the chapters were short and direct.The latter part of the book talks about the cost-benefit analysis and the "why" of "tidying". I wasn't always convinced of the author's analogies but did like the attempt to put some kind of framework around the topic.

• A Man Called Otto by Fredrik Backman
  This was a great read. I simultaneously loved and was annoyed with Otto, which I think is a testament to the author's skills and how "real" he makes his characters. It was a good mix of humour and poignancy, and one that will stick with me for some time.

• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  Having just returned from Mexico, I picked this up from the library on a whim. This was my first book from the author… and I enjoyed it enough to know that it probably won’t be my last. I’m not the biggest gothic fan but this was an enjoyably dark book to get stuck into on cold wintery nights.

• Eve: How The Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution by Cat Bohannon
  This is a really fascinating read about how the female body evolved to be what it is today, and how /why it is differs from our male counterparts. I learnt so many new things reading this book as it goes into a lot of detail, but the author has a fun and effective communication style and the pages just flew past. I especially loved the first few chapters, which discusses why female bodies might have evolved to produce milk, breasts, the ability to incubate their young within their bodies, and the ability to give birth to live babies.

• Gala Des Gaffes a Gogo (Gaston Lagaffe) by André Franquin
  I'm improving my French by reading comics. I didn’t quite get all the humour, but I’m getting there. 😀