Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is: Best Books I Read In 2024
But I wanted to do a whole year recap this time. Why not put it all into one post, save ourselves some time, eh? I also still did a December recap, too!
Year-End Recap:
Like every year, 2024 had highlights and lowlights. Usually, I am one who likes to get the bad stuff out of the way first, but this year all the good stuff literally came first, so…
The Good: Conageddon 4 was a great thing that happened in March! Also, I graduated and got my teaching certificate in May, and then I got a Big Girl Job™ so that was exciting! The summer honestly seemed pretty hopeful, with Kamala and a new job and such, even though on a personal level, I was broke, my dad was sick, and things were a little depressing. But yeah. I also started my Masters, and should be done in 2025- I actually have finished 8/10 classes, so we’re close! I am thankful for the blessings I do have though, like my mom and my kids. I also know how many people struggled with parents who bought into the hatefulness, and I can count as a positive that I am lucky enough to have had parents who championed the causes I did, and who care about humanity and equality above all.
The Bad and the Ugly: Where do we even begin? Things really went downhill in the fall, obviously. The election happened, then my dad got sicker, and passed away after a really rough few weeks. My heart is broken, frankly. And so was his, by the election. I know it seems silly to say, but I think losing that hope for the future hastened his decline, and I am extra mad at the magats for that. Now, we have to worry about what is to come. And I worry for all of us, no matter the reason you’re worried. As a special educator, I am worried. As a parent, I am worried. As a woman, especially one of childbearing age, I am worried. But I am also worried for the millions of reasons that don’t directly affect me, because they will affect someone out there. And I care about you, dear reader, whatever your worry is. And we’ll keep fighting, but whew, guys. It’s an uphill battle. Then, as if this all wasn’t enough, some stuff happened with The Situation™, which many of you know and commented about. It is what you think it is about. I’m tired, and really don’t need more crap to add to the mix but here we are.
The Hope for 2025: Legit can it just… not suck as bad as we think it will? Also I will kindly take a blizzard, not during March because Conageddon 5, but I’m gonna need another break after a few weeks back, heh. Take care of yourselves. And I’ll still be here trying to chat about books and shows or something to keep myself (and hopefully you, too!) sane.
Get your own super cool one of these here! And buy the guy a coffee, this is so fun!
I actually finished book 154 minutes before posting this but who wants to redo the stuff? I digress. This was… fine, all things considered. No one likes this year, but instead of wanting it to end, we’re all too scared of what comes next. Speaking of which….
This year, Goodreads (and Random.org) is challenging me to read….
Rude. Much like the rest of this hellyear.
Bookish Bummers of 2024
Inspired by Vlora, and how much fun I used to have doing this, I decided to do a mini-version of my “Bookish Bummers” from years gone by. Look, I know we love celebrating the best of the best, and I shall below in bigger font, but… you and I both know, you want the tea on which books to skip, right? Right. Luckily, there weren’t many!
Crosby was so annoying I wanted to scream, especially since she lacked growth. Also far less apocalyptic than I signed up for.
The formatting was bad, which is not the book’s fault, but it was also boring, which is.
Ah, my only DNF of the year! And frankly, I think it was more “me” than the book- it was way more fantasy than I’d expected, and just really long. Sorry.
This one hurt, as I loved the author’s debut. And it even started out strong, before falling off the rails with too much going on, but none of it that felt coherent or entertaining.
This one hands down hurt the most, as I have loved everything else I have read by Nghi Vo. But I guess they can’t all be bangers, eh? This had too much pretty prose, far less substance for me.
There were some interesting pieces, but none of them really came together in any cohesive way. While I liked the concept of the uninfected trying to survive the town, because of all the other stuff, it just didn’t hit as hard. Also, how does this random infection cause “deading”, which, as we are meant to understand it, was basically a TikTok trend? So… I have questions, and most of them went unanswered. Also, too much bird talk.
The premise was cool, and the end didn’t even bug me as much as it did others. But the bulk of it was just… overbearing description with as many big thesaurus words as possible, word-vomited from the mouth of a very unlikable main character, and extra points off for a message of love interests curing depression.
Onto the Best of 2024!!
Gosh this is HARD. (It is always hard, even though every year I give myself one more book slot, heh.) And there isn’t a real rhyme or reason to how I picked the top ones, it was just a combination of rating, and then how fondly I remembered it, and these are the 24 books that won! (I also have been copying this exact post since 2018 and feel zero regrets. I mean am I efficient or WHAT?!) Also even better? I copied and pasted most of my little “summaries” from my reviews and wow I am getting it done.
