My annual book review is here. Here’s what I read this year and my book recommendations.
Seven years ago, I rediscovered my love of reading and made an effort to read more. While the numbers have gone up and down, my goal is usually 50+ books. This year, I hit my 50-book goal with three weeks to spare.
Book Stats of 2024
Here are my stats for 2024.
- Books Read: 50
- Pages Read: 17,075
- Average Rating: 3.5 stars
- Audiobooks: 24
- Fiction: 43
- Non-fiction: 7
- Memoirs: 3
- Romance: 15
- Young Adult: 3
- Historical Fiction: 7
- Books Rated 2 or Below Stars: 5
- Book Club Reads: 8
- Shortest Book: 128 pages, Good Grief by Brianna Pastor
- Longest Book: 640 pages, Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
- Average Length: 341 pages
See all 50 books I read on Goodreads.
10 Favorite Books of 2024
If I can summarize my favorite books this year, they lean more towards light-heartedness and romance. I have a history of picking up emotional and depressing books, which I did include this year, but I kept it lighter this year.
Under each book, you’ll see the genre and three words I used to describe the book.
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
Author Lisa See has a way of diving deep into her historical fiction novels. You become wrapped up in the characters and intensely knowledgeable about this historical world. This book is set in 15th-century China and follows Tan Yunxian as she becomes a physician, which is not typical of a woman born into an educated, elite family. You’ll see how she chases and develops her interest in medicine as she navigates a traditional marriage, societal expectations of women, friendships, and familial relationships. I also read Lisa See’s popular book Island of Sea Women this year and enjoyed it, but I liked this one more.
- Historical fiction
- Captivating, empowering, cultural
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
“Can love make a broken person whole?” This book introduces us to William Waters and a family of four sisters. You meet each character to follow their journey and see how theirs winds around others throughout the book. The four sisters are much like the sisters of Little Women, to which the author pays homage. Something happens and the effects ripple, which takes you on a journey to see how it impacts the characters and their relationships.
- Contemporary Fiction
- Emotional, engrossing, familial
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
My first experience with romantasy had to be the one that has made waves since it came out in May 2023.
Violet Sorrengail is twenty years old and entering the war college where each cadet is put into one of four quadrants – scribes, riders, infantry, and healers. She spent most of her life in the library, but her mother, who is the commanding general, has ordered her into the riders, the most dangerous quadrant because you know, dragons. Plus, the lead wingleader Xaden Riorson, the son of the rebel leader who was put to death by her mother, probably wants to kill her.
Is the writing good? No, but it gets the story across even though the smut is a little cringey. Is the world intriguing? Yes, dragons! This enemies-to-lovers novel was a nice break from what I usually read even though some of the fantasy elements reminded me of other stories like Game of Thrones.
- Romantasy
- Smoldering, drama, dragons
The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
This historical fiction epic follows the Trần family – first a mother and her six children and then her granddaughter and her family. The family finds a way through their hardships, and the beautiful tale shares a story of hope. I didn’t know much about the Vietnam War, so this book taught me a lot about the history.
- Historical Fiction
- Poignant, war, thoughtful
Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
Author Julia Whelan is an award-winning audiobook narrator, so listening to her narrate her book was delightful in itself. The story is about two audiobook narrators who follow their journeys that may or may not lead to each other. (It’s a romance; of course it does!) I enjoyed these characters and how they interacted together.
- Romance
- Entertaining, audiobook, banter
Funny Story by Emily Henry
I’m beginning to think there will be an Emily Henry book on my list every year. I like her writing style and her banter dialogue. I liked this book more than her last two books. The premise of this one: Daphne is broken up with by her fiance Peter because he loves his childhood friend Petra. Daphne moves out of their house and becomes roommates with Petra’s ex-boyfriend Miles. It only makes sense to PRETEND they’re together to make their exes jealous but then…yep, you guessed it.
(If you’ve never read Emily Henry, I would start with Beach Read and Book Lovers.)
- Romance
- Witty, friends to lovers, comeback
How To End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
This book was my favorite of the year. It starts 13 years in the past – when Grant hit and killed Helen’s younger sister with his car. Now in their 30s, they end up in the same room across the country for their jobs. It’s an unlikely pair, but somehow it also feels like fate. I liked that this book looked into what goes into writing a TV show, something the author does. This is the author’s first novel, but she’s no stranger to romance; she’s a screenwriter and director adapting two of Emily Henry’s books into movies.
- Romance
- Enemies to lovers, unexpected, heartfelt
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Daunis Fontaine witnesses a shocking tragedy and goes undercover to help find out why. But what if finding out the truth hurts her community and her identity as a biracial tribal member? I enjoyed this book because it took me into Daunis’ world, even though sometimes I get annoyed by the teenage perspective. It dives deep into Native American culture, sharing traditions and history.
- Young Adult Fiction
- Mystery, Native American, thriller
Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
If you’re looking for a lighter mystery fiction, this one is for you. This story brings together Lana (grandmother), Beth (mother), and Jack (daughter) as they become amateur detectives to solve a murder and clear Jack’s name. These three each have their stories and they are all pretty likable. Because they are amateur detectives, the writing is less thriller and more fun mystery.
- Mystery Fiction
- Light, mystery, familial
Adam and Evie’s Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen
Evie Lang’s beloved aunt has died and she has pre-arranged a trip for Evie: a matchmaking tour in Vietnam, her family’s native home. Adam is the Chief Marketing Officer of the matchmaking tour and is a bit grumpy and uptight. Could they find love?? I liked the travel aspect, taking readers around Vietnam. And a romance novel with Asian leads is a win for me!
Author Nora Nguyen also writes literary fiction under the name Thao Thai, and she wrote one of my favorite books from last year.
- Romance
- Adventurous, enemies to lovers, cultural identity
Reading Goals for 2025
After two years of hitting my 50-books goal, I’m going to get a bit more ambitious and bump it up to 55. I also want to add more different genres. While I enjoy the light-hearted romance, I’ll try adding more contemporary fiction, science fiction, and fantasy.
What was your favorite book this year? Send me a recommendation!
P.S. Here are my book recaps for 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017.
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