My favorite book this year was definitely Farilane by Michael J. Sullivan.  It reads fine as a stand alone, but also reads really well as a part of the series at large.

I definitely agree that Hail Mary was better than The Martian, and I almost felt guilty thinking it.  I'm glad I'm not the only one.

is this the one about sun dimming and whatnot? If yes, it was recommended and “borrowed” in its e-versionto me by a friend. Still yet to start reading, but what he told me about it, it did sound truly exciting. 

Last year, i only read 2 books, the final Expanse book and then “Redemption of Time”, which is fan-fiction addition to the Three Body series made official. I could recommend both, but it does not make sense to read either, unless you read everything that predates them. 

Anyway, if i was looking for something new scifish to read, i would check the utube channel called Quinns ideas. The guy talks and reviews lot of this kind of books, lately he made me quite excited about a book called Off Armageddons Reef by David Weber, wanted to get it for Christmas, but sadly there is no translation from english to my language(s)