I did find a new GIF because I mean. I had to do something, right?
Also, I decided to limit an author to one book. I honestly could have included two for a couple but I didn’t because this way more authors get a spot . I also decided not to include any books that won’t be published until 2025. Seems too rude.
The VERY (honestly guys it was so hard to choose these are all so freaking good- legit every book here is a 5 Star!) Honorable Mentions, in no particular order:
These pictures link to Bookshop because affiliate links and supporting small bookstores, yay! And the titles to reviews or Goodreads, depending on whether I reviewed stuff!
The Top Ten
#10: The Afterlife of Mal Caldera by Nadi Reed Perez:
Beautiful, funny, and emotive, I loved everything about Mal’s afterlife journey.
#9: The Merciless King of Moore High by Lily Sparks:
Between the monsters, the political mess and the sheer survival of it all, mixed with the characters’ relationships with each other, the whole thing was a HUGE win.
I finished this book mere minutes before this post was to go live, so I plan on giving you a mini review now! This book was lovely, so hopeful and full of heart and wisdom. And sure, there were a couple of weird moments, like the cat-bird copulation (I just needed you all to suffer through the visuals that I did, let’s be honest, but it did not dampen my love of this story), but this was such a hit for me. And it really filled the void created by Earth Abides– which you should all watch, incidentally – as it has the same vibe of melancholic yet hopefulness in the spirit of humanity, despite our less-than-stellar choices to this point. Also, it has some insanely quotable passages, so suffice it to say this is one I won’t soon forget.
P.S.: If you’re anything like me, this oldass Fastball song is now in your head forever, thanks Cary!
#7: The Atlas of Us by Kristin Dwyer:
I loved literally every last thing about this book. Kristin Dwyer has become an Auto-Buy Author™ for me, no question.
#6: A Step Past Darkness by Vera Kurian:
It may start out slow, but it gets so good that I promise you won’t care.
#5: American Rapture by CJ Leede:
You don’t need any more of my weird digressions, but you do need to read this book. It is one of my favorites of the year!
#4: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley:
Never knew how much I needed old timey Arctic explorer fanfic in my life.
#3: The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen:
Honestly I have nothing else to tell you except order this book right now and thank me later.
#2: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera:
I loved every last thing about this book. Everything! I simultaneously could not put it down, but also did not want it to end.
#1: The Parliament by Aimee Pokwatka
I am actively begging you to read this bird book, so I think you have to?
I am so sorry about your family’s loss, Shannon. I hope you and your family enjoyed some quality time together this season and you all heal and have a happier 2025.
Looks like you did have an impressive and amazing reading year! Even when I read often, I never could imagine reading 100 let along 150 in a year. Good for you! 🙂
Thank you so much!! I think I force myself to read at this point heh
I am sorry for your loss; I understand how rough it is to lose a parent. I, too, fear what 2025 will bring to the world via the US. My family has put vacation planning on hold for a couple of months to see how things start to play out. I hope we are all wrong and that 2025 (the next 4 years) is nothing like we fear.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/my-twelve-favorite-reads-of-2024/
Aw I am sorry that you have that experience too. It is truly awful, even if it is the “way of things”. Seriously, I am so scared. I actually planned a vacation just to get the heck out of here but I am super worried about doing so- maybe it wasn’t the best financial choice, but man, I needed something to look forward to! I am hoping that too, but not feeling optimistic. I guess the good news is, if it is anything less than apocalyptic, I’ll be happily surprised hahah
I am so sorry about your loss. 🙁
And I am so thankful for special educators out there who care about and will fight for their students!
Happy New Year!
Thank you so much for your kind words ♥♥ Hope you have a wonderful new year too!
I was so looking forward to this last TTT of 2024. Good to find so many great recs here! And I swear, Listen for the Lie is winning all the praise everywhere! Wish you a very happy ’25 full of good books.
Thank you! I hope you have a good year too!
I’m so sorry about your dad. The election results were so disappointing and I’m definitely fearful of what will come because of it. I’m an optimist, so I’m really trying to see positives and have hope in the future, but yikes! Oh, and congrats on completing your degree. How awesome. My mom was a Special Education teacher for many years and loved it.
I haven’t read any of the books on your list, but I do love Blake Crouch, so RUN is on my TBR list for sure.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Thank you so much ♥♥ And yeah exactly, that is it- it is hard to stay positive when things look so bleak for so long. Aw I am so glad that your mom loved her job! I hope you enjoy Run!
Because of your review, I read the Ministry of Time. Fantastic book.
I just lost my dad (Christmas, in fact). Went from driving his car, to bedridden within weeks. It’s tough. I’m sorry for your loss.
