Couple of good things already this year!
Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed - Egyptian graphic novel about an alternate present but with a heavily regulated (and exploited by colonial powers) industry of genies and wishes. It’s a wonderful and funny and generous story about and from a part of the world I haven’t read enough from. Highly recommend.
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik - The first novel in her “Scholomance, the automated magic school what tries to kill you” trilogy. It’s not high art but, much like her dragon books, it’s a lot of fun. Charmingly grumpy, hypercompetent loner MC who’s constantly irritated with the privileged heroic golden boy who keeps jumping to her rescue. “Readable” is a weird word, but that’s exactly what this is - I tore right through it.