Ruei's Reading Corner

This is my final post to sum up my reading for 2023! It has been a year of many changes as I closed out one chapter and started another. Overall, I read a total of 16 books this year, half as much as last year. But of the books read, I have enjoyed quite a few of them. My goal for 2025 is to read purely for my own enjoyment as I begin to have more and more of that freedom (but less and less time). Below are some books I would recommend from my reading this year, not in any particular order. Cheers to this new year and all the books that come with it! 1. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han. This summer I read one of my all-time favorites again and it was amazing. I had the time to relax a little and enjoy myself just me and my book. Jenny Han never fails to make me smile as I will always be a fan of Peter Kavinsky (To All the Boys is literally one of the best comfort movies there is).

The following books are upcoming releases for December. There are always new books being released each month, but these are the top ones that caught my eye (there's not a lot at the end of the year). They are not ranked by number but displayed randomly. Can't wait for them to come out, happy reading! 1. Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao is releasing December 24, 2024. Synopsis: After suffering devastating loss and making drastic decisions, Zetian finds herself at the seat of power in Huaxia. But she has also learned that her world is not as it seems, and revelations about an enemy more daunting than Zetian imagined forces her to share power with a dangerous man she cannot simply depose. Despite having vastly different ideas about how they must deconstruct the corrupt and misogynist system that plagues their country, Zetian must join this man in a dance of truth and lies and perform their roles to perfection in order to take down their common enemy, who seeks to control them as ...

The following books listed are upcoming releases for this month! There are many new books being released, but these are the ones that caught my eye.  They are not ranked by number but displayed randomly. Can't wait for them to come out, happy reading! 1. Heart-Shaped Lies by Elizabeth Agyemang is releasing November 5, 2024. Synopsis: Kiara, Priscilla, and Nevaeh have nothing in common—except they just found out that they’re all dating Tommy Harding, the internet’s most famous teen prank star. KIARA is the girlfriend who the cameras know and love, the academic star who Tommy parades around in public to keep his image in check. PRISCILLA is Tommy’s co-star. As a beauty influencer and an accomplice to Tommy’s notorious antics, she’s always known that the two of them could be the Internet’s power couple—if only he would confess to his girlfriend what really goes on during their ‘rehearsals’. And NEVAEH is the good girl, the pastor’s daughter who’d never dream of dating a boy who’s...

The following books are upcoming releases for October. There are many new books being released each month, but these are the top ones that caught my eye. They are displayed randomly. Can't wait for them to come out, happy reading! 1.  A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang was released October 1, 2024. Synopsis: Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within. Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see ...