Best Reads of 2024

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Hello and Happy New Year, friends!

It’s time for a 2024 reading wrap up! I clocked over 140 books this year. If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen the Reel I posted with my Favorite books of the year. If you missed it, you should definitely check it out. The books featured there are ones that broke my heart, mended my soul, made me think outside what I know, or just did a damn fine job of entertaining. They cover multiple genres and I give you my favorite book of 2024 to close it out. Click the picture below to see the post on Instagram.

Today, I’m going to expand upon that list a bit. These are all the books I absolutely loved and ones that have stuck out in my head long after the last page was turned. Because there are so many, I’m focusing only on my 5 star reads with some high-quality 4 star books thrown in as honorable mention.

5 Star Reads

I don’t give out 5 stars easily, so if its in this section, it’s worth your time! Let’s get things started right! In no particular order, here are my most remembered 5 star reads for 2024! In no particular order…

• The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young – magical realism with a time travel element
• The Wicked King by Holly Black – second in my favorite series of the year, The Folk of the Air
• The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters – historical fiction about indigenous peoples in Canada
• Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall – supernatural YA horror about sisterhood in its many forms and overcoming great evil
• The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon – historical fiction based on the real life of Martha Ballard, a midwife who made medical history and a mystery rolled into one; my favorite book of the year, hands down!
• The Women by Kristin Hannah – historical fiction about a female nurse in Vietnam and civilian life upon her return
• The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh – my favorite romance of the year, clean (no spice), clever writing, relatable characters, hit me in the feels and ticked all the boxes for me
• We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker – If you’re looking for a book to break your heart, this will surely do it.
• Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah – magical realism with a hopeful message and a dash of romance, included on Kindle Unlimited
• Wonder by R.J. Palacio – read with my 10 year old and followed it up with the movie. Such a moving story to help develop empathy with our young ones
• Keep It in the Family by John Marrs – my favorite thriller/horror of the year; family secrets can be deadly. I highly recommend the audio! Included in Kindle Unlimited
• The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn – favorite paranormal fiction of the year; Dexter meets Practical Magic
• The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger – favorite literary fiction, historical, hauntingly beautiful and moving
• All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker – a story of love, friendship, faith, hope, morality and justice, trauma and its impact on different parties effected, but ultimately a story of human resilience
• Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller – a satire and covers a lot of topics and probably won’t be for everyone, but I think it does a great job encapsulating the issues addressed
• I Am the Cage by Allison Sweet Grant – out in February, an evocative writing and a powerful story that explores the space between who we are and who we let others define us to be
• James by Percival Everett – clocked this one in at the last minute (well, noon on Dec 31) so it didn’t make it into my favorites Reel, but it should have! A retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as told from the perspective of Jim the slave.

Honorable Mention

The following books may have only garnered 4 stars from me, but they have stuck with me all the same. In no particular order…

• Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris – historical fiction with
• Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross – conclusion to the Letters of Enchantment duology
• Crimson Moth duology by Kristen Ciccarelli – Heartless Hunter (book 1) is the only one available at the time of this publishing, but I actually was able to read the conclusion to this duology, Rebel Witch, which comes out in February, as well. It was a great YA Romantasy! Richly drawn characters, magic, angst, romance, and adventure!
• The Wager by David Grann – From the author of Killers of the Flower Moon, this is a true story of mutiny and murder on the high seas; my favorite non-fiction of the year
• In the Hour of Crows by Dana Elemendorf – atmospheric, magical, paranormal mystery/thriller
• Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney – pulled me right out of a reading rut like only Alice Feeney can
• The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center – angsty, laugh-out-loud funny, sweet and swoony
• Reign of Dragons series by D.N. Hoxa – a romantasy with dragons included in Kindle Unlimited
• The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant – slow-burn backcountry thriller that’s no less compelling for the pacing
• The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo – magical realism, mystery, romance, takes place 1908 Manchuria
• The Fallen Fruit by Shawntelle Madison – follows several women of the Bridge family as they are spontaneously dropped backwards in time, which not only means that they might face the dangers of the wilderness but also the dangers of the slave trade
• Dominions trilogy by Abigail Owen – I loved this YA Romantasy series, which I re-read The Liar’s Crown and The Stolen Throne in prep for the release of the last book, The Shadows Rule All, that came out in 2024.
• The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan – World War Two novel about the Japanese occupation of then-Malaya and the events leading up to it

2024 was a great year in books! Lots of fantasy, lots of romance, lots of historical fiction. I can’t wait to see what 2025 brings! Are there any books here that you’ve read? Any you’re looking forward to this coming year?

Happy New Year!

P.S. Want more great books? Check out my other book lists!

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