I’m Ryan—a self-proclaimed book fanatic and BookTok creator. My passion lies in page-turners that make you lose track of time. I’m here to share my love of reading, recommend books worth staying up late for, and build a community of readers who love getting lost in stories.
Be sure to follow me on TikTok, join my newsletter, or check out the reviews in my blog.
What I’m reading in January
-
Victorian Psycho
By Virginia Feito
★★★★
-
The Mirror House Girls
By Faith Gardner
★★★★½
-
Wuthering Heights
By Emily Bronte
★★★★★
-
The Will of the Many
By James Islington
★★★★★
-
Beautiful Ugly
By Alice Feeney
★★★★
What’s New
My lifelong relationship with reading has been shaped by the unique lens of neurodivergence. From childhood library trips to late-night Kindle marathons, books have always been a refuge and a challenge. This is my journey through the worlds I’ve explored, the tools I’ve adapted, and the joy I’ve found in stories.
2024 was a year of chaos, growth, and a few curveballs that hit harder than expected. Maybe that’s why I kept gravitating toward darker, haunting stories—they seemed to reflect the turbulence of the year perfectly. Through job loss, unexpected challenges, and moments of clarity, these books became my escape, my comfort, and, at times, a mirror to my own journey.
This list isn’t just a collection of great reads. These are the stories that stayed with me—books I couldn’t stop thinking about long after I turned the final page. From chilling horrors and psychological thrillers to breathtaking literary fiction, here are the ten books that made the biggest impact on me in 2024. If you’re looking for stories that unsettle, surprise, or simply make you feel something, you’re in the right place.
Let’s dive in.
Latest Book Reviews
The Will of the Many by James Islington is a fantasy masterpiece that blends intricate world-building, compelling characters, and a thought-provoking exploration of societal power dynamics. Join me as I dive into this richly imagined world and uncover why it deserves its acclaim.
When Grady Green’s wife vanishes without a trace, his life begins to spiral. Alice Feeney’s Beautiful Ugly weaves a tense tale of isolation, grief, and the unexpected, all set on a remote island where nothing is as it seems.
Wuthering Heights is more than a tale of love and revenge—it’s a haunting exploration of grief, isolation, and the moral choices that shape our lives. In this spoiler-filled review, I reflect on the generational impact of the characters’ actions and the hard-earned redemption that brings hope to a stormy tale.
What happens when therapy crosses the line into obsession? Faith Gardner’s The Mirror House Girls lures readers into the unsettling world of Simon and his group of vulnerable young women, exploring themes of fear, manipulation, and the slow descent into cult-like dependency. With a creeping tension that gets under your skin, this psychological thriller will leave you questioning everything—and loving every minute of it.
Dark, twisted, and wickedly compelling, Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito dives deep into the mind of a governess unbound by morality. Discover how this gothic horror balances chilling violence, sharp humor, and an unflinching look at class and oppression in Victorian England.
Stephen King’s The Green Mile is a powerful meditation on humanity’s capacity for both profound goodness and devastating cruelty. Set against the backdrop of 1930s death row, it tells the story of John Coffey, a man whose extraordinary gift collides with a world steeped in prejudice and fear. Through unforgettable characters and haunting themes, King weaves a tale of miracles, injustices, and the fragile hope that humanity can rise above its darkest instincts. This is a book that will linger in your heart long after the final page.
The proposed TikTok ban threatens more than just an app—it threatens the communities and connections that give so many of us purpose and joy. As a creator who found inspiration and resilience through TikTok, I reflect on what this potential loss means and how we can adapt to whatever comes next.