I didn't keep a complete list of everything I read in 2024, but here's a partial list and a probably short comment about the ones I remember.
If Found Return to Hell
A fun premise that was kind of an awkward length. I think maybe it should've been either a short story or a full novel; the novella length had me going "wait, how'd we get to 'found family' this quick?" But if you enjoy bodysharing via demon princes who just want normal lives: yep.
Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know
Another by Cyan Wings, so I expected to enjoy it and indeed I did. I was more into the characters and themes than the story itself--had a little bit of a "when's it going to get exciting?" [get to the end] "ah, it was the friends we made all along" moment with this one I guess? But yeah it was good!
We Live in Nanjing
This was one of the novels that probably should have been nominated for a Hugo award but wasn't because [racist worldcon fuckery]. I read it via mtl, only intending to check out the beginning, but got intrigued enough to keep going, and I would love to read it properly translated.
Happy Doomsday
It's presented as "scientist wakes up in post-apocalyptic dystopia" and gradually you realize just how much of a dystopia the world he left behind was, too (a lot of the dystopian stuff has to do with ableism, just as a warning). Artificial intelligence! Enemies to enemies-with-benefits! (they get to lovers eventually). Blood drinking! (for the healing factor that's the only reason nothing else going on here).
C Language Cultivation
It's unfortunate that "programmer trying to get his AI startup off the ground" has become a completely unappealing character trait due to no fault of the author but I beg you to look past that. At first I thought the romance was 'meh, character type I'm just not into' and I was mainly here for the modern-day cultivation aspects, but then! The romance became a terrifying rollercoaster that had me actually in tears (happy ending tears).
the Last Binding trilogy
A fun series, but I think it either needed to be more about the Threat to the Very Nature of English Magic, or less about it. Where it ended up felt a little bit "okay, and?"
Mist
I like wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stories, so I expected to like this one more than I actually did. The main couple was not for me.
Master and Commander
I've seen the movie and that did not in any way prepare me for how slice-of-life (positive) this would be. Really enjoyed it, planning to come back for more. If you read this having mostly read danmei for the past year-plus you will just assume it's setting up Aubrey/Maturin as canon.
The Smiling, Proud Wanderer
I know where so many tropes come from now.
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Your thoughts on If Found, Return To Hell are also my thoughts—lots of fun ideas and fun characters but the kind of pacing that gives novellas a bad name.
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