Shit, I am SO very sorry. It is so awful, and even more so that it was Christmas. I am sending you and your family so much love, it all just sucks. ♥♥
“I also know how many people struggled with parents who bought into the hatefulness, and I can count as a positive that I am lucky enough to have had parents who championed the causes I did, and who care about humanity and equality above all.”
That’s a blessing – but I’m sorry your dad had his heart broken right before he passed away. And yeah, the US have become a cesspool, and the next 4 years will be hard for a lot of people, a lot of things will be undone…and even we in Europe will be affected some way or the other…
I enjoyed Mal Caldera and Bad Graces too. A Step Past Darkness is on my list. I see you didn’t like Coup de Grâce, though you managed to stick with it until the end (which, as you may remember, I didn’t). The “love interest curing depression” thing is…ugh. Even without taking the test, I suspect I might be labeled as a “Dark Thrill Seekers” LOL.
Sending hugs and positive vibes for the new year! Hang on!
Good luck finishing your masters degree. Only two to go!!! Good for me that I did not read any of your bummers, but I did read two of the honorable mentions and I have Twyla and Frank waiting for me. Here’s to lots of good things for you in 2025 and no weather issues when you need to travel.
I have the same hopes for 2025. It simply has to be better than 2024. Wow, you’ve completed a lot of classes for your Masters degree so far!
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
I’m feeling everything you said about this year, it was exhausting! (More for you than me though, because of your personal loss😥) I really hope 2025 has some good things in store, I guess we will see. As for favorites, we only share a couple, but there are a bunch on your list I’d love to read. Happy New Year Shannon!
I too could use a blizzard
As you know, I stopped rating and tracking my reads, so I don’t even know if/which was my fav read of the year (I might pick that back up in 2025, for my mental health). But a number if your favs are on my “read this ASAP” list, so that’s exciting. 😀
I’m wishing for you a big ol’ snowstorm where you DON’T lose power or anything, but school is canceled for a few days or a week. That can pass me by (much as I love snow, there’s too many catastrophes that can happen to my RV if we get a big snowstorm here. I’m already hella nervous about the week of “highs at 30 degrees, lows in the teens” we’re gonna be getting next week. But you deserve the break from work, and to have some comfy read-in-front-of-the-fireplace times.
Happy 2025!
I need to try Bad Graces, The Kill Factor and Run. Thanks for sharing and happy New Year!
First off, I’m so sorry about the loss of your dad. I don’t know about The Situation, but I hope it improves soon. And yes the election result totally sucks. I’ve been enraged, panicked, despondent, and now I’m avoiding any political news because it makes me physically ill. And now, I better stop on this topic, because if I keep at it, I’m going to cuss and rant.
Since you’re begging us to read The Parliament, I added it to my TBR list. 😀
It was such an awesome thing to get your teaching certificate and start that. So definitely started out as a good year for you. I’m with you on needing a blizzard. Only I’m dreading already going back after holiday break, so I am hoping the snow they’re predicting for this coming Sunday here is enough to give me just one more day off! lol.
I am totally stealing the “my year in books” stats page idea, I don’t know how I’ve never heard of it before???
The Kill Factor is on my “best of” list too! It was so unique and had some great ethical discussions 😄 Full Speed and The Ministry of Time are both on my 2025 reading challenge list so I’m definitely getting to those 😉
You definitely should! It is fairly new, I think he just did it for the first time last year but I loooove it! I wish I was that knowledgeable to make such a cool thing! YES I agree! I feel like it was so underrated, it posed some really great questions! And I hope you enjoy them both!
So sorry 2024 was miserable for you. I’m truly hoping things turn around, even though I know you’re not feeling super hopeful. Shannon’s life, please throw some good surprises her way.
Just sending lots of hugs because I feel powerless otherwise. I gotta add some of these demanding best reads to my list!
I love this idea! All of these books look amazing, especially The Atlas Of Us and The Merciless King Of Moore High . I hope 2025 will be a great year for you 🙂
If you’d like to visit, here’s my TTT: https://thebooklorefairy.blogspot.com/2024/12/top-ten-tuesday-the-best-books-i-read-in-2024.html
I hope 2025 is better for you! Good luck with finishing your Masters. I loved getting mine, but I was thrilled when it was over. 🙂
I’m sorry you had a rough year. I feel like I’m BRACED for this year – trying to hold my shit together.
A Masters!! So impressive.
I want to read The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen. I loved the first book.
I LOVED Kara’s series, I read both of those last year and loved them.
Ash @ Essentially Ash